episode_0096

Four months have passed since Carlyle returned.

The cold but warm winter quickly passed, and new buds of spring began to sprout.

Nothing special happened.

I became more affectionate towards him than before I studied abroad, and he became more precious to me. We were always together, both on campus and at home.

[Okay, ah-]

His girlfriend Bianca was already very affectionate, but she became even more affectionate and tried to feed him when they ate lunch together.

[Do you have Carlyle by any chance…?]

Come to the fruit shop every day.

[I really, really like it.]

In the hallways, outside, and even in the liberal arts classrooms where we happen to be listening in together.

Carlyle honestly liked her because she showed off her affection by hugging him whenever she had the chance, putting her arms around him, and acting all cute.

Oh, come to think of it, there was one important incident.

-Please allow me to marry you.

He bowed his head.

He succeeded in getting formal permission. He went to his parents’ house with Bianca and got formal permission.

[When you went abroad to study. I told you in advance.]

It was easier than expected, perhaps because Bianca had convinced her parents in the first place.

-So when are you going to do it…?

-I’m planning to do it this coming spring. In the month of Bianca’s birthday.

-Then, February…?

-Yes, master.

However, I heard that the craftsman fainted after hearing the news last year, but I don’t know if it’s true.

And now it’s February. An important month has arrived.

It drizzled last night.

It was a drizzle that announced early spring.

It seemed as if all the dust in the world had been washed away because of the rain. A hand raised a teacup while looking at the clear sky and the scenery outside the window.

Hororok-

Drinking the hot tea I just made makes me feel at peace.

No, no.

In fact, this place was too comfortable for him in the first place.

Bianca Shamal’s room, her girlfriend’s room, which is quite neat and tidy.

It’s not really my house, but I’m so used to it now.

Lately, Carlyle’s mind has been unusually calm.

‘I’ve always been…’

It feels like I’ve been running around in a hurry.

I was always working part-time and studying at the same time. So, there were countless times when I made up for the lack of sleep by going to the rooftop of the academy.

But now I have free time, I don’t have a part-time job, and it’s even vacation.

So these days, being with Bianca is my daily routine.

There’s absolutely no way I wouldn’t like being with a pretty and cute girlfriend all the time.

Bianca too, and him too.

They just didn’t want to leave each other.

We slept together last night too. It’s been quite common for him to come back, and there have been times when he didn’t come back for three or four days in a row.

***

It’s already been two months.

-If our parents find out, we’re really dead.

Bianca Shamal had been talking to him in a teasing tone, but she was actually giving him a spare key as she spoke.

This means you can come into my house whenever you want, which is effectively a cohabitation offer.

It was cute how she said this with her face red and her head slightly bowed.

-… So, as long as we don’t get caught, it doesn’t matter, right? We’re going to get married soon anyway…

Because she was so cute, Carlyle kept pestering her until the early hours of the morning. She was so tired that she cried and massaged her entire body, hugged her, comforted her, and apologized for her mistake.

“Um… ”

Suddenly, a shuffling sound was heard and Carlyle put down his teacup.

Bianca seems to have woken up, so he approaches the bed.

The delicate and rich inner double eyelids open. Small, slender fingers rub the eyes little by little.

‘Why are you so cute?’

There is really nothing about Bianca Shamal that isn’t pretty. Everything she does is ridiculously cute.

Her beautiful amethyst eyes stare blankly at him.

“Are you awake, Bianca?”

When he asked with a smile, Bianca Shamal patted the seat next to her instead of answering. Carlyle quickly understood and lay back down on the bed.

“… It’s cold, Carlyle.”

The room is heated right now, so it shouldn’t be cold at all. Of course, I don’t mind my girlfriend’s nagging.

“Why? It’s warm.”

“… No, it’s cold.”

Carlyle chuckled and hugged the slender woman’s body.

“Is it warm now?”

Bianca nods.

“… Yeah, really.”

Soon, her slender arms come to embrace him, and her soft cheeks are constantly rubbing against his chest.

A more appealing appearance. A appearance that digs into the arms.

It was sniffing, almost like it was smelling something. It really was like a cat, Carlyle thought to himself.

“…Smells good.”

Bianca Shamal’s voice is still half asleep.

“… Arm pillow, please.”

There are many requirements. There is no such thing as a sleeping princess.

But to Carlyle, she was truly a princess.

The most precious, one-of-a-kind, special existence in the world.

So in this relationship right now, he’s completely the underdog. On the surface, it looks like he’s in control, but in reality, he’s very much in Bianca Shamal’s grasp.

It is natural for a man to want to do anything for a woman who is so cute and lovely and likes him. Because Bianca Shamal wants to give him even the stars from the high night sky.

Carlyle puts out his arm.

