Chapter 81

“Introduce… together?”

“Yes, it’s the result of nearly 10 years of work, and Sofia is my girlfriend too. Don’t you think Mother and Father would like that?”

“Uh…”

This is too sudden.

We’re not even officially dating yet, and I never expected this kind of talk already.

Even though it’s temporary, he’s talking as if we’re really dating properly.

An introduction…

Isn’t that going too far…?

Or am I being too conservative?

“Isn’t an introduction too soon…?”

“You think so?”

“Yeah… it’s too soon. Let’s take things more slowly.”

“Alright.”

What kind of introduction is he thinking about on the first day of our temporary relationship?

It’s way too fast.

Does he like the fact that we’re dating, even temporarily, that much…?

“What were Sofia’s parents like?”

“My mom and dad?”

I didn’t really have much to say about my parents.

I was suddenly sent to boarding school when I was a thoughtless child, and back then I only thought about home and playing outside.

Even with memories from my past life, children still just want to play outside.

“Well, my mom is… kind. And she has a straightforward personality.”

So straightforward that she sent me to boarding school right away.

Although it’s come up a few times in conversation already, I sometimes wonder if she sent me away too easily.

“And my dad is someone who listens well to my mom. I think he actually had less power at home than mom did.”

There wasn’t anything special to explain.

They were just an ordinary family.

If anything was special, maybe our house was slightly bigger than the neighboring houses?

That’s about it.

I don’t know where they earned their money, but I think I grew up in a moderately wealthy environment.

That’s probably how they continued to pay for my boarding school tuition.

“Oh, and my dad enjoys magic stimulants. Sometimes he’d spend time smoking them alone in the yard. My mom… I think she liked flowers?”

“He sounds similar to my father. My father occasionally smokes magic stimulants too.”

“Really? The head of the family too?”

“Yes.”

I didn’t know that.

I never had the chance to talk with the head of the family.

We continued to share stories about our parents as we finished our meal.

We talked not just about our parents but about family in general, and other topics too.

Anyway, the conclusion is that introductions would be something for much later.

“Sofia, aren’t you cold?”

“I’m cold.”

After finishing our meal, we went outside and were walking down the street.

When asked if I was cold, I could only answer that I was.

Unlike usual, I wasn’t wearing an outer coat.

The reason was simple.

“But don’t I look prettier dressed like this…?”

I can bear the cold.

Isn’t it more important to look prettier for the person you’re dating?

That’s why I deliberately dressed this way.

“Haah…”

Kyle sighs.

Does he not like it…?

I thought I dressed prettily.

He actually told me I looked pretty too…

“Why…? Is it not good?”

“Sofia.”

“Yes.”

Kyle calls my name.

When I looked up to see Kyle, he was staring at me with terrifying eyes.

Shiver

His face was so scary that my lower abdomen trembled.

“Kyle…? Why are you looking at me like that…? I’m kind of scared…”

He was truly frightening.

Usually, Kyle would just smile brightly.

Even when I made mistakes while working, he never scolded me and just smiled, saying it was okay.

So when that same Kyle looked at me with such a cold expression, it was extremely scary.

“Sofia.”

“Yes…?”

“Let’s go to a clothing store first.”

“W-why?”

“You said you’re cold. Let’s go buy some clothes.”

“Kyle?! Wait! I’m fine…”

Kyle grabbed my hand and started pulling me along.

I wore this pretty outfit because I wanted to show it to Kyle.

That’s why I deliberately wore it despite the cold.

“I’m fine, really…”

“You’re already beautiful, so you don’t need to worry about clothes. Just don’t catch a cold.”

“Ugh…”

Thump

Kyle suddenly brought his face close to mine and said that.

To be honest, Kyle’s words didn’t properly register in my head.

No, they couldn’t register.

What woman could think straight when someone like him comes so close?

“Hurry.”

“Okay…”

In the end, I was dragged all the way to the clothing store while holding Kyle’s hand.

Since Kyle’s body temperature was so warm, I had no desire to let go.

Why do people from the north have such high body temperatures?

We’re definitely the same species.

Elin, having been born and raised in the north, also had an extremely warm body.

Whenever our skin touched during exercise, I would think how warm she was, but Kyle was even warmer.

He was incredibly warm when he hugged me while I was dressed too.

Previously when he suddenly hugged me from behind, and also the day before yesterday, I thought he was extremely warm.

