“There’s no way that’s true.”
The idea that a person might taste like cocoa was so absurd that I couldn’t help but laugh at Vin’s nonsense. But if he was trying to make me laugh, he had succeeded. Thanks to him, the heavy feeling in my chest had completely lifted.
“If you want cocoa, just ask the butler.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Vin pouted. With a thunk, he lightly bumped his forehead against my chest and let out a deep sigh. When I gently scratched the back of his head, which was practically screaming that he was sulking, he couldn’t hold out for long and eventually sneaked a glance up at me.
“What do you think, Vin?”
“About what?”
“If I become the district leader, do you think I’ll do well?”
As soon as I asked, I remembered that Vin had been spending a lot of time with the butler lately. That meant he’d probably say the same thing as the butler. Would he try to reassure me by saying I’d do well?
I braced myself so I wouldn’t be disappointed no matter what he said. After all, Vin didn’t always say what I wanted to hear. I let go of any expectations and waited for his answer.
“Honestly, no.”
For a moment, I couldn’t believe my ears. Staring at him in shock, I watched as Vin, seeing my reaction, calmly added more explanation.
“I think you’ll try really hard, but I don’t think you’ll be good at it. I mean, you’ll put in the effort, sure. But if you’re asking if I think you’ll do well… honestly, no.”
“…Thanks. Really.”
After that merciless string of confirmations, my heart felt thoroughly shredded. It was a relief that he wasn’t just repeating the same scripted encouragement everyone else in the mansion had given me, but still… this was its own kind of bitter.
I had lived my life diligently enough, hadn’t I?
“Am I really that unreliable?”
Feeling a bit wronged, I asked again, wondering if this was truly how Vin had always seen me. He glanced away for a second before flashing me a bright smile.
“Not exactly. It’s more that you don’t want to do it.”
“So that’s why you said that?”
“Yeah. If I told you the same thing as everyone else—that you’ll do well—I figured you’d hate it.”
Vin nodded confidently as he spoke. In other words, in his own way, he had answered with my feelings in mind.
If I thought about it, everything he said made sense. But for some reason, it felt like he was teasing me. I sent him a suspicious look, but Vin just smiled innocently.
Well, he probably didn’t mean anything bad by it. I decided to believe that.
“Yeah, just like I said, I won’t do well. That’s why they should make Se-yul the district leader instead. He’s better at studying and sports than I am.”
“But I don’t think the district leader sees it that way.”
“Yeah. Father thinks I can do everything well.”
“Even after seeing your report card?”
“…You’re just messing with me, aren’t you?”
Vin must’ve realized his mistake because he quickly avoided my gaze. But now that I thought about it, maybe he was right—maybe the tutor hadn’t been entirely honest with Han Jae-hoon about my grades. Every time I took a test, I always had more wrong answers than right ones.
At least I was decent at shooting since I found it somewhat interesting. But even that was nothing compared to Vin. Then again, Vin was a Shining, so maybe it wasn’t fair to compare him to regular people.
Either way, I wasn’t someone who particularly stood out in anything. Before possessing this body and even after, I was just an extra passing through this world.
The position of Fifth District Leader was far too big a role for an extra like Han Seo-yul.
“I don’t know. I just want to sleep for now. My head hurts too much.”
“Are you sleepy?”
“Yeah, really sleepy.”
The tension I’d been holding onto since meeting Han Jae-hoon was finally releasing. As my eyelids grew heavy, they sank downward as if weighed by a stone.
Vin, who had been staring up at me, slowly wiggled closer and buried himself against me, closing his eyes. As his large frame curled into mine, I faintly heard the soft sound of his laughter.
His gentle, even breathing carried the same light floral scent as always.
“Goodnight, Seo-yul hyung.”
With that kind voice as the last thing I heard, I drifted off into a pleasant nap.
***
“Could you spread your arms wide, please?”
As I awkwardly lifted my arms, the designer slipped a measuring tape under them with practiced ease. Standing there like a mannequin while he took my measurements, a sudden question popped into my mind.
“Butler.”
“Yes, Young Master?”
“Do I really need new clothes?”
My closet was already overflowing with outfits I had barely worn. Getting more seemed like an unnecessary waste, but the butler firmly shook his head.
“It’s a special occasion.”
I wanted to argue that a birthday that came every year wasn’t anything special, but I had to admit that turning eighteen was different.
At least, it was for everyone else. Not for me.
