HLM 05

Chapter 5

The day blurred by in a chaotic haze.

Naturally, Martin and I didn’t exchange a single word all day.

I wasn’t exactly sure why. It just felt like we shouldn’t. As for Martin, I had no idea what was going through his head, but my mind was completely consumed by what had happened that morning.

‘Crazy, I’m so crazy…!’

Unfiltered thoughts kept bubbling up inside me. What in the world did I do? I think rescuing him was the right call, but…

‘Why did our only hiding spot have to be there?!’

I desperately grabbed the notepad resting next to my foreign language textbook. My desk mate stared at me like I was a madwoman, but I didn’t have the luxury of caring.

When the bell finally rang to signal the end of the last period, I quietly packed my bag amidst the noisy, shuffling atmosphere.

‘Ah, I need the restroom.’

My palms were incredibly sweaty, likely because I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about being pressed against Martin earlier. I went to wash my sticky, clammy hands, but when I returned to the classroom, it was entirely empty.

“Martin already left…”

Well, I suppose he must be feeling a bit awkward too.

For some reason, a wave of disappointment washed over me. There was really no reason for me to feel let down, though.

With a small sigh, I walked over to my desk and immediately noticed a white piece of paper that definitely hadn’t been there earlier.

“What’s this?”

Carefully unfolding the note with my still-damp hands, I read the neat handwriting, unable to stop a smile from blooming across my face.

[Lindsay. It’s me, Martin. If you don’t mind, would you like to study together in the library today? I purposely didn’t speak to you in class because I didn’t want my reputation to negatively affect yours. Everyone should be gone by now, so we can meet comfortably. If you’re busy, it’s perfectly fine to decline, but if you’re free, come to the innermost seat on the right side of the library.]

“…I’ll be there.”

As I read the final line, my heart, which I had tried so hard to calm, began to hammer wildly against my ribs once again.

“Well, it’s not strictly because of Martin. I was planning on staying back to organize our report anyway. I even told Bill to wait.”

Loudly reiterating to no one that my excitement was not entirely because of Martin, I snatched up my bag and practically flew out of the classroom.

Who knew going to the library could make someone this happy? I started sprinting down the empty hallway.

“Phew…”

Alright, let’s catch our breath. And smooth out this hair I just ruined by running.

‘Skirt. Still looks perfectly neat.’

Carefully pushing open the heavy library doors, I offered a quick, polite nod to the librarian and immediately headed toward the far right.

As expected, an academy managed by the Imperial Family was truly on another level. Not only did it house a staggering collection of books, but pristine, elegant study spaces were also tucked away in every corner.

‘The only problem is that absolutely no one uses them.’

I was peering around as I walked when I finally spotted him. Bathed in the warm sunlight streaming from the window behind him, Martin was diligently writing something down.

I quickened my pace, approaching him with a soft whisper.

“Martin…!”

“A-ah! L-Lindsay… Y-you actually c-came…”

Martin offered a shy, relieved smile and pulled out the chair next to his. After thanking him for the small kindness, I carefully took a seat.

“You wanted to meet for the math assessment, right? I was actually thinking about working on our report here today.”

“T-that’s a relief. I-I was w-worried I might b-be taking up y-your time…”

“Not at all! As long as we don’t stay as late as yesterday, it’s perfectly fine. Oh, by the way, I tried solving some problems using the concept you taught me yesterday. Could you check them?”

Nodding earnestly, Martin took the worksheet I held out to him. Then, he dragged his chair even closer to mine.

‘He smells so good…’

Does he wash his uniform every single day? Or does he wear cologne?

It was a scent that perfectly matched a summer evening. The summer breeze drifting in through the open bay window carried the scent of fresh grass, mingling seamlessly with the sweet, refreshing fragrance radiating from Martin. It made my heart feel strangely soft and fuzzy.

“…S-say, L-Lindsay…”

“…”

“Lindsay?”

“H-huh! Martin, what is it?”

Startled by Martin gently tapping my shoulder, my eyes snapped wide open. Seeing my exaggerated reaction, Martin flinched, but then…

“Pfft. Pfft, haha…”

He laughed out loud for the first time. His rosy lips parted brightly as a radiant, genuinely beautiful laugh spilled from him…

‘Ah, my heart hurts.’

