TYWN Ch 9

“It’s nothing.”

Quickly averting her gaze from Yuris, Radia fidgeted with the hat she had taken off, clutching it in her hands. Beneath her composed expression, the image of the cufflink on Yuris’s wrist floated in her mind.

It didn’t seem like his memory had returned, but she hadn’t expected him to wear it. So his saying he liked it wasn’t just empty words.

Radia took a sip of water to calm her fluttering heart. The ice-cold water moistened her parched throat. The entire sequence of actions, up to dabbing her mouth with a napkin, flowed very naturally.

Her jet-black hair, reaching her chin, swayed gently like dancing.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

While she could ignore other people’s glances, she couldn’t disregard the persistent gaze fixed on her.

Yuris shrugged lightly and replied, “My apologies. You seemed quite comfortable here.”

Enamorado. Meaning “lover,” this romantically named restaurant was a popular spot for the upper class. Even in this upscale restaurant, where reservations were impossible to get with just any business card, the woman seemed unimpressed.

“I’m glad I seem that way.”

Replying casually, Radia stared blankly at the vase in the center of the table. Yuris’s eyes narrowed.

She didn’t smile, she didn’t show any joy; why was this woman so composed? Her aloofness was strangely irritating. He hadn’t taken the time to sit here just to see such an indifferent face.

So, Yuris deliberately said something provocative, “I suppose I brought you here often in the past?”

Familiarity grows with time. Just as a prince and a pauper cannot switch places overnight, treating something naturally meant having spent a corresponding amount of time with it.

Even at the teasing question that alluded to her circumstances, Radia calmly replied, “We didn’t just come here.”

“Then?”

“We went to many places. We decided to take turns choosing the location when we met.”

As she said, this was just one of the restaurants she frequented with Yuris. Radia had deliberately chosen a window seat with a good view, considering his preferences. Fortunately, making a reservation under Yuris’s name had been quite easy.

The places Yuris chose were all dazzling and luxurious, making her realize the world he lived in. It had been somewhat burdensome in the early days of their relationship, but she eventually got used to it. Just like she got used to him.

Her life had begun to change from that point on, like light entering a dark night.

After meeting Yuris, a new goal was added to her life, which had been solely focused on succeeding for her family. A seemingly simple yet difficult wish: to become someone who could stand proudly by his side.

“As you said, we came here quite often. You used to say you liked the atmosphere. Don’t you remember at all?”

“I do remember that it’s a decent restaurant.”

“Don’t you want to regain your memory? It must be inconvenient.”

“Not really. If you weren’t constantly trying to stir things up, I think it would be manageable.”

Although his voice was gentle, combined with the implied meaning of his words, it sounded sarcastic. Radia started to say something more, but closed her mouth and tore at the pre-dinner bread in front of her with a touch of annoyance.

“Why are you so averse to regaining your memory? Usually, people are eager to remember.”

“It’s like trying to create something that doesn’t exist for me. It’s utterly irrational.”

“…It’s surprising that you can think of it that way. It’s not that you don’t want to regain your memory because you don’t like me, is it?”

“That might be part of it.”

Radia glared at him silently, but Yuris pretended not to notice and took a sip of water. His nonchalant attitude inevitably fueled her frustration.

He doesn’t remember anything about me, yet he remembers the restaurant perfectly.

Seeing his strong aversion, it seemed persuading him to regain his memory wouldn’t be easy. Clinging to his memories blindly wouldn’t work either. Thinking she had a long way to go, Radia stifled a sigh.

After a few slow exchanges, the dishes began to arrive one by one. Cutting the steak, the main dish, into bite-sized pieces and putting one in his mouth, Yuris glanced at Radia.

Perhaps nervous, she was meticulously cutting her food, but as she asked him various questions, she seemed quite enthusiastic. It was good that she was energetic. Although he still couldn’t quite grasp what was so special about her.

If her motive had been his wealth, it would have been easier to just give her some money and settle the matter. It was both a relief and an annoyance that it wasn’t the case. But then again, if it were, they wouldn’t have been together for nine years.

Anyway, he had already made a promise. Even if it was a verbal agreement, it was a proper contract. This meant he had an obligation to cooperate with her to a certain extent, even if he didn’t feel like it. Yuris decided to temporarily set aside his defiant attitude.

“Then, next time, let’s go somewhere you want to go.”

It was while they were waiting for dessert after finishing the main course. At Yuris’s casual remark, Radia blinked slowly.

“Will we?”

“It takes two to tango.”

It had been a casual remark, as light as the wind, nothing more than a polite gesture.

At least, that’s what he thought until he saw Radia’s expression.

The last vestiges of a smile vanished from her face as she stared at him. Her eyes widened slightly, and her lips parted as if she wanted to say something. She seemed both confused and flustered.

