.jpg)
“Our Rex usually has a good personality and loves to play, which I think he got from his grandfather, but I worry because his father's temperament suddenly pops out whenever things go south. He's so stubborn and rebellious; I'm already worried about how we'll get through his puberty.”
“Is that so? Rex seems so bright and affectionate, just like Miran. If only our Hunter had a laid-back personality like my father, he would have been easier to raise. No matter how I look at it, he takes after my own father. He's blunt, picky, has a fiery temper, and can't stand losing.”
At that, Miran burst into laughter.
“My goodness! Hunter's personality is just like my husband's. I was genuinely worried Rex would take after his father. Except for one thing. Fortunately, my child inherited my father's brains for studying. It would have been a disaster if he'd taken after me. Phew, but what's the use of being smart? He only uses that brain to cause trouble.”
“Come to think of it, I shouldn't be bad-mouthing my own father. The Hamilton ancestors weren't exactly easy to deal with either. There were plenty of people who couldn't control their temper and ended up getting shot dead in duels.”
“The Lafayettes are just as bad. I suppose that's why the two families get along so well, hoho!”
However, unlike their fathers' generation, Hunter and Rex were not particularly close friends. Both had personalities that were far too strong. Because they hated losing more than death, even the smallest matters escalated into power struggles, and they fought whenever they met. Despite that, they were perfectly in sync whenever it came to causing mischief.
Sure enough, Lauren and Miran, who had been chatting and laughing while gossiping about their families, jumped up and rushed into the playroom the moment Nanny ran into the living room out of breath, urgently reporting that Hunter and Rex were hitting each other.
Thus, most of their childhood playdates ended with Rex being dragged out of the penthouse by his ear, and Hunter being banned from the playground for three days.
Rex spoke loudly toward Jiyu, clearly intending for Hunter, who was standing beside her, to hear.
[Since you arrived late, I almost had to be dance partners with that creepy Triple, but I'm glad you're here.]
'Triple' was a nickname Rex had given Hunter long ago. Hunter Han Hamilton. Because there were three 'H's in his name, he was called Triple H, which eventually shortened to just Triple over time. Even at Alton School, he was called Triple more often than by his actual name.
[Look who's talking. You unlucky Lafayette bastard,] Hunter retorted, refusing to back down.
[Liv. You can see that bastard's personality is fucking weird, right? Why on earth does Triple resemble Andre de Lafayette? Is a cranky personality cross-contaminable? I think it's time the two families drifted apart. We've been stuck together for over two hundred years; I'm absolutely sick of it,] Rex sneered with a smirk.
Hunter was not one to let a provocation slide.
[That's exactly what I want, you leech. Please, just get lost. Oh, right. Why don't you let Maximilian inherit the Marquess of Lafayette title instead of a screw-loose guy like you? He's better than you in every way. Even his name sounds more fitting. Maximilian de Lafayette,] Hunter mocked. Maximilian was the name of the large Samoyed the Lafayette family raised.
[And,] Hunter pointed at Jiyu with his index finger. [Why is she your partner? Go with the kid next to you.]
One corner of Rex's mouth curled up in a smirk, and his odd-colored eyes glinted strangely.
Jiyu let out a sigh-like mutter, her shoulders slumping.
[Here we go again...]
It had always been like this since they were children. Regardless of her own will, she was caught between the two, pulled here and there like a rag doll until her seams burst.
Normally, Hunter didn't give Jiyu a second glance whether she was there or not. Yet, the moment Rex appeared, he would keep a sharp eye on her as if hunting a rat. He wouldn't even let her sit next to Rex, and if she tried to play with him in the playroom, he would push her toward the library, telling her to go read a book. The more he did that, the more Rex would cling to Jiyu, teasing Hunter with a mischievous smile.
Keeping his gaze fixed on Hunter, Rex suddenly leaned down and whispered into her ear.
[Liv, I've told you before, but I think that rude bastard likes you.]
The claim was so absurd that Jiyu frowned and replied sullenly.
[That again. Stop saying things that make no sense.]
The problem with this guy was that he occasionally said abnormal things.
She became slightly uneasy. There was something unusual in Rex's eyes. That look of mischievous anticipation in his odd eyes always appeared right before he caused some kind of trouble.
Rex glanced at Hunter, then grinned and pulled Jiyu closer. She narrowed her eyes, wondering what he was planning to do, when he placed a hand near his mouth and leaned toward her ear.
[Trust me. It's certain that Hunter Hamilton likes you.]
[What does that...]
As Jiyu opened her mouth to argue, Rex placed his index finger on his lips, signaling her to be quiet. Then, he whispered in her ear again.
[Look, whenever that bastard goes crazy, you're always involved. He absolutely cannot stand seeing you play with other kids. If he didn't like you, there'd be no reason for that, right?]
[...What?]
Jiyu shook her head vigorously.
'No way. There's no way that's possible.'
Rex was clearly delusional.
To Hunter, she was like a toy he had grown tired of. A useless toy he had accepted because someone gave it to him, but it wasn't fun and wasn't his taste.
It was the childish psychology of someone who had shoved a toy into a corner of the playroom and forgotten about it, only to snatch it away out of spite when a visiting friend discovered it and started playing with it. Hunter had never experienced sharing or conceding his possessions to anyone.
Whenever they started fighting over her, saying 'come here' and 'go there,' Jiyu would simply remove herself from the situation. Even if she left, it wasn't as if the two of them suddenly started playing nicely.
Perhaps because they lacked an audience to watch their fight, the two would deflate like popped balloons, wander around listlessly, and eventually end the playdate, claiming it was boring.
And yet, to think that was because Hunter liked her.
Jiyu shook her head once more.
'He needs to say something that actually makes sense.'
When she lightly tugged at his jacket sleeve, Rex lowered one shoulder and leaned in.
[You're mistaken, Rex. Hunter hates me.]
At that, he let out a short scoff and leaned his head diagonally again, bringing his lips close to her ear.
[If you really can't believe it, do you want to test it out?]
[......]
She looked at him with suspicious eyes.
'Why is he so sure? What on earth is he seeing?'
Jiyu turned her head and glanced up at Hunter. He was looking down at them with a crooked gaze, his brow furrowed in disapproval. Shuddering slightly, she avoided his piercing blue gaze and lowered her eyes like someone who had committed a crime.
As Ae-jeong had said, given Hunter's personality, there was no way he would have come to the cotillion class of his own accord. Lauren must have held something over him, put a leash on him, and dragged him here. Thus, it was obvious how he was feeling right now.