“Hyunjin…”
Amelia looked touched as she called my name.
I gently scratched her head and said, “I was thinking about what kind of gift to give, so I picked this up from the game center.”
“I didn’t expect you to remember my birthday.”
Slowly, I approached Amelia, holding a huge plush teddy bear.
“Here you are, My Lady.”
I handed the teddy bear to Amelia. She carefully accepted it with both hands, cradling it as if it were precious.
“This is great…?”
“Yes, it’s a bit big. I wanted you to cherish it, so I chose one that you can hold and sleep with at night.”
“You’re so thoughtful, Hyunjin.”
“…What?”
I couldn’t hear her clearly again. Why was it always these words I missed? I often found myself digging at my ears in confusion. (G: The author low-key trolling the cliche trope.)
It was the same with Ohana—was this some kind of rom-com curse? Why couldn’t I hear Amelia properly at crucial moments? Was it intentional?
Noticing my puzzled expression, Amelia chuckled and said, “Except for the fact that your hearing is terrible.”
“Ahaha….”
“Let’s go, Hyunjin. Now that you’re here, we can start the birthday party.”
“Yes, My Lady. But before that… about the black tea—”
Before I could finish, Amelia held up her empty teacup.
“I finished it a while ago. Could you hold my hand, Hyunjin?”
“Yes.”
She set the giant teddy bear on her bed, then took my hand as she stood up.
***
The party was held in the banquet hall of Lionheart Mansion. They had called it a simple home party, but in reality, it was the complete opposite—luxurious on an entirely different level.
“Happy 15th birthday, Miss. This is my gift,” Ed said as we entered the banquet hall, handing over a small gift box.
Amelia accepted it with a delighted expression.
“Oh my, Ed. Thank you. Can I open it right away?”
“If you wish, my lady.”
Carefully, Amelia unraveled the ribbon and lifted the lid. Inside was a lapis lazuli necklace, the exact shade of her eyes.
“Can I put it on now, Ed?”
“Yes, if you’d like. Hyunjin, why don’t you help her with the necklace?”
At Ed’s suggestion, I picked up the lapis lazuli necklace from the box in Amelia’s hands and fastened it around her neck.
Once it was secured, Amelia took a step back, twirled around playfully, and smiled.
“Do you think it looks good on me?”
“Of course. It suits you perfectly, My Lady.”
The deep blue of the lapis lazuli complemented the color of her eyes beautifully—it was a perfect match.
‘As expected, the teddy bear might have been a bit…’
A hint of regret crept in. Maybe I should have picked something more elegant.
Just then, Rachel approached cautiously and whispered, “My lady, the master is on his way.”
“Oh, my father?!”
Amelia instinctively took a step back, her face filled with surprise.
Her father.
“Yes. The mistress couldn’t make it this time due to work, so the master cleared his schedule for your birthday.”
“…On one hand, I’m relieved.”
Amelia let out a quiet sigh, placing a hand on her chest.
I could understand that feeling to some extent.
I recalled William Lionheart—Amelia’s father—as a rather wild yet devoted parent. Her mother, on the other hand, was a refined woman with a graceful smile.
“The master…”
I unknowingly muttered, only for Ed to interject, “He is the head of the Lionheart family and our employer. If you meet him, be mindful of your words and actions, Hyunjin.”
“…Understood.”
Should I be worried?
William was certainly overprotective of his daughter, but he hadn’t been particularly harsh on Ryunosuke.
As I pondered this, the sound of a helicopter echoed from outside the mansion.
“He’s here.”
“Oh no…”
As Ed muttered under his breath, Amelia lowered her head in embarrassment.
The helicopter noise gradually died down, replaced by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching at high speed.
Ed raised a hand, his voice firm.
“The master is arriving! Maintain proper decorum!”
His words instantly straightened up all the servants in the banquet hall.
No one so much as twitched. The discipline reminded me of the Imperial Royal Guard.
“Hyunjin, you too!”
“Yes, yes!”
Following Ed’s order, I straightened my posture.
Just as we adjusted ourselves, the doors to the banquet hall swung open, accompanied by boisterous laughter.
“Hahaha! Amelia, your father is here!”
“Oh, Father! You came?”
Amelia took a step back, looking flustered. William’s presence was clearly overwhelming for her.
But then, she accidentally stepped on her dress and nearly fell backward.
Reacting quickly, I wrapped an arm around her waist, steadying her before she could hit the floor.
“Huh? And who’s this kid?”
William Lionheart’s sharp gaze landed on me.
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