Between Your Letter and My Reply

Chapter 32

[Translation By Divinity]

Lilliana covered her mouth with both hands as if she was touched.

“Damian~ Will you finally be my friend?”

“…I don’t know what else to call this relationship if it’s not friendship. Did you perhaps think I couldn’t be your friend, Lilliana?”

He smiled faintly, and the corners of Lilliana’s lips also curled up.

“Ah, well, I guess so. It would be stranger if we weren’t friends. So will you call me Lily now?”

“…”

Damian remained silent with an ambiguous expression, and Lilliana said coyly,

“Then at least drop the formalities.”

“That’s still a bit awkward for me.”

Damian lowered his eyebrows apologetically. It wasn’t an excuse; he genuinely felt awkward.

He had never had a female friend older than him. He had female subordinates who were older, so he was comfortable speaking informally to them, but a female friend who was older felt different.

It was okay to push around female subordinates a little. But you couldn’t do that with female friends. And if he spoke casually, he was afraid his old bossy habits might resurface since he hadn’t fully shaken off his military mindset yet.

“I’ll do it when the time is right.”

“Well, do as you please, Damian.”

Lilliana smacked her lips, looking a bit disappointed.

“Come to think of it, we haven’t done anything productive today. We haven’t solved your money problem, and we haven’t practiced your handwriting either.”

“Don’t we need days like this sometimes?”

Thinking about it, Damian realized days like today were quite novel for him.

Having no friends, he rarely spent time in a cafe just chatting idly with someone close. He hadn’t felt the need to do so either.

He was also an outcast during his time at the academy, so he had never had lively conversations with people his age. This was the first time he had become friends with someone, sharing trivial conversations and personal information.

“But I wonder if I’m taking up too much of your time.”

“I have nothing else to do anyway.”

“Don’t you have any friends to meet?”

“I don’t have any friends.”

“Why?”

“It just turned out that way.”

Lilliana looked at Damian with a complicated expression as he gave the same evasive answer he had given when asked about his parents.

She was worried about whether it was okay for a social creature to live in such isolation.

Even in the military, Damian tended to keep to himself without much interaction with others.

People his age avoided him because they felt uncomfortable around him due to his higher rank. Older non-commissioned officers like Nicole treated him like a younger brother, but they weren’t exactly friends.

Damian said awkwardly,

“Since we’re friends now, Lilliana, would you hang out with me sometimes?”

Lilliana’s face brightened.

“Of course! I was the one who asked you to show me around Nichio, remember? So I should be the one saying that!”

“By the way, have you found a place to live in Nichio?”

“My aunt found me a boarding house near the hospital. It’s two tram stops away from here.”

“I see.”

‘The rent must be expensive there…’

Damian grew increasingly curious about Pascal’s occupation and financial situation. But he couldn’t bluntly ask if she was rich, so he just pretended not to wonder.

“It seems like it’s time for me to go. I’ll walk you back.”

“Ah… Has it been that long already?”

Lilliana stood up, and Damian followed.

“By the way, do you need any help with moving your belongings?”

“I’ll hire movers.”

He was going to offer help if she needed an extra hand, but once again, she answered with a solution that relied on money. Lilliana turned around and said brightly,

“Let’s go out the day after I move and unpack!”

“Will you be okay in just one day?”

“I don’t have that much stuff anyway. I’ll only bring the essentials, and my aunt will send the rest later.”

“I wasn’t asking about that. I meant, will you have the energy? Moving can be quite tiring.”

“Ah.”

Lilliana pondered for a moment and said,

“I think I’ll be fine?”

But Damian shook his head.

“You need to rest for three days.”

At those words, Lilliana’s eyebrows drooped.

“What? I’m going to die of boredom! Then I’ll go out by myself!”

“No, you can’t. You won’t be able to enjoy yourself properly without me anyway.”

“But still…”

Lilliana glared at Damian like a cornered mouse.

“I won’t bother you, so please get some proper rest for three days.”

“Ugh, no~ You’re not my mom, Damian, I can’t stand this tyranny~ Ugh~”

“Then you can do that if you’re confident you won’t ever see me again.”

“Wow, that’s cold.”

Lilliana was appalled, but Damian’s expression remained unchanged as he escorted her back to her room. Before entering, Lilliana let out a loud “Hmph!” and slammed the door shut.

‘A rabbit is still a rabbit, even if it jumps around.’ Damian wasn’t intimidated by her at all.

☆

A few days later, a handsome young man entered a flower shop early in the morning, and the owner, who was just preparing to open, greeted him with a smile.

The young man stood among the colorful flowers, looking as beautiful as a painting.

His dark brown hair, which appeared black in the shade, and his clear, blue-gray eyes made even his slightly stoic face seem captivating.

“Do you have lilies?”

The florist found a bundle of lilies from a large bunch and pulled them out, asking,

“A date?”

“Not really. Oh, do you also sell vases?”

“To put the lilies in? Then this vase would be simple and pretty.”

“I’ll take that too, please. It’s a gift, so could you wrap it up?”

The owner placed the lilies and a matching glass vase in a box and wrapped it separately.

“Whoever it’s for, they’ll be happy all day receiving flowers from such a handsome young man.”

“…Thank you for the compliment.”

The young man who received the wrapped vase and bouquet was missing one arm. He hung a shopping bag on his arm and left the shop.

Damian held the note with the address and checked the building’s number to make sure he was in the right place.

He stopped in front of an apartment building with a cafe on the first floor. After confirming the address, he paused for a moment, looking at the nameplates on each floor. The nameplate for Lilliana’s unit had a badge attached to it, one given only to those who had contributed to the independence movement or had been in colonial facilities.

But Damian wasn’t particularly interested in that. He glanced at it once and rang the doorbell. As if on cue, the main entrance door swung open.

It was Lilliana, looking excited.

“Hi, Damian! Come on, let’s go!”

She rushed out of the building without even properly greeting him. At her hasty action, Damian pulled her sleeve and held out what he was carrying.

“How have you been these past few days? This is a housewarming gift, but…”

“Oh my!”

Lilliana covered her mouth with both hands and laughed. In her usual impatient manner, she tore open all the wrapping on the spot, then hugged the lilies and said,

“You picked lilies on purpose? They’ll look perfect on the table, which has been feeling a bit empty.”

“Is Ms. Pascal not here?”

“My aunt came on moving day and left right away. Thanks to that, I’ve been bored for three days. Someone told me not to move an inch for three days.”

“I see. I wanted to at least say hello to her. Please send her my regards.”

“Okay. But that’s not important right now…”

Lilliana thanked him for the gift and said she’d put them away quickly, then rushed back into the building and returned in a few minutes.

“Lilliana, don’t run.”

Damian’s caution made Lilliana look at him in disbelief.

“What? Am I your girlfriend or something?”

“It’s not good for your heart.”

“I’m fine, I’m fine.”

Lilliana stood there, hands on her hips, with a sassy expression. This allowed Damian to observe her more closely.

He was used to seeing her in hospital gowns, so her different attire looked unfamiliar.