“…It’s really all because of me.”

These were things that wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for Yuri.

Yujin shrugged.

“That’s why you said you didn’t want to owe me anything and gave me the time-reversing magic.”

Indeed, if a scar couldn’t be removed, the only option was to turn back time to before the scar appeared.

Yet, one question remained.

“But why didn’t you use it for yourself?”

He had received magic that couldn’t be obtained even with a fortune, yet he used it twice for Titiana.

Yuri expected a cliché answer, like Yujin loved Titiana.

However, the answer that came from Yujin’s lips was entirely unexpected.

“Because there was no happy past I wanted to return to.”

The somber reply made Yuri feel as if his heart was being squeezed tight.

If he handed over magic as compensation for the burn, it must have been a significant scar.

Yet, Yujin didn’t bother to turn back time for himself, as if the presence or absence of the scar made no difference in his life.

No, it seemed he didn’t even want to change that.

“No matter what I do, everything around me falls apart, and I end up unhappy.”

Hearing the despondent tone, Yuri realized that his brother’s depression was much deeper than he had known.

It wasn’t just Titiana who had been slowly worn down by the repetition of life.

Yuri brought up the item that had become a turning point in this life.

“…Was giving me the deed to your building meant to imply something like that?”

The building deed had been the catalyst for Titiana Este and Yuri’s meeting.

‘I would never have handed it over.’

That part had puzzled Yuri. Even though he loved Titiana, he gave her the opportunity to meet Yuri.

But now, he understood.

He had interfered so much that everything kept falling apart, so this time, he thought…

“Who knows.”

Yujin’s blunt response cut off Yuri’s train of thought. Unable to understand his brother’s feelings, Yuri frowned.

At that moment, a cheerful voice interrupted their conversation.

“What are you two talking about so intently?”

It was Titiana, who had been admiring the sea from a distance.

Wearing a fluttering white dress and a wide-brimmed straw hat, Titiana looked incredibly lovely.

As Yuri found himself unconsciously drawn to her, Yujin called out to her.

“Titiana Este.”

His face was as indifferent as ever.

“I have something to say.”

Titiana nodded with a curious expression.

***

Following Yujin’s wish to talk without Yuri present, we disembarked from the boat.

“I can’t understand why it has to be a private conversation.”

Yuri grumbled, but when I kissed him on the cheek, he pouted but obediently kept quiet.

We walked across the fine sand and stood in the shade of broad, long leaves. The sunlight on the sea made it sparkle like a jewel.

Yuri, standing some distance away, waved his arms at me. As I waved back, I turned my head, feeling a piercing gaze on my cheek. Yujin was watching me with the same dry look he had when we first met. I swallowed hard.

‘Yujin looks so serious, it makes me nervous. What is he going to say?’

Considering he had come through such a massive storm, it must have been important. I waited tensely for Yujin to speak.

But after a long pause, the words Yujin finally spoke were brief and straightforward.

“Are you happy?”

“What?”

“Are you happy now?”

Why was he suddenly asking this?

I couldn’t grasp the meaning or context. Yet, Yujin’s eyes shone so vividly that I couldn’t help but ponder the question seriously.

Blinking, I clenched the hem of my clothes.

Happy? Well…

“I think I am happy.”

I felt a peace I hadn’t known before, as if this was the most tranquil moment of my life.

I wasn’t afraid of the next day dawning; in fact, I looked forward to it.

‘Of course, it’s not like there’s nothing on my mind.’

Princess Sabina was still bothering me, and I hadn’t secured my place in the capital so firmly that no one could shake it.

But.

‘Still, I’m not as scared as I used to be.’

Although I simply answered that I was happy when asked if I was, for some reason, Yujin frowned and fell silent.

“…”

Why was he making such a displeased face? I tilted my head.

“Was that not the answer you were hoping for?”

“Happiness is fleeting. Even if you’re happy now, you could soon become unhappy. So I thought my question was flawed.”

“That’s true.”

Even if people were happy at the moment, they quickly became unhappy once they turned away.

However, I understood that the happiness Yujin was asking about wasn’t something as fleeting as enjoying a tasty breakfast.