Adjust your posture so that the other person can lean on you comfortably.

“Expect, relax.”

And then I stroked his hair with my hand.

Once on her cute nose bridge, once on her soft cheeks, and finally once on her forehead, Bianca Shamal’s mouth will form a soft smile.

“… Okay, yeah.”

Carlyle smiled faintly at that reaction.

Maybe an hour from now, maybe two.

‘Because Bianca sleeps a lot.’

I secretly sleep in a lot in the morning.

Even though I’m awake, I might have to stay still like this. My arms will start to go numb.

Still, Carlyle was okay.

It’s just that I feel relaxed and comfortable right now. Because I feel small happiness due to Bianca’s presence. I feel like everything is okay.

‘… This is a big problem.’

After marriage, it seems as if Carlyle sees his future.

These days, I’m thinking that I’ve become a total idiot and can’t move at every word Bianca Shamal says.

Now, the future was really approaching, right before our eyes.

***

That day at lunchtime, the two went out to get their suits fitted.

A famous suit shop located in a downtown area.

“How about this…?”

Vita spun around in a circle, slightly nervous.

“It suits you so well, really!”

“You are so beautiful, Father!”

The female clerks next to me are making a lot of noise.

‘What a cheerful bunch of people.’

Well, isn’t that why she’s a clerk at a high-end suit store in the first place?

I can’t even remember how many times I’ve changed them.

“Um… ”

Carlyle groaned deeply. His expression was probably blank, but it wasn’t an illusion.

Then, after a brief cough, Carlyle spoke.

“… It’s pretty, but this too.”

Perhaps the expected compliment or bitter lip-smacking was revealed.

“Carlyle, so. Pick the prettiest one.”

This one is pretty, yeah, that one is pretty too, yeah.

At this rate, I won’t be able to choose a dress even if I look around all day.

Carlyle frowned, sighed faintly, and smiled faintly.

“What can I do when they’re all pretty? Every single one of them. They’re pretty because you wear them.”

“읏… ”

Vita’s face turned red for a moment. The clerks next to her also laughed.

The redness on his face quickly spread to his earlobes.

“Really, ha… ”

Vita also ended up laughing faintly. It was annoying, but it didn’t bother me. It was a really strange experience. However, Carlyle looked really troubled.

“No kidding, seriously. It’s hard to choose just one.”

“Just pick anything.”

Of course, Vita herself can choose.

‘… But it’s a wedding dress.’

If she’s going to wear it, I think it’s right for her groom, Carlyle, to choose it.

After much deliberation, Carlyle finally chose one.

“This would be the best.”

It was the first dress she had ever worn. It was the dress that had made Carlyle Schultz look dumbfounded when he first saw it, and that had even made him forget to breathe.

“… I should have done this a long time ago.”

Vita grumbled, but was happy that she had finally decided, thinking that her wedding dress had been decided.

‘This… I’m wearing at my wedding?’

Are you really getting married?

So, yourself?

Suddenly, it hit me. I couldn’t take my eyes off the wedding dress.

I could hear the clerks’ applause.

“You have a very good eye for vision.”

“The bride definitely looks good in a bell-line dress. She has a cute vibe and a nice body… ”

Belleine’s dress is a typical princess-style dress.

It also emphasizes the waist and hips, giving off a very feminine feel.

So when Bianca first wore that dress.

Carlyle briefly wondered if he was seeing a fairy and not another human being, if he had just been so lucky as to have met a fairy.

“Then, with this.”

Anyway, Vita decided on a wedding dress, and it was Carlyle’s turn.

Although she had scolded Carlyle earlier, Vita also had difficulty deciding on a dress code.

“Bianca, choose.”

“… Oh, yeah.”

So, everyone is cool, Carlyle Schultz is cool.

‘Carlyle is really like this…’

He was my boyfriend, but he would soon be my one and only partner for the rest of my life. I was so amazed at how handsome he was that I lost my mind. It was funny because it took me a lot longer to choose Carlyle’s clothes.

The wedding preparations were hectic.

After the wedding dress, there’s the gift, and although it doesn’t feel real, there’s the house where we will live as newlyweds.

It’s been several days already.

Today too, the two of them held each other’s hands tightly and went looking for a house together.

Yeah, actually. It really didn’t feel real.

“Aren’t you cold, Bianca?”

“Yeah, it’s not cold.”

Carlyle, who always buttoned up his coat collar with his hand even though he said so.

“The ball is a little cold.”

Then, he wraps his hands around the ball and transmits the warmth of his hands, making me feel cared for.

When they got hungry while walking, the two would go to a nearby street vendor and eat walnut cookies and snacks together. If any sauce from the food got on the other person’s lips, they would giggle and wipe it off with their hands.

