Violet's meals were getting longer. The bodyguards were drinking with Winter sometimes, and they told her stories she had never heard before.
Santor continued.
"After the game, the CEO bought us drinks. If it was a lucrative position, he would rarely come himself. Athletes drink quite a bit, but the CEO drinks even more."
"I know that."
"So, whenever we told him to go down south, he got angry and said he should make up the money he lost, but once..."
"Once?"
"He said that if he drinks too much, the little lady won't look at him like a scum."
Violet closed her mouth at those words, but Santor continued.
"He said it was as if Little Madam was not from this world."
"Aahhh..."
"After that, he went on a rampage and said that he had the face of an angel, the personality of an angel, the voice of an angel, blah blah blah, and he said that a lowly bastard like him shouldn't even come near you! I couldn't understand why he wasn't going home! He was so drunk he couldn't even remember the next day!"
When Santor thought about it, Violet's face turned red as she was embarrassed by the words he spewed out in anger as if he didn't understand.
That man is such an idiot, Violet thought to herself, then she saw Winter Blooming leaning on the bench outside the restaurant. It seemed like he came straight from work. The dull maroon suit suited him nicely.
The chair was low compared to his height, so Violet's face turned even redder as she saw the dazzling man leaning back against the backrest, showing off his long limbs and tilting his head back to look at the fallen leaves. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought she might jump out.
Violet told the group to finish their meal slowly and then stood up.
"Are you looking at the autumn leaves?"
When Violet asked, Winter turned to her.
"Yes."
"That's unexpected. I didn't think you'd like things like looking at fall foliage."
"I don't like it. I watch it because you like it."
Violet smiled faintly without realizing it as Winter straightened his body and said.
"I see."
"What are you eating for lunch until 5 o'clock?"
"I heard stories about you."
Winter chuckled at the faint amusement in Violet's voice.
"Did you like my cursing?"
"You didn't swear."
"Okay then. Let's go buy some clothes. This looks uncomfortable."
As Winter tugged at Violet's formal dress, she nodded.
***
The place they went to was a downtown costume shop. It was a fairly popular place in the capital's social scene with over ten employees, including the owner, who was a designer.
Since it was a place that dealt with the bourgeoisie rather than the aristocracy, the atmosphere was quite different from the socialites Violet knew. Violet looked at the dress she had made with a completely new feel, and in the meantime, the owner of the costume shop appeared, making a fuss.
"oh my God! Aren't you Princess Violet?"
"Could you please call me Ma'am?"
"Oh, sorry. I'm so happy to see you! I heard that Madam is sick of social circles and doesn't show her face."
"Is there such a rumor?"
Violet widened her eyes in surprise. Then Winter scoffed.
"Of course, there are rumors like that. You're not having a party in that house with a nice garden, you're just reading books."
"I didn't have any free time."
"You don't have time, you just don't like parties. If you did, you would have done it ten times since you came to the capital."
As Winter spoke, the costume shop owner brought in a sheath-line dress with thin straps. Violet hesitated to wear the sophisticated dress she had never worn before but then decided to change into it out of curiosity. A moment later, Violet walked out wearing a white dress with a halter neckline.
Violet, who covered herself with a feather shawl, looked at herself in the mirror and smiled.
"Isn't it so out of place?"
The costume shop owner responded firmly to her words.
"Not at all. If the Princess goes out dressed like this, don't you think all the nobles will try to follow suit?"
Just as she said, other employees and even customers were looking at Violet as if fascinated.
In the meantime, Winter, who had gone out, returned. He glanced at the dress Violet was wearing, paid for it, and opened the box he had bought outside. Then, he took out a necklace studded with emeralds.
"I bought it in a hurry so I don't know if it's okay."
The owner of the costume shop said in shock at Winter's words.
"You bought it in a hurry? It was so expensive that no one could buy it and it was on display at a jewelry store for years!"
Winter asked Violet without answering as if he was annoyed.
"How is it? I bought it to roughly match the dress."
In response to his words, roughly... She could hear the employee's voices sounding as if their souls had been drained. Violet thought it would be better to get out quickly rather than nagging, so she nodded without thinking.
Winter put a necklace around Violet's neck. His eye for selection was outstanding and matched the dress exquisitely. Violet said while looking in the mirror.
"It's much better than what I would choose
"You call that a horse? Even if I were to buy jewelry, I would have bought hundreds of times more than you."
After finishing speaking, Winter looked Violet over here and there. Violet, who felt embarrassed to look at others because of those persistently hot eyes, quickly greeted the people in the costume shop and pushed Winter's back.
When they came out, she noticed that the eyes of people passing by in the downtown area were focused on the couple. Winter knew every alley of the capital like the palm of his hand. After exploring the alley and buying some snacks, they entered a simple open-air theater. Since there were no separate seats, the two people bought tickets of the same price and sat down on the stairs.
