That fact was quite regrettable at the time.

Was she really the only one who knew that Dominic was like an unscratched lottery ticket?

Being a soldier meant he maintained his physical condition daily, so he at least met the minimum requirements, and his inability to satisfy the female protagonist was simply because he liked her too much.

In her past life, Karina, who had met countless men with her natural beauty and wealth, knew this well.

The fact that if Dominic had been given a second chance, the novel’s ending might have been a little different.

“Damn it. What am I thinking right now?”

Karina jumped up from her seat in irritation.

It’s none of her business what kind of person he is.

Whether he gets harshly rejected by Olivia, or secretly swallows his tears while applauding as a ‘friend’ at her wedding.

While he might have been a character that suited her taste in her past life.

To the current Karina Crawford, he’s just a ruffian who rudely grabbed her arm, dragged her into a room, and didn’t hesitate to threaten and mock her.

Karina frowned as she recalled his cold glare.

This was Dominic, who treated all women except Olivia like stones. She and he were complete opposites.

Navy blue and yellow.

Just like the colors of their hair.

She knew well how much he disapproved of her usually. Now the next time they meet, contempt and disgust will be added to that look of disdain.

“I don’t know.”

Don’t know, don’t know, don’t know. I don’t know.

Messing up her hair, Karina threw herself onto the bed.

His words weren’t wrong. She had been so exhausted last night that she couldn’t even remove her makeup, and her clothes were completely wrinkled. It was far from her usual appearance.

‘When she meets him, the misunderstanding will be cleared up.’

Last night. Olivia also barely got any sleep after attending the ball. She wanted to rest first, as Olivia would provide sufficient explanation. She was too tired now to think about cleaning up the mess she had created.

Tomorrow’s sun will rise tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s self will solve today’s problems.

Thinking this, Karina pushed Dominic Winchester, who occupied her thoughts, far, far away.

‘Let’s sleep first. Think after sleeping.’

Karina Crawford absolutely needed sleep right now.

It was time to forget his tone, voice, appearance, and the strangely hot sensation of his lips.

* * *

“What did you just…”

Dominic blinked slowly. Since it was rare for his childhood friend to show such a dumbfounded reaction, Olivia Lindid teased him with a bright smile.

“Dominic. You weren’t really listening to me?”

To Olivia, who pretended to be upset and rolled her eyes playfully, Dominic hurriedly waved his hand.

“No. I was just lost in thought for a moment.”

Fortunately, Olivia didn’t pry into what he was thinking about. She took a sip of tea and repeated what Dominic had failed to hear properly.

“Lady Crawford. I mean Karina. I think she’s really amazing.”

Since he hadn’t expected the source of his ‘other thoughts’ to come from his childhood friend’s lips, Dominic could only blink again without any other reaction.

Having missed his timing, Dominic barely managed to ask Olivia back. Trying to act as naturally as possible. Like someone who definitely hadn’t kissed the lips of that woman who was just mentioned less than 24 hours ago.

“Why Lady Crawford?”

“Dominic. Where exactly did your mind wander off to? Oh right, you said you returned from the fleet yesterday, was that a lie?”

“No. If that were the case, I wouldn’t have attended the charity ball… Ah.”

“Yes.”

Olivia nodded while gently closing her eyes.

“The charity ball. I was just saying how the event was a great success thanks to Lady Crawford’s attendance.”

Feeling as if he’d been hit hard on the back of the head with a hammer, Dominic repeated her words like a fool.

“Charity ball…”

The charity ball held by the Lindid family. He had completely forgotten about it.

“She was so popular. All the items she prepared were sold out, and she even sold all the jewelry she was wearing. She said she would donate all the proceeds to the foundation. I suppose that’s why she’s popular, with such a generous personality.”

Olivia continued speaking with sparkling eyes.

“I thought she would have a somewhat cynical personality, but that wasn’t the case at all. Did you know that?”

With a tight throat, Dominic answered Olivia’s question after a slight delay.

“No… Not at all.”

“As you know, Lady Crawford has many friends, right? She knows so many interesting stories. Of course, she didn’t reveal who the protagonists of those stories were. But that’s not all. Everyone was rushing to get relationship advice from Lady Crawford! My goodness. We didn’t even notice the sun rising.”

Olivia’s face flushed as she spoke passionately about Karina.

“She must have been really tired, going home after staying up all night. I wish you could have attended the charity ball too. Oh right, come to think of it, Dominic, you haven’t had the chance to greet Lady Crawford yet, have you?”

No.

“Yes.”

“You’re close with Count Crawford. Try asking him to introduce you sometime. I’m sure you’ll like her too.”

Saying this, Olivia secretly observed her childhood friend’s reaction.

Last time. Dominic had suddenly tried to kiss her. Of course, there had been such subtle tensions before… but it happened so suddenly that Olivia had frozen, unable to move.

‘If our noses hadn’t bumped then…’

He probably would have been her first kiss. Though that possibility had completely disappeared as of yesterday.

‘But I didn’t expect him to come here.’

Meeting Dominic less than a day after having her first kiss with ‘him’ kept making her think of that incident. Olivia fanned herself with her heated face.

‘But…’

Dominic was unusually quiet today. While he was naturally reserved, today he seemed like someone completely lost in other thoughts.

Olivia observed Dominic carefully. They were friends who had grown up together for over 20 years. She could usually read his thoughts just by looking at his face.

However…

‘Oh?’

It was the first time.

The feeling where she couldn’t understand what Dominic was thinking at all.

Watching Dominic touch his lips with a slightly pale face, Olivia unconsciously traced her own lips with her fingertips.

At the touch on her lips, a handsome face involuntarily came to mind. The way he smiled beautifully after taking her first kiss. Even though Olivia knew she shouldn’t, she stroked her plump lower lip again.

The fragrant black tea grew cooler between the two childhood friends, each lost in thoughts of different people.

* * *

After leaving the Count of Lindid’s residence and getting into his carriage, Dominic immediately closed his eyes and covered them with his palm.

The darkness before his eyes was as pitch-black as the emotions he was feeling.

No matter how much he tried to forget, yesterday’s memories vividly bloomed again in the darkness.

The sight of her platinum blonde hair flying as she turned and walked away.

No, before that.

Was it from when she was standing suspiciously in the hallway, awkwardly positioned?

“Ha.”

A low sigh escaped. All the crazy things he had said flashed through his mind like a kaleidoscope.

―One might say it’s basic manners to pretend not to notice a lady returning home in broad daylight wearing the same dress as yesterday.

Crazy fool.

The pieces of the puzzle were finally fitting together, things he had assumed were the result of a wild night out until hearing the full story from Olivia.

So…

The reason her waist hurt…

Was because she hadn’t had a chance to sit and rest even for a moment.

The reason her clothes were wrinkled…

Was because she had been too busy dealing with people at the charity ball all day to care about her appearance.

And the reason she wasn’t wearing any jewelry…

Was because she had sold it all for donations to the scholarship foundation.

He had even accused a woman of having a wild night out when she had stayed up all night suffering to collect donations.

It was something he could never have done in his right mind.

If he had been just a bit more clear-headed, he would have remembered that she must have attended the Lindid Education Foundation’s charity ball. Now he remembered Lucas clicking his tongue disapprovingly about his sister staying out all night.