159. Side Story. Your Love Makes Me Happy (4)
“Will you marry me, Miss Tanya?”
“Are you serious, Duke Crichton?”
“Yes! Now that I know Miss Tanya’s heart for sure, I won’t hesitate any longer. I love you, Tanya!”
Zimmer hugged her tightly and began kissing her wildly. His kisses were so passionate and passionate that Tanya couldn’t breathe.
“Ugh! Duke... Ugh! Breathe... Ugh!”
Panting, Tanya roughly pushed Zimmer away.
“Huh!”
And when she opened her eyes... she wasn’t clutching Zimmer, but a large pillow.
“Ah! I’m crazy! I’m crazy!”
Even though no one was watching, she was so embarrassed that she buried her face in the pillow and kicked away the blanket.
After their meeting at the banquet that day, Tanya seemed to have awakened her feelings for Zimmer. She could no longer hide her feelings for him. She didn't know how she'd managed to suppress her feelings, so agonizingly close to exploding.
And now that she'd finally realized it, the thought of losing him right before her eyes was agonizing.
'Did he receive the handkerchief?'
'Did he even sense my feelings from that?'
'Or maybe he did, but he's just pretending not to notice?'
“With the bouquet you bought from Miss Daisy?”
“What...”
“Did you receive my handkerchief?”
Zimmer quickly took the handkerchief out of his pocket and showed it to her.
Red dahlias were embroidered on the white silk handkerchief. It was Tanya’s way of conveying her feelings to him.
[ Your love makes me happy ]
“Then I don’t need to answer.”
But Zimmer looked bewildered.
“No need to answer? Is this the answer? What does it mean?”
Tanya only became more bewildered.
“The meaning of red dahlias... Don’t you know?”
“Oh, the meaning of flowers! I just have to look it up?”
Tanya felt like she’d been hit.
“So you didn’t even know the meaning of flowers and gave it to me that day?”
“I just saw a pretty flower blooming in the fountain. So the dahlia flower language is Tanya’s heart?”
Tanya somehow felt like she had revealed her true feelings first.
“No, I don’t know the meaning of flowers either. It was just a pretty flower and I had time, so I embroidered it...”
“Ah, so you’re saying that you embroidered it with me in mind, stitch by stitch. I didn’t know Tanya’s heart was so deep.”
Zimmer looked at the handkerchief Tanya had embroidered, amazed anew.
Tanya blushed at his mischievous prank and lunged to snatch it away.
“Give it to me! I’ll buy you a new one.”
“No, it’s my handkerchief.”
Zimmer, who had been teasing Tanya like that and running away, suddenly stopped and turned around. Tanya, who had been running towards him, couldn’t stop and fell into his arms.
“Can I kiss you?”
Tanya almost lost consciousness at the sudden question. She nodded vigorously without realizing it, and when Zimmer's lips touched hers, her heart was pounding so fast she couldn't breathe.
But it was so different from the feeling in her dream. Her feet felt like they were floating, and a pleasant dizziness made her cling to Zimmer's clothes tightly.
She didn't want to be separated from him anymore.
And someone was watching them from the third floor of the opera house, looking at them with satisfaction.
"It's good to see you happy, that girl..."
It was today's prima donna, Diana.
“Will you marry me, Miss Tanya?”
“Are you serious, Duke Crichton?”
“Yes! Now that I know Miss Tanya’s heart for sure, I won’t hesitate any longer. I love you, Tanya!”
Zimmer hugged her tightly and began kissing her wildly. His kisses were so passionate and passionate that Tanya couldn’t breathe.
“Ugh! Duke... Ugh! Breathe... Ugh!”
Panting, Tanya roughly pushed Zimmer away.
“Huh!”
And when she opened her eyes... she wasn’t clutching Zimmer, but a large pillow.
“Ah! I’m crazy! I’m crazy!”
Even though no one was watching, she was so embarrassed that she buried her face in the pillow and kicked away the blanket.
