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“Huug meeee!”
Sienna was still pouting, stomping her feet with her arms wide open. Ivela was about to calm her down, thinking she was being stubborn again, but stopped when she saw Tei’s face. She had never seen him look so unsettled before. His expression rarely changed, and sometimes his sharp gaze could even be frightening—but this was different. It wasn’t the intimidating aura he projected toward others; this time, it was almost like he was the one feeling pressured—nearly to the point of fear—by Sienna.
Tei glanced at Ivela and gave a small nod toward Sienna, clearly telling her to step in. But she didn’t want to.
What do I do? This is way too funny. I want to tease him.
“What are you waiting for? She’s asking you to hug her.”
Instead of helping, Ivela pushed him further. Tei stared at her, mouth slightly open, like he couldn’t believe she’d betrayed him like this.
“Hurryyy!”
The little fairy’s demanding voice grew louder as he stood there, stuck between choices.
Tei’s Adam’s apple bobbed with a big gulp. As if he’d resigned himself, he stiffly bent down and lifted Sienna into his arms.
“Wooooow!”
Sienna let out a chirpy sound of awe. Seeing the world from high up must have amazed her. Thrilled, she wrapped her chubby arms tightly around Tei’s neck, locking eyes with him as she laughed. One plump, maple-leaf-like hand gently brushed along the bridge of his nose and cheek. He didn’t even flinch, frozen solid as though a bee had landed on his face.
“You’re pretty.”
“Could you say ‘handsome’ instead?”
Tei replied with his usual bluntness to her adorable comment. He was about to put her down when Sienna suddenly planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
“When Sienna grows up, she’s going to marry Tei!”
“……”
“Tei’s pretty.”
With her unmatched charm, Sienna had managed to go from first meeting to a marriage proposal in mere minutes. The children chattered while the adults stayed silent.
Both Ivela and Sister Agatha could tell that Tei wasn’t exactly thrilled about the situation. Especially Ivela, who flinched slightly, worried that Tei—who never let people touch him so easily—might get angry at Sienna for touching his face.
If he yells at her, I won’t just stand by.
But contrary to her fears, Tei slowly turned his head toward Sienna. Looking at her pure smile and sparkling eyes, his expression softened, and he gently smiled.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t marry you.”
“Why not?”
Sienna’s face immediately crumpled.
“Grown-ups marry other grown-ups.”
“Sienna will be a grown-up too!”
“And by then, I’ll be an old man.”
“Hmph…”
Sienna’s lips trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes. At this rate, her tantrum would shake the entire orphanage.
“Hey, hey, don’t cry. Why don’t you go play outside with Tei? Kids, Tei’s going to play ball with you!”
Without asking Tei’s permission, Ivela took charge. Sienna’s face instantly brightened, and the other children cheered and ran outside.
“Ha! What is this?”
Tei, betrayed, let out a disbelieving laugh and glared at Ivela—but with Sienna still clinging to his neck, stomping excitedly, the look was more comical than threatening.
“Male volunteers aren’t easy to come by. Since you’re here, make yourself useful.”
Volunteers who could act like father figures during playtime were precious to the children. She hadn’t expected Tei to fit that role, but watching now, maybe he could. Truthfully, she just wanted to see how he’d handle it.
“Good luck.”
Ivela patted his shoulder with a friendly smile.
“Tei’s great with the children.”
Sister Agatha said, pleased, as she watched through the window.
“Yeah, he is.”
Ivela, arms crossed, smiled faintly. Tei had taken off his coat and vest, wearing just his shirt as he played ball with the kids. The makeshift ball—stuffed with scraps of cloth and tightly tied with string—rolled around as the children kicked it. She’d worried at first, but seeing how well he blended in with them eased her mind.
“He doesn’t seem like an ordinary person. How did you two become friends?”
“Oh, I was in a bit of trouble, and he helped me out.”
Ivela avoided mentioning the fact that she’d met him while being chased—no need to worry the nun.
“So you’re just friends?”
“Of course.”
“I thought maybe he liked you, but I guess I was mistaken.”
“That’s ridiculous. Tei’s just a traveler who happened to tag along and experience this place with me.”
