# 132
132. Met the Count Again (1)
I had my bag snatched by the bird being held. Vincent grabbed my flustered hand and entered the forest. The forest had already grown so dark that I couldn't see ahead.
Only after seeing the round moon floating above the trees did I recall that he was afraid of the dark. I was momentarily worried, but he was walking calmly without any episodes. While holding my hand very tightly, as if afraid I might run away.
I thought we would get lost, but he guided me to the mansion in the forest without much difficulty. As I was blankly looking up at the mansion where no presence of people could be felt, he returned the bag to me. Gripping the handle of the bag that somehow felt heavier than before, I bowed my head deeply.
A breeze swept past us for a moment.
"I understand well how you feel about your sibling. I have no intention of doing anything right now, so don't worry. I'll wait until you make your decision."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't even apologize."
I fidgeted with the hand holding the bag handle. I didn't know what to say to him, who was being considerate of me by telling me not to apologize. Wouldn't it be better to just disappear from his life even now?
Noticing my hesitation, he declared firmly.
"Don't even think about running away. I'll come early tomorrow morning to watch you."
"……"
"Rest."
"It's night, but can you go alone?"
The night path was too dark. We had walked through the forest together, but I was worried about him going down alone. Then Vincent slightly frowned.
"You noticed too."
"I'm sorry."
"I told you not to apologize."
Vincent let out a deep sigh.
"It's true that I have poor night vision, but that doesn't mean I have episodes at any time. As long as I'm not suddenly plunged into darkness like last time, I can walk around alone at night just fine."
That was a relief. While I was secretly relieved, Vincent urged me to go inside and pushed my back. With the momentum that he would escort me to my room door if I didn't hurry, I had no choice but to move hesitantly.
A gaze stuck to my back. He persistently watched until I entered the mansion.
Only after closing the mansion door did my legs lose their strength. I leaned against the wall, then moved awkwardly to look out the window. Vincent hadn't left and was still standing in the same spot. The night wind scattered the hem of his clothes.
He didn't move for quite a while like that.
In my sleep, I felt someone shaking my body. My eyelids were heavy, but the pain hitting my cheek forced me to open my eyes.
As I raised my upper body in a half-asleep state, I saw Alicia fuming. Seeing her fierce face, all my sleepiness vanished.
"What are you! What are you doing!"
"Ah, did you sleep well."
"Did you sleep well? Are you asking me if I slept well right now?"
Alicia trembled all over, then picked up a pillow and started whacking me with it. I curled up and defended myself.
"You said you were leaving! You kept spouting all sorts of things about leaving and then came back?! Are you messing with me right now!"
"It hurts. Stop."
"Stop what?! What? Please just get out! Get out of my life!"
I stopped defending and quietly took the hits from Alicia who was screaming and whacking me. Actually, since I had said things like "I'd rather die" and suggested running away, only to look back, I had nothing to say.
So I kept my mouth shut, and after hitting me for a while, Alicia lowered the pillow and caught her breath.
"Fine. Forget everything else. Just keep the promise you made to do as I say. When the time comes later, you really have to leave. Understand?"
"……"
"You bitch. You don't even say anything at times like this."
Alicia tossed the pillow to one side and tidied her messy hair. Then, after glaring at me once, she left the room. Only then could I also uncurl my body and sit up.
As I swept back my messy hair, something caught on my hand. It was a hair ribbon with flower embroidery at the end.
Seeing that, last night's events came to mind. Instantly, my dazed spirit snapped awake as if ice had been placed on the back of my neck. I needlessly scratched my nape vigorously.
After changing clothes and tying my hair back tightly, I went outside. On the way to Robert's room, I met the nanny.
"Anne. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes. Did you sleep well too, Nanny?"
"Me, well."
The nanny gave a short laugh and offered the bland encouragement to do our best today as well. I responded with a nod and stood side by side with the nanny in front of Robert's door.
After knocking, I followed the nanny who went in first, but I hesitated at the sight of an unexpected figure.
"Oh my, Count. What brings you here so early in the morning?"
Vincent was standing in the middle of the room, holding Robert in his arms. Robert, still lost in dreamland, whined while wrapping both arms around Vincent's neck.
Vincent patted Robert's back and glanced this way. The moment his gaze landed precisely on me, I froze stiff.
"To have breakfast together."
"Ah, I see. The young master will be pleased."
The nanny smiled softly and received Robert from Vincent. Robert rubbed his eyes while being held in the nanny's arms. The nanny sat Robert on the bed and brought wash water for a light wash.
Until then, I was still standing awkwardly in the doorway. Vincent, who had been watching me like that, strode over and opened the door wide himself.
"Aren't you coming in?"
"Ah, yes. I should go in."
I entered with my head bowed deeply. When the door closed behind me, I somehow felt tension like a cornered mouse.