After their meeting at the banquet that day, Tanya seemed to have awakened her feelings for Zimmer. She could no longer hide her feelings for him. She didn't know how she'd managed to suppress her feelings, so agonizingly close to exploding.
And now that she'd finally realized it, the thought of losing him right before her eyes was agonizing.
'Did he receive the handkerchief?'
'Did he even sense my feelings from that?'
'Or maybe he did, but he's just pretending not to notice?'
'What if he finds me burdensome?'
'Did I do something wrong? It'll be a disaster if we continue to act like friends. What if he avoids me...?'
Tanya couldn't sleep any longer, consumed by these worries.
The next morning.
Adele, heading to the drawing room with the ladies for tea time, paused. She saw Tanya walking down the hallway.
Her once cheerful face was pale, as if something had happened overnight, and a gloomy, dark cloud seemed to settle over her head.
"Tanya, what happened? And you're supposed to be off duty today, why..."
“No. Nothing’s wrong. I just want to be by Your Majesty’s side as you struggle with your pregnancy.”
Tanya had entered the palace today to see Zimmer. She couldn’t wait to see how he would react after receiving the handkerchief he gave him yesterday.
But she couldn’t show it to Adele.
“No, I’m fine. You seem to be having a harder time right now.”
“I had some trouble sleeping. I apologize for worrying you.”
Adele instructed the surrounding ladies and maids to go first. Then the two sat down in the lounge chairs in the hallway.
“I see you didn’t meet the Duke of Crichton yesterday.”
Tanya looked at Adele in surprise.
She knew that Zimmer was the reason she had been to the Imperial Palace yesterday, and that her sleeplessness and depression were because of Zimmer. Even though she tried to hide it.
“Did you know? That I had feelings for him?”
Adele suppressed a smile at her innocent question.
"It's stranger not to know. Actually, I wanted to oppose your marriage to Count Kaiel. I think it's actually a good thing this is how it turned out."
Everyone around them already knew that Tanya and Zimmer were in love with each other. They were the only ones who didn't know.
"But it's not something I can do on my own. He might not be."
Tanya agonized over it hundreds of times. Should she just confess to Zimmer? She was afraid that things would get even more awkward. The difference in social status was also a concern.
"That's true. But it wouldn't be too late to think about that after you tell him your feelings, right?"
'Did I do something wrong? It'll be a disaster if we continue to act like friends. What if he avoids me...?'
Tanya couldn't sleep any longer, consumed by these worries.
***
The next morning.
Adele, heading to the drawing room with the ladies for tea time, paused. She saw Tanya walking down the hallway.
Her once cheerful face was pale, as if something had happened overnight, and a gloomy, dark cloud seemed to settle over her head.
"Tanya, what happened? And you're supposed to be off duty today, why..."
“No. Nothing’s wrong. I just want to be by Your Majesty’s side as you struggle with your pregnancy.”
Tanya had entered the palace today to see Zimmer. She couldn’t wait to see how he would react after receiving the handkerchief he gave him yesterday.
But she couldn’t show it to Adele.
“No, I’m fine. You seem to be having a harder time right now.”
“I had some trouble sleeping. I apologize for worrying you.”
Adele instructed the surrounding ladies and maids to go first. Then the two sat down in the lounge chairs in the hallway.
“I see you didn’t meet the Duke of Crichton yesterday.”
Tanya looked at Adele in surprise.
She knew that Zimmer was the reason she had been to the Imperial Palace yesterday, and that her sleeplessness and depression were because of Zimmer. Even though she tried to hide it.
“Did you know? That I had feelings for him?”
Adele suppressed a smile at her innocent question.
"It's stranger not to know. Actually, I wanted to oppose your marriage to Count Kaiel. I think it's actually a good thing this is how it turned out."
Everyone around them already knew that Tanya and Zimmer were in love with each other. They were the only ones who didn't know.
"But it's not something I can do on my own. He might not be."
