We’d managed to make up without incident, so we returned to the ballroom to where Rex was.
“Oh, welcome back. Judging by the looks on your faces, you two managed to resolve your conflict. That’s great news,” he said.
“Right. Thank you,” Phil replied.
After that, we explained to him the misunderstanding that led to our miscommunication, only for Rex to laugh so hard he began to cry. From an outsider’s perspective, our story was probably unbelievably ludicrous.
“You guys looked so serious while you were fighting, and that was the reason behind it? You two are hilarious.”
After hearing Phil’s explanation, I could understand the reason behind Little Vio’s “I actually really like Luna...” I could’ve never guessed that they were Princess Adele’s words. It really seemed like coincidence after coincidence was miraculously strung together to cause this disagreement.
“I seriously thought you were legitimately jealous of a little kid, Viola. And you kept calling it ‘cheating’ so I just chalked it up to you really liking Phillip. Then—”
“I’m begging you, please stop talking,” I interrupted.
“Honestly, I wish that really was the case,” Rex concluded.
Hearing my misunderstanding laid out like this was seriously embarrassing. I could understand why Rex would laugh at me, and I couldn’t blame him. I still wished he wouldn’t, though.
“Well, in any case, I think we all learned a valuable lesson. Some things can only be communicated with words. Seriously though, I’m glad that the two of you made up.”
After he said that, Rex patted the two of us on our heads.
The party was still ongoing, but once we finished greeting our acquaintances, we decided to go home early. I felt really tired all of a sudden, and Phil looked like he wasn’t faring any better. We left the ballroom with our hands intertwined, and got into a carriage. We sat next to each other as if it was a given we would. Phil leaned back against the seat and let out a heavy sigh.
“I can’t feel any more strength in my body... Until you said that you like me, I didn’t even feel like I was alive.”
Apparently, since he wasn’t actually cheating on me, he’d always felt like this misunderstanding would clear up eventually. But, he couldn’t help but think, “What if Viola hates me in the meantime? What if she starts falling for another man?” His thoughts were in an endless spiral of anxiety and pessimism. He hadn’t even been able to sleep or eat as much as usual, and upon hearing that, I felt horrible for everything I put him through.
“In any case, I learned my lesson. I won’t write you a letter if it’s storming.”
“I agree. I’ll also ask you what you wrote if there’s ever smudges on your letters again.”
“Yes, please.”
The moon and stars glowed ethereally from outside the window. It’d been far too long since I was able to enjoy such calm and quiet, and I could also feel the tension escape from my shoulders. Then, I decided to ask him something that’d always been on my mind.
“Um, Phil, why did you start liking me?”
I’d been dying to ask him this ever since my conversation with Jamie the other day. Phil looked surprised at the sudden query, but he sat up straighter and turned to look straight at me.
“I never told you about it, did I?”
“No, you haven’t. I’ve been curious about it.”
“If I recall, it was when we were seven years old...” Phil closed his eyes as if lost in his memories and then he started his story.
✦ ✦ ✦
From the moment I was born, I had a fiancée.
I must have found her amethyst eyes beautiful even before I was capable of conscious thought. I didn’t know the reason, but I always felt relaxed in her presence and rejoiced when I could meet her. That was the kind of person she was to me.
“Listen, Phillip. Viola is your soul mate. You must treat her well and make sure she’s happy.”
“A... Soul mate?”
“That’s right. I’m sure that Viola will make you happy as well.”
Long ago, a goddess saved our family and that same goddess chose Viola as my soul mate. Apparently, so long as I was with Viola, my entire family and I would find happiness. As a child, I didn’t fully understand those words. But when I thought about marrying her in the future, I felt a ticklish warmth in my heart.
“Hello, Lord Phillip.”
“Hello.”
“What should we do today?”
“We can do whatever you want.”
“I see. Then, would you like to spend the day reading some books?”
However, whenever I found myself standing in front of Viola, I’d become incredibly nervous for some reason. So nervous that I could hardly form words. Mysteriously enough, this only happened when I talked with Viola.
Every time I acted coldly in my conversation with her, Viola looked a little sad. Despite that, she always tried to speak with me, determined not to give up. I couldn’t understand. It wasn’t as if it was any fun spending time with me.
“Viola, you’re the same as always!”
“Oh, Rex!”
If I was as sociable and cheery as Rex, would I be able to put a smile on Viola’s face too? I couldn’t stop thinking about things like that. I was unbelievably pathetic and frustrated at myself for my own flaws. Curious as to why I couldn’t do anything properly in front of Viola, and only Viola, I decided to go to my mother for advice.
“How come I can’t speak properly to Viola when I can converse with anyone else?”
“Ha ha, Phillip, so you’ve reached that age in life, huh?” My mother made an oddly happy face and patted my head before she continued in a gentle voice, “It’s because she’s special to you.”
“Special?”
“That’s right. I think it’s because you can’t stop thinking about her. I’m sure you’ll figure it out in time.”
That was all my mother said. No matter how many times I pressed her for more answers, she didn’t say anything more than that.
One day, we were invited to a noble’s son’s birthday party. Halfway through, I lost sight of Viola. This was a rather rare occurrence, since she usually spent gatherings at my side without saying a single word. Worried, I left the party and searched for her. It was only when I visited the gardens that I found her, crouching in the shadows of a tree.
“Viola?”
When I called out for her, her head shot up and she stared at me. When eyes met hers, I saw that they were rimmed in red and fat tears were pouring out from her big amethyst eyes.
“What are you doing over here?” I asked.
Viola rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. I immediately regretted that I wasn’t able to ask her if she was okay or otherwise display my worry for her. It was my first time seeing her cry and I was simply too shocked.
“I don’t really like people seeing me cry...” Viola replied haltingly before she forced her lips into a smile.
The sight of her expression was like a knife through my chest.
“Did someone do something to you?”
The thought of that made me furious. I normally didn’t feel anger toward anything or anybody, but it felt like I became an entirely different person when faced with Viola. I desperately wanted to take away any hurts or worries from her life. I handed her a handkerchief. Instead of accepting or rejecting it, she simply smiled as if she didn’t know what to do.
“Thank you so much...”
After that, I wasn’t sure what to do. So I decided that I would leave without a fuss.
“Would you like me to leave you alone as well?” I asked.
But Viola shook her head slightly.
“No. We’ll be spending the rest of our lives together. I’m fine with you here, Lord Phillip.”
My heart skipped a beat at her words. She said that we would be together for the rest of our lives, as if it was a matter of fact. Was I special to her in the same way she was special to me? Anticipation and excitement started to well up in my chest at that thought.
“That’s because she’s special to you.”
It was an odd feeling. I was happy and excited, yet there was a slight pain in my chest. I could feel the vague emotion that had been brewing inside of me start to take shape.
I must be in love with her.
That was why my emotions were all over the place when I stood in front of her. That was why I couldn’t do anything right in Viola’s presence. Ever since I was a toddler, I’d felt this way and I finally had a name for it.
By the time I realized it, I’d pulled her into an embrace.