“That day, Young Master must stand out the most. It’s a very important occasion—it’s also the day when the next district leader will be announced.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Did they even realize how much this damn announcement was tormenting me? Everyone else seemed so excited about it, but as the so-called main character of that day, I felt like I was withering away the closer my birthday got.
“All the district leaders and their heirs have confirmed their attendance. Of course, District 1 is an exception. It’s going to be a truly grand birthday party, so the Young Master must shine even more!”
The thought of myself standing there like a peacock in a lavish outfit at that extravagant party made me chuckle dryly. I could already picture my future—receiving congratulations from people I didn’t even know, nursing a glass of non-alcoholic champagne the whole time.
After enduring that suffocating birthday party, Han Jae-hoon would eventually make the big announcement in front of everyone, declaring me the next district leader.
And once that moment passed, there would be no turning back. From the second my birthday ended, the heir’s training would begin, and Han Jae-hoon would start preparing for his retirement.
‘How the hell did things end up like this?’
What I was supposed to change was the destruction of District 5, not this. I was never meant to become the district leader. I desperately wanted this part of the story to follow the original. Se-yul was supposed to be the next leader, not me.
“It’s done.”
As the designer stepped back after finishing the measurements, Vin approached to fix my disheveled clothes. His hands moved so naturally, smoothing out the wrinkles in my shirt, that even compared to the butler, he seemed just as skilled.
“Butler.”
I gave a subtle glance, and as we had arranged earlier, the butler signaled the designer. Clearing his throat with a small cough, he got Vin’s attention.
“Vin, you need to get fitted for clothes too.”
“…Me?”
“You’re attending the Young Master’s party, aren’t you? Surely, you weren’t planning on wearing those?”
At the butler’s words, Vin lowered his gaze to his own outfit. His expression clearly said, What’s wrong with these? but the butler ignored it entirely, gesturing toward the designer with a slight tilt of his chin.
“W-Wait a second.”
“Please lift your arms.”
The designer, unfazed, stepped forward and began taking Vin’s measurements. Throughout the process, Vin kept glancing at me, looking somewhat lost.
I gave him a look that said, Just relax. Only then did he stop stiffening up and let the tension leave his body. And just like that, Vin’s measurements were taken down perfectly.
I thought we were finally done, but the process continued. They searched for fabrics that suited our complexions, discussed designs that would match us best—what had started at midday only finished when the sun was beginning to set.
“We will have the clothes delivered by next week.”
“I appreciate it.”
While the butler saw the designer out, I dragged my exhausted body toward the table. Sitting down, I took a deep breath and reached for my tea to soothe my dry throat.
Vin, having finished helping clean up, sat across from me. He picked up a mug of now-cold cocoa, staring into it. The marshmallows had already melted away, leaving behind a thick, sweet surface. Seeing him just staring at it, I helpfully pointed it out.
“That’s cocoa.”
Vin raised an eyebrow, as if recalling the conversation we’d had before. He was quick on the uptake, I’d give him that. When I grinned playfully, he relaxed and let out a small, tired chuckle.
“The marshmallow hardened.”
“Because it’s cold.”
Taking a long sip of the now-cold cocoa, Vin’s eyes widened in surprise. Even chilled, he found it delicious and quickly emptied his cup. Wiping away the foam from his lips, he smiled contentedly.
I never understood what was so great about cocoa, especially when it left such a thick aftertaste in the mouth. But Vin really liked it. He still talked about how good the cocoa tasted on the first night we spent together.
“If you ever want cocoa, just let me know.”
“I told you, that’s not what this is about.”
Vin pouted in protest. There was still a bit of foam left at the corner of his mouth. Before I even thought about it, my hand moved on its own. I gently brushed the spot with my fingers, and Vin flinched, instinctively pulling his shoulders in.
“You had some foam.”
I showed him the foam on my thumb, and only then did he straighten his posture. Maybe I should’ve warned him first. Smirking at the awkwardness of the moment, I licked the foam off my thumb.
“Sweet.”
Turned out it wasn’t just milk foam—it was melted marshmallow. The sweetness coated my tongue, so I took a sip of the bitter tea to wash it away. Cocoa and marshmallows just didn’t suit me.
Damn, I really need a cigarette.
I always had the craving, but today it was worse than usual. If I could take a deep drag of a cigarette and follow it with a sip of black coffee, maybe this suffocating feeling would ease up a little.
“There’s really nothing good about this.”
I pushed aside my frustration over the things I couldn’t do and just kept drinking the bitter tea, trying to soothe my restless mind. Was it just my imagination, or was the tea starting to taste sweet the more I drank it?
In the end, I set the half-finished cup down.