Tanya agonized over it hundreds of times. Should she just confess to Zimmer? She was afraid that things would get even more awkward. The difference in social status was also a concern.
"That's true. But it wouldn't be too late to think about that after you tell him your feelings, right?"
"What if it gets even more awkward? I'm perfectly content just being with him..."
Adele nodded earnestly at Tanya's dejected statement.
"Right. If you're satisfied with friendship, then maybe it's better not to confess. He might be better suited to Miss Daisy after all."
Adele's firm words left Tanya feeling annoyed.
"But I don't want that! ...He's marrying another woman."
Adele smiled brightly, as if she had expected this.
“So, take heart, Tanya. It’s not like you to hesitate like this.”
At Adele’s encouragement, Tanya felt her feelings for Zimmer welling up again. It began to urge her, trying to resist her timidity.
To take courage once more.
To reach out and grab his hand if she wanted him.
“I’ll go to the Imperial Palace again.”
Tanya stood up, seemingly determined, and Adele shook her head.
“The Duke isn’t there. He’s on vacation right now.”
“Vacation? Did something happen to the Duke?”
Even Zimmer, the captain of the guard, had vacations. But he was a workaholic and had never used them.
“I heard he was invited to Miss Daisy’s secret garden today. Well, the Duke is getting older, so it’s time to rush into marriage.”
Tanya’s face grew increasingly gloomy.
Adele quietly smiled at her.
“By the way, Tanya, could you run an errand for me? The Duke has prepared some dessert for Miss Daisy. Could you take it to the Duke’s residence?”
Tanya’s face brightened instantly.
“Yes, I’ll get it to you right away! Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Tanya bowed loudly and hurried down the hallway. Then, when she encountered Christine entering the Empress’s palace, she quickly grabbed the hem of her skirt and bowed her head. Zimmer, who had been like the Emperor’s shadow, had been on vacation, but he was nowhere to be seen. Tanya began to rush down the stairs. Christine, seeing this, asked Adele with a puzzled expression.
“Didn’t you say she was off duty today? That’s why you even forced Zimmer to take the day off.”
Adele answered, holding back a laugh.
“Tanya entered the palace to meet the Duke of Crichton, not knowing that. So now she’s being sent back to the Duke’s house on an errand.”
Christine clicked his tongue in frustration.
“Oh no! Things have gone awry.”
“Got a stalemate?”
“Zimmer was acting so irritating that I took some drastic measures. I told him that Count Kaiel would propose to Tanya again today. He’s probably on his way to the Mervins by now.”
“Oh my, things have really gone awry.”
Christine and Adele, who knew that Zimmer and Tanya liked each other, had decided to take action themselves.
But now their paths had diverged, with Zimmer heading to Tanya, and Tanya heading to Zimmer.
Christine shook hia head, as if finally giving up on the matter.
“Fine. Since I’ve prepared this much for them, they should eat it themself.”
Adele agreed.
“Right. We should leave the rest up to them, right?”
“Anyway, it’s even more frustrating for the onlooker.”
“That’s what I’m saying. How can they both be so equally frustrating? It’s been years already.”
If their love came true, Adele and Christine would feel like they’d solved a major homework assignment.
“The Duke is out, you say?”
Meanwhile, Tanya, who had hurriedly arrived at the Crichton Duke’s residence, had a sad expression on her face.
“Yes, it seemed like he was going somewhere in a hurry a little while ago.”
The Duke’s butler politely answered.
“Do you know where he went?”
“I don’t know... Oh, I think he said he was invited by a woman named Miss Daisy.”
Tanya felt a sense of melancholy, as if the earth were sinking.
It’s only morning, and he’s already gone to see her?
Well, Zimmer might have been up all night, wanting to see the “secret garden” filled with rare flowers. That’s why he must have hurriedly prepared and left the house so early.
Or, maybe it was because he missed Daisy...
“Understood.”
Tanya, leaving the Duke’s residence, thought for a moment.
