Gasp!
“I nodded off…”
What time is it? I cracked open my heavy eyelids and checked the clock. A breath of relief escaped me—it wasn’t midnight yet.
Normally, I’d be fast asleep by now. But tonight, I had a reason to stay up, even if I was barely keeping my eyes open. It was the full moon. The first one since I’d found out about Ian’s true identity. I couldn’t break our promise on the very first night.
“This won’t do. If I just sit here, I’ll pass out again. I need to do something.”
To shake off the sleep, I sat at my desk and opened my notebook—now even more battered from constant use.
[Checklist: Are my feelings really THAT?]
□ Do I want to be with him 24/7?
■ Do I get curious when he’s out of sight?
□ Does being with him make me happy?
■ Does he look attractive or adorable to me?
□ Do I feel jealous if he’s close with others?
□ Do nice things remind me of him?
■ Do I rely on him in difficult moments?
□ Do I feel an urge to touch or pet him?
*Reserve judgment until all criteria are met!
“Do I rely on him in difficult moments?”
That was the one I marked after we got trapped in the treasure vault. Honestly, he’d been reliable back then. And I was grateful.
Curious if anything had changed, I scanned through the list again—then stopped when my eyes landed on one line. A second later, another box got its checkmark.
■ Do I feel an urge to touch or pet him?
I mean, I had wanted to touch his mane or whatever. This checklist was for figuring out my own feelings, so I had to be honest about it.
Looking at all the little boxes I’d ticked so far made my heart feel restless. It was like… I kind of knew what they all meant. But part of me still didn’t want to admit it. I was scared I’d actually end up checking them all, yet… I was also kind of looking forward to seeing when that would happen. A mess of emotions, really. Still, as long as this one stayed blank, I figured I’d be safe: “Do I feel jealous if he’s close with others?”
That one couldn’t even apply unless there was someone to be jealous of. And Kalz didn’t exactly go around meeting new people. If anyone came close, it’d be Leon—but that was a lost cause. And it’s not like I could suddenly start feeling jealous of Butler Squawk.
“Should I just swap it for something else? But if I want this to be accurate…”
I stared at that one line, debating with myself, until the clock hands lined up at midnight. I closed the notebook and stood up. Whatever. I’d rethink it if I ever got through all the others.
The hallway was dark—pitch black—but it didn’t scare me like it used to. Maybe because I knew there weren’t any ghosts now. I glanced at the full moon outside and remembered what Butler Squawk had told me.
“Tonight’s the night. Please take good care of Ian.”
“I will. Don’t worry.”
“As you know, please don’t mention anything that might remind Ian of being a servant or your master. Also, avoid anything that might hint at the time period. Stick to everyday things—food, simple events, stuff that could happen anywhere.”
“Understood.”
“I’m counting on you, Briel.”
Even though he looked guilty for asking so much, Butler Squawk had gone over every detail like a parent leaving their kid with a babysitter. Maybe he felt responsible—for not being able to take care of a fellow servant properly.
I headed downstairs to find Ian. I didn’t know where exactly he was, but so far, we’d always run into each other on the first floor. Sure enough—
“Briel!”
I hadn’t even made it all the way down before he spotted me. Ian came running with a bright smile, looking as stunning as ever—no, even more so than before.
“It’s been a while! Have you been doing okay?”
“More or less. I still don’t remember anything, but I feel a lot more at peace now.”
And it showed. He seemed so much more calm and grounded than before. Maybe that’s why… he looked even more breathtaking tonight.
“It’s all thanks to you, Briel.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. Like always, I woke up in a dark place… but just knowing I might see you made it not scary at all. I didn’t feel the least bit anxious. Thank you, Briel. Really.”
Ian brought my hand to his lips and kissed it lightly. That single gesture, though small, was brimming with joy. I could feel just how happy he was. And at the same time, the loneliness he must’ve carried until now hit me like a wave, making my chest ache. I was glad—truly glad—that I’d pushed Butler Squawk to make this meeting happen, even if it was asking a lot.
“I’m honored to be of help. Come on, let’s head to the kitchen. I’ve got something ready for you.”
“The kitchen? What is it?”
“You’ll see.”
I tugged Ian’s hand and led him to the kitchen. I reheated the food I’d prepared earlier and plated everything neatly. He watched the whole process with curious eyes, as if it was all fascinating.
“Here you go. Dig in.”
“For me? You really made all this for me?”
“Yup. I know you’re not exactly hungry, but a meal isn’t just about hunger. It’s been a while since you last ate, hasn’t it?”
“Yeah… Thanks, Briel. More than anything, I’m just happy you thought about me. That alone means so much.”
With the happiest smile I’d ever seen, Ian picked up his spoon and took a slow bite.
“…It’s delicious. Really delicious.”
“Eat as much as you want—but chew slowly, okay? Sorry, but I don’t have anything on hand if you end up with indigestion.”
“Ha, okay.”
And he actually did eat slowly—like each bite was too precious to rush. Watching the way he savored the food made all the effort worth it. Honestly, everyone deserves a good meal. What’s the point of life if you can’t enjoy at least this much?
Once Ian had finished eating, we moved to a windowsill down the hallway and sat side by side. Luckily, the sky was clear, and the moonlight was bright enough that we could see each other clearly and talk without any trouble.