Vincent positioned himself next to me, who was standing by the door. I clasped both hands together and stiffened my body rigidly. His gaze stabbed my cheek openly.
"Why are you so tense."
"You came early."
"I said I'd come to watch you."
That's right. Though I didn't know you'd actually come at such an early hour.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Pardon? Ah, yes. I slept well. Did you sleep well too, Master?"
When we returned to the mansion, it was late night approaching midnight. It felt like not much time had passed, but much time had flowed by.
He had stood outside for quite a long time even after I entered the mansion. I tried to secretly watch him leave through the window, but eventually had no choice but to go to my room first.
"I couldn't sleep well because I was worrying about someone running away."
"N-Nanny. I'll do it!"
I rushed frantically to the nanny who was about to change Robert's clothes. Even after washing his face with water, Robert was still intoxicated by sleep.
The nanny looked at me strangely as I came running while shouting, then offered her usual smile.
"Would you like to? I'll tidy up the surroundings a bit."
"Yes."
After receiving the clothes from the nanny, I bent my waist facing Robert who was sitting and shaking his head. Throughout unbuttoning his pajamas, taking them off, and changing him into new clothes, my attention was directed behind me. The embarrassing words circled my ears and caressed my earlobes.
Last night's events still felt like a dream. Even when I left Vincent behind, returned to my room, and lay down on the bed, I felt like I would wake up from a dream if I closed my eyes like this. So I was afraid to fall asleep.
Even when I woke up from sleep after being hit by Alicia, it was hard to judge whether last night's events were a dream or reality.
But Vincent came to see me as if it weren't a dream. This was distinctly different from when I alone knew him. Just being in the same space, even in exchanging a simple word, I could feel it was different from before.
Even after changing his shoes, Robert couldn't wake up from sleep. When he reached out his arms asking to be held, I embraced Robert.
The nanny, who had roughly organized the things scattered here and there that Robert had played with yesterday, said she would go down first and left the room. She was probably going to inform the people of Vincent's attendance in advance.
Only he and I remained in the room. Suddenly silence fell. I hesitantly approached Vincent. I felt his gaze chasing me. No, his gaze hadn't left me for a single moment since I entered this room. Now that I knew what that gaze meant, I became tense.
I needlessly lowered my eyes and stroked Robert's back.
"Please go down to the dining room."
"……"
Somehow no words came back. When I briefly raised my eyes, he reached his hand toward me. What his hand, which brushed past my nape, grabbed was the white ribbon tying my hair. His eyes, which traced the flower embroidery at the end, narrowed slightly.
"You wore this."
"Yes, somehow……."
"Yesterday I thought I was dreaming. So I couldn't sleep for fear of waking up from the dream."
I opened my eyes wide. Vincent, who was touching the hair ribbon, smiled as if relieved.
"I couldn't bear it because I wanted to know it wasn't a dream. I told you I'd come early in the morning to watch you, but actually I felt like I had to do that or I wouldn't be able to stand it."
"……"
"Are you the same?"
Yes, I was… like that too. I was also afraid it might be a dream. So I wanted to quickly know it wasn't a dream.
At the sudden reunion, I was so surprised that my heart dropped, but that didn't mean I wasn't happy. Actually, I was very happy. Because I heard his true feelings, and because I learned everything was my misunderstanding.
So I was even more afraid. It was so sweet that it seemed even more like a dream. I was afraid that when I opened my eyes tomorrow morning, I would meet Vincent with a cold appearance who wouldn't recognize me. Because I had rarely thought that it was fortunate to be alive.
I wanted to tell him my honest feelings. I tried to move my lips, but couldn't offer any answer.
I was a coward. Being honest felt like stripping naked. I had always blamed Ethan and Vincent inwardly, but actually I was the most dishonest person.
Vincent, watching me hesitate, closed his eyes and brought the ribbon to his lips. He traced the flower pattern with his lips, then inhaled once and let out a languid breath. Then, releasing the ribbon, he offered his hand.
"I'll hold Robert, so give him here."
"Ah, yes."
I hid my fluster and handed Robert to him. He skillfully held Robert in his arms and stepped aside. I opened the door and waited for him to pass. Then Vincent, who had stepped into the hallway first, looked at me and spoke.
"Lead the way."
"Pardon?"
"I said lead the way."
"If you go first, I'll follow behind."
"How do I know you won't sneak away then."
He brought up the topic he had seemed to forget. I looked up at him in disbelief. No, I don't have any intention of that. Of course, up until yesterday I did, and later I might want to again, but anyway, right now I had no such intention.
But Vincent didn't lower his guard and urged me.
"I came to watch you. Don't forget and lead the way."
Eventually, I led the way down the hallway as he said. The back of my head stung so much I could go crazy. If I'd known this would happen, I should have gone down first instead of the nanny.
"I'm saying this just in case, but don't think about giving up. Since I'm telling you in advance."
Now he's even threatening me.