Should she storm Daisy's secret garden and confess to Zimmer?
"No, that's crazy, Tanya."
Actually, Tanya hadn't failed to confess her feelings to him. Hadn't she already conveyed them in a handkerchief?
Yet, the fact that he took time off to see Daisy meant he wouldn't accept her confession.
"Haaah! As expected... "
Tanya felt as if the sky was falling. She told the coachman waiting for her to return to the palace first. Then she just started walking.
Would things have been different if she had confessed her feelings a little sooner?
No, even if she had, would the outcome have been the same?
He might just be a good person, and he was only doing it out of kindness.
Even if Tanya became the daughter of a noble family, it would still be hard for him to accept her.
"If I knew this would happen, I should have just kept quiet. How will I ever see him again?"
Tanya, walking with self-reproach, stopped when she saw a poster posted in front of the opera house.
It was news of a performance by the opera singer Diana. Her performances were always sold out. Tanya had seen her at Greenhill. She cried so much during the final "Farewell Aria" that her eyes were swollen the next day.
Back then, she cried because she was reminded of Zimmer. It was because she felt like she couldn't connect with him.
But today, the day she finally ended her relationship with him, she found herself facing this performance again.
"Thanks to you, I can cry without worrying about what others think."
"Please give me a ticket to the evening performance."
The ticket booth employee's answer was harsh.
“Today’s show is sold out. You can still buy tickets for tomorrow.”
“Already sold out?”
“If you’re not going to buy, next person!”
Tanya was retreating from the ticket booth entrance, under the unspoken pressure to get out of the way.
“Do you really want to see this evening’s show?”
A familiar voice called out, and she quickly turned around.
“Duke Crichton!”
Zimmer was standing there, unexpectedly. He was always dressed in his Royal Guard uniform, but he was dressed with great care, as if he were going to propose to someone.
Could it be Daisy...?
“If I try hard enough, I think I could get tickets for the evening. And the best seats at that.”
Tanya looked around to see if Daisy was around, but she wasn’t there.
“Aren’t you on a date with Daisy? The Empress said you were invited to Daisy’s secret garden today...”
“Yes, I did go to Miss Daisy’s secret garden. To get a bouquet of rare flowers. I’m on my way back from your house with it, Tanya. I saw you here and got out of the carriage.”
“Why at my house?”
Tanya was confused.
But Zimmer finally realized what had happened. The reason they had been so anxious today was because of someone’s lie.
“His Majesty the Emperor said that Kaiel would propose to you. So I came running.”
“No. I’m already done with Count Kaiel. Oh, then... are you trying to stop him from proposing?”
Zimmer, his thoughts exposed, rubbed the tip of his nose in embarrassment.
“Well, I wanted to prevent you from marrying someone who would make you cry.”
Only then did Tanya realize that Adele and Christine had lied to them.
She couldn’t help but laugh, completely understanding why they had acted that way.
They must have been quite frustrated.
“Is that really the only reason?”
Zimmer turned his head away, embarrassed as Tanya stared intently.
“Well, while I’m at it, I’ll propose to you...”
Adele nodded earnestly at Tanya's dejected statement.
"Right. If you're satisfied with friendship, then maybe it's better not to confess. He might be better suited to Miss Daisy after all."
Adele's firm words left Tanya feeling annoyed.
"But I don't want that! ...He's marrying another woman."
Adele smiled brightly, as if she had expected this.
“So, take heart, Tanya. It’s not like you to hesitate like this.”
At Adele’s encouragement, Tanya felt her feelings for Zimmer welling up again. It began to urge her, trying to resist her timidity.
To take courage once more.
To reach out and grab his hand if she wanted him.
“I’ll go to the Imperial Palace again.”
Tanya stood up, seemingly determined, and Adele shook her head.
“The Duke isn’t there. He’s on vacation right now.”
“Vacation? Did something happen to the Duke?”
Even Zimmer, the captain of the guard, had vacations. But he was a workaholic and had never used them.
