Joshua’s name made me unconsciously hold my breath. He was the first uninvited guest to seek me out while Jeremy was away.
Jeremy, looking down at me as I trembled, withdrew his hand from my nape. His palm, now patting my quivering shoulder, felt like it was telling me to stay calm.
“I greet the young master of the District.”
The attendant, who had been picking up the fallen food, scrambled to his feet and greeted Joshua. Ignoring him entirely, Joshua walked past and stopped in front of Jeremy and me.
“Who’s that?”
Joshua motioned toward me with his chin. I was practically nestled against Jeremy’s chest. Instead of answering, Jeremy pulled me even closer, blocking Joshua from getting a proper look at my face.
“I like him, so I’m seducing him.”
Both Joshua and I were visibly shocked by the unexpected response. Jeremy glanced down at me briefly before wrapping his arms around me completely.
His hand pressed firmly on my shoulder, as if instructing me to stay still, but to others, it must have looked like he was holding me even tighter. Joshua scoffed in disbelief at the public display of affection unfolding before him.
“Why the hell would you—no, actually, that’s about right for your standards.”
Joshua’s words were laced with mockery. Though Jeremy wore a smile, the grip on my shoulder told a different story. His hand trembled slightly, but he let out a quiet sigh, steadying himself. His expression never wavered.
“Do whatever you want, but don’t stoop too low. Even if your scent is faint, you’re still a Shining.”
It was a harsh thing to say, especially to his own twin brother. Yet from the way they interacted, it seemed like such exchanges were common between them. Joshua had likely spoken to Jeremy like this countless times before.
“…Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Jeremy simply smiled, even at words that would have made me furious. Seemingly pleased that his advice had been received, Joshua let out a satisfied chuckle and stepped closer, giving Jeremy’s shoulder a pat.
‘The pheromones…!’
I hadn’t smelled anything from Jeremy, but the moment Joshua drew near, his scent hit me like a wave. It wasn’t as overwhelming as before, but the color was still strong. Even with suppressants, he couldn’t fully conceal it.
“When are you coming back?”
“I’ll be there soon.”
Even without turning around, I could feel Joshua’s gaze on me. I was holding my breath, trying to avoid inhaling his scent, but I wouldn’t last much longer.
“Ugh…”
Jeremy lowered his gaze and saw my pale, ashen face. Even though I tried to hide it, the sickening stench coming from Joshua was wreaking havoc on me.
“Joshua, shouldn’t you be heading off? The elders should have all arrived by now.”
Jeremy, quick to catch on, deliberately steered the conversation elsewhere. At that, Joshua finally stepped back. The moment he distanced himself, I let out the breath I had been holding in. With him further away, the scent was at least bearable now.
“Then enjoy your time, Jeremy.”
With a smirk, Joshua left for the banquet hall. His footsteps faded into the distance, and only then did Jeremy release me. He had been staring in the direction Joshua had disappeared for quite some time.
“Sorry for pulling you in like that. I didn’t think it would be good for Joshua to see you, Han Seo-yul.”
Jeremy’s apology sounded sincere. I wanted to say it was fine, but I felt like I’d gag the moment I opened my mouth. Even a simple response was beyond me right now.
“You don’t look well, Han Seo-yul.”
Jeremy’s expression tensed as he took in my deathly pale complexion. I forced a reassuring look, but in truth, my insides had been churning for a while now. At this rate, I’d collapse before I could even find Se-yul and Han Jae-hoon.
“I should get going—urk.”
“Han Seo-yul?”
If Jeremy hadn’t reached out, I would have crumpled to the floor right then. I managed to mumble a quiet thanks, trying to straighten myself, but before I could even regain my balance, Jeremy effortlessly scooped me up into his arms.
“You should rest for a bit before going anywhere.”
“I’m fine—”
“Is there a place nearby where he can rest?”
Ignoring my protest, Jeremy asked a nearby attendant. The servant, bowing deeply, quickly informed him of a resting area close by. Without hesitation, Jeremy started walking in that direction.
“I can walk on my own. Can’t you put me down?”
I had both hands covering my face, but I could still feel the curious stares from people passing by. No matter how many times I reassured him that I was fine, Jeremy stubbornly refused to let me go.
