“First, let’s get out of the forest. I’ll help you.”

“N-no, I don’t want to.”

“Titiana.”

Titiana bit her lip. She knew it wasn’t the time to refuse help, but she felt unbearably embarrassed.

‘My father is the one who put me in this state.’

It might have been different with Yuri, but showing this vulnerability to Yujin was mortifying. It was like exposing her weaknesses completely.

Titiana glanced at Yujin, who was silently watching her, and hesitantly began to speak.

“I’m, I’m just so confused right now… So, you see.”

Seeing her stumble over her words, when she usually spoke so clearly, made it clear she was mentally cornered.

Yujin spoke slowly, and what he said wasn’t clumsy words of comfort.

“I’ve thought about what you said many times. You mentioned I could never understand you anyway. That might be true. Fundamentally, it’s impossible to fully understand another person.”

He repeated the words that must have cut him deeply, but with a gentle tone. Titiana looked up at Yujin. His deep blue eyes were like the ocean.

He took a step closer to Titiana and knelt down to meet her gaze.

“But isn’t there something we can see because we’re facing each other, rather than standing side by side?”

Parallel lines never meet, but they can see each other. Yujin extended his hand to Titiana once more.

“Tell me what I don’t know. We can just talk a lot about what we can’t understand about each other.”

Moved by Yujin’s sincere comfort, tears welled up in Titiana’s eyes. She bit her lip and sighed.

“I was going to apologize when we met again… How can you say something like this first?”

“I’m sorry for that too.”

“I’m not asking for an apology. Really…”

She replied in a trembling voice.

“Thank you, Yujin.”

The way Titiana called him Yujin, not Count or anything else, pierced Yuri’s ears clearly. Seeing her slender hand rest on Yujin’s palm, Yuri turned away.

He couldn’t afford to listen to their conversation any longer.

His heart was in turmoil.

He couldn’t risk hurting Titiana because of his jealousy, so he planned to calm himself before appearing in front of them.

But even as he turned away, his heart wouldn’t settle easily. Yuri bit his lip. He recalled something Yujin had once said.

[And how everyone naturally chooses you.]

It was a phrase that laid bare Yujin’s old wounds.

‘Yes, the relationship between Yujin and me hasn’t been equal.’

One who is always loved first by everyone and the other who is always pushed to second place.

Yujin had said, almost as if in despair,

[Well, you wouldn’t understand even if I told you.]

Even after hearing those resentful words, Yuri hadn’t grasped the depth of his wounds. People can’t understand positions they haven’t experienced themselves.

But not anymore.

“This feels terrible.”

Yuri sighed.

***

I never expected Yujin to find me deep in the forest. And yet, he looked into my eyes and said, “I’m fine with being in a corner of your life where I can’t be seen. Just give me a place in your life.”

His voice was so gentle, it made me doubt my ears.

‘Am I dreaming?’

With so many unbelievable things happening in succession, I even thought that. Staring blankly at Yujin for a moment, I stupidly asked again.

“A place, how?”

Yet, like an obedient dog, I took Yujin’s extended hand. His eyes softened.

“First, let’s get out of this forest and get you properly treated. I hope you won’t refuse my help until then.”

Even those words felt awkward. I couldn’t help but chuckle, forgetting the seriousness for a moment.

“Have you ever asked so humbly for something in your life?”

“Not really.”

Yujin added clumsily, as if realizing it himself.

“I think this is the first time.”

I held his hand and stood up. There wasn’t a part of my body that didn’t hurt.

“Ugh.”

I groaned like an old woman, feeling a bit awkward, and rolled my eyes to gauge his reaction. Yujin frowned and offered me a handkerchief.

“You’re badly injured.”

“Am I?”

As I covered my neck, the handkerchief quickly turned red. Yujin’s expression grew even more serious.

‘I must be really hurt.’

He’s not the type to change his expression over someone else’s injuries.

Feeling awkward and at a loss for words, I fidgeted with the handkerchief in my fingers and slightly bowed my head to Yujin.

“I’m sorry. I spoke harshly last time.”

Yujin, who had been scanning the area to decide where to go, raised his eyebrows in surprise. Then, in his usual blunt tone, he replied.

“I also think I was insensitive, so let’s just pretend it never happened.”

Just when I managed to apologize! I stubbornly shook my head.

“No, that’s not right. What’s wrong is wrong.”

As soon as I said that, I regretted it.

‘Oh, we argued like this last time too.’

Would he be upset again, thinking I was disregarding him?

I sneaked a glance at him. Unexpectedly, he was smiling faintly.

“I think I’m starting to understand what kind of person you are.”

That’s a coincidence. I also felt like I was beginning to understand what kind of person Yujin was.

Just when the awkward atmosphere became unbearable, Yuri called out to us at the perfect moment.

“Titi! Yujin!”

“Yuri!”

Yuri’s gaze fell on my arm, which was being supported by Yujin. Before I could sense anything, Yuri extended his hand.

“Let’s head back.”

***

It seemed Yuri and Yujin had reported the situation in advance, as soldiers surrounded my father and the group of loan sharks when we emerged from the forest. They were promptly taken away somewhere.

“Titi needs to be treated first.”

Yuri transported me to a hotel using spatial magic. He said it was because my injuries were severe, but it seemed he also wanted to spare me from seeing my father being taken away.

Of course, my injuries were indeed severe. The most urgent wounds were on my head and neck, but they healed instantly once Yuri used his magic.

As I blinked in surprise, Yuri, more talkative than usual, boasted about his skills. It felt like he was trying to hide a subdued mood by acting overly cheerful.

“Healing wounds with magic isn’t something just anyone can do. Magic fundamentally relies on how well you can combine different mana attributes. But there aren’t many mages who can calculate how to combine attributes for healing.”

“Wow, Yuri, you’re truly an amazing mage.”

I didn’t know much about magic, but I could tell it was impressive. Although he seemed different from usual while explaining magic, my admiration was genuine.

Yuri responded in a strangely pouty tone.

“Yes, yes, I thought Titi didn’t appreciate me, so I decided to mention it.”

“Who was it that recently told me you were a mage?”

“Yes, it was me. It was me.”

It was such a strange thing. Just a moment ago, I was drowning in despair, thinking my life was ruined. But now, lying in bed, receiving treatment from Yuri and exchanging jokes, I found myself laughing again.

‘Both of them came to rescue me.’

I owed both of them a lot this time.

Feeling safe, my eyes began to droop. Blinking slowly, I mumbled to Yuri.

“……Yuri, you’re precious. Of course, you’re precious. I rely on you more than family.”

Fatigue washed over me, blurring my vision. I regretted not being able to see Yuri’s face any longer.

‘There’s no response.’

In truth, I didn’t need a response. I was just expressing my honest feelings.

I slowly drifted into the valley of sleep.

Half-asleep, I felt a large hand grasp mine. It stroked the back of my hand gently, as if handling something fragile like Yuri. Then something soft and damp touched my fingertips and withdrew.

‘……?’

What was it that touched me and then left? I wanted to open my eyes to check, but I was too tired to move.

Yuri spoke in a gentle voice.

“Still, it would be good to visit the temple for a check-up. Magic can’t relieve the fatigue built up from forced recovery.”

The hand that had been playing with mine now covered my eyes. The warmth of his palm seeped into my eyelids, soothing me deeply.

“I’ll stay by Titi’s side tonight, so don’t worry and sleep.”

Those words were exactly what I had longed to hear.

‘Thank you, Yuri.’

The words of gratitude never made it past my lips. I fell into a deep sleep as if I had fainted.