That day’s rehearsal was a disaster. No, no one had called it a “disaster,” but by Perry’s standards, it was. The moment she deviated from the script, thoughts of the man invaded her mind with stunning speed, as if they had been waiting for an opening.

It was all because of the dream. The dream that had disappeared for over two years revisited Perry Humble’s mind. The boy who looked at Perry neatly, his tidy hands and polite speech, his breaking voice that tickled her ears. If there was one difference from the past in the otherwise identical scene, it was that the boyish figure gradually changed into a face Perry knew well.

Deeper eyes, a firmly closed jaw, the hard finger joints felt beneath the gloves. The man, no longer suited to be called a boy, whispered to Perry without approaching her.

I respect you.

I respect you……

※※※

October 16

Perry Humble decided to completely forget that d*mn bastard. May he trip and break his nose, lose his passport in a foreign country, have only his order forgotten at a restaurant. She found herself wishing for subtly plausible misfortunes.

While reciting these petty wishes, Perry unconsciously muttered.

Then think of me.

Just think of me.

The sentence that escaped her lips couldn’t be taken back. Perry’s eyes trembled finely as she realized her childish sentimentality. Perry Humble’s room contained a cardigan and scarf gifted by her pen pal, a large doll that reminded her of someone, and letter paper and ink purchased in bulk a few weeks ago, scattered here and there.

That fact made Perry Humble unbearable. For some reason, she didn’t feel like clearing them away.

※※※

October 21

He really doesn’t write letters because I told him not to? Perry Humble was angry. Though the place where she expressed her anger was somewhat inappropriate, no one seemed to mind. It was lunchtime anyway, and they were bored. Perry casually brushed off curious questions before finally, very slightly, bringing up the man.

Though some important information was omitted, it wasn’t difficult to understand the situation. An actor who listened to Perry’s concerns seriously asked: Shall I introduce you to someone nice?

That suggestion reminded Perry of the rainy white night. Of herself boldly declaring she would meet good people. Of that day when she struggled to change the man’s heart while emphasizing she was a good person.

Her black eyes sank darkly. The colleague who didn’t notice this subtle change mentioned the names of several actors around Perry’s age. This one is really handsome but a bit annoying, that one is a bit boring but reliable, this one talks a lot but would be fun to hang out with……

Somehow none of them appealed to her. In the end, the colleague’s matchmaking attempts were snatched up by other actors. Perry, who had only been picking at her hangnail, slightly furrowed her brow. Shallow blood pooled where the hangnail had been pulled out.

※※※

November 1

The people who gave birth to and raised Perry Humble came to visit. The uninvited guests weren’t allowed into the house. After three or four arguments, the three people finally had a conversation in the backyard of the mansion. The Humble couple looked quite displeased but didn’t push further.

“What brings you here?”

“What do you mean? We came because we’re curious about how our daughter is living.”

Perry’s father spoke first. A seemingly affectionate and tender voice. Anyone listening without knowing would be fooled into thinking he was genuinely concerned about his child.

No, Perry had already been deceived by that voice several times. Dad still thinks about me, he loves me, he does this because he loves me……

“Did you read our letters? We sent so many, how could you be so cold without sending a single reply—”

“Is that why you’re here?”

The middle-aged woman who was about to lose her temper exhaled deeply at her husband’s restraint. Fortunately, the uninvited guests moved to the main point without further preamble. It was neither new nor special.

They had found someone extraordinary who could heal her eyes, it would cost some money but the effects were miraculous, the person was so sought after that many waited years without getting an appointment, but fortunately, their turn had come quickly, so she should quit everything and focus on treatment for about half a year while nourishing her body……

“Who else would think of you like this if not us?”

The sharp voice echoed coldly. The nearly leafless tree shook bleakly. Perry quietly looked at the tree with its unclear outline. Not for any particular reason—it just happened to be where she turned her gaze.

Despite her obvious silence, Perry’s mother paid no heed.

“Who else would care for such a lacking and cold-hearted child, huh? How old are you to still not understand your parents’ hearts……”

Somewhere between pleading and scolding. The logic Perry had always heard since she began going from hospital to hospital.

“An actor, huh? Do you think you’re something? Think carefully. It’s all vanity and a waste of effort. Don’t I know my own daughter?”

“Pipi, everything Mom and Dad do is because we love you. Okay?”

“……You love me?”

Perry stepped back from the hand reaching toward her and asked.

“Love?”

Ironically, she thought of the man who never said that word. I respect you, the stubborn one who never changed his answer despite countless repetitions. The hand damp with rainwater and undiminished heat, the tilted umbrella.

“Mom, Dad, you love me?”

“Of course. Who else would think of you like we do—”

“Haha, right. Who else would?”

Her unpainted lips contorted. The bright early winter sunlight poured down on her face, which was neither smiling nor crying.

“Who else would……”

I respect you, clear eyelids slowly closed and opened. The man never gave Perry the words she wanted. He didn’t budge even under explicit questioning. While worrying about Perry’s well-being more than anyone, he never spoke his deepest truth. And yet.

Nevertheless, he who never told Perry he loved her—

The person who copied more than three pages of magazine text by hand to send to her,

The person who memorized catalogs to explain 67 photographs,

The person who spent all night in the cold wind to find a single doll……

※※※

November 3

It was a rare day off. Perry, who would normally have gone to her private practice room, dressed in a dark green coat and headed to the business district. Though she had never visited this neighborhood while living in Roju, she found the building without getting lost once, thanks to its distinctive exterior.

“Thank you for meeting me right away. It must have been sudden.”

“Not at all, I received the details earlier. From Bell—no, from Mr. Jin.”

“You can use the name you originally knew.”

Perry added gently, seeing the lawyer’s hesitation.

“I know everything.”

“I see, ahem…… So you did. He was so insistent when he called.”

“Well, I’d like to discuss the details.”

The bob-haired lawyer quickly straightened her posture and began explaining. Perry had decided to use the business card “Jin” had given her right after her parents left.

The lawyer, who occupied a space in a tall building, set up a consultation date remarkably quickly upon receiving Perry’s contact. Her embarrassingly kind attitude was a bonus.

“Actually, filing a restraining order isn’t so simple. Especially with blood relations.”

“Is that so?”

“But that’s why lawyers exist—to handle these complex and difficult processes on your behalf.”

The lawyer, who added this glibly, explained the expected procedures and the meetings Perry would need to attend. It was a careful guide that allowed even Perry, a legal novice, to understand the context. However, the most important detail was missing from this thorough explanation.

“What is the fee?”

“It varies depending on the outcome…… but for now, it’s this.”

The lawyer, who was writing a small number in the corner of the paper, said “oops” and spoke the same amount aloud. It was an impossibly low amount. But Perry nodded readily without questioning the basis for this pricing.

“……I see.”

Having contacted in advance, it was obvious the man had intervened. Perry, who had left her hometown and stood on her own since her teenage years, was not naive about the ways of the world.

“That guy……”

Unlike his buttoned-up collar or obsessively worn gloves, he had surprisingly careless aspects. Or perhaps he saw Perry as that innocent.

The lawyer carefully observed her client’s expression as the silence lengthened.

“If you need time to think—”

“No, I’ll do it.”

“Are you certain?”

Her tone became more stern, unlike her previous gentle manner. Perry’s gaze prompted the other to shrug and elaborate.

“I apologize. I need to be clear on this point. Since this is a family matter, many people change their minds midway…… which becomes quite troublesome.”

Restraining orders are not common in the kingdom. Especially when the other party is a direct ascendant, the case itself may be withdrawn during the evidence collection process. The lawyer cited a series of examples and asked again.