Chapter 2.7

Natalie returned to the table where Mr. Salinger was waiting, swallowing her nervousness. Her eyes immediately focused on her target—Mr. Salinger’s neatly placed hand beside his teacup.  

“Did you exchange greetings well?”  

At the sound of his voice, Natalie awkwardly lifted the corners of her mouth, pulling her gaze away from his hand.  

“They’re very healthy.”  

“That’s good to hear.” 

Mr. Salinger responded with a smile. Natalie, gripping her hands tightly, sat down like a poorly oiled tin man.  

Her mind was filled with Mr. Wharton’s advice on how to converse. Every word from Mr. Salinger flowed in one ear and out the other.  

Occasionally, she managed to respond with, “Yes,” or “That’s right.” But her gaze remained fixated on Mr. Salinger’s hand.  

When she picked up her teacup, her trembling hands caused the liquid to ripple. Setting it down was no better, as the clinking sound echoed loudly.  

Mr. Salinger, noticing the unusual behavior, looked at her hands as though about to ask, 

“Are you alright?”  

“I’m fine.”  

Natalie answered before he could ask, hastily putting her teacup down. She failed to notice Mr. Salinger’s hand moving toward hers.  

Their hands touched.  

It was purely an accidental collision.  

Had it been deliberate, she might have felt proud of having executed Mr. Wharton’s lesson. But the sudden contact left her flustered.  

“I’m so sorry!”  

She quickly withdrew her hand, clutching it to her chest. Her feet, acting on their own, moved as if to flee.  

Unfortunately, in doing so, her foot collided with Mr. Salinger’s.  

In an instant, Natalie had unintentionally kicked Mr. Salinger’s ankle with full force. A dull thud sounded from under the table. An overly aggressive form of body language had unfolded.  

Mortified, Natalie shot to her feet. Meeting Mr. Salinger’s startled gaze, she found herself unable to utter even an apology.  

Her mind and mouth had both ceased functioning. The creaking tin man had completely broken down.

Only a sense of obligation to say something remained. Something as simple as, “Are you alright?” or “It was an accident,” would have sufficed.  

But only one sentence lingered in her mind.  

The same sentence she had been repeating to herself ever since she left Mr. Wharton.  

“Would you… like to go see a play with me?”  

Without any context, without any romantic atmosphere, the words burst forth like a cuckoo clock striking the hour.  

Though Natalie and Edgar were far apart, they shared the same thought.  

It’s ruined. 

One second of silence felt like an entire year. After what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Salinger, who had been calmly observing Natalie, finally spoke.  

“Sure.”  

Sometimes, the meaning of words is understood not through the words themselves but through the context. As a result, it took her a moment to fully grasp that he had indeed said, “Let’s go see a play together,” amidst the chaotic situation.  

“A play, let’s go see one.”  

Only when Mr. Salinger clarified did Natalie understand his meaning without a doubt.  

Feeling dazed, she glanced toward Mr. Wharton.  

Mr. Wharton, who appeared to have been watching the entire exchange, smiled at her. That gentle smile felt like praise for a job well done.  

Natalie finally broke into a bright smile.  

From that point on, everything went smoothly. They had light conversations about plays, and Natalie made an effort to listen to Mr. Salinger’s words, trying not to dominate the conversation.  

When they parted ways, they discussed when they might meet again to see the play, setting a future date.  

Natalie felt joy at having reached a point where she and Mr. Salinger were now making plans for the future. It was a significant step forward from being someone he wouldn’t even want to imagine a future with.  

As she exited the tea room, Natalie found herself gazing longingly at Mr. Salinger’s retreating figure. She thought even his back and his gait were truly splendid.  

She also thought to herself that she wanted to become someone like Mr. Salinger—someone who could remain composed in any situation, even if someone kicked their ankle.  

“Congratulations, Natalie.”  

Hearing a voice behind her, Natalie turned around. Mr. Wharton was standing there.  

Seeing him felt like reuniting with an old friend. A sense of relief washed over her, and she let out a hollow laugh.  

Her legs wobbled as the tension drained from her, and Mr. Wharton caught her by the shoulders. Standing face-to-face with him, Natalie couldn’t stop laughing.  

“Mr. Wharton, your method of communication… is quiet and effective.”  