“I heard he was invited to Miss Daisy’s secret garden today. Well, the Duke is getting older, so it’s time to rush into marriage.”
Tanya’s face grew increasingly gloomy.
Adele quietly smiled at her.
“By the way, Tanya, could you run an errand for me? The Duke has prepared some dessert for Miss Daisy. Could you take it to the Duke’s residence?”
Tanya’s face brightened instantly.
“Yes, I’ll get it to you right away! Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Tanya bowed loudly and hurried down the hallway. Then, when she encountered Christine entering the Empress’s palace, she quickly grabbed the hem of her skirt and bowed her head. Zimmer, who had been like the Emperor’s shadow, had been on vacation, but he was nowhere to be seen. Tanya began to rush down the stairs. Christine, seeing this, asked Adele with a puzzled expression.
“Didn’t you say she was off duty today? That’s why you even forced Zimmer to take the day off.”
Adele answered, holding back a laugh.
“Tanya entered the palace to meet the Duke of Crichton, not knowing that. So now she’s being sent back to the Duke’s house on an errand.”
Christine clicked his tongue in frustration.
“Oh no! Things have gone awry.”
“Got a stalemate?”
“Zimmer was acting so irritating that I took some drastic measures. I told him that Count Kaiel would propose to Tanya again today. He’s probably on his way to the Mervins by now.”
“Oh my, things have really gone awry.”
Christine and Adele, who knew that Zimmer and Tanya liked each other, had decided to take action themselves.
But now their paths had diverged, with Zimmer heading to Tanya, and Tanya heading to Zimmer.
Christine shook hia head, as if finally giving up on the matter.
“Fine. Since I’ve prepared this much for them, they should eat it themself.”
Adele agreed.
“Right. We should leave the rest up to them, right?”
“Anyway, it’s even more frustrating for the onlooker.”
“That’s what I’m saying. How can they both be so equally frustrating? It’s been years already.”
If their love came true, Adele and Christine would feel like they’d solved a major homework assignment.
***
“The Duke is out, you say?”
Meanwhile, Tanya, who had hurriedly arrived at the Crichton Duke’s residence, had a sad expression on her face.
“Yes, it seemed like he was going somewhere in a hurry a little while ago.”
The Duke’s butler politely answered.
“Do you know where he went?”
“I don’t know... Oh, I think he said he was invited by a woman named Miss Daisy.”
Tanya felt a sense of melancholy, as if the earth were sinking.
It’s only morning, and he’s already gone to see her?
Well, Zimmer might have been up all night, wanting to see the “secret garden” filled with rare flowers. That’s why he must have hurriedly prepared and left the house so early.
Or, maybe it was because he missed Daisy...
“Understood.”
Tanya, leaving the Duke’s residence, thought for a moment.
Should she storm Daisy's secret garden and confess to Zimmer?
"No, that's crazy, Tanya."
Actually, Tanya hadn't failed to confess her feelings to him. Hadn't she already conveyed them in a handkerchief?
Yet, the fact that he took time off to see Daisy meant he wouldn't accept her confession.
"Haaah! As expected... "
Tanya felt as if the sky was falling. She told the coachman waiting for her to return to the palace first. Then she just started walking.
Would things have been different if she had confessed her feelings a little sooner?
No, even if she had, would the outcome have been the same?
He might just be a good person, and he was only doing it out of kindness.
Even if Tanya became the daughter of a noble family, it would still be hard for him to accept her.
"If I knew this would happen, I should have just kept quiet. How will I ever see him again?"
Tanya, walking with self-reproach, stopped when she saw a poster posted in front of the opera house.
It was news of a performance by the opera singer Diana. Her performances were always sold out. Tanya had seen her at Greenhill. She cried so much during the final "Farewell Aria" that her eyes were swollen the next day.
Back then, she cried because she was reminded of Zimmer. It was because she felt like she couldn't connect with him.
But today, the day she finally ended her relationship with him, she found herself facing this performance again.
