The Kids Have Changed - Chapter 41

Julien’s fingertips trembled as he covered his mouth. He licked his dry lips with the tip of his tongue.
It was too hot.
The soft touch of Sharon’s lips still remained, and he clearly remembered the light exhale from her lips as they met his.
He was going crazy. Julien knew then that his night would be sleepless.
Julien stood up, and without any reason, he started walking back and forth in his room.
The storm in his heart made him unable to stay seated.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
His heart was beating against his chest with all its might. These mysterious sounds and vibrations—everything was real.

Julien rubbed his hair.
He never felt anything like this before, so he didn’t know what to do. He felt clumsy because Sharon was the only person who had ever come close to him.
It wasn’t a bad thing, though.
He was just unused to the embarrassment and the shock to his heart.
Julien went outside, thinking he might feel better if he got some fresh air. But doing so was a mistake. He saw Sharon’s face superimposed over the bright moon.
Once again, Sharon’s red lips stood out to him.
He usually got her to stay for dinner, but he had to see her off early today. The way his eyes kept catching on her lips was embarrassing.
Julien’s face turned redder, and he quickly ran inside. It was as if the moon was stealing his heart.
Julien paced the room for a long time to soothe his fussy mind. A star was floating in his heart—a star named Sharon.
***
I stood next to Carol. Her leg was still hurt, and though Carol said it was fine, I still felt nervous. Also, this eased my guilty conscience for not catching Carol.
Other than the day I met with the prince, I did not leave Carol’s side, even when we were sleeping.
Of course, Carol was excited about my actions.
“Kyaah! Kyah! Are you going to sleep beside me again tonight?“
“Yeah. Move over a bit! Why are you sticking so close?”
I pushed Carol to the other side of the bed. I couldn’t help it. Half of my butt was hanging off the bed!
Carol rolled around, laughing gleefully. Her pink lips and the gray hair that tickled her milky-white face were charming.
“Are you that happy…?”
I was a little disturbed when I saw her kick her feet as she laughed.
Is she an idiot…?
At my question, Carol rolled back to my side.
“Aack! It hurts!”
Then, she wriggled around in the bed. Her feet were caught up in the blanket.
“…Why are you like this. You brat.”
I had nothing more to say.
Seeing her cling to me while whining about the pain, I had no words.
She was truly a brat.
Carol laughed sheepishly as her pain subsided.
“Sha, you’ll sleep in my room tomorrow too, right?”
“No.”
Now that I looked at her, she seemed very healthy. I decided that I could return to my comfortable room.
Carol opened her eyes wide at my resolute words.
“Why not?! You said you shouldn’t say contradicting things with the same mouth! I’m still sick! You said you’ll be by my side until I’m better!”
I pushed Carol’s forehead as she screeched in my ear.
“Hey, hey. Don’t yell right against my ear! It’s my choice!”
Carol puffed up her cheeks and turned her back on me.
“…Sharon, will you always be with me when I’m hurt?”
“Yeah.”
Carol’s voice became quieter.
“Even if I get married? Will you be with me?”
“Huh…?”
Wasn’t that a little too much? She had to become independent.
However, when Carol turned around again and looked at me with burdensomely bright eyes, I was forced to reply.
“Y-yeah.”
I closed Carol’s blinking eyes. Carol’s small face, wrapped in the soft blanket, looked sleepy.
No wonder she was acting so childish.
The vibration of her eyelashes that had tickled my palms stopped. I pulled the blanket over the sleeping Carol’s shoulder and closed my eyes.
At this time, I didn’t know. My brief silence before I answered her had deepened Carol’s misunderstanding.
***
The news that the ex-duchess was deported abroad shook the social world.
A number of scandalous rumors followed the Gratoni dukedom. Though Duke Gratoni’s influence made others wary about gossiping, the word quickly became exaggerated.
One of the rumors was about Carol, who hadn’t appeared in society for a long time. People were gossiping that she had been deported along with the ex-duchess.
“This isn’t good.”
I had been repeating those words ever since I received the report from Madame DeJoue.
It was only 10 days since the ex-duchess was banished. Carol had little time to recover.
“I think Lady Carol has no choice but to attend.”
That would be the best response. Furthermore, today was Julien’s birthday.
I placed a banquet invitation, sent directly from the imperial family, on the table and tilted my head.
“How is Carol’s leg? Since it’s Julien’s birthday, there’s no way that Carol, his fiancée, can skip out.”
“It’s impossible for her to walk for long distances yet.”
“I think it would be better if she could rest further, but I don’t think the others will leave her alone.”
At that moment, a guest came to visit me.
A maid with bobbed hair announced the visitor to me and Madame DeJoue.
“Lady Sharon. I know it’s early in the morning, but please forgive my rudeness. There is a guest who’s come to visit milady…”
“At this time? Madame DeJoue, did I have something scheduled for today?”
I didn’t think I made any appointments, since it was Julien’s birthday.
“No. You’re busy enough today without something like that.”
“Please take them to the parlor first.”
“Yes, milady.”