A sharp, fluttering ache blossomed in my chest.

Martin had such a beautiful smile. Seeing how his laughter made my heart physically ache, I realized this boy absolutely should not go around smiling like that at just anyone.

“A-ah, s-sorry, Lindsay… I-I definitely w-wasn’t m-mocking you… I-it’s just… you l-looked cute…”

“Ah, haha! Ah, I see! You weren’t mocking me, you just thought I was cute…”

Wait, what?

As I replayed his words in my head, I suddenly realized something was terribly wrong.

Me? He meant me…?

“I’m… cute…?”

“Y-yeah… W-was that t-too rude of a p-phrase to use w-with a lady?”

Martin immediately apologized, asking if he had offended me. But his apology didn’t register at all.

Even looking at it subjectively—and certainly objectively—Lindsay was not. In any way.

Cute.

With the distinct, piercing crimson eyes characteristic of the House of Rietberg, a thick fringe completely covering her forehead, and jet-black hair that reached all the way to her waist… if anything, her appearance leaned far more toward intimidating than cute.

‘And he just called me… c-cute…’

I felt my face burning up again. Realizing I desperately needed a moment away from Martin to compose myself, I abruptly stood up.

“Um, Martin! I need to use the restroom…”

All I did was stand up…

Crack.

A sharp, horrific sound of something shattering echoed between us.

Following the noise, my eyes landed on the edge of the desk, where Martin’s fountain pen, which had been barely clinging to the edge, was now completely smashed in the middle, violently vomiting black ink all over the floor.

I stared blankly at the disaster before slowly raising my head to meet Martin’s gaze.

“Oh, dear.”

Panicking, I quickly patted down my pockets. Pulling a handkerchief from the inner pocket of my uniform, I dropped it directly onto the spreading puddle and crouched down.

Thank goodness. The head maid had insisted on slipping it in there, lecturing me that a lady of true elegance must always carry at least one pristine white handkerchief. It would be completely ruined and have to be thrown away, but at least it was going to a good cause.

I was just reaching out to use an unstained corner to wipe up the remaining ink when—

“H-huh?! Martin! What are you doing?!”

“Y-your precious handkerchief…! A-and it’s w-white! W-why would you u-use it for t-this?!”

Martin had frantically snatched up the handkerchief, which was already bloated with ink. Black liquid immediately began seeping out, running down between his fingers.

Seeing that, I practically tore at my hair, trying to stop him.

“It’s fine, I said it’s fine! I have dozens—no, hundreds of those at home! It’s just a stupid piece of cloth! Ah, dammit! Martin, follow me.”

“H-huh?”

This absolute idiot.

Fountain pen ink was notoriously difficult to wash off once it stained your skin.

“Ugh, seriously. What are we going to do with this…? Even my maids complain that ink is the hardest thing to scrub off my hands!”

We managed to contain the disaster on the library floor, but I didn’t even need to see Martin’s hand, which was still tightly clutching the ruined handkerchief, to know the outcome.

Terrified he might drip ink onto the floor, I enveloped his stained hand in both of mine. And with synchronized, urgent steps, we practically speed-walked to the restrooms.

“Hurry up, go inside, and scrub with soap! If you wait any longer, your hand is going to be dyed permanently black!”

“I-I know, Lindsay… Y-you hurry u-up and w-wash yours too! A l-lady shouldn’t…”

“Lady this, lady that. Who cares about being a proper lady right now?! Is it a crime for a lady to get a little ink on her hands? Just go inside! I’ll wash mine and wait out here.”

After splitting up, I hurried into the women’s restroom and aggressively scrubbed at the ink smudges on my hands.

I think I washed them about three times. It didn’t completely come off, but the color had faded enough that I quickly shook the water off and stepped back out into the hall.

“If mine are still this bad… Martin’s have to be way worse.”

Figuring I should wait so we could walk back to the library together, I stared out the hallway window. Strangely, though, Martin didn’t emerge, even after a long while.

“Did the ink seep in so deeply that it’s taking this long…?”

Growing unnecessarily worried, I began pacing nervously in front of the men’s restroom. Finally, after a while longer, Martin stepped out.

“Martin, what took you so… Wait, don’t tell me…!”

Martin just looked at me, offering a bright, radiant smile that looked as innocent as a child who didn’t fully comprehend the situation.