“There’s a fountain over there. Shall we sit here?”
“Sure.”
With no other seats to be found, I steered him toward the edge of the fountain. As I sat, the water splashed behind our backs, the spray chilling the air. I huddled into myself, looking over at him. Dressed only in our nightclothes, warmth was a luxury we couldn’t afford. I reached for the shawl draped over my shoulders, intending to offer it, but he shook his head before I could even move.
“Forget it.”
“You’re dressed too thinly. It’s cold—please, take it.”
“I don’t need it. Keep it for yourself.”
“……And you in such frail health, too.”
My worried grumbling made his expression tighten instantly. He practically shoved the shawl back into my arms, his irritability flaring. Yet, seeing him throw a temper tantrum like that, I felt he had actually calmed down a bit.
“Have you settled now?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of nightmare did you have today?”
“I dreamt of the day I lost my sight.”
That was a nightmare that needed no further explanation. I fell silent, and as the conversation withered, the only sound left was the fountain water cascading into the darkness. I swung my legs aimlessly, while he stared into the void.
“I couldn’t fall asleep. Everything from the party kept playing in my head.”
“Why?”
“Because it was so enjoyable. That giddy feeling… it’s still lingering.”
Even now, closing my eyes, the ballroom unfolded before me, the classical music swell filling my ears. No, even with my eyes wide open, it was still there. I tugged at the corners of my mouth, a smile pulling at my lips.
“It was my first time wearing a dress like that. No, the first time I’d even seen such a pretty one. Violet offered to give it to me, but I refused. It didn’t suit me, and it was far too expensive to be anything but a burden.”
“Violet has countless dresses. No one would say a word if you took one.”
“Still, it feels too good for me.”
It had been undeniably beautiful. The kind of dress every woman dreams of wearing at least once. But because it was on me, I felt that beauty fading. If Violet had worn it, it surely would have shone twice as bright.
“I’m satisfied just having worn it once.”
“You have no greed for clothes.”
“It’s not that. It’s just better when a dress finds someone who truly suits it.”
And even if I owned it, I had nowhere to wear it. No one to show it off to. It was far more valuable in Violet’s wardrobe. I was truly content with just the memory of the fabric against my skin.
“Dancing was so difficult, though. I had to step like this, and like this.”
I fumbled with my feet, mimicking the steps Lucas had taught me earlier. I even struck a pose, adding the required hand gestures for good measure. Violet moved with grace, Lucas and Ethan were natural, and even Vincent, sightless as he was, drifted with ease—but for me, it was an endless struggle.
“Ugh, I don’t think I’ll ever master it.”
I stepped down to the floor, trying to piece the routine together. My feet tangled almost instantly. I shook my head vigorously. If it were just dancing for the sake of moving, I’d be fine. When I danced with Violet, there were no formalities, just pure, simple joy.
“But Lucas danced so well!”
Unlike my clumsy, heavy feet, his smooth footwork flashed through my mind. He’d been relentless in his leading. For a moment, following his lead, I’d been under the delusion that I was actually a dancer. Of course, it was just a delusion. Recalling how many times I’d stepped on his toes, my giddy feeling withered.
No, I’d tried hard. I was busy grumbling to myself when Vincent stood up. Suddenly, he held out his hand. My eyes widened as I stared at his fingertips.
“What is it?”
“Reach out your hand.”
“Yes?”
“Let’s dance.”
W-w-with me? I stuttered. Vincent nodded.
“Why?”
“Because I want to.”
“I mean, truly—why?”
“Do you not want to?”
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to… but still…….
I hesitated, eyeing his hand. I had never learned, nor had I had the chance. I didn’t know how many times I’d trampled Lucas’s feet that day. His toes must have been throbbing all night. Lucas had tried to hide it, but I’d seen the flicker of pain in his eyes.
I stared at Vincent, unable to take his hand. Seeing me falter, he tucked one hand behind his back and bowed slightly.
“Would you like to dance with me?”
“…….”
His unwavering emerald eyes held mine. I wiggled my fingers nervously.
“I-I’m not good at this. What if I step on Master’s feet?”
“I will forgive you once.”
“And if I step on them twice?”
“I’ll think about it. I’ll decide then.”
“For the sake of our mutual peace, let’s not. My life is precious, too.”
“It’s a joke. You can step on them.”
He reached his hand out further, beckoning.
“I have nowhere to dance, so I’d rather just keep it as a good memory.”
“How bad can you be to say that? Are you truly that lacking in confidence?”
“Yes. I’m terrible.”
I gave him the honest truth. Still, he didn’t back down.
“You only need to match my movements.”
“I’m really, truly bad at it.”
“I understand. I will dance slowly so you can follow. You must watch the surroundings; since I cannot see, you have to guide me.”
