KTMD - Chapter 16

Noah was a surprisingly regular man.

He would wake up early in the morning, go to his regiment or headquarters, and return around evening, visiting me in my room without fail. If we were a normal couple, he might have come for a different reason, but he was different.

It was just the kind of contact that you might have between friends, like talking or touching my hair.

The restrained, drawn-out relationship made me so sensitive that it felt hypocritical.

Even a simple touch, out of pure kindness, made my heart race and my body instinctively flinch. I felt like a timid, insignificant mimosa.

Today, too, at the usual time, there was a knock on the door.

Noah entered the room and, as usual, sat down in his chair. He leaned forward with a languid expression, his face close to mine. He studied me with measured, measured eyes, as if I were a different person today than I was yesterday.

His eyes, like the sky on a cloudy day, flashed with color whenever he discovered something only he understood. I put down the book I was reading, leaning against the headboard, and turned my creaking head to face him.

"Why don't you tell fairy tales these days? I'm curious about the story behind it."

“Well, the author is on hiatus.”

“I have a question.”

“Tell me.”

“The wolf just took the girl away. But since he didn’t eat her right away, doesn’t that mean he didn’t intend to kill her?”

If he had intended to eat her, he would have gone into the girl's house and killed her before the black shepherd could come to rescue her.

Noah narrowed his eyes at my question and leaned closer to me as I sat on the bed eating cookies.

“Yeah, I guess I’ll save some.”

He let out his characteristically hushed voice and cupped my chin with one hand. He then wiped the cookie crumbs from my mouth with his thumb. His fingerprint, though firm and rough, passed smoothly over my delicate lips, gently brushing the corners of my mouth.

I flinched, startled by the unexpected contact, and crouched down. He let out a low laugh.

"I've been eyeing it for a long time because it smells delicious, so it's a shame to eat it right away. I'd feel the same way, too."

The man who had once swished his tail gracefully like a silver fox now looked like a ferocious wolf with a thirst for food.

“Are the cookies tasty?”

Only then, at the soft question, did I hear the crumbling of the cookie I hadn't swallowed in my mouth. The persistent, harassing gaze, as if urging me, forced me to chew and swallow the cookie with urgency.

"... Yes."

Did you tell me to swallow the cookie quickly so I could kiss you?

Your face is pretty close. Should I close my eyes now?

What does my expression look like right now? Is my face red?

Unable to move, my eyes were fixed on my neatly folded fingers. My thoughts were spinning wildly.

“Brush this and go to sleep. I’m going now.”

Noah's calm voice caught my racing thoughts and put them back in their place.

He smiled kindly, then got up and left the room. I looked at the empty chair he had left behind and wiped my face as if I were washing my face.

“I think I’m crazy.”

Even seemingly insignificant words and actions are met with a multitude of interpretations and imaginations, making them agonizing. This is due to his characteristically husky voice and languid expression.

That guy's very presence makes me feel strange. I feel like I'm the only one who's corrupted and rotten.

I rubbed my lips, recalling the sensation, and then collapsed onto the bed. His hands were smooth and long, but his fingers were somewhat rough and calloused. Perhaps it was because he was a soldier.

I nodded vigorously as thoughts of what to ask for on Coming of Age Day filled my head with raw colors that were almost 'censored'.

“Good thoughts... good thoughts, good colors...”

It was difficult for me to only think good thoughts because he was a man full of sexiness.

So much so that the fundamental concerns I had been having until now have become blurred.

I took a deep breath, calmed my mind, and finally fell asleep.

***

It was Christmas Eve morning.

I stared at the frosted window, blowing my breath out loud. Even under the blazing sunlight and my warm breath, the glass, frozen into snowflakes, showed no sign of melting.

It's a brutally cold place. Escaping and finding a new life is a dream. The snow piles up so heavily that opening the front door would cause the wall of snow that had piled up overnight to crumble away. Even if you stole a car and escaped, you'd likely freeze to death in the blizzard.

In truth, I'm just making excuses and making excuses for not being able to escape. If I put my mind to it, there's nothing I can't do. I was lost in thought, gently touching the carved wooden garland in the shape of a deer hanging on the window.

Tomorrow's my birthday? He's even throwing me a coming-of-age ceremony. Why is he even doing this? This attention feels burdensome and excessive. It's not even my birthday, and I'm not even sure it's my birthday in the first place. Isn't this just a pseudo-birthday party? Suddenly, I thought of Noah, smiling brightly at me, and I touched my forehead in worry.

"Ah!"

A hand suddenly touched my shoulder, startling me. I screamed in terror, as if I'd witnessed a ghost. Noah, wearing a sweater over an ivory shirt, slowly tilted his head and looked down at me.

“Are you bored?”

"No."

“Would you like to play with me?”

“It’s still fun.”

He looked as if he couldn't figure out what was so funny. He gave me a slightly disappointed smile as I deliberately avoided eye contact and continued to give short, dry answers.

“Is it fun without me?”

The more I dealt with him, the more confused I became, so I thought it would be better if he left me alone for now.

"No."

“It’s Christmas Eve today. Is there anything you want to do?”

“No. Are you suggesting we have a snowball fight?”

Oh, I must have misspoke. I think I saw his blue eyes sparkle and shine. He was as elated as a master who had been challenged.

“Come out. I’ll show you the skills I’ve built up in artillery battles.”

“I don’t. I was just saying.”