Winter found a spot he liked, laid down a large cloth, and laughed, shaking his shoulders at Violet's expression. Violet's eyes were sparkling with curiosity.
"This is my first time at an open-air theater. I only heard about it."
"Are you that excited?"
"Yes. Thank you for bringing me."
Winter also looked satisfied with Violet's happy reaction. The play began as fruit, chocolate, and drinks were laid out as if they were on a picnic. Winter grumbled as he looked at the water his wife had given him.
"I can't believe you came all the way here and made me drink plain water."
"You're abstaining from alcohol until your wounds heal. What if you collapse again?"
The wife seemed to have mistakenly thought that she was the one who had to protect her husband. Of course, Winter had been on the verge of death, but after resting for a month, he was in better health than usual, except for the wounds. Even though he told her that, Violet didn't believe her. Even the play that started right after was uncomfortable.
The play was about a woman who was having an affair with a man. She cleaned the house every day for him, who never came back no matter how long she waited. Winter said to Violet, looking at the face of the woman who was happily looking at the gift from her husband who returned home pretending not to know her after living with another woman for three months.
"Have I ever been gone for three months?"
"..."
Violet didn't answer, so Winter kept gulping down water in frustration, and to make matters worse, the woman fell ill.
A woman who went to work to tell her husband that he would have to pay a lot of hospital bills only then discovered that her husband was having an affair, and was shocked. After he left, lying that he was going on a long business trip to have another affair, she started selling the silverware in the house that she had cleaned every day to pay for the hospital bills.
Part 2 begins with a woman who is doing business in pain and falls on the street, and is helped by a gentleman who saves her.
In Part 2, the story continued with the two people falling in love in earnest and the ex-husband later regretting it and coming to visit.
Violet was immersed in the play with bright eyes, while Winter, on the other hand, was so restless that he stood up and sat down several times.
As the woman's illness deepened, more and more people began to sob. While the stage set was being changed, Violet looked at Winter and said.
"This is the first time I've seen a play with such immersion."
Winter's heart sank at her words and he could not answer.
The play ended with the woman miraculously coming back to life and reuniting with the gentleman, and only then did people wipe their tears and applaud wildly.
Violet also clapped hard and then looked relieved.
"It was really fun. I want to see it again."
Winter just ate the fruits with a frown on his face without answering.
The actors came down from the stage and walked around to say hello. After a while, the actors spotted the couple. Everyone was wide-eyed at the fact that people of high status like them had seen their play.
As they stamped their feet, unable to come closer, Violet asked Winter.
"Why won't they come closer?"
"How dare they come near the Princess? At least wave your hand. They'll be jumping for joy."
Violet, who hesitated for a moment at those words, slightly waved her hand. Then the actors screamed among themselves, bowed in excitement, and ran away. Winter said as Violet smiled, probably because it was cute.
"If you like it that much. I'll put it in a proper theater."
"I know you're capable, but it won't be the case since the Capital Theater is almost entirely owned by the Rowe family."
"Why worry about it? Just buy a theater. And the only thing I have is a building. So what if I do it anywhere? A hotel lobby would be better than that stage."
Winter continued grumbling.
"But I didn't like the play. It was like our story."
"Which part?"
"I left it at your house and it was abandoned when I wandered around."
Hearing his sad voice, Violet looked at Winter for a moment and said jokingly.
"Did you have an affair?"
"That's really rude."
"If not, then not at all. You have lived harder than anyone else. Who can deny that?"
She spoke sweetly, then smiled and continued teasingly.
"I need to love you more so you don't think like that."
Winter thought about Violet's words for a moment, then brought his face closer to her and spoke.
"You seem to be used to receiving love, but you also have a lot of love to give."
"No. I do not want?"
"I can't believe it..."
Winter responded and squeezed Violet's hand.
He thought he should have bought a bouquet of flowers. But since he gave Hayel a vacation, he felt awkward going into the flower shop alone, so he decided to go with his wife. He was about to say that they should go buy flowers, but a drop or two of autumn rain began to fall from the sky. Winter said, frowning at her.
"There was no warning."
"Wow, I guess fall is coming. It's getting cold, the raindrops."
"Is it when you're just leisurely talking like that? You'll catch a cold quickly."
Winter immediately took off his outerwear and handed it to Violet, then looked around.
Winter found the closest building among his buildings and led Violet in that direction. Then Violet stopped and handed the coat back to him.
"You wear it. Your wound hasn't healed yet."
Then Winter turned to Violet, grabbed the coat, covered it over her head like an umbrella, and said.
"I'm sorry I got hurt, but don't stop me from being a gentleman, Princess."
"You said you didn't want to be a gentleman."
"I used to hate you, but I think I'd rather be a gentleman than be escorted by you."
Winter said teasingly, then kissed his embarrassed wife's forehead and grabbed her arm.
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