Chapter 2: Tobias Miller

Viola smiled and said,

“I’ll tell you about the method I used with Jacob.”

“..What is it?”

‘I asked in a low voice. Viola’s hazel eyes sparkled lively.

“First, go in front of him and drop things.”

“What? What kind of confession is that?”,

“Mel, everything has its own order.”

Her voice was so confident that I made up my mind to listen quietly. It was not the most reliable, but she did bring Jacob over to her side.

Besides, it was probably better advice than what my single past life could ever provide.

“Listen. If a lady drops something, he’ll pick it up, right? Then, take it and tell him where you’re going to be tomorrow. For example...”,

11

“I’ll be at Antris Coffee Shop throughout the afternoon tomorrow”

“.. All of a sudden?”

“Yes, that’s what I said and wink!”

Theld my breath because Viola closed and opened one of her eyes. It was ridiculous to see her eyelashes fluttering with her eyebrows raised all the way up.

“You’re really bad at winking. You didn’t do this to Jacob, did you?”

“I did! I heard it’s cute.”

“”..I’m sure Jacob is a unique person.”

Is this what love is? Shaking my head, I quickly continued to talk.

“Anyway, isn’t that way too old fashioned? It’s a method my mother might have used..”

“Why are classics loved, Mel?”

I pictured it for a moment. What if I dropped something in front of Alan, who always had, this cold and indifferent face?

The odds, if not certainty, that Alan would pass by without looking at it, would be close to ninety-five percent. There’s no way that the ladies in the social circles haven’t used such a common method yet.

The other scenarios were equally hopeless. The remaining five percent would be the chance of him looking down at the object with contempt, then checking my face with that same look, and then walking past me.

.. I think the former would be better than the latter.

I muttered with a gloomy face.

“I don’t think that’s going to work for sir Alan, Viola..”

“Melissa.”

Viola’s expression turned worried, perhaps because I looked pitiful. The way she pouted her lips as her forehead wrinkled made her look like a chubby duckling.

“Yes?”

“What do you think, is it a good idea? Have you thought about it?”

“Hmm.. I think it might be better to write a letter..”

“What?!”

Viola jumped up as if it was absurd.

“A letter? Isn’t that even more boring and old-fashioned? What kind of man would like something like that nowadays?”,

“Why don’t you just throw a handkerchief and wink?”

“But if it’s sir Alan..”

I went on, slowly meeting Viola’s gaze.

“Think about it, Viola. Where is he from?”

“Hmm.”

Alan Leopold did not appear in a single line of the original story, set in a quiet rural village. Nevertheless, he was more special than a ‘male protagonist to me. Even the original male lead didn’t cause this emotional whirlwind.

It’s true that Alan had a beautiful appearance, enough to make someone fall in love at first sight, but if it were only that, I wouldn’t have had a crush on him for that long. If it weren’t for his cold and lonely atmosphere, she wouldn’t have felt this sorrowful feeling.

It’s ironic that Alan, who shouldn’t ever have lacked something, looked empty as if he was lacking something. Perhaps that’s what stimulated women’s psychology.

Always suppressing his presence. He would only appear in necessary instances and blend in with others seamlessly. His reticent personality might be the cause as to why he rarely shows emotion in his expression, but regardless he always shines. Helplessly and beautifully.

Who wouldn’t love a man resembling a brilliant winter?

As if she was thinking the same as me, Viola muttered in a low voice.

“That’s true. Sir Alan might be the only man in the capital who seems to prefer letters to winks.”

“Right..?”

“First of all, I don’t think winking is right but there’s also no guarantee that the letter will

work.”

When I smiled without realising it, Viola pinched my cheek without hurting and added,

“But you’re a good writer, Mel. You might be able to write a letter that’ll melt sir Alan’s cold heart.”

““..such optimistic words.”

In my previous life, I liked reading books alone more than hanging out with people. Naturally, my hobby here is reading, too. As a result, was told by a tutor that I was talented in literature, and from some point on, I secretly developed my dream of becoming a writer.

“Even if you’re really talented?”

“It’s impossible for a woman to become a writer in Sourne. What’s the point of being talented?”

Viola was the only person who knew about my dream. My only supporter’s hazel eyes gleamed with passion today.

“Oh! Impossible? The famous was also written by a female author. It’s a masterpiece.”

“That’s an exception.. ‘

“”Also, do you have something else you’re good at? You’re going to write a wonderful love letter.”

Seriously, she won’t give me a moment to say anything negative. One of the few things that make my life special is that I, who’s quiet and cautious, have been lucky enough to have the lively and cheerful Viola as my best friend.

Viola, who stretched out slowly, tapped my shoulder.

“First, why don’t you write down your favourite aspects of Sir Alan and write them in a poem? With your pretty handwriting.”

