Cry, Or Better Yet Beg
chapter 8

The doorkeeper looked confused.

Leyla nodded towards him as if she understood. He was sure someone had once brought a junk bike to the best hotel in town.

After the doorman checked Leyla and Claudine a few times, he picked up his bike. Leyla expressed her gratitude with a short greeting and entered the hotel. The tea room is located on the right side of the central lobby.

With a quick step, the manager guided them to a terrace that led to the riverbank. Leyla was the last person to sit at the table. His seat happened to be facing directly across from Duke Herhardt.

Leyla hurriedly focused her eyes on her feet to avoid the man's blank stare. Thin, gold-framed glasses sparkle in the summer sun.

Shouldn't a naked person be more embarrassed than one who sees them?

Leyla was amazed at the duke who continued to look at Leyla casually as if nothing had ever happened in the river.

That's understandable. To the nobility, commoners and servants were nothing more than furniture or paintings. No one is ashamed to be naked in front of furniture. And there is no furniture that is ashamed to see a naked person.

When Leyla reached her conclusion, the tables were already set. Although Duke Herhardt had not ordered anything, there was a cup of strong-scented coffee placed in front of him. His fingers holding the teacup were very smooth and long.

Claudine and Matthias continued their conversation as if they had completely forgotten Leyla's presence. The exhibition they saw today. Latest news about their relatives. Weekend party at the mansion. Matthias' soft, low tone and Claudine's fluttering high tone intersected periodically.

Leyla wondered why they decided to take her if they wanted to chat with each other. Lady Brandt's actions were largely beyond Leyla's comprehension. He had never understood it since the first summer they met.2

“So, Leyla. How's school? Are you having fun?"

Claudine's voice suddenly sounded along with the sound of the cup being placed on the plate. Although she was only a year older than Leyla, she always spoke as if she was talking to a child in an adult manner.

“Ya, Miss.”

To Uncle Bill. Leyla cast a spell on her head while answering Claudine.

With a satisfied nod, Claudine officially asked a few more questions about Leyla's school life and Leila repeatedly replied with a consistent smile.

'Yes, Miss' is what Claudine expected from Leyla's reply. And Leyla was used to answering like that.

“You will graduate next year right?”

Despite his dull appearance, Claudin's tone was rather friendly.

“Ya, Miss.”

Leyla continued to answer faithfully.

“What do you plan to do after graduation?”

“I took classes to prepare for teacher certification.”

"Teacher…"

Claudine stretched the corners of her lips as she grasped the teacup. The ribbons and corsages adorning his little hat trembled along with his nod.

“Good girl, Leyla. That's a good goal. I think it would be a great fit for you.”

Claudine smiled again, praising the praised child.

“True, Duke Herhardt?”

Leyla unintentionally turned her gaze towards Matthias. With his glasses, his eyes emitted a clearer blue color. When Leyla realized that she had been staring at the duke for too long, she hurriedly averted her eyes.

"So that's it."

He casually expressed his agreement. After that, Leyla's presence disappeared again. Leyla was relieved. He just wanted this uncomfortable tea show to be over soon.

He was supposed to meet Kyle in town, who went to play tennis. He was afraid he would be late in keeping his promise.

Anxious Leyla raised her head. At the same time, Matthias averted his gaze and looked into his eyes. Instead of avoiding eye contact like before, Leyla looked back at him in silence.

When he was young, he had thought that the man's blue-colored eyes would give off a clear, tickling sound. They are similar to sapphire-colored round glass candies. Leyla shook her head thinking of the absurd thoughts of her young self.

“Alright, forgive me, Duke Herhardt and Lady Claudine.”

Leyla could no longer bear to wait in silence and opened her sweet lips.

“Can I be excused?”

After she shifted her gaze from Matthias eyes to Claudine's face, she felt like she could breathe again.

“I promised to meet my friend today.”

Leyla nervously but impatiently said.

Claudine smiled and gave him permission while nodding. Leyla relieved her tense face.

After she said goodbye politely, Leyla rushed out of the hotel and pedaled her bike frantically across the busy streets. However, the further he pedaled away from the man, the clearer his face appeared on his head.

It was because of his glasses. Leyla thought while sighing heavily. He believed his glasses were the main reason why he was bewitched by the duke. It was only natural that he gasped for breath when he saw the duke with his improved eyesight.