“You left with the Butler last time, right? What did you two talk about?”
“Let’s see… I remember asking for my name. But he said he’d only tell me once we reached the room, so I never got the answer. And then… I think my mind started getting foggy.”
“So you didn’t learn it after all?”
“Do you know my name, Briel?”
“I do. But if the Butler didn’t tell you, I can’t either. I’m sorry.”
Butler Squawk had probably dodged the question on purpose. Maybe he was worried Ian would start remembering things if he heard it. Which meant I couldn’t say anything either. When Ian saw my lips twist in guilt, he smiled gently.
“Don’t make that face. I won’t ask again. If you remember my name, that’s more than enough. Maybe that’s the only reason it still exists at all.”
“Huh? No way. Haha…”
…No, seriously, what is this? This isn’t just a casual conversation. That was definitely flirting, wasn’t it? I was so caught off guard by the sudden line that I couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly. But Ian’s calm expression didn’t waver. Maybe he really didn’t mean anything by it…?
“Anyway, I want to hear about how you’ve been, Briel. I can’t tell you anything about myself, since I don’t remember… but I want to know everything about you.”
“Nothing special. Wake up, work, eat, rest, sleep—same old routine.”
Of course, there were a hundred little moments of joy, frustration, and chaos in between, but everything happened inside the castle. It was hard to explain, and who knew what might trigger his memory?
“Oh—if you don’t mind, can I tell you about a novel I read recently? It was so good.”
“Sure. I’d love to hear about it.”
“Oh? Do you like novels?”
“Not really. I’m just curious about what you enjoy. That’s why I want to hear it.”
“Oh… I see…”
If anyone else had said something like that, I’d have rolled my eyes and told them to knock it off. But when I looked into Ian’s eyes—so clear and full of sincerity—I actually started to believe he meant it. Just as he said it.
I gave up on overthinking and dove right into telling Ian the plot of The Dark Chocolate Disappearance.
“So! Here’s the twist—turns out, there was one more person secretly hiding in the room all along!”
“Seriously? Who?”
“It was…”
To my surprise, Ian was a master at reacting. He wasn’t just a good listener—he knew exactly when to gasp, when to lean in, and when to throw in the perfect “Really?” or “What happened next?” It made me even more excited to talk, and before I knew it, I was at the end of the story.
“…And thanks to the detective’s brilliant deduction, the real culprit was caught and brought to justice. The end!”
“I’m so glad they cleared Bill’s name. I was nervous he wouldn’t get out of prison.”
“Right? A happy ending’s always better.”
“It was a great story. But honestly… I think I enjoyed watching you tell it even more. Your expressions changed so much. You looked so full of life—and really beautiful.”
Again with this?
Yup. That’s it. Ian, officially guilty—flirting in the first degree.
There’s no way this man hasn’t gotten in trouble before. With that face, saying things like that? People would fall for him left and right, even if he didn’t mean it. No one could blame them.
And clearly, I’m no exception. As flustered as his sweet words made me… I couldn’t say I hated it. I mean, come on—when someone that gorgeous calls you beautiful, how are you supposed to dislike it?
I didn’t know what to say, so I just stared out the window. Ian tilted his head.
“Briel? What are you looking at?”
“Oh, nothing… The night sky’s just really pretty right now—ah!”
Right then, a single star streaked across the sky, leaving a brilliant trail behind it. My eyes widened, and I turned to Ian in excitement.
“Did you see that?!”
“Yeah. I’m watching.”
“You are? …Whoa!”
As soon as I looked back, another shooting star flew by. One after another, trails of stardust painted the sky. The whole night turned dazzling in an instant. I completely forgot everything else, eyes locked on the radiant display above. One by one, the stars burned out, their trails fading into the darkness.
“…I think it’s over. That was fast.”
“Yeah. But the shooting stars… and you, watching them… both were beautiful.”
“……”
There he goes again. But now that he’d already been found guilty in my head, I didn’t let it rattle me as much. I played it cool, pretending I hadn’t heard, and kept the conversation going.
“They really were stunning. Too beautiful to keep to myself. I wish I’d known earlier so I could’ve—wait, why are you looking at me like that?”
“Nothing. Just… you said they were too pretty to see alone. But you weren’t alone. You saw them with me.”
“Oh—sorry! I didn’t mean it like that. I just thought it would’ve been nice if more people could’ve seen it too. Like, all of us together.”
“No, I get it. Just like I felt lucky to watch this with you, maybe there’s someone you wanted to see it with too.”
…Maybe. If I’m being honest, someone did come to mind while I was watching the stars. I couldn’t help but wonder what it would’ve been like if he were here. Would he have stared up with wide, sparkling eyes, eyes that didn’t quite match his size? Or maybe he’d scold me for making such a fuss—call me immature. But even then, I know he would’ve been just as excited, his ears and tail flicking uncontrollably.
His image came to me so clearly, it was like I could see him standing right there.
And then I remembered a certain line from that checklist.
“Do nice things remind me of him?”
Guess I’ve got another box to check.
But unlike before, I didn’t feel overwhelmed or conflicted. This time… it just felt warm.