She exaggerated the distance between them, trying to suppress the flutter that arose when Sister Agatha mentioned the possibility.
“Is that so? Still, he seems different when he’s with you.”
“How so?”
“He has this heavy aura when he’s alone or with others. But with you, he seems lighter. And it looks like his attention is always on you.”
“……”
Ivela couldn’t respond. Observers often see things more clearly. Sister Agatha was mature, experienced, and not one to speak carelessly.
Does Tei… actually like me?
The way he followed her everywhere was easy to misinterpret. His occasional inappropriate jokes were annoying, but she knew his outward behavior was like a reflection in a window—visible, but impossible to step through. She’d never allowed herself to misunderstand.
Tei…
She didn’t even know his last name. He didn’t know hers either, and at this point, it felt awkward to ask. At first, knowing only each other’s first names had felt natural. Now, it felt odd. Maybe he was hiding as much as she was.
She studied him quietly. He was absorbed in playing soccer with the children. They ran around, kicking clumsily and clinging to his legs, laughing. Tei skillfully stole the ball and passed it to the quieter kids who hadn’t gotten many chances. He was clearly enjoying himself. Maybe Sister Agatha was right—maybe it was because she was somehow linked to this moment. But one thing was undeniable:
He didn’t dislike children. He’d probably just never had the chance to be around them.
When the kids finally got the ball and he had a moment to breathe, he laughed brightly, hands on his hips. As he pushed his messy hair back and his eyes met Ivela’s, his smile widened—pure, radiant, and so unlike his usual self that it took her breath away.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Her heart began to race.
“Kids! Snack time!”
The teacher’s voice called from inside, and the children abandoned Tei, racing indoors. Free at last, Tei wiped his sweat and sighed heavily. He prided himself on his stamina, but these kids were monsters.
He grabbed his vest and coat and headed behind the building, sitting on an empty bench. He cut and lit a cigar, taking a deep drag—when he felt someone’s uncomfortable gaze.
He turned his head. Gordon, Sienna’s older brother, sat on the next bench over, absorbed in a thick book.
“…You. Here.”
“What are you doing here, mister?”
The boy beat him to the question. Tei awkwardly held up the cigar.
“As you can see. Want one?”
“…No. Smoking is bad for kids.”
Gordon wrinkled his nose, as if he’d discovered a new species.
“Bad things are taught by bad people.”
“So you’re a bad person?”
“No. An untrustworthy one.”
Tei flicked the ash off carelessly, not even looking at him. This was exactly why kids were a pain—they were relentless, had no sense of atmosphere, and didn’t know who to question or not. He seriously considered moving benches.
“So you’re not a bad person then?”
“Sigh… Listen, kid—”
“Gordon.”
“Yeah, Gordon.”
The moment he said the boy’s name, Tei realized he’d lost. He let out a small laugh, half in disbelief—but it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.
“Untrustworthy people are more dangerous than bad ones. Remember that.”
Did this kid even understand that? Tei was surprised at himself—he hadn’t had a conversation with a child since he was grown. His life had been turbulent, but this was still unexpectedly strange.
As he lifted the cigar again—
“Could you put that out? I can smell it from here.”
“Then you move somewhere else.”
He laughed incredulously, raising the cigar again. But then—
“Bell doesn’t like smokers either. When Mr. Becker, the sponsor, smoked, she made little horns with her hands behind his back.”
Tei froze mid-motion. Suddenly, the urge to smoke was gone. But if he put it out now, it’d feel like losing to this brat.
The two locked eyes in a silent standoff. In the end, Tei surrendered first. He crushed the cigar on the ground, let out a dry breath, and leaned back against the bench. What a weird day.
When he glanced sideways, Gordon was already immersed in his book again, completely indifferent.
“You stop me from doing my thing, and then go back to yours, huh? Not happening.”
“What book are you reading?”
“The Rise and Fall of the Ancient Hertha Continent.”
Gordon replied flatly, eyes never leaving the page. He clearly didn’t want to be disturbed. But that only made Tei more mischievous. Compared to the clingy kids, this dry, bookish boy was somehow even cuter—and he suddenly wanted to tease him too.
