Kendrick craved Stella's love. Therefore, he wanted to hear her praise. However, Stella rarely told Kendrick she loved him, nor did she offer any compliments. Her attention was solely focused on writing and the children at the orphanage. Although this was deeply disappointing, the problem was that even her indifference was endearing.
Her voice saying he was handsome echoed like a reverberation. His heart sank the moment the words came out of her mouth. Even her trivial words made his heart flutter.
"Tell me. Am I handsome in your eyes, too?"
Stella was flustered by Kendrick's reaction, but soon composed herself.
"You're handsome, Kendrick."
The corners of his mouth twitched, and a smile escaped him even though he tried to hold it in.
'I know it sounds childish to say this, but...'
Even so, he wanted to ask so badly. His heart and mouth were out of control.
"More than Young Master Andra?"
"Yes?"
'Do you want to hear that you're better looking than Roy right now?'
Stella wore a thoughtful expression for a moment.
"Why are you suddenly asking this?"
Stella was flustered and tried to gloss over it with a laugh. Usually.
'Who is the more handsome one?'
He had never given it any thought. Honestly, Roy and Kendrick's faces were a matter of taste.
"Tell me."
'How can I say that?'
If compared to animals, Roy was a fox and Kendrick was a wolf. If you like a handsome, glamorous blonde man who whispers sweet words in a gentle voice, you will like Roy, and if you like a reserved, gravitasful, and inscrutable man, you will like Kendrick.
'Of course, I could tell you that Kendrick is better looking, but...'
She thought that was rude to Roy.
Kendrick gripped Stella's hand tightly. He looked as if he wouldn't move until he heard an answer.
"Stella."
The door to the room where the children were opened slightly, and Roy came out. Stella felt somehow guilty and felt sorry for Roy.
"Ah, Roy. Did you finish reading the book?"
"No. I'm thirsty."
"The kitchen is over here."
Stella was about to lead Roy to the kitchen when she stopped abruptly. It was because Kendrick was holding her hand. Roy looked at the sight strangely. His eyebrows furrowed deeply.
"Greetings, Your Excellency Adrian."
"Seeing you again."
The expressions on their faces as they looked at each other were not very pleasant. Stella felt a stinging sensation on her cheek for no reason. Stella looked back and forth between Roy and Kendrick for a moment, then went to the kitchen, holding Kendrick's hand, and poured water.
"Drink here."
As Roy received the cup, a murmuring sound was heard.
"Huh? Who is this guy?"
They were not children who would stay quiet without their teachers. They could not wait and swarmed out.
"Wow..."
The children gasped at the sight of Kendrick. If Roy was a handsome man with a dazzling appearance and a glamorous, warm vibe, Kendrick was a handsome man with a dangerous aura who could not be treated lightly. His sharply slanted eyes, masculine, angular jaw, and the specially tailored suit combined to create a strange sense of intimidation.
'There are a lot of children.'
The children couldn't openly express their admiration like they had when they saw Roy. This was because Kendrick felt somewhat scared.
"-W-That's cool."
"Who is that person?"
Instead, they whispered to each other. Kendrick, perhaps accustomed to such stares, did not change his expression at all. Stella moved to a different spot to introduce Kendrick.
'But how should I introduce him?'
Because Kendrick wasn't a writer who would read fairy tales like Roy.
"This is someone who helped a lot with building this new orphanage. His name is Kendrick. You can call him Mr. Kendrick. Everyone, applause."
Clap, clap, clap. Kendrick looked at Stella with a gaze that seemed to say, "Say more."
'Is he asking me to tell him that I am his wife?'
I guess so—I did see you suspecting something between Roy and me earlier. But...
"You're usually not scary at all and are actually quite handsome."
"You're usually handsome."
"You're handsome."
"Tell me. Am I handsome in your eyes, too?"
Stella was flustered by Kendrick's reaction, but soon composed herself.
"You're handsome, Kendrick."
The corners of his mouth twitched, and a smile escaped him even though he tried to hold it in.
'I know it sounds childish to say this, but...'
Even so, he wanted to ask so badly. His heart and mouth were out of control.
"More than Young Master Andra?"
"Yes?"
'Do you want to hear that you're better looking than Roy right now?'
Stella wore a thoughtful expression for a moment.
"Why are you suddenly asking this?"
Stella was flustered and tried to gloss over it with a laugh. Usually.
