Summer Is For Falling In Love
3. Midnight Dance

For some reason, Holland and Esther went on a vacation together. As if, the two came together for a vacation plan that had been planned in advance.

Miel smiled complacently at her young master whom she had been serving for a long time. He was standing by the door with one female servant beside him.

The Holland that Miel knows is a dull and monotonous man, if not studying and working to become the future Duke, then Holland will read novels. That was all the activity his young master had been doing for so many years.

Miel even felt sympathy for Holland because the man had never felt a love story in his monotonous life. However, who would have thought, Marchioness Sephien's planned vacation turned into a typical cliche love story of novels that Holland often read as his favorite theme.

Miel smiled still as she looked at Holland who was sitting in front of Esther. The two were having dinner together, on the balcony of the sprawling Holland villa.

The night wind was quite cold, but not as cold as usual because it was summer, but Holland and Esther were already wearing fairly thick clothes.

"Aren't Mister and Miss very sweet?" whispered Hanah, Esther's personal servant standing beside Miel

"Huh? Well, Mister and Miss look a great fit." Miel shrugged her shoulders slowly. "Damn it, I envy it" murmured Miel.

"Do you think Mister and Miss are going to be dating?"

"What if we're the only ones dating?"

"Eh?"

Hanah glared and Miel only gave a small grin.

"If you become my lover and marry me, I can live you, you know." Miel restored her hair while showing off her charms. "The salary as a personal servant of a future Duke's candidate isn't playful."

Hanah glared more. "Du— Candidate!"

"Sttt!" Miel smothered Hanah's mouth. "Be quiet, Miss Esther doesn't know yet, does she, if Mr Holland is the future Duke? So, please shut up. Okay?" Miel blinked one eye.

Hanah just nodded quickly. He still feels dazed.

"So, Honey. What if you become my lover?"

...***...

"The moon is so beautiful, Mr. Holland."

Holland chokes. He hurriedly picked up the glass filled with white water and gulped it down.

"Did I say the wrong thing?" esther asked in confusion, she tilted her head slightly.

"Ahem, no, Miss Esther," Holland replied, although her cheeks could not lie to her by displaying a red hue there. The color is almost similar to that of a rose because of the contrast between the white cheeks of Holland and its hue.

"Oh? Alright." Esther simply nodded her head and continued their dinner.

Esther seemed to be enjoying this delicious dinner, while Holland struggled to ease her racing heart.

The term is not foreign to Holland's ears. What a beautiful moon. It was Asteria's way of writing down one of the characters in her novel to express her love. As a fan of Asteria, Holland was shocked. Although there was no guarantee to him that the term was just a mere pleasantries because the dining table was very quiet or Esther really had a meaning behind her sentence.

"Mr Holland, do you like to listen to music?"

"Music?"

"Yes." Yeah." Esther nodded once. "I like to play music on the black disk."

"Ah, I rarely listen," Holland replied.

"Ah, what a pity. Though I like very much. Because I love music, I never miss going to a party. Especially the dance. Dance is so synonymous with music and I really enjoy it that I sometimes forget time. Even Hanah had to remind me many times to come home soon because I've danced a lot."

Holland frowned at the fact that Esther loved to dance. Something inside Holland screamed. Piqued. Angrier.

"Who do you usually dance with?"

"Mm, not erratic. Usually, a lot of young masters take me dancing."

"Do you know them?"

"Well, just name and social status. I'm not familiar."

"Oh."

Holland tightens the handle on the spoon and fork. She's pissed. Imagining the woman in front of him dancing with another man makes something inside Holland turbulent.

Besides being synonymous with music, dance is synonymous with intense touch. In fact, it is not uncommon for both partners to hug each other and eat every inch of distance to follow the steps and dance plot. Imagining this made Holland even more upset. His feelings are weird.

"How about you, Mr Holland?"

"Yes?"

"Are you happy to dance?"

As the Duke's successor, Holland could not carelessly dance with a lady. Usually, his father would ask the daughter of the Duke Riquetti family to become a Holland dance partner once. The rest, Holland never danced and always refused the invitation of other ladies to dance.

Holland doesn't like dancing very much.

"I rarely dance."

"What's? Really true?" Esther looked pouted. "You have to dance a lot. Dancing is fun."

"I don't really like being touched by just anyone."

Esther raised next to the eyebrows. "But yesterday you held my hand." A prickly smile was painted on Esther's lips.

Holland blushing. "That-That has a different context, Miss Esther."

"What difference do you mean, Mr Holland? I'm the woman you've only known for three days."

"That's all, I don't really like to be touched! I rarely dance. And listening to too much music makes my head woozy, so I avoid the vinyl records and other orchestras."

Esther let out a mischievous smile and replaced it with a gentle smile. "That's it, huh? Thank you for telling me."

Holland created a faint smile on his lips. "I'm glad you listened to me."

Esther floated a small laugh in the summer night air, which fascinated Holland. Again.

"That gave me an idea, Mr. Holland."

"The idea?"

"That's fine. What if we had a dance party now? Just the two of us, Mr. Holland."

"Good idea."

Esther smiled broadly as Holland answered Esther's offer without thinking about it first.

***

Hanah's eyes sparkled as she finished helping Esther preen for her dance party.

This time, Esther was wearing an elegant classic dress that was sky blue and white. It creates a real match. Not to forget his red hair is perfectly styled, even some small ribbons are used as a cover accessory in his fine hair.

"Thank you, Hanah. It's your blessing."