When she almost felt faint and dizzy from paddling her bike, Leyla arrived at her promise spot. Kyle was there first. He smiled widely and waved towards Leyla.1

He had entered his safe world.

“He's mature enough, isn't he? She looks like a woman now.”

Claudine looked in the direction Leyla had left. She sounded like Leyla was her daughter despite her age of only one year older.

“Because she's a woman.”

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Matthias gave a moderate and expressionless answer with his polite smile.

"Yes. Because he is one of them.”

Claudine, daydream for a moment, then smile as bright as the summer sun.

"Oh. Did you hear? Riette just bought a nice new car.”

Claudine skillfully changed the subject.

The two continued their conversation in the world they shared together. It was as if Leyla Lewellin, who used to sit across from their table, had never been there. But Leyla again appears before Matthias in an unexpected place.

After drinking the relaxing tea, Matthias was on his way back to his home. The road was stuck so the car was stopped. Matthias casually glanced out the car window. Leyla was there. While dragging his bike, he was walking along the road with a boy. It seems like the friend he promised to meet.

Matthias then remembered the name of the familiar-faced boy. Doctor's son. Kyle Etman's.

Leyla Lewellin yelled at the boy who kept knocking on his glasses but the boy's mischief was getting naughty. Leyla sighed in frustration and then laughed.

After a long time of laughing and joking, the two stopped in front of the library stairs. Leyla parked her bike and sat down at the end of the stairs. The boy followed her with a paper bag. Two bottles of soda and a sandwich came out of the bag.

Leyla Lewellin and the boy sat next to each other and shared a meal. Every time the boy said something, Leyla laughed. And when Leyla laughed, the boy laughed along with her. Meanwhile, the jammed road began to be cleared.

As the car began to run back, Matthias turned his gaze and turned towards Claudine, who was sitting across from the car window.

He left me for that boy.

This painful truth reminded him of Leyla's nervous and suffering expression.

He wants to go see the boy.

When her mind reached that point, her memory of Leyla's back leaving the hotel terrace, re-emerged. He rushed as if he was running away.

He left me, to go to the boy.1

The car carrying the two had already entered the path of the platanus towards the Arvis estate.

When Claudine and Matthias walked down the road where Leyla had fallen off her bike, Matthias confessed. Leyla Lewellin did not dare to be anything to her. However, he was not too happy with the emotions he was experiencing.

“Because I ate your sandwich, I'll buy you ice cream.”

Leyla stood up from the library stairs with a light smile. He carefully packed the empty paper bag along with the drink bottle and put it in his bicycle basket.

"No, thank you. You don't have to owe me.”

Kyle rode Leyla's bike with a slightly awkward smile. Leyla naturally sat in the back seat of the bike. He could clearly feel Leyla's body temperature being transmitted to her back even in the middle of a hot day.

Kyle started paddling, trying to cool the warmth on his cheek.

He could hold me a little tighter.

Leyla held onto her shirt so gently that it seemed like she was teasing him. But he was still satisfied with his grip.

He left his bike behind to ride Leyla's bike with him. Of course, Leyla was unaware of his intentions.

“You know, Kyle.”

Leyla's soft voice permeated through the gusts of wind.

"Yes?"

“I'll keep buying you ice cream.”

He was wondering about what he was saying so he laughed at his sudden offer.

“Tell me honestly. You just want to eat ice cream, right?

"….. It's not like that."

Like that's.

Kyle stops his bike in front of the ice cream shop while Leyla runs in.

She was about to follow him inside but she changed her mind and leaned against the shop wall to calm herself down in the shade. Leyla immediately came out with two vanilla ice creams in both hands.

The two ate ice cream together. Although this was one of their daily routines, Kyle kept staring at Leyla. Her new glasses seem foreign to her.

“Leyla.”

Kyle gently whispered his name. When Leyla turned her head, her cheeks turned red. Although his cheeks were flushed due to the hot weather, Kyle's heart was pounding. After nervously swallowing his saliva, he gulped down his ice cream in one big bite.2

"Very delicious. Ice cream."

Leyla smiled after waiting for Kyle's words.

"I know? Vanilla is my favorite flavor.”

Leyla stared at the clear summer sky. Kyle stared at Leyla's long, skinny neck as she began to eat her ice cream again.

It feels cold and sweet.