As soon as Winter heard that Carlson had appeared near Violet, he jumped up from her seat.
"Why are you saying that now?"
Then Hayel responded with an aggrieved expression.
"That's right because I know now! But what's the big deal? It's just that they are in the same theater, and Little Madame and Carlson Rowe can only be seen as hostile now."
Hayel wasn't wrong. Moreover, contrary to his gentle nature. Violet was never one to oνerlook her partner's mistakes, so he had no reason to be anxious or wary. But there wore strangely rare moments when Winter thought of Carlson.
Of course, it was Carlson's fault for destroying himself, but he knew better than anyone else that Violet was the reason for that destruction.
Sometimes, Winter would despair that he would never be able to receive Violet's forgiveness. Even though his wife annulled the divorce, that fear did not go away.
The sight of Violet, who was staring blankly out the window after realizing that she was not pregnant, was eye-catching.
As Winter left the office, Hayel quickly followed.
"Are you going to the theater?"
"Say that!"
Winter shouted and headed straight to the carriage.
***
This play about a bonfire is a representative play of Rocrkround and had an unusually large number of older audiences. As Violet entered the theater, she noticed a familiar face and her joyful expression hardened.
She said with wide eyes as Jen came with her.
"Isn't it Carlson Rowe?"
"I see."
Jen asked with even more surprise as Carlson spotted Violet and waved cheerfully.
"Now, little madam. Did you know Carlson Rowe?"
Violet nodded slightly. Carlson approached her, asking for her understanding as his fans surrounded him.
"Wow, it's been a long time."
Then Violet asked in a cold voice.
"How can you say hello so casually? You joined hands with Ash and stole the money my husband gave me."
"I'm really sorry. Do you know how much I got hit that day? I broke my nose and couldn't even stand on stage for a while."
Carlson spoke in a bright voice, but his health had deteriorated to the extent that it was obvious on the outside.
Violet asked, trying to hide her shock.
"Recently... Do you drink a lot?"
"No, I don't drink much."
Carlson sneered. However, Violet remembered what Winter had said before, so she grabbed Carlson's arm and pulled up his sleeve, There were wounds here and there on his arms where he had been pricked with needles to administer medicine.
As Violet looked at the arm, Carlson smiled brightly.
"I guess the Lord told you. There's no way Violet would know something this had."
“Carlson.”
"Are you worried?"
"Pathetic."
"Please worry. I'm sick."
It was as if a smile had been glued to Carlson's face as he spoke charmingly, and it did not disappear no matter what he said.
"Why did you go back to that man? He didn't look after you for three years and even suspected you of being unfaithful."
Violet could not answer his question right away.
Since they had known each other since childhood, Carlson knew Violet relatively accurately. Carlson smiled with his mouth but with a somewhat sad voice.
"If I had done that, you would never have seen my face. But why do you forgive that man?"
Violet, who had been quietly listening to Carlson, quietly opened her mouth.
"I guess it's because I like my husband."
"..."
"Because I love him. I guess I was able to forgive that much."
Violet continued with a bitter expression.
"There is no other reason than that. The reason why I am not my usual self is only in front of that person. No matter how much I think about it, it doesn't matter."
Carlson burst out laughing at the absurdity of her words.
"You just realized that, right?"
"Yes."
Violet smiled faintly and nodded. Carlson muttered, running his hands through his shiny hair.
"Oh. I'm pissed. It was better when I thought you were unhappy."
"How can you say that?"
"Really. When I believed that you were unhappy and that the stranger would be hated by you, it was much better for me."
Carlson said with a smile, then took a deep breath and asked.
"If I ask you to eat with me, will you refuse?"
It was shameless. Violet thought, but she didn't say it out loud.
Carlson seemed to want to say more but said nothing more. And he disappeared among the fans as if nothing had happened.
Jen asked worriedly as Violet sighed and walked away.
"Little madam, what did you talk about?"
"It wasn't much of a story, however..."
“Yes?”
"No. Let's go in."
Violet looked back to where Carlson had disappeared. The look in Carlson's eyes was not the healthy, optimistic Carlson she knew. Violet felt a strange eerie feeling in his eyes, which showed his fatigue and anger.
***
Winter immediately entered the theater and looked around to find Violet.
He saw people coming out one by one. Among them, the easiest to find was Carlson Rowe. This was because there were always fans wherever he walked.
After confirming that Violet was not nearby, Winter turned his head again and looked for Violet.
At that time, he saw Violet in the distance and Jen chattering next to her.
"The play was absolutely terrible."
"Is it that much?"
"Yes! I fell asleep in the middle of it! If the CEO had come to see it, he would have screamed in the middle of it. I'm sick of it."