When we finally reached the lounge, contrary to what the attendant had said, the door was firmly shut. Instead of knocking with his hand, Jeremy gave the door a couple of light taps with his foot. From inside, there was a sudden scuffle, the sound of someone hastily moving about.
“I-I greet the young master of the District.”
Moments later, the door swung open, revealing two people. One of them didn’t seem to be from District 1, while the other was a servant working here.
“…Looks like I interrupted something.”
Jeremy’s gaze swept over the two, who looked flustered and disheveled. Frantically waving their hands, they insisted that wasn’t the case before scurrying away.
Jeremy stepped inside and carefully placed me down on the sofa. Then, from a small table nearby, he grabbed a drink and some cookies.
“You should rest here for a bit.”
Only after drinking the water Jeremy handed me did the dizziness in my stomach finally settle. I took a deep breath and lifted my head, only to meet Jeremy’s unwavering gaze.
The last time we met, he had seemed terrifying. Maybe I had been too on edge simply because he was Joshua’s brother. But now, he just seemed… incredibly kind.
“Thank you for looking after me.”
I bowed my head awkwardly, and a soft smile spread across Jeremy’s eyes. He stepped forward, reaching out to tap the brim of my hat lightly. Then, as if smoothing down my hair, he gently brushed his fingers over it before speaking.
“In that case, will you do me a favor?”
“A favor…?”
“Mm, I’ll tell you next time. I don’t really feel like asking right now.”
His hand, which had been tidying my hair, withdrew just as quickly. I rubbed my forehead, feeling a strange ticklish sensation, avoiding his gaze that was still fixated on me. It felt… odd.
“You said you were playing hide-and-seek earlier, right?”
“…Y-yeah.”
“Then is Vincent the seeker?”
I failed to mask my expression. Even though I quickly denied it, the amused smile on Jeremy’s face suggested he had already figured it out.
“You were planning to go to the banquet hall, weren’t you?”
“…Yes.”
I expected him to ask why I was avoiding Vincent, but instead, Jeremy smoothly changed the subject. I was relieved, but a lingering sense of unease crept in.
There was no one else in this mansion looking out for me. Even if Jeremy seemed friendly toward me now, he was still Joshua’s brother. And among the Shining family, Joshua had the worst relationship with him.
“Don’t worry. I’m neither on Vincent’s side nor on Joshua’s.”
Had he caught on to my wariness? Jeremy added those words with a light smile. I wanted to know if he really meant it, but his pleasant expression gave nothing away.
Still, from his conversation with Joshua earlier, it didn’t seem like they got along particularly well. It was hard to trust him completely, but at least he didn’t seem like someone who would harm me. If he were, he wouldn’t have helped me like this.
“Can I ask why you’re trying to go to the banquet hall?”
“…I need to meet the head of District 5.”
“I didn’t see him among the guests who’ve arrived so far.”
Well, the Day of the District had only just begun. I should have waited until I heard confirmation that Han Jae-hoon and Se-yul had arrived before acting, but my impatience had driven me to leave my room in a hurry.
Maybe I should just return before my reckless escape was discovered.
As I hesitated, growing increasingly troubled, Jeremy leaned in and whispered,
“I know a good way to hide. Want me to teach you?”
“A good way to… hide?”
“Yes, I like hide-and-seek too.”
Jeremy grinned playfully, like a mischievous child preparing a prank. His expression left me momentarily dumbfounded—was he seriously suggesting a game of hide-and-seek?
Sensing my confusion, he added, “If hiding makes you anxious, I can also arrange for the head of District 5 to meet you somewhere else.”
“…Somewhere else?”
“Yeah. You just need to meet him, right?”
I didn’t even have time to question why he was helping me so much. Even if it was just a whim, I needed someone’s help to meet them, even briefly.
When the Day of the District ended, I planned to leave with Choi Yeo-min and disappear into a place that was neither District 1 nor District 5, where I could remain hidden for the rest of my life.
Until he forgot about me. Until I completely disappeared from his memory.
So this might be my last chance to see them.
The moment he realized I was gone, he would search District 5 first. I wouldn’t be able to return.
Han Seo-yul was someone who should have disappeared from this story a long time ago.
I had delayed it for far too long, but now, I was finally trying to set things back on their original path.
“…Please. I’ll leave it to you.”