He beckoned again. *Hurry,* his eyes urged. I swallowed hard. The hesitation was a knife-edge, short yet agonizingly long. That giddy feeling from the afternoon ensnared me once more.
I clutched my swelling heart and took his hand. I led him to the opposite side of the fountain.
Facing each other, I gulped down my tension. He placed one hand on my back, his other held mine aloft. The distance between us evaporated. As our bodies brushed, I drew back slightly and placed my hand on his shoulder. I had danced once today; the posture was muscle memory now.
He stepped to the side. My feet clumsily followed. That was the start of it. We began to spin, our bodies moving in a synchronized orbit. When he shifted, I moved to track him. Even if my rhythm was imperfect, I was following. He led with such deliberate slowness, just as he’d promised.
Lucas had been full of instructions, telling me every step. Vincent said nothing. He led with such calm, steady assurance that I could find my own way. Even when I was a beat late, I didn’t stumble.
My footwork had improved since the afternoon, but I was still far from elegant. I wasn’t wearing a beautiful gown or silken shoes. Just a white negligee, a shawl to ward off the chill, and cheap slippers. He, too, was in his pajamas with a robe draped over his shoulders—not a tailcoat in sight.
If anyone saw us, they’d surely scream and mistake us for restless spirits. I chuckled at the thought, and Vincent’s eyebrows arched in inquiry.
“I was just thinking that if anyone saw us, Master, they might scream.”
“They’d mistake us for ghosts.”
“Exactly. Hehe.”
Perhaps he was thinking the same, for a faint smile touched his lips.
As we spun, my negligee fluttered, the fabric grazing my skin. My gaze drifted to the sky, where the stars seemed to be cascading down.
The world sparkled. The stars falling onto the estate transformed into a chandelier, and the fountain’s roar smoothed into an orchestra. This was a ballroom. We were dancing. It felt no different from the party earlier.
The sensation of the moment made me giddy all over again.
Stars fell from the sky, as if weaving a shroud around us. The texture of the fabric, the heat in our joined palms, the cool breeze catching my hair, and the man standing before me—everything felt vivid, heightened.
The world was sparkling.
It was enjoyable.
It was ecstatically enjoyable.
“You dance well.”
“You’re teaching me well.”
“Because the teacher was good.”
“It’s because the student is excellent.”
I shrugged, but as my guard dropped, I made my mistake. My foot landed firmly on his instep.
“I’m sorry.”
He scowled instantly. I yanked my foot back, but he didn’t miss the chance to voice his dissatisfaction.
“Your feet are too slow.”
“Please, pick one—compliment me or criticize me. Don’t do both.”
“I was about to compliment you, but you caught me off guard.”
“People make mistakes. You’re truly mean.”
I grumbled, and he merely shrugged, our spinning never faltering.
“It’s not meanness, it’s honesty.”
“Being too honest isn’t exactly charming.”
“My charm comes from that very honesty.”
“What a terrifying thing to say. Come to think of it, Violet was shocked to see you grumbling. She said it was the first time she’d seen you act like that. Honestly, how much have you been hiding your true colors?”
“You’re insolent.”
“Insolence is my charm, after all.”
“I suppose so. That’s why you dare to flap your mouth in front of me.”
“And I do so thanks to your great indulgence, Master.”
I didn’t back down an inch. We were both laughing now, our lighthearted sounds echoing through the night. If anyone else were to witness this, they might run in horror—just a man and a woman spinning under the moonlight, grinning at each other like madmen.
A stronger breeze gusted by. I tilted my head back, savoring the refreshing chill. I felt wonderful. I closed my eyes, letting the moment sink in.
Then, suddenly, my balance shifted.
“Hm?”
“Ah!”
His body tipped backward. I went with him. Once the equilibrium broke, the fall was inevitable. In a heartbeat, we were pulled into the fountain.
Water rushed into my nose. I thrashed until my feet found the bottom. I surfaced, gasping for air, only to be overtaken by a fit of coughing. It wasn’t until I had finished sneezing and wiped the water from my face that I regained my composure.
I looked around, bewildered. We had really fallen in. How could we have been so caught up in dancing that we hadn’t noticed we were heading for the water? I looked at Vincent Bellunita, who wore an equally absurd expression.
“You.”
“I’m sorry. Achoo!”
“…….”
I huddled inward as another sneeze escaped me. My clothes were soaked and heavy. The breeze that had felt refreshing a moment ago was now biting cold. I sneezed again.
But some of those sneezes weren’t mine. Vincent Bellunita was sneezing, too. Like me, he was shivering. A moment later, I sneezed again.
We looked at each other, both of us looking like drowned rats.
Suddenly, a burst of laughter escaped me.
I was the first to start. A moment later, he joined in. For some reason, I just couldn’t stop.