"Thanks to you, I can cry without worrying about what others think."
***
"Please give me a ticket to the evening performance."
The ticket booth employee's answer was harsh.
“Today’s show is sold out. You can still buy tickets for tomorrow.”
“Already sold out?”
“If you’re not going to buy, next person!”
Tanya was retreating from the ticket booth entrance, under the unspoken pressure to get out of the way.
“Do you really want to see this evening’s show?”
A familiar voice called out, and she quickly turned around.
“Duke Crichton!”
Zimmer was standing there, unexpectedly. He was always dressed in his Royal Guard uniform, but he was dressed with great care, as if he were going to propose to someone.
Could it be Daisy...?
“If I try hard enough, I think I could get tickets for the evening. And the best seats at that.”
Tanya looked around to see if Daisy was around, but she wasn’t there.
“Aren’t you on a date with Daisy? The Empress said you were invited to Daisy’s secret garden today...”
“Yes, I did go to Miss Daisy’s secret garden. To get a bouquet of rare flowers. I’m on my way back from your house with it, Tanya. I saw you here and got out of the carriage.”
“Why at my house?”
Tanya was confused.
But Zimmer finally realized what had happened. The reason they had been so anxious today was because of someone’s lie.
“His Majesty the Emperor said that Kaiel would propose to you. So I came running.”
“No. I’m already done with Count Kaiel. Oh, then... are you trying to stop him from proposing?”
Zimmer, his thoughts exposed, rubbed the tip of his nose in embarrassment.
“Well, I wanted to prevent you from marrying someone who would make you cry.”
Only then did Tanya realize that Adele and Christine had lied to them.
She couldn’t help but laugh, completely understanding why they had acted that way.
They must have been quite frustrated.
“Is that really the only reason?”
Zimmer turned his head away, embarrassed as Tanya stared intently.
“Well, while I’m at it, I’ll propose to you...”
“With the bouquet you bought from Miss Daisy?”
“What...”
“Did you receive my handkerchief?”
Zimmer quickly took the handkerchief out of his pocket and showed it to her.
Red dahlias were embroidered on the white silk handkerchief. It was Tanya’s way of conveying her feelings to him.
[ Your love makes me happy ]
“Then I don’t need to answer.”
But Zimmer looked bewildered.
“No need to answer? Is this the answer? What does it mean?”
Tanya only became more bewildered.
“The meaning of red dahlias... Don’t you know?”
“Oh, the meaning of flowers! I just have to look it up?”
Tanya felt like she’d been hit.
“So you didn’t even know the meaning of flowers and gave it to me that day?”
“I just saw a pretty flower blooming in the fountain. So the dahlia flower language is Tanya’s heart?”
Tanya somehow felt like she had revealed her true feelings first.
“No, I don’t know the meaning of flowers either. It was just a pretty flower and I had time, so I embroidered it...”
“Ah, so you’re saying that you embroidered it with me in mind, stitch by stitch. I didn’t know Tanya’s heart was so deep.”
Zimmer looked at the handkerchief Tanya had embroidered, amazed anew.
Tanya blushed at his mischievous prank and lunged to snatch it away.
“Give it to me! I’ll buy you a new one.”
“No, it’s my handkerchief.”
Zimmer, who had been teasing Tanya like that and running away, suddenly stopped and turned around. Tanya, who had been running towards him, couldn’t stop and fell into his arms.
“Can I kiss you?”
Tanya almost lost consciousness at the sudden question. She nodded vigorously without realizing it, and when Zimmer's lips touched hers, her heart was pounding so fast she couldn't breathe.
But it was so different from the feeling in her dream. Her feet felt like they were floating, and a pleasant dizziness made her cling to Zimmer's clothes tightly.
She didn't want to be separated from him anymore.
And someone was watching them from the third floor of the opera house, looking at them with satisfaction.
"It's good to see you happy, that girl..."
It was today's prima donna, Diana.
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