We spun in circles in time with the three beats of the waltz played on the piano.
As we moved to the flowing melody of the cello, memories of everything it had taken for us to hold hands like this again naturally surfaced.
“You used to step on my feet quite a bit back then.”
Kyle lowered his head slightly and chuckled.
“Looks like you’ve gotten the hang of it now.”
I couldn’t answer because I was holding a flower in my mouth, but even if I could, I wouldn’t have known what to say.
Yeah. A lot had happened.
“Back then, I never even imagined things would turn out like this between us.”
I flashed Kyle a grin.
Who could have predicted it? That in this icy land, where winter lasts for half the year, I would meet someone I love so deeply.
The very fact that I had come here was a miraculous experience in itself. That this place wasn’t just a story within The Heart of Winter but an actual, living world.
Though I had endured countless hardships to finally grasp this happiness… I didn’t mind. If I thought of it as the price I had to pay to meet Kyle, I didn’t feel the least bit wronged.
No, I was willing—glad, even. If it meant I could stay by Kyle’s side, I would choose him again without hesitation.
“Mmgh, mmghhh mgh mmghh mmghh?”
So, how does it feel to have ended up with me?
That was what I meant to say.
‘Damn flower.’
What came out instead was a garbled mess.
I couldn’t swallow it, but I couldn’t just spit it out either. As I mumbled in frustration and furrowed my brows in embarrassment, Kyle burst into laughter.
“Well, if I had to put it in one word… it’s an honor. To have ended up with you.”
…What?
“Mmmghhh mmghh mmgh?”
You actually understood that?
How the hell did he figure that out?
“Of course.”
Unbelievable.
They say even a dog learns poetry after three years in a Confucian school, so does a human learn hamster language after three years as a companion…?
Wait, no. I am human now. I was human to begin with.
Kyle pulled me closer, pressing his hand firmly against my back. Our faces drew near.
Ah, it’s just like that time.
The same close distance, our foreheads nearly touching. The way his gaze bore into me, overwhelming my senses. His long, dark lashes gently lowering. And that boyish smile lingering at the corner of his lips.
Just as if he were about to kiss me, Kyle leaned in and took the red flower from my lips. I think our lips brushed for a brief moment.
As my body spun once in his arms, he snapped the flower’s stem in half and casually tucked it into the breast pocket of his tailcoat.
“At times like this, I truly don’t know what to do with you.”
“Weren’t you never planning to stop me in the first place?”
“…That’s not entirely wrong.”
My lips felt numb from holding the flower for so long. I pursed them slightly, then stood on my toes.
His lips met mine, pressing down softly before pulling away.
“I thought you weren’t the type to do things like this in front of others.”
Though I spoke as if I were surprised, Kyle looked nothing but amused.
“It’s because certain noble ladies in the capital keep sending my dear Grand Duke wedding invitations.”
After realizing that no amount of persuasion could sway Kyle, some nobles in Meinhardt had resorted to forging invitations with his name on them, sending them out as if he were the groom-to-be.
What kind of absurdity was that to pull on someone else’s lover?
“I figured I might as well make it official—let them know you’re mine.”
Once or twice was manageable, but receiving excessive marriage proposals was becoming a problem.
This man was mine, after all.
I lifted my chin and declared it shamelessly. In response, Kyle effortlessly swept me up into his arms. Despite my height surpassing that of most women, he carried me as if I weighed nothing, not even a hint of strain on his face.
“You think just a little kiss will be enough?”
“I think a few noble ladies are already stumbling from heartbreak. What more are you planning?”
“If I’m going to go that far, maybe I should send out real wedding invitations. Or throw a grand wedding…”
“Mmph!”
I hastily reached out and covered his mouth.
“Do you ever stop running your mouth?! We may be publicly dating, but you’re already thinking about marriage?”
Compared to South Korea, this world had a much more flexible perspective, so even if rumors spread that Kyle’s lover was a man, most people would just chalk it up to an unusual preference.
Of course, there were still those insufferable bastards who saw it as a flaw, but I couldn’t care less about their spiteful opinions.
Still. Marriage?!
I’ve never even imagined that before!
Noticing the sincerity of my reaction, Kyle’s face fell slightly with disappointment.
“Shu. I’ve already been thinking about marrying you…”
For a second, the lyrics of that famous song about thinking of marriage echoed faintly in my head.
I shook my head quickly, trying to rid myself of the ridiculous thought.
“No, no! You don’t have to look at me like I just abandoned you! It’s not that I don’t want to marry you!”