"Oh, that's a good thing. I'm sorry, shall we go eat something delicious?"
"Of course, you should! I found a really delicious restaurant. Would you like to go with me?"
"Yes, then. I'm looking forward to it."
On the other hand, Violet nodded with a cheerful expression because she enjoyed watching the play. The two people who came out soon found Winter, and Jen looked disappointed.
"I was going to have a meal with my Little L... Ah, the secretary came with you."
"Oh, I see."
"I guess I can eat with the secretary then!"
Violet smiled and nodded at Jen's words. She may have misunderstood her, but she actually said that Jen and Hayel have been hanging out a lot lately.
As Jen went looking for Hayel, Violet approached Winter.
"What's going on here? Is time to be at work."
"Because Carlson Rowe showed up."
"So?"
"What's wrong? If I meet him, I'm going to beat him up."
Violet looked worried at Winter's calm words.
"I heard you already hit him?"
"If I had done it satisfactorily, he wouldn't have been wandering around already."
"I know you're angry, but you shouldn't hit people."
"Did you say hello to that bastard?"
"I did it, for a moment... We also talked about it."
Violet bit her lip slightly and then opened her mouth.
"I think you're right. There is a needle mark on his arm."
"Look, he's a druggle."
"It's both hateful and pitiful. Why did he do that?"
The moment he heard her words, Winter's expression hardened.
Violet told him that there may be a man who will love her more, but there will be no man who will have more affection for her. Winter was satisfied with that. It was like that then, but now it's not enough. Just being pitiful wasn't enough.
He couldn't survive on sympathy alone. Isn't sympathy something that anyone can have?
"Don't be pitiful."
"Of course, Carlson caused you harm..."
"That's not the reason. If you're going to feel pity, pity the abandoned child or the starving dog. You can't. Especially that kid."
When Violet looked at her with round eyes, as if asking what it meant, Winter spoke in hushed valce.
"That bastard wants you."
Violet paused. Then she looked at him with shocked eyes and asked.
"Didn't that story end long ago? Are you still suspicious of me and Carlson?"
"Not at all. If you showed interest in that bastard, there's no way he's still a wimp."
"What does it mean?"
"It doesn't mean anything, you make people feel sad sometimes."
At his words, Violet looked at Winter quietly.
She wanted to ask what kind of nonsense that was, but strangely, Winter's expression looked really sad.
Violet didn't understand so she just stood there staring in silence, but then Winter walked up to her and took her hand.
"Let's go home."
"Winter, I don't understand everything you said yet."
"I don't understand what I'm saying either."
Winter said and walked away. The sun had set as she left the theater with him. Winter immediately spoke as if nothing had happened.
"I heard there's a market held in front of here once a fortnight. Stop by and go."
"That's good. But Winter, I still don't understand. If you know I'm not cheating on you with Carlson, why are you so upset now?"
"I'm not angry."
"It happened."
"I told you. I'm not angry. I'm just sad."
"So why are you sad?"
"I'm afraid I'll end up like that bastard."
When Winter turned and spoke, Violet paused. Winter continued.
"Well, it's already no different."
Violet looked at Winter's side profile, a little dazed, as he turned his head while saying that.
Winter was so emotional that his words were difficult to understand as if they were a foreign language.
But strangely enough, Violet felt that her pulse was getting faster. Winter was holding her hand tightly and was walking silently towards the market that opened once every fifteen days.
Violet opened her mouth.
"You are not Carlson. Why are you saying that?"
"I feel the same way."
"You don't like that?"
"Good. Okay, I'm going crazy. But I don't want to feel sorry for him or me or you the same way. I don't want you to be next to me out of pity in the first place, but I still want you to feel sorry for me."
"Wait, sympathy... Do you think I canceled the divorce based on sympathy alone?"
"That's right."
Violet said with a puzzled face at Winter's rough voice.
"Winter."
"What?"
"Why on earth are you so pitiful?"
"Yes?"
"That's right. You're conceited. You were seriously injured, but looking at your current condition, you seem to be healthier than me."
"..."
"Besides, as I passed this street, I saw that most of the buildings were yours. Why should I pity you?"
At Violet's words, Winter twitched one of his eyebrows, lost in thought, and asked.
"You say it feels like hell next to me."
"I repeat, the hell wasn't on your side, it was the situation."
"Come to think of it..."
Winter nodded as if he understood.
"My parents and I have a falling out, so things must be better for you. I completely understand now."
"...Do you completely understand?"
What Violet said sounded slightly sarcastic. And as if Winter's prediction was correct, Violet smiled a little and continued.
"You are such an idiot."
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