'Who is the more handsome one?'
He had never given it any thought. Honestly, Roy and Kendrick's faces were a matter of taste.
"Tell me."
'How can I say that?'
If compared to animals, Roy was a fox and Kendrick was a wolf. If you like a handsome, glamorous blonde man who whispers sweet words in a gentle voice, you will like Roy, and if you like a reserved, gravitasful, and inscrutable man, you will like Kendrick.
'Of course, I could tell you that Kendrick is better looking, but...'
She thought that was rude to Roy.
Kendrick gripped Stella's hand tightly. He looked as if he wouldn't move until he heard an answer.
"Stella."
The door to the room where the children were opened slightly, and Roy came out. Stella felt somehow guilty and felt sorry for Roy.
"Ah, Roy. Did you finish reading the book?"
"No. I'm thirsty."
"The kitchen is over here."
Stella was about to lead Roy to the kitchen when she stopped abruptly. It was because Kendrick was holding her hand. Roy looked at the sight strangely. His eyebrows furrowed deeply.
"Greetings, Your Excellency Adrian."
"Seeing you again."
The expressions on their faces as they looked at each other were not very pleasant. Stella felt a stinging sensation on her cheek for no reason. Stella looked back and forth between Roy and Kendrick for a moment, then went to the kitchen, holding Kendrick's hand, and poured water.
"Drink here."
As Roy received the cup, a murmuring sound was heard.
"Huh? Who is this guy?"
They were not children who would stay quiet without their teachers. They could not wait and swarmed out.
"Wow..."
The children gasped at the sight of Kendrick. If Roy was a handsome man with a dazzling appearance and a glamorous, warm vibe, Kendrick was a handsome man with a dangerous aura who could not be treated lightly. His sharply slanted eyes, masculine, angular jaw, and the specially tailored suit combined to create a strange sense of intimidation.
'There are a lot of children.'
The children couldn't openly express their admiration like they had when they saw Roy. This was because Kendrick felt somewhat scared.
"-W-That's cool."
"Who is that person?"
Instead, they whispered to each other. Kendrick, perhaps accustomed to such stares, did not change his expression at all. Stella moved to a different spot to introduce Kendrick.
'But how should I introduce him?'
Because Kendrick wasn't a writer who would read fairy tales like Roy.
"This is someone who helped a lot with building this new orphanage. His name is Kendrick. You can call him Mr. Kendrick. Everyone, applause."
Clap, clap, clap. Kendrick looked at Stella with a gaze that seemed to say, "Say more."
'Is he asking me to tell him that I am his wife?'
I guess so—I did see you suspecting something between Roy and me earlier. But...
'It's embarrassing.'
She felt strangely shy about speaking in front of so many children, of all people. Kelly, who knew the truth, gave a peculiar smile. Stella mustered up the courage to speak, but Roy interrupted her.
"Now that I'm done introducing Mr. Kendrick, shall I read the book again? You stopped reading it earlier."
"Yes. Please read this."
All the children swarmed around Roy. Kendrick was instantly pushed out of the center. Some children were subtly conscious of Kendrick. However, perhaps afraid of making eye contact with him, they merely glanced sideways while pretending to check their watches.
“So that kid just couldn't stop laughing. It was a real problem—laughing even when there was nothing funny going on.”
Roy eagerly read the fairy tale. Stella was standing with Kendrick, but her gaze was fixed solely on Roy, who was surrounded by children.
'Shit.'
Kendrick didn't like this, so he clenched his teeth.
"Huh? Lina."
Just then, Lina approached. She seemed concerned about Kendrick, who appeared to have been pushed back. Lina cautiously held a book out to Kendrick. Kendrick looked at Lina as if asking what she meant.
"Do you want to read this book?"
Nodding.
"Do you want Kendrick to read this?"
Nodding.
Stella wondered what was going on with Lina, who usually didn't approach people easily. Anyway, Stella looked at Kendrick, excited at the thought that Lina had come to visit first with a book.
'You want me to read a book?'
It was something he had never done before. However, seeing Stella's sparkling eyes, he couldn't refuse. With a warm smile, he accepted the book just as she wanted.
"Yes."
Kendrick read a book, one by one, from a short distance away from Roy. Roy had a voice that seemed to melt in the ears like a sweet dessert, but Kendrick was the opposite. It was low and calm, yet it was a voice that instantly captivated the ear. To use a food analogy, it was like meat grilled quickly over high heat, with some blood still visible.