Honestly, we already spent all day together and woke up in the same bed. Did marriage even make a difference at this point?
If anything, our life already felt a bit like a honeymoon.
But if I could stand before him, dressed in a pristine white suit, and solemnly vow to spend the rest of my life by his side…
“I do want to.”
Even uttering those short words sent a rush of heat to my face. My cheeks—no, even my ears—had to be burning red.
Avoiding his gaze, I quickly added,
“…Just not too extravagant. I don’t really like the idea of it becoming some big spectacle for others. I just want people to know that His Highness is already spoken for. That’s enough for me.”
Kyle kissed the palm of the hand I had pressed against his lips and whispered,
“So, what you want is a wedding just for the two of us?”
“Uh… well… I guess you could put it that way.”
Hearing it phrased like that suddenly made it sound incredibly romantic. My heart felt oddly ticklish.
“I’m not saying we have to do it right away. After we’ve dealt with the lawless zone. The safety of the territory comes first.”
“That just gives me one more reason to take care of the Mage Corps as soon as possible.”
A smile spread across his palm, warm and soft with barely contained happiness.
“Shu, come here for a moment.”
He took my hand, interlacing our fingers tightly, and pulled me toward him before leading me away without hesitation. His pace was so urgent that I didn’t even have time to exchange glances with the nobles who had been waiting to speak with him.
Because of his sudden movement, I nearly tripped over my own feet trying to keep up. My balance faltered, and I lurched forward—but Kyle caught me effortlessly. His arm wrapped securely around my back, while my arms instinctively went around his shoulders and neck.
Everywhere our bodies touched felt like it was melting.
For the first time, even the notorious northern cold seemed utterly insignificant.
The kiss was deep and searing.
Even though we were already pressed against each other, we instinctively sought to close the distance even further, tilting our heads and drawing nearer. Our tongues tangled, our breaths mixed, and between the heated exchange, white puffs of air escaped in shallow gasps.
My breathing grew ragged, but I didn’t want to push him away.
I craved him just as much as he craved me.
Love was a strange thing—it never seemed to be satisfied. The more I had of him, the more I wanted. And as long as I was drowning in this insatiable hunger for him, there was no room left for loneliness. I liked that.
Every time Kyle leaned in, my back arched instinctively, tilting my weight backward. Soon enough, I found myself practically hanging onto him, my arms wrapped around his neck for support. Just as my lower back began to ache, he swiftly lifted me with ease.
Click!
Our teeth accidentally bumped, and we both burst into laughter at the same time. Even as the faint sting lingered, making me scrunch my brows, we naturally found each other’s lips again.
“As much as I’m sure you’d love to head straight for the bedroom…”
After what felt like an eternity of kissing, I finally managed to catch my breath, panting slightly as I spoke.
“But we can’t right now. The banquet isn’t over yet.”
Kyle let out a frustrated groan, clearly displeased with the situation.
That didn’t mean he abandoned the event and dragged me to the bedroom.
After all, he was the Grand Duke of this land—the undisputed ruler of the North.
“I’ve already greeted all the important guests. As for Belial, I’ll be meeting with him separately after the festival is over.”
“Mm, sounds good.”
“So…”
Kyle gently brushed the back of his hand against my cheek and added,
“Will you go ahead and wait for me?”
I wasn’t so naïve that I didn’t understand what he was implying.
Leaning against him, I hesitated for a moment before answering,
“It’d be a little boring just waiting sober.”
“…”
“Would it be alright if I had a drink while I waited?”
Kyle looked at me, slightly surprised.
Of course, he probably didn’t understand why I would be suddenly acting shy about this.
It wasn’t as if it was our first time sharing a bed, and he knew well enough that I wasn’t the type to need alcohol just to gather the courage for intimacy.
As he studied my expression, something must have clicked—he had picked up on the determination I was trying to keep hidden.
“What kind of adorable scheme is my beloved plotting this time?”
“Who knows? You might be shocked when you see for yourself.”
Before he could pry further, I quickly stood on my toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek before stepping back.
“So hurry back, Your Highness. It wouldn’t do for the host to be absent for too long.”
Kyle sighed, clearly reluctant to part, but he returned to the banquet hall.
Before leaving, he placed a kiss on my forehead and casually asked a passing servant to bring a bottle of wine to our bedroom.
“Alright then…”
Now, the plan begins.
Operation: The Grand Surprise Birthday Gift for Kyle Blake is officially underway.
Ooh~ i wonder what he prepared. Something kinky? I doubt shu would do that..but one can hope.