Light flickered in her dark eyes, and a myriad of emotions flashed across them in an instant. Her eyelids slowly lowered and then rose again. The emotions that had flickered like a bonfire were extinguished in a single blink, as if doused with cold water.

Elegant music drifted from somewhere, reaching Yuris’s ears, but it dissipated without him registering it.

Why is she looking at me like that?

“Why are you…”

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Yuris!”

The taut string of tension snapped.

As soon as he heard the high, elegant voice, like a songbird’s, Yuris couldn’t hide his slight frown. Radia turned towards the entrance.

Two women who had walked from the entrance stood next to their table. Radia greeted the elaborately dressed Lily and her younger sister, Sadie.

“Hello, Lily. Sadie, too.”

Her voice hesitated for a brief moment when addressing Sadie. Yuris didn’t miss that tiny gap.

The reason was quite obvious.

“Hello, Yuri. How have you been?”

The woman, who resembled her older sister Lily but had a much gentler impression, smiled prettily at Yuris.

Radia’s eyebrows twitched slightly at the naturally flowing nickname. Averting her gaze from her long-time rival’s flushed cheeks, she secretly sighed.

[I intend to keep my memory loss a secret.]

Yuris had said that after accepting the contract.

[Please treat me as usual in front of others. I’ll do my best to do the same.]

[But you said you don’t remember anything.]

[What’s the problem? You’ll teach me, won’t you?]

[…Are you serious?]

Yuris nodded, and Radia had no choice.

Thus, she had to invest about an hour explaining their past. Unlike Yuris, who listened with an intrigued expression as if hearing someone else’s story, Radia struggled to keep her voice steady.

Recounting how her lover treated her with her own mouth was more embarrassing than she had anticipated.

[This is completely like treating you like a princess.]

She couldn’t refute Yuris’s incredulous comment. He had been a perfect lover. Being with him made her feel like the most precious person in the world.

She was well aware of how inadequate she was in comparison. Apart from her intelligence, her family and appearance weren’t particularly exceptional. Knowing her place, she was afraid. Even when she was happy with him, she always felt a precarious emotion, like walking on a frozen lake.

Because everything would shatter with a single change of his heart.

Just like now.

Radia’s gaze shifted to Yuris. Seeing his face, offering a light smile and greetings to the sisters, made her breath catch in her throat.

“Yuris.”

Turn around. Please turn around.

As if her desperate wish had reached him, she met his gaze as he slowly turned to face her. Her heart plummeted to her feet.

Instead of a warm gaze, only opaque, blood-red eyes, their depths unreadable, remained. When he used the pet names she was accustomed to hearing, he felt close, but now he was distant again.

Radia steadfastly endured his gaze.

[Close friends sometimes call me Yuri. Did you?]

[No. I never called you that.]

She hadn’t wanted to use the same nickname as others, especially Sadie Silveria.

Is it okay to feel this way? When she first brought up this topic after much deliberation, Yuris burst into laughter and pulled her into a tight embrace. Nestled in his arms, she hesitantly asked,

[Um… you’re not angry, are you?]

[Why would I be angry? I’m so happy. You’re jealous. I don’t care what you call me, as long as you like it. It’s all good.]

When she noticed his body trembling slightly, she was surprised but also fascinated. That his unwavering affection was entirely hers. That she could reach out and embrace him.

“Why did you call me?”

But the current him was too distant to reveal such feelings. As if he were beyond her reach.

His affectionate voice was the same as before, but Radia couldn’t feel any reassurance. No matter how much he tried to imitate his past self, he couldn’t feign the look of love in his eyes.

“…I thought the dessert had arrived.”

Just then, a waiter brought their dessert, sorbet, and placed it before them. Radia silently picked up her spoon. As she put the apricot-colored sorbet into her mouth, a subtle sweetness spread across her tongue.

“Radia, you haven’t changed.”

As if he had just noticed her presence, Radia calmly ignored his subtly appraising gaze that swept over her from head to toe. She often received such looks, as she usually wore suits, although she occasionally opted for dresses or two-piece outfits.

She could have retorted, but it would only make things more tiring. Radia was still not accustomed to the conversational style of the upper class. A direct response would only disrupt the atmosphere.

Come to think of it, Yuris had never interfered with her attire. The suit and hat she was wearing were also a congratulatory gift from Yuris two years ago when she changed law firms. Even with an unusually grumpy face, he hadn’t forgotten to congratulate her.

[Congratulations on the job change.]

“What does it matter? As long as it looks good.”

The naturally spoken words caught the attention of the three. Without even touching his spoon, the man’s lips curled into a cool smile.

“As long as it’s beautiful in my eyes, does it need to be beautiful in yours too?”