Mr. Wharton, who had been watching her expression, laughed after hearing her final words.  

The two stood in the middle of the street, laughing at each other for reasons no one else could understand.  

As they walked home together, Natalie recounted everything that had happened that day.  

“I was so nervous that my hands were trembling like this. I was afraid I’d spill the tea, so I quickly put the cup down.”  

Whenever Natalie, engrossed in her story, nearly bumped into a streetlamp, Mr. Wharton would pull her closer to his side.  

Despite being gently guided, Natalie remained absorbed in her tale.  

“…and then our hands touched!”  

Recalling the accidental collision, Natalie looked down at her hand as though seeing it for the first time.  

Mr. Wharton smiled at her reaction.  

“You must have been startled.”  

“I really was.”  

As Natalie chattered on, even the serious problem she had faced earlier now felt like an amusing anecdote. Seeing Mr. Wharton’s smiling face lifted her spirits even more.  

“If Mr. Salinger had liked ‘The Mysteries of Udolpho’, I would have been thrilled, but it’s okay. Oh, next time we meet, I’ll have to ask him what books he likes.”  

“That’s a good idea. Sharing what you like is a great way to bridge the gap between hearts.”  

The conversation naturally turned back to ‘The Mysteries of Udolpho’, the source of all the day’s troubles.  

“The descriptions are so vivid, it feels like the sentences are alive. It’s as if the mysterious castle unfolds right before your eyes. Once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down and ended up reading through the night.”  

Natalie, without realizing it, assumed that Mr. Wharton must have read the book too.  

“Have you read it too, Mr. Wharton?”  

However, Edgar had never read the book. Yet, he understood what Natalie’s sparkling eyes were expecting from him.  

‘You like this amazing book too, don’t you, Mr. Wharton?’  

So instead of confessing the truth, he answered with the lie she wanted to hear.  

“Of course. ‘The Mysteries of Udolpho’ is one of the most captivating novels I’ve ever read.”  

“I thought so! It’s such a wonderful book. Emily is such an amazing protagonist, and when you see the dangerous adventures she overcomes…”  

Hearing Edgar’s response, Natalie became even more excited, pouring out her admiration for the book.  

Even just listening to Natalie’s words was enough for Edgar to deduce the general plot. Thus, it was easy for him to pretend he had read a book whose cover he hadn’t even seen.  

While Natalie talked about ‘The Mysteries of Udolpho’, her joy stemmed from sharing her emotions with someone who had similar tastes.  

On the other hand, Edgar’s pleasure came from watching Natalie’s face light up with a radiant smile.  

Unaware of how skilled her friend was at lying, Natalie felt disappointed as they neared her home.  

Eventually, the two arrived at their destination, stopping in front of the Maron family’s mansion.  

“Have a good evening, Miss Maron.”  

Because Natalie already thought of Mr. Wharton as a soulmate, his formal farewell felt a bit disappointing. However, she tried not to show it and smiled instead.  

Mr. Wharton gave her a bright, cheerful parting smile.  

“After today’s adventure, as exciting as Emily’s, it’s time to rest.”  

When Mr. Wharton said his farewell, Natalie almost stopped breathing.  

It was such a splendid parting line.  

Only someone who truly understood the incredible adventures of Emily, the protagonist of ‘The Mysteries of Udolpho’, could deliver such a romantic farewell.  

Natalie let out a deep, overwhelmed breath and wished she could respond with a farewell as elegant as his.  

“…You too, Mr. Wharton.”  

However, the words that barely escaped her lips were disappointingly plain.  

As Natalie lamented her lack of eloquence, Mr. Wharton turned to leave.  

“Mr. Wharton…!”  

Calling out urgently, she stopped Mr. Wharton in his tracks. Natalie met his blue eyes, which were waiting for her words.  

“You are truly a wonderful friend, Mr. Wharton.”  

The look in her eyes as she gazed at Edgar revealed that she had carefully considered those words before speaking them.  

Edgar smiled at the generous compliment from the thoughtful young lady. Miss Maron’s astonishing wit always seemed to defy expectations, especially since she herself was unaware of it.  

Natalie’s tense demeanor, as she waited for his response, made Edgar feel a mischievous urge. However, he opted for an honest and simple reply.  

“Thank you.”