*

*

*

Hair that resembles the distant universe and eyes as clear as an early dawn sky.

Leopold’s only successor, elegant speech, deep voice as if half submerged in water.

‘With a remarkably tall stature, always standing in an upright posture, and a beautiful figure as if drawn.

A person who seems to smell like a cool ‘winter night when approaching.

A person, who is like a flower that blooms in the shade.

Thad scolded Viola asking if she wasn’t being too idealistic, but as soon as I returned home, I grabbed a pen. Then, as if possessed, I began writing about him.

After rolling the tip of the pen on the paper for a while, I was startled and lost the pen as if waking up from a dream.

“..Oh my god.”

The smell of rusted ink made me confused. With a look of disbelief, I looked at the myriad of handwritten letters. The paper, which had ‘been white as snow, was full of my appreciation for Alan.

..I couldn’t believe I had been looking at him so attentively.

“Melissa.”

“Argh!”

Then, suddenly, the door opened revealing, Mrs. Kerney-the one who helps with the house chores-and I nearly fell off my chair.

Thurriedly hid the paper that was plastered, with praise for Alan between the pages of a book.

“Sorry, did I scare you? I’m here to change the bed sheets.”

Mrs. Kerney, holding a thick duvet in her arms, smiled innocently. The air was definitely getting colder these days.. No, but I’ve told you to knock!

But even before I said something, she quickly added,

“Are you writing a letter?”

“Yes, No..?”

Seeing me with her eyes wide open, Mrs Kerney smiled as she showed her protruding front teeth.

“....I was writing a diary.”

“Who writes a diary with that face?”

My heart pounded. Could she see what I was thinking deep down?

“What do you mean by that kind of face?”

“Isn’t your face looking as if you were writing a very heartfelt letter?”

“I’m just saying.”

When I didn’t answer, she rambled and peeled, off the thin bed sheet. I had no idea why I was acting like a criminal.

“Excuse me, ma’am. You said you were just saying it, so please don’t tell my mother.

Mrs. Kearney looked puzzled when I made a crawling voice.

“Oh, I guess it’s not just a diary.”

“No, that kind of....”

“Melissa, I just said that because you got a letter.”

..To sum up, it meant Mrs. Kearney had been teasing me. Such an exquisite timing.

Tanswered calmly,

“What letter is it? Did you bring it?”

“No, Mrs. Collins is already opening it and reading it.”

“What..”

But what does this mean? This time it would, be good if she was fishing with me.

“Why would my mom rip off the letter that came for me?”

“The sender must have a man’s name. I thought spring had finally come for you, Melissa, because she was making such a fuss. ‘Is it not? The person you are writing to right now..”

“.. A man’s name?”

Those strange words made my eyes open wide. No wonder she’s opening the letter, it’s because Melissa Collins has no male acquaintances. Of course, there couldn’t have been a man who would send me a letter.

Mrs. Kerney shrugged while putting on a new bed cloth.

“Go down there.”

”

Her words lifted my body up like a magic spell. I just ran down the stairs.

In fact, when Mrs. Kearney brought up the topic of the letter, I was embarrassed to think of Alan. What I wrote about him without thinking, Mrs. Kearney, who came in at that moment, the sender of the letter being a man.. All of this felt like fate.

There are moments in life when you become obsessed with strange convictions. It may be a ridiculous delusion, but at least the feeling received was intense.

Intuition that the letter might have come from Alan Leopold.

“Mom, the letter for me....”

“Oh, Melissa!”

My mother ran to me with a delighted look. As Mrs. Kearney had said, there was a torn, envelope and a piece of paper in her hand. I tried to see the name written on the envelope, but it was obstructed by my mother’s hand and thus invisible.

“You said nothing happened at the charity

ball!”

My mother suddenly hugged me, so I blinked blankly.

“You don’t know how worried I was about whether you were afraid of men and wouldn’t be able to marry.”

“What...?”

Apparently, someone who came to the ball sent me a letter. That alone was amazing enough, but if my mother was this happy then..

While hugging me, I felt my heart pounding louder and louder. My intuition was right. The author definitely was Leopold’s only successor, Al..

“But it’s a name I’ve never heard of before.”

..an

I don’t think she’s hearing his name for the first time though, it’s strange.

“How can you not know the name.....”

“Tobias Miller? Do you know him?”

T/N: Mrs. Kerney is a house worker not a maid, who lives with them, so she addresses Melissa in a more friendly way, it’s like they have lived together for a very long time, so workers often become a part of the family, I won’t use the word “maid” but use “madam”.

Comments from korean readers:

No matter how much you’re a family member, opening the letter without permission is a bit..sigh...

I don’t want my mom to open the letter first TT TT

The lady is pretty shameless?? 77