“That shy child found it hard to accept praise. Every time he heard a compliment, he would roll around in embarrassment until he turned into a pebble.”
Some of the children who had been listening to Roy read the fairy tale quietly shifted their seats and approached Kendrick. Although he was reading with an arrogant posture with his legs crossed, that did not mean he was reading half-heartedly.
'I can't believe Kendrick Adrian is reading books to the children.'
Stella felt proud of Kendrick and grateful. She heard the sound of children whispering quietly. Stella pricked up her ears in that direction.
"But that Kendrick guy looks exactly like brother Lino."
"I know. I think their eyes look a bit alike."
'Ah, so that's why Lina approached him first.'
When he finished reading the book, the children clapped.
"Your voice is really nice, Kendrick. You read the book well."
When Stella praised him, Kendrick silently began reading his second book. Before long, half of the children at the orphanage sat around Kendrick. The other half was Royfar.
'For a moment...'
Stella felt her skin sting again. The war of nerves between these two men had started anew with 'reading a fairy tale.' They seemed to be competing to see who could read louder, more clearly, and more vividly. Stella was slightly flustered, as she hadn't expected their rivalry to escalate to this extent.
'Should I stop now?'
Stella hesitated, but seeing the faces of the children sitting beside Roy and Kendrick, completely absorbed in the story, she changed her mind. She felt a sense of pride watching the children lost in the fairy tale, their mouths agape.
'Well. This much should be fine.'
Stella brushed off the situation with a bright smile. She sat beside Kendrick, lightly resting her arm against him, but as if that wasn't enough, he secretly placed his hand over hers behind her back. She tried to pull her hand away from the tickling sensation, but captivated by his profile as he engrossedly read a fairy tale, she stayed put with their hands still intertwined for quite some time.
***
After the daycare schedule was over, Kendrick and Stella returned to the Dukes' mansion.
Stella praised him. She felt proud the whole time she was watching him read books so diligently.
"You did a great job reading the book today. The children were really scared at first."
Kendrick wore a look of amusement. He had never once worried about appearing scary to anyone. On the contrary, he practiced not showing his emotions in any situation, thinking that he shouldn't be looked down upon. Even if that weren't the case, he never thought of himself as having a particularly intimidating appearance.
'Young Master Andra looks too soft.'
"Those friends are afraid of everything."
Stella let out a small laugh at Kendrick's reaction.
"Isn't there anything you were afraid of when you were little?"
Things he was afraid of. A childhood memory suddenly came to mind.
"Macaroon."
Stella asked back as if she had misheard.
"Huh? What did you say?"
Kendrick laughed softly and shook his head.
"Nothing in particular. Back then, I was taught that being afraid of something was a disgrace."
Ah. Stella nodded as if she empathized. After all, she, too, had to live with the heavy burden of the Duke's honor. However, Kendrick was so perfect that she had never imagined he would have shared the same struggles. For some reason, she felt sorry for Kendrick.
"It's okay now."
As Stella gently stroked Kendrick's head, he looked up at her.
"Now I know that being afraid of something isn't something shameful, but a natural thing. When I was young, I didn't know any better and thought my parents were always right. So, if there is something you are scared of, it is okay to tell me without hiding it."
Even so, there wasn't anything to be afraid of. Kendrick didn't bat an eye at bugs. Even when he encountered a monster while inspecting the estate, he dealt with it with his sword out of annoyance, and he didn't believe in ghost-like beings at all.
"Come to think of it, there isn't really anything you're afraid of, is there?"
"There is."
"Wow, what is it?"
"You're disappearing."
Kendrick's heart pounded painfully whenever Stella was out of sight. The only thing that allowed him to endure such pain was the hope that if he just held on a little longer, he would see Stella's face again.
"Yes?"
"And, the thing I said I didn't like."
Kendrick originally disliked sweet foods like candy and chocolate. However, he had no choice but to eat them to suppress the pain, but recently, perhaps because he had developed a tolerance, the aching sensation persisted even after eating candy or chocolate.
"Just imagining that."
Kendrick placed his hand on his heart.
"My heart aches."
Stella's heart grew even more troubled. Divorce aside, she could disappear from this world forever if things went wrong. What should she do with this man?
'Should I set you up with another woman?'
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