***

I always feel at ease and supported by Carlyle.

So, Vita just liked the fact that she was just holding hands with Carlyle, and that this whole process was even about finding a place to live with Carlyle.

I was just happy.

“This is a good location. There’s a lot of sunlight.”

I saw several houses.

Of course, Vita currently has a room. Now that they are married, they both agree that they need to be independent.

Vita has been saving her allowance regularly. She didn’t save it with this kind of situation in mind, but when she looked at her bankbook, she saw that the amount she had saved was not small.

Carlyle had also been working part-time for several years. Fortunately, with the combined budget of the two of them, they were able to rent a room of a reasonable size, although it wasn’t very generous.

But when I got greedy and tried to find the best place within the given budget, it wasn’t easy at all.

“I had another empty stomach today.”

“Just take your time and find out.”

The two returned home again today without any income. Still, the smiles on their faces did not fade, since they had already decided on their formal attire and had just purchased a gift.

Vita returned home and prepared dinner.

“What’s for dinner tonight?”

Her face blushes slightly at the hand that hugs her from behind. She’s gotten used to Carlyle’s arm wrapping around her stomach, but it’s still embarrassing every time. It means it feels really good.

“What you like the most.”

“Then, it’s risotto.”

Vita’s body flinched at the sound of the voice ringing in her ears.

“Oh, really. When you cook, stay away.”

“I’ll do all the dishes.”

Carlyle Schultz chuckles and falls down.

Carlyle loves risotto. There’s no other reason for this. It’s the first dish Vita ever made, so he likes it.

Put butter in a pan and fry all the ingredients to create a fragrant aroma.

Pour the broth little by little and stir very slowly.

Soon the risotto was ready, and the two had dinner together, sitting side by side on the sofa, leaning their heads against each other. Sometimes, when the mood struck, they would kiss each other on the lips, hug each other tightly, and then lie down on the sofa together, giggling.

And then, suddenly.

Carlyle Schultz’s golden eyes took on a serious expression.

“Bianca, I have something to tell you… ”

“Yeah, what is it…?”

Before we speak.

Carlyle rests his head on my shoulder with his hand. The small hand that rests on my lap is taken by the other person’s hand.

Warmly, wrapped.

And then he started talking.

“Wait, Bianca.”

What do you want me to wait for?

Vita didn’t know at first, but she soon figured it out.

“I don’t know if it was too hasty to get married… ”

Carlyle began to reveal his innermost feelings.

Marriage is not easy. First of all, the biggest obstacle is finding a new home.

However, Carlyle thought that it would be impossible to ask his maternal family, that is, his own family, for help.

It’s not that I begged you to give me your precious daughter with that much determination. It may sound like useless pride, but I don’t want to look bad. I want to prove that I can do well enough without any help.

“So just wait a moment.”

There is a strong will behind it. At the same time, confidence is evident.

As expected from Carlyle Schultz, he clearly has the confidence that he can do it.

‘That’s so like you.’

Vita quickly realized that Carlyle seemed to be feeling responsible for the situation. In fact, she had somewhat expected it.

‘But we’re students, so isn’t it natural that it’s hard to find a place to live?’

It’s still hard to get a loan and I don’t have much savings, so it’s not going to be easy to find a house.

Vita honestly thought about asking her parents for help, but it didn’t seem like a good idea.

I think it was fortunate that I made that decision. When I looked at it from the outside, it seemed like Carlyle would solve it on his own, so I wanted to protect his pride.

I was also worried that if I came forward, Carlyle’s feelings would be hurt.

‘And, above all else…’

I’m really okay, so said Vita.

“I am Carlyle.”

Hold the other person’s hand and confess your true feelings.

“I just need you… ?”

He hit his opponent with his fist and laughed.

“What the heck, you? You don’t know me that well…?”

It’s not that I decided to get married as a student without any preparation. I didn’t take my parents’ support for granted either.

“I’m an idiot… You said you wanted to get married without even being prepared for that?”

Carlyle’s expression became blank, then he burst into laughter.

“No, there is.”

If I had a woman like this by my side, I would gain confidence that I never had before. In fact, I felt grateful but also sorry at the same time, so I said useless things.

I never doubted my confidence in the future, nor Bianca Shamal’s trust in me.

“We can do it.”

At Carlyle’s words, Vita patted the head of her opponent, who was larger than her, and encouraged him.

“Yeah, I can do it.”

Both himself and Carlyle. Although they are still lacking in many ways, they are now full-fledged adults.

A small room is fine. No, anywhere is fine.

You can just start there and develop from there.

“I will work hard too.”

He too will work hard with Carlyle. There is no doubt about a bright future. So the two young lovers looked at each other and smiled.

It was two weeks before the wedding.