Hanah chuckled little. "I'm sure Mr. Holland will be fascinated."

"Is that right?"

"Where might I lie. I'm one hundred percent sure that Mr. Holland will be enchanted by your beauty, Miss Esther."

Esther giggled small. "You're right. Mr. Holland must be fascinated. I've been preening for hours and now it's almost midnight, Mr. Holland has to be blown away or I'm going to be mad."

"That's right! I'll be angry too."

Esther flashed a final smile at Hanah. "You can rest now, Hanah. You must be tired after helping me for so long."

Hanah looked nervous. "That's it, Miss, I'm going on a date for a while."

"Dating?" Esther tilted her head.

Hanah blushing. "Y-Well, that's ... Miss Esther, Miel suggested to train me how to dance, all that ... dating."

"Miel's? Mr Holland's personal servant? You're dating her?"

"Okay, Miss Esther. You need to stop talking so bluntly, I'm so embarrassed."

"Geez, I'm happy for you!" Esther clasped Hanah's hands together, spreading the same happiness. "May your date go well. Then, go and date your lover. Have fun."

***

Instead of dazzling Holland, Esther was fascinated.

How not? For three days Esther took a vacation on the Marchioness Sephien private beach, never once did Esther see Holland in formal attire. Usually, Holland will wear thin clothes or shirts for everyday use. But this time it was different. Because this is their party. Their dance party. Moreover, Holland was wearing clothes that had a similar color to what Esther was wearing. Sky blue and white, which makes both like a couple. Apparently, Miel and Hanah had done their best to fight over the masters and misses they served.

Holland smiled gently as soon as Esther entered Holland's vision.

"Good night, Miss Esther." Holland placed his palm on his chest and bowed small. "I'm so fascinated to see you in such elegant and beautiful clothes. Moreover, you preen very pretty. You're almost like an angel, no, an angel. I'm so amazed."

Esther blushed, which fortunately was disguised by the candlelight that illuminated the villa hall.

"Thank you, Mr. Holland. I'm also so fascinated by your appearance that I've just seen. You are very handsome and outstanding, even looking dashing and wise. I like it."

Now, Holland is blushing.

"Ahems. Then, can I ask for your first dance?" Holland reached out his right hand, and Esther received it naturally.

The music in the disc began to be played by the help of servants working inside the villa. Now, the two people who were fascinated by magic each danced on the floor of the hall.

They both spin like butterflies dancing in the air, then follow the right plot and sequence of dance steps, and how they both show that they are really good at dancing.

Esther never stepped on Holland's feet and Holland led Esther's dance perfectly. Both are absolutely amazing.

"You're good at dancing, Mr. Holland," praised Esther in the middle of their dance.

"You're also very clever." Holland smiled sincerely.

"That's because I love to dance. And the topic this time is you, Mr. Holland. You rarely dance and you are very good. How could there be such a perfect figure like you?"

As the Duke of the future, Holland must be perfect in every aspect. It doesn't matter if the aspect is small or large, Holland's core must look perfect as the ruler of the territory that will rule the duchy.

Same with dancing.

Although Holland rarely dances, Holland must be able to dance. Moreover, dancing was a noble way to communicate. Dancing is how Holland bewitches his dance opponent, showing off all his skills, so that his dance opponent will give his loyalty.

What Holland felt every time he danced was a feeling of coercion and strangeness, but this time it was satisfaction.

Holland is happy and happy. He can touch Esther, in the context of dancing. Holland can be near Esther and within a few inches. And for Holland, getting the chance to hug Esther's waist in just a three-day meeting was originally a dream for her. However, this is where Holland, immersed in his dream of belakanya.

"I have to be perfect, Miss Esther."

"Why? Humans don't always have to be perfect."

Esther is free. Holland acknowledged.

"I am the future ruler of the region. So, I have to be perfect."

"Indeed why should you be perfect if you are the ruler of the territory in the future? As a human being, of course, you cannot achieve a very high level of perfection. That's not how the world works."

Holland listened to Esther quietly, but still led Esther in a beautiful dance.

"You don't have to be perfect in every aspect. You should enjoy life more than being restrained in that degree of perfection. Because man was not created by God for this purpose. Nevertheless, I am proud of you, Mr. Holland. You go through everything firmly and stay strong. You are so cool and I am proud of you. Hopefully you can become the ruler of a territory that many people dream of."

Holland showed a gentle smile on his face. That's soothing. As the spring breeze struck, it made the heart beat, and the beat in his chest increased.

Holland takes Esther in a round, then weaves and dances like a dancing butterfly. Is beautiful. The matching light blue and white wings fluttered, looking for emptiness there to scoop up even more stories to fit inside the void.

"Miss Esther. You said that I should enjoy my life."

Esther stared right into Holland's red bead. That ... mesmerizing. As if there was a love spell there, Esther found it difficult to cast her eyes off. No, more precisely Esther doesn't want to. He stared at the bead all day.

"Then, what if you continued to be in that part of life that I would enjoy?"

Both Esther's cheeks are heating up.

"Of course, Mr. Holland," Esther replied calmly despite her broken heart. "I'll be there if you ask."

"Thank you, Miss Esther. Please help me next, yeah."

Esther smiled gently. No one knows that between those gentle smiles, there is satisfaction, there is a feeling of isolation, foreign, but pleasant.

And both of them know the meaning of what they really feel.

...***...

Thank you for reading my story. I hope you enjoy, yeah. Do not forget to share with friends so you can salting together!

July 2nd, 2023