“…”

Suddenly, a completely perverted thought crossed my mind.

What if I were to be embraced by Kyle, with his warm body temperature, while naked…

“Sofia? Are you okay?”

“Y-yes…”

“Let’s quickly get inside the store.”

My face wasn’t red from the cold.

I wasn’t stumbling over my words because of the cold either.

I was just embarrassed by the thoughts I was having.

And maybe a little expectant too…

*

“Are you warmer now?”

“Yes…”

Even though I let go of Kyle’s hand, I was warm.

Having a boyfriend with money turned out to be an incredibly advantageous thing.

In modern terms, it was like being taken to a department store and bought an expensive padded jacket just because I said I was cold.

Even though I didn’t really want it, Kyle insisted on buying it for me.

I cursed internally when I saw the price tag and said it was expensive, but he bought it anyway.

Insisted on it.

“It really wasn’t necessary…”

“I just don’t like seeing Sofia cold.”

Still, I was happy that Kyle did this for me.

I really did raise him well, didn’t I?

How well must I have raised him for him to treat his lover so well?

And at the same time, I was worried.

If he makes such a fuss just because I’m cold… if some strange woman tries to seduce Kyle with nonsense…

He would surely squander the family fortune.

“Kyle?”

“Yes.”

We were still inside the clothing store.

Wearing the warm coat Kyle bought me, I looked up at him and spoke.

“I appreciate what you bought, but you shouldn’t easily buy things for women. You never know, right? There could be women who intentionally try to just take your money and leave.”

This was advice from a life senior.

Although I’ve never dated before, I’ve had money taken from me several times.

I lent it and they never paid back, damn it.

Oh, by the way, Louise was among those people.

It wasn’t a large amount, so I settled it by beating her up once.

Anyway, one needs to be careful.

Money is that important and dangerous.

“You shouldn’t just buy things for anyone you’re close with, or lend money, or cosign for them. Got it?”

“Yes.”

Kyle smiled and answered my words.

Yes, Kyle looks best when he smiles.

I liked it when he smiled foolishly and answered me.

Not with that cold face like just before.

“Anyway, there’s no one else but Sofia I would do this for.”

“Huh?”

“How could I focus this much on someone who isn’t my lover?”

“Still… just in case…”

“If it’s not Sofia, I don’t plan to see any other woman anyway.”

“What?! Isn’t that too extreme?”

No matter what, not seeing other women is a bit…

Is he thinking about marriage with me!?

We’re not even really dating, just temporarily dating as a trial!

“Because for me, there’s only Sofia.”

“Ugh…”

Suddenly saying things like that is too much.

Even if we are temporary lovers…

How can he say such things so easily?

I wouldn’t be able to say them out of embarrassment.

“Well, let’s go back outside now. You’re dressed warmly.”

“Wait a moment.”

“Yes?”

I stopped Kyle as he was about to leave the store immediately.

Kyle looked at me with a face that seemed to ask what was wrong.

Nothing was wrong, I just called him because he forgot something.

“Your hand. You need to hold it.”

“… Yes.”

Kyle came back to me and took the left hand I was holding out.

Then we went outside again.

The weather was cold, but it felt warmer than usual.

*

“Sofia, how was today?”

“It was fun.”

It really was.

It felt even more fun because it was my first proper date.

Although we had to go back before evening and were slowly heading back now, it was still fun.

It was more fun than any other day I had gone out with Kyle so far.

I might not have completely achieved my goal, but it was still fun.

Really.

“I’m glad you had fun. Honestly, I was really worried.”

“About what?”

I wondered what he was worried about.

Kyle was always smiling whenever he saw me, whenever we ran into each other, whenever I looked at him, so I was curious.

What was Kyle so worried about?

“I was worried about whether the places would suit your taste, whether you’d like the clothes I bought, whether you’d still be cold even wearing them, whether you’d enjoy the date course, whether you’d like my appearance, whether you’d enjoy spending time with me.”

“No, no.”

I shook my head as I continued speaking.

“It was really fun. I feel like I’ve never had such an enjoyable time since staying in Eristirol.”

It was true.

The first proper date with Kyle was really fun.

So much fun that I wanted to go out again next time.

Nothing particularly special had changed from the previous times we went out.

Today’s meal just tasted better than last time’s, and the weather felt a little warmer.

And it was just a little more enjoyable than before.