A Summer With Bitter Rivals - Side Story 2

Side Story 2: Together Until Winter

Only after she mediated did the two men finally stop glaring at each other.

Mathis began sipping his tea with refined movements, while Zenon quickly scooted next to Emeline.

Zenon quietly murmured that he missed her, and there was a chill in his voice. The hand he slid under the table to hold hers was cold, too.

“Why are your hands so cold? Was it chilly outside?”

“Yeah.”

When Emeline looked up at him with concern, Zenon immediately put on a sullen expression as if he had been waiting for it.

He pouted, saying it was even colder without her beside him. Emeline could almost see a big tail wagging behind him. She let out a soft chuckle and clasped his hand.

Then she noticed something sparkling in his hair. A few snowflakes hadn’t melted and clung to his strands.

In surprise, she looked toward the window. The sky had turned a cloudy ash-gray, and snow was falling.

Mathis, who had also checked the weather, spoke, “It’s snowing. Come to think of it, they said it would get heavier.”

Zenon chimed in with a cheerful face, “You’ll have to be going soon.”

“Unfortunately, yes. But when I said I was leaving, your expression seemed to brighten. Was that my imagination?”

“I trust we don’t need words between us.”

Emeline nudged Zenon lightly. She meant for him not to go too far.

Only then did Zenon stop joking and speak properly, “Once you leave today, I hope you’ll visit again sometime. We could have dinner together then.”

“To think Lord Trancium himself would extend an invitation to dinner, what an honor.”

Mathis responded smoothly with a polite smile, then gently shook his head.

“But I’m afraid that might be difficult. I’ll be away for a while.”

“Mathis, are you going somewhere?”

“I’ll be abroad for a while. It’s business-related.”

Emeline blinked. She looked genuinely surprised. “How long will you be staying there?”

“It’ll be a few years, I think. I’ll return from time to time, but it’ll be hard for us to meet.”

“…I see.”

Her expression dimmed. Seeing that, Mathis smiled faintly. “I’ll write you. Oh, and Lord Trancium too, of course.”

“You’ll be thinking of me even while abroad, that feels strange.”

“Then I won’t send anything.”

“Why are you so extreme? Send it. When did I say I didn’t want one…”

“It was only going to be a few lines anyway. Come to think of it, it’s a waste of paper and ink.”

“Ha… Emeline, see? I’m not the only one who gives you a hard time. He’s just the same.”

He seemed to be referring to earlier, when Emeline had nudged him to behave. Though he was much bigger than her, he acted pitiful.

Mathis contorted his refined face with exaggerated disgust. “What a sight. He acts completely different when we’re alone.”

“I agree.”

When Emeline sided with him, Zenon looked betrayed.

Defeated, he sullenly took her teacup and drank from it in mock revenge. Everyone knew it was all in jest.

Emeline turned to Mathis again, her expression calm. “I hope you have a safe trip, Mathis.”

“Thank you. Then I’ll take my leave. In truth, this is all I came to say today.”

“I see…”

She gave a small nod. He must have made that earlier confession because he was leaving for a long time.

He probably wanted to lay down whatever he had been carrying inside.

A glance at Mathis showed his expression looked quite unburdened.

Before departing, he spoke a few more words.

Looking at the couple who had gone from rivals to friends, from friends to husband and wife—

“You two weren’t exactly the kind I easily understood or deeply respected, but you were always unusual and far from ordinary. I think you helped me realize that everyone lives a different kind of life.”

That was also why he had let Emeline go without resistance, and why he could now acknowledge them.

Mathis glanced at the lush yellow roses on the table, grown in the conservatory, and added, “Especially Summer Paradise by Lord Trancium, it’s on my shelf as well.”

“You read that too, Mathis?”

“It was interesting. I rather enjoyed it.”

Mathis lifted the corner of his mouth in a slight grin.

“I hope you remain happy until I return.”

“Of course,” Emeline replied warmly.

When Mathis rose from his seat, Zenon stood as well and shook his hand. This time, all joking aside, Zenon gave him a sincere farewell.

“Wishing you good health, even abroad.”

“Thank you.”

With that final reply, Mathis left the drawing room.

To see him off, the couple stepped outside into the falling snow and waved. The carriage departing from the front gate quickly disappeared into the distance.

Emeline looked for a moment at the spot Mathis had left.

Then, feeling someone take her hand, she looked up.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“A little.”

White breath drifted between them as they spoke. Snow continued to fall from the pale sky.

Zenon adjusted his grip, lacing their fingers so their warmth touched without a gap.

Then he gently brushed the snowflakes that had settled in her hair.

“Should we head back in if you’re cold?”

“I want to walk a bit longer.”

“Then let’s take a walk.”

They entered the garden path. Snow had begun to pile lightly on the trees lining either side.

As they walked in sync, their clasped hands swayed gently up and down. When alone, Emeline and Zenon often played like children.

“Emeline.”

“Mm.”

“How are you feeling today?”

They stopped in front of a quiet bench deep in the garden. Zenon cleared away the snow from where she would sit and even laid down a handkerchief.

Emeline laughed at his devotion and thanked him before sitting down.

“You suddenly turned into a gentleman.”

“I’ve always been one to you.”

“What? As if.”

“So, how do you feel? No discomfort anywhere, right?” Zenon sat beside her and asked again.

Emeline looked up at him. A beautiful, radiant smile spread across her face. “With such a devoted husband, how could I even have time to feel unwell?”

Zenon gave her a brief kiss, enchanted, and smiled back. “That’s good. I guess our baby is healthy, too.”

A warm hand covered Emeline’s belly. Beneath the thick winter coat, her stomach was still flat.

Zenon touched her gently, his face filled with excitement.

His touch was so cautious that Emeline burst into laughter.

“That tickles.”

“Can’t help it. What if I touch you wrong and it bothers the baby? I have to be as delicate as a feather.”

“As if you touching my belly could be that rough.”

Emeline teased. Zenon pretended not to hear and carefully traced his hand over her belly.

He seemed desperate to feel the baby but couldn’t yet.

Still, he didn’t look disappointed. Instead, his face glowed with even more happiness as he looked at her. His eyes sparkled with hope.

“If the baby takes after you, they’ll be so beautiful.”

“Hmm? Whatever the case, they’ll be beautiful and handsome. Their father is Zenon Trancium, after all.”

Zenon laughed in delight and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

Emeline, giving in with a chuckle, leaned her head on his broad shoulder just as he intended. Zenon kissed her hair.

With all his affection wrapped around her, Emeline looked up, holding tightly to his hand.

Snow fell from the sky, clear and gentle. In the quiet around them, the beat of their hearts against each other was all the louder.

Looking up at the fully arrived winter sky, Emeline murmured, “It’s strange.”

“What is?”

“Every time I was with you, it was always summer. But now we’re even together in winter.”

Strangely enough, all their moments had taken place in summer.

Their first meeting and parting happened in summer, as did their reunion.

And now, like a natural continuation, they remained together even through the cold.

Just a few years ago, she thought she’d never face Zenon again.

Who would have imagined that the rivals who thought they ended in summer would now be spending winter together?

“Not so strange for me.”

“You don’t think it’s odd?”

“Maybe a little, but I always knew. That we’d be together from now on.”

At his firm reply, Emeline smiled. When she looked up at him, Zenon kissed her.

She responded to the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He had always been certain. That he would spend a lifetime looking only at Emeline.

And Emeline, too, was certain. That even if she died and came back, the only person she’d ever love was Zenon Trancium.

Snow drifted down gently onto their hair and shoulders.

As if trying to melt the cold spread across the world, they held each other for a long, long time.

-Side Story Complete-