At my words, the maid left. I casually put a gown over my pajamas.
The guest waiting in the parlor, occupying the room like it was his and leaning comfortably on the couch, was the crown prince. Today’s main character.
“Oh? Why are you here?”
“It’s my birthday today. I should spend it with someone I like. So I came to pick up someone I want to spend my birthday with.”
Julien closed his eyes and smiled brightly.
Ah, so he came for Carol.
“Carol’s leg isn’t completely better yet… So that’d work out. You can escort her.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Huh?” I tilted my head.
“I came to pick you up. Are you going to skip my birthday banquet again?”
“…Well, yeah?“
I never attended the birthday banquet before. Not only had I not been introduced to the social world, but it was also more comfortable to celebrate it separately.
“That’s a bit troublesome.”
The prince stretched out his crossed legs, stood up, and walked up to me. He leaned in, lightly bending his back.
“Since I want to be with you,” Julien continued.
“What?”
“I said that I wanted to spend my birthday with someone I like.”
He placed a long finger on my shoulder.
“Come with me.”
I took a breath. The scent of the prince, who had bowed down while making eye contact with me, rushed in.
It was a refreshing, cool fragrance.
“You’ll come, right?”
Because Julien urged me, I nodded without thinking.
“Good job.”
I leaned back to avoid Julien’s hand as he tried to pat my head for agreeing with him.
This was dangerous.
Red alarms flashed in my head. These days, I kept thinking that I should stay away from the prince who made me feel strange.
I didn’t know why, but it was dangerous.
“I-I’ll go get Carol!”
I ran away. I ran from that child!
***
I left the prince behind in the parlor and ran to Carol.
It was a mistake.
“What? Why’s he interfering with our pleasant morning?! He’s trying to steal you again!”
Why didn’t I predict that Carol would angrily run out of the room without even putting on a gown?
“Hey! Get dressed! Clothes! Where are you going like that?! You look like a total bum!”
The people in the hallways of the duke’s mansion moved out of the way for me and Carol, who were running frantically.
Really, how is she running so well with a leg injury?
I couldn’t catch up with the limping Carol, even at my full speed.
“Heeeeeey!”
Oh, my poor stamina.
The faces of those who saw us were genial.
“As expected, it’s only when the young ladies are energetic that I feel more lively.”
“I’ve been so depressed lately. Seeing this makes me feel better.”
I overheard such conversations.
“Huff, huff…”
As if mocking me for gasping and panting, Carol opened the parlor by my room.
Madame DeJoue had been receiving the prince with utmost care.
I don’t know who welcomed him here, but it wasn’t me.
“Why are you here? You have some nerve to act so rudely in the morning!”
It wasn’t Carol, either.
Carol stomped her feet while grumbling, seemingly without realizing she was still wearing her pajamas.
“Hey— huff, huff.”
Madame DeJoue poured me a cup of tea as I hyperventilated.
“I told you to exercise,” she said.
I couldn’t even respond to her eyes looking at me with pity.
I wanted to tell Carol that her outfit was even more rude, but I couldn’t.
“You think you can get away with everything since it’s your birthday?!”
I had also wanted to ask her if she knew it was her fiancé’s birthday, but I couldn’t. It turned out she knew.
“You’re trying to play with Sharon without me!”
…She was acting like an elementary schooler. Really.
I wanted to scold Carol, but I still couldn’t speak.
A long time later, after I could breathe again, I dragged Carol out the parlor and to my room, which was connected.
“Ack! I still have a bunch to say!”
“You, aren’t you sick? Didn’t you say you’re still sick?”
“No, that’s…”
I pushed Carol, who was quickly changing her words, and closed the door.
Ah. I brought her here for nothing.
My regrets were too late.
“Madam DeJoue, Madame Berna. Please help Carol dress along with the maids.”
“Yes, Lady Sharon. However, you should also prepare yourself. You surely aren’t going to keep walking around like that, no?”
I glanced over my outfit at Madame DeJoue’s point.
I was still better than Carol, though.
Carol was disheveled from head to toe.
Wasn’t it lucky that my good looks covered everything up?
“Carol first, please.”
“Certainly, but you must come to the bath quickly.”
“Of course.”
Madame DeJoue seemed to feel I was still dressed improperly. She only left the parlor after she put a shawl over my shoulders.
Meanwhile, the prince had been elegantly drinking tea without reacting.
“Hmm. It’s finally a little quiet.”
Oh, right.
Carol had distracted me so much that I forgot why I ran away.
Hesitantly, I turned around. Julien sat in a relaxed posture, as if nothing had happened.
Did I go overboard?
“Come and sit. Why is your stamina so poor?”
“…I train my mind rather than my body.”
The prince smiled crookedly at me.
“Hey! What’s up with that look?“
I sat opposite him so that I could argue with him.
His expression seemed to say, ‘I read as many books as you do, but I can also swordfight and have a good physique.’ Or maybe I misread it. He shrugged and returned his expression to his usual beautiful face.
What was it?
Was he possessed by a fox?