# 14
He walked over to the bed and gently sat her down.
"Wait here a minute. I'll get something to cleanse the wound."
"Good."
He opened a drawer and took out tweezers, clean cotton, ointment, and a small bottle of rubbing alcohol. He got down on one knee.
“You may feel a slight stinging.”
“….”
Aachen carefully removed the glass shard using tweezers dipped in rubbing alcohol.
The woman closed her eyes tightly.
'I must be gentle.'
It was clear that she was trying hard to bear the pain.
Aachen gently wiped away the blood with cotton, more carefully than before.
“Fortunately, the bleeding stopped.”
He applied the ointment and took a bandage from the side table.
Then slowly wrap the bandage and secure it.
“You are clever.”
The woman exclaimed softly, looking at her knee.
“I think it's because I treat myself whenever I'm injured.”
He avoided socializing with others as much as possible, so it was easy for him to take care of himself.
“I'm sorry.”
At his response, the woman fidgeted.
“No need to apologise.”
“But...”
"Nothing. It's just easier to do it myself."
Aachen was about to get up when he noticed that the hem of the woman's dress had turned red.
“It's stained with wine.”
“Ah, yes. It must have been scattered when I fell a while ago.”
“I'll get you some more clothes...”
As Aachen was about to ask Lorelai to bring a dress, his eyes met the woman's.
“I was thinking.”
Her gaze became intensely focused.
“You...”
With a soft voice, as if he was caressing her skin, the woman twitched.
Aachen's steps approached, stopping less than a palm's width away.
Her eyelashes twitched as if she was sensing anxiety.
It seemed so close.
Not only were his steps approaching her as if they were going to touch her, but his piercing gaze made her feel suffocated.
Aachen smiled, looking into her crossed eyes with vague concern.
“Your eyes are so clear.”
That's not all.
Between her long eyelashes, there was a straight nose…
Under the mask, there are pale pink lips.
She was a beautiful woman with a radiant radiance, as if she was bathed in bright sunlight.
Aachen gently placed his gloved hand on her neck.
In an uncomfortable, half-standing position, he leaned toward her.
As her body leaned back, Aachen's lips met hers.
“Ah”
Surprised
“…hmm.”
As the woman, looking terrified, stepped back and whispered something, Aachen swallowed her words.
“Mmm...”
Although she initially squirmed in surprise, the movement soon stopped.
“……”
Aachen ran his fingers through her luscious golden hair.
Aachen felt something sticking to his fingertips, so he smiled wryly.
“It was originally silver, and you wear a wig, right?”
As he thought for a moment, the woman's lips, now still, slowly encircled his own.
Their lips intertwined deeply.
It was hard to believe that the one who had shuddered from the hot touch moments before was herself.
Is this what they call an orgasm?
Contrary to her fear of being spooked by the spontaneous kiss, the woman was extremely excited.
Whoever this beautiful woman was, one thing was certain: he was becoming infatuated with her.
“Huh.”
Aachen exhaled, and looked directly at the woman.
“……”
With an absent-minded look, her eyes, which were not fully conscious, slowly focused on him.
'Will she burst into tears, burdened with guilt and confusion?'
As he fiddled with his tie, worried about looking wrong, something unmistakably warm touched his cheek.
The woman gently tugged at his tie and kissed him.
“...I've never been kissed before.”
She smiled brightly, devoid of any malice, and her cheeks reddened.
“It wasn't as bad as I thought.”
At her quick assessment, the man, who was fiddling with his tie, removed his gloves with his mouth.
Has his heart ever felt like it was on fire?
She could have simply said she had fun, but she teasingly said it wasn't bad.
However, even that wasn't too bad.
As the woman buried her face in his arms, the scent of bergamot wafted out.
In the midst of the rushing events, Aachen's heart beat violently.
“Ah…”
The woman exhaled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Without knowing it, Aachen clenched his hands.
If there had been a cup here, it would have shattered on the ground long ago.
“...You're so drunk.”
He spoke with as much restraint as he could. Something mysterious possesses him.
“I'll pour you some cold water...”
At that moment.
“My name is...”
With a slightly stuttering pronunciation, in contrast to her previous assertiveness.
With a dreamy look, the woman followed slowly.
“...My name is Ash.”
"what?"
“Hmm.”
She answered slowly.
"Oh, my God."
The woman in front of him probably didn't realize what she had done to him.
Will you remember this when you wake up?
Even if you do, you'll probably forget it quickly.
This idea quickly soured Aachen's mood.
It might not be difficult for her young mind to erase his name.
But he couldn't understand why he was so upset just thinking about it.
“Esh...”
“It means gift and giving.”
As the meaning of its name suggests, it actually appeared as a surprise gift.
He was worried and caressed her gently, fearing that she would be exhausted.
Her dreamy eyes still possess a captivating charm. Do you show such looks to other men without hesitation?
He hid his feelings, repeating her name urgently.
“Esh, ish.”
He didn't understand why repeating her name made him angrier.
Even though she seduced him in every possible way, she remained innocent.
Nothing had ever gotten on his nerves this much lately.
But it wasn't just annoying.
"Okay."
"what."
She liked the short clip.
Aachen resolved to himself.
'I won't let this end at this moment.'
This will not be the last meeting. He won't let this woman go.
"Your name is beautiful."
"My mother named it. It's the only thing I have."
She gently removed Aachen's mask.
The woman gently patted his dimples.
“You have dimples.”
"…what."
“Hmm?”
Aachen finally abandoned the cause he had been clinging to so hard.
“Close your eyes.”
“...You want me to close my eyes? No.”
“As you wish.”
And so, the night passed. The full moon shone bright, and the stars twinkled.
...After an unusually long night, morning broke.
“Mmm.”
Aachen squinted his eyes at the sunlight filtering through the window.
He felt stiffness all over his body. He was tired from staying up until the early hours of the morning.
As he tried to close his eyes longer, he felt an inexplicable emptiness.
He turned around and found no one beside him.
"what…?"
Aachen called the woman's name as he opened his eyes.
No matter how much he looked around, he found no trace of her. There was no evidence of its existence.
His only clothing nearby was his shirt.
"what?"
As he was putting on his shirt and getting out of bed, he saw an emerald necklace on the floor.
The color of the gem matched the color of her eyes. For a moment, he imagined he could see her through the jewel.
."Oh my God. Did she drop her necklace and run away?"
Aachen picked up the necklace and went out to look for it.
He couldn't find it anywhere.
“Did you put too much pressure on her?”
As Aachen was entering the bathroom to wash himself, he suddenly realized something strange.
"I am waiting."
The entire time he was with the woman, he was unable to hear her thoughts.
“…why?”
This was my first time. It was refreshing in many ways.
Someone who will never be forgotten.
Even as he dried his hair, Aachen kept thinking about her.
If anyone knew her, it would be Lorelai.
"…my brother?"
When he entered Lorelai's office, she suddenly stood up from her slouched position.
"my brother!"
“Lorelai.”
“You said you would come yesterday, but you ran away midway! Do you know how hard it was for me alone?”
Lorelai shouted angrily.
“I came to help with the work.”
“You won't leave until we finish sorting all these documents.”
In her current state, she didn't seem able to answer any questions.
Aachen helped Lorelai quietly.
“Do you have anything to say?”
While he was silently sorting through the documents, anticipating the opportunity, Aachen asked:
“Did you see a young woman with green eyes among the guests?”
“A young woman with green eyes?”
Laurel folded her arms and thought.
“Hmm... it can't be Mrs. Draven...”
After a moment of thought, Laurel spoke.
“Could she be the fourth princess of the Betstein Empire?”