15 Hide and Seek Part 1 (1/2)
”Young...Master?”
”Why are you looking at me like that?”
Ian turned his head and stared at Riley who had appeared behind him.
Riley shrugged his shoulders at the stares he received from Ian and Sera, who looked as if they were possessed.
”Well, it seems like you were talking about me...”
Riley turned his eyes from beyond Ian's shoulders to Stein.
His father was standing with a serious face and his arms crossed, as if he were annoyed with something.
”Young Master!”
Ian and Sera's faces suddenly entered Riley's view as he was exchanging looks with his father.
Riley shrugged his shoulders at their sudden impulse.
”Huh, yeah?”
”Where...just where have you been?!”
”Yes! Do you know how worried Ian and I were?”
Their faces were filled with worry.
Funny thing was, Ian and Sera's expressions were completely different.
Ian's face had gone red, as if he were about to cry.
Sera's face had gone blue with hysteria.
Riley's lips began to twitch, as the faces they made seemed opposite to what he thought would happen.
”...Haha!.”
Riley suddenly burst out with laughter.
As it seemed Riley wasn't aware of how worried they were, red-faced Ian's hand was shaking in the air as he continued to talk.
”L-, laugh? Are you laughing?”
”Young Master, are you really laughing right now?!”
”Ahahaha! Sorry, but...your faces were totally out of sync.”
Sera puffed her cheeks in anger.
”That's rude!”
”To laugh in this situation...Do you have any idea...”
How many times had his heart stopped beating?
As he was thinking that his heart won't last long at this rate, Ian's body began to show warning signs.
”...Uck?!”
All of a sudden Ian's right hand was grabbing at the back of his neck.
”I-, Ian-nim!”
”Ian!”
There's a saying that time takes its toll on everyone.
As Ian was about to collapse, unable to endure all the excitement he went through today, Sera who was next to him quickly came to support him.
”I-, is he alright?”
Riley, who seemed worried, stepped forward and asked Sera.
Sera who was holding Ian up from collapsing checked his pulse, then sighed as if she had done all she could have.
”Haah, he's just unconscious. Oh dear...”
The old butler who would shoot swear words like a thug when no one was watching fainted because his master laughed?
Sera was so dumbfounded that she forgot to scold Riley, then slowly peeked behind her.
”...”
Because Count Stein who had yet to leave the place was still standing in place.
Sera addressed him with a bow.
It was a gesture to forgive Ian's shameful display.
”Riley.”
”Yes.”
In response to Stein's voice, Riley killed his smile as much as possible, and replied instantly unlike his usual self.
It's because he thought it would be annoying if he were to anger his father right now.
”What's that?”
”Huh? Ah, this?”
Stein questioned the paper bag Riley was holding on his left hand.
It seemed like something was inside, as it made a muffled sound whenever the bag moved.
It was...
”It's popcorn.”
”Pop...corn?”
Stein tilted his head in response to a word he never heard before.
”It's a snack made of corn, and I wanted to eat some today so I made some. I was intending to give some to my mother...but would you like some as well?”
”Young Master, for that you'd go to the kitchen...”
Watching Riley hand the popcorn bag with such an innocent face, Sera who was holding Ian mumbled with a little melancholy.