Noah, his chin resting on his elbows on the windowsill, gazed at me with a knowing look. His cheeks were pushed to one side, which was quite cute. "What am I thinking?" he asked again, looking at my determined face.

“Then shall we make a snowman?”

"No."

“I’ve felt this way for a while now, but my Princess is really fickle.”

Noah, his face showing signs of resentment, let out a faint sigh. His downcast eyes looked sorrowful. Why do people's hearts weaken so much?

“Yes, I’ll make it.”

At my reluctant answer, Noah straightened his back and smiled prettily. I could almost see nine tails swaying behind his back. Wrapped tightly in a scarf, coat, and gloves, I stepped outside into the freezing hell of hell.

As I stumbled, barely able to take a step forward, Noah quickly picked me up and carried me to a sunny spot, where he set me down.

“Princess, get your hair done. Wear gloves; your hands will be cold.”

While I was clumping snow to make a head, I saw three or four soldiers coming from a distance rolling huge snowballs.

“The proportions are off. The head is too small.”

Noah shook his head, looking at my snowball, which I had worked hard to make into a watermelon-sized ball. He simply gestured with an elegant finger, indicating where to place the giant snowball that would become the body, and muttered softly.

“I worked hard.”

What are you talking about? You haven't even touched a drop of snow on your hands!

“No, why aren’t you doing anything?”

“I did. I told them to make the torso.”

“You have to do it yourself.”

"You throw away your clothes, don't you? It's important for a gentleman to always maintain a neat appearance."

God...

"Then why did you ask me to make it together? Just say you and I are going to watch what you and your subordinates make."

While he was seriously questioning them, a soldier quickly made up for the missing head and created a head to fit the huge torso, placing it on top of the other.

“Is this enough?”

“Hmm. About 1cm to the right. Yes.”

In response to the soldier's question, Noah, posing like an architect, closed one eye and held up a fountain pen, measuring the angle. "What difference does that make?" I glanced at him. Noah put a serious face on his face as he handed me a carrot and a button.

"I'll leave the face to you. This is a crucial opportunity."

"Yes..."

I walked over to the snowman, leaving Noah's serious expression behind. The snowman was so tall I couldn't even reach it. Noah, who was crouching down in front of me, who was struggling on tiptoe, took a piggybacking stance and looked back at me with sharp eyes.

He emphasized again.

“I said it was important.”

"Oh, then you do it!" 

I grumbled to myself, carrying Noah as I stuffed carrots into the snowman's face. I also attached buttons and a twig for a mouth. I tapped his shoulder to signal him to get off, but he took a few steps back, still carrying me, and kept his gaze fixed on the snowman.

“Hee nose is crooked. Her eyes are also at different heights.”

“Was that important?”

Noah looked back with a shocked expression and put me down on the floor.

“I was trying to make you. That’s why it was important.”

“They don’t look alike at all...”

Noah sighed, his hand on his eyelids as if he was dumbfounded by my indifferent answer, and his breath dispersed into a hazy cloud.

"Look at this. The button is the same color as your eyes, isn't it? I didn't have it, so I took it from my coat. I treasure it."

"Yes."

Finally, Noah took off his gloves, put the carrots back on, and even slightly changed the position of the buttons. He wiped his hands with a handkerchief and looked satisfied.

“Much better. Snowman Diana.”

“I don’t know what’s different, but it’s well made, right?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty, Diana Snowman.”

If you make it small and cute, I wouldn't know. He made it so stupidly big, like the ultimate weapon, and he's insisting it's me. I took off my wet gloves and blew on my reddened hands. Noah put his gloves on my hands and spoke.

“This is my first time making it since I made it with my father when I was little.”

“This is my first time making it. I’ve never tried it before because I was afraid my hands would get cold.”

“There are a lot of firsts. Even the ball.”

"Yes."

Noah's sharp nose, visible from the side, tilted up and down. He brushed back his silvery hair, which shone dazzlingly in the sunlight, narrowing his brow slightly as if pondering the situation, then turned his head sharply to face me.

“Then do it all with me. First.”

“I’ve never bought land or sold a building before. Will you do that for me?”

“If you want.”

How rich must he be to answer so readily? He took my joke seriously and started asking me what kind of building I wanted to buy. I shook my head.

“I’m just kidding.”

"Yes. I'll do whatever you want. You can tell me anything you haven't tried or anything you want to try."

Why do you immediately accept that it's a joke? What a shame.

“Um... I wish I could just live an ordinary life.”

“What is that?”

“Just like any other normal person.”

“Getting married and having kids and all that? Everyone does that.”

Noah's flawlessly smooth face drew near, making me flinch as I jerked my upper body back and nodded. More disconcerting than the abrupt marriage proposal was the man's appearance. How could his skin be so flawless? Why did a grown man have such soft, downy hair on his cheeks? While marveling at his porcelain-smooth skin, he continued in a low voice.

“You can do that with me, too. I can’t help it since we’ve already decided to do it anyway.”

“But how much did you know about me that you’re rushing into marriage like that.. .haha.”

“Does that matter?”

At least it's more important than a snowman's eyes, nose, and mouth. It's important, but... I forgot about it. It was because I saw Noah's eyes elongate and arch gently. Shadows fell under his full eyes. That trademark smile sometimes made me forget how to breathe.

And that evening, I was shocked to hear the sudden news from this insane man.

Previous                    Next