“But even when difficult times come, I’m okay now because I have someone to face them with.”

I said I was happy, encompassing all those meanings.

At my firm response, the furrow in Yujin’s brow eased slightly, and he nodded slowly.

“It’s a relief that at least you’re happy.”

His words felt a bit strange.

It sounded as if he was saying he wasn’t happy.

“With Yuri…”

Yujin’s gaze turned toward Yuri, who stood in the distance.

Yuri kept his promise by not coming closer, but he never took his eyes off me. Just from that, Yujin seemed to notice the change between us.

He lowered his eyes slowly and turned away.

“…I seem to have interrupted your pleasant time. I’ll head back to the capital first.”

His words about not being happy and his dark, sinking silhouette overlapped in my mind.

‘This isn’t right.’

At that moment, an inexplicable anxiety filled my heart. Without realizing it, I tugged at the hem of his clothing as he turned away.

“Uh, Yujin!”

His deep blue eyes, darker than Yuri’s, turned back to me. I struggled to find the right words.

“How about you? Is your headache better?”

“It’s all gone. It was nothing to begin with.”

“That can’t just disappear so easily…”

“If I say it’s gone, it’s gone. Don’t worry about it.”

“But still.”

Not knowing what to say, I just opened and closed my mouth.

I was worried about Yujin. Considering the rumors in the past life about him having a terminal illness, it seemed unlikely that he could have recovered so quickly. His dry gaze, as if he didn’t understand love, also troubled me.

“If you have any worries, please tell me. I’ll do the same.”

His eyes seemed to ask ‘Why?’ I hesitated and then added cautiously.

“We’re friends, aren’t we?”

Yujin’s eyes widened slightly before returning to normal. His lips curved into a faint smile.

“…Yes.”

Yujin replied calmly and gently removed my hand. Unlike when he had hurriedly come to us, he walked away slowly.

As he walked away, I shouted loudly at his broad back.

“Be happy, Yujin!”

Yujin waved his hand in response without looking back.

I stood there, staring blankly at his retreating figure until he completely disappeared into the forest.

***

After Yujin left, we stayed at the villa for a couple more days.

The next day, we went out on a boat to fish. Once again, Yuri was lively and confident.

“I’m good at everything. I’ll catch a huge fish as a gift for you.”

I smiled and replied.

“No using magic to catch it.”

“Do you think I’m only good at magic?”

“You didn’t say you wouldn’t use it.”

“…”

Yuri pressed his lips together tightly. It seemed he really had been planning to use magic.

I chuckled and gathered the fishing rod and bucket.

Despite our ambitious start, the fishing results weren’t great. Yuri moved the water around so much that he ended up attracting a shark, and we didn’t catch a single fish.

By the time we sent the shark back to its place, raindrops were falling, wetting our cheeks.

“Rain?”

Since the weather was said to be tied to Yuri’s mood, rain meant Yuri was sad!

I looked at Yuri with a sympathetic gaze.

“Did you really want to catch the shark that badly?”

“No, I didn’t!”

“Then instead of making it rain, shed tears of disappointment.”

“That’s not it. I think the magic I mentioned before has finally run out.”

“Ah.”

Thanks to Yuri, the weather had been clear until now, but today was actually supposed to be a rainy day.

We returned to the villa to escape the rain and put our wet clothes aside. We wrapped ourselves in warm blankets and sat by the fireplace.

As we drank cocoa piled high with marshmallows and chatted, the evening quickly darkened.

“Yawn.”

Yawning lazily, I started nodding off, and Yuri took hold of my arm.

“Let’s get some rest now. It was a tiring day, wasn’t it?”

Was I tired?

‘It was fun. Sparkling.’

The sea shimmered endlessly in the sunlight, and today’s memories were all tinged with that sparkle.

The hook where I baited the line, Yuri’s back as he waited for a fish, and the bright smile he gave me—

‘I’ll never forget this trip.’

Smiling bashfully, I slowly slid to the side. Before my body could fully hit the ground, Yuri caught me in his arms.

“Oh dear.”

The sound of him clicking his tongue tickled me. Feeling a pleasant buoyancy, I drifted into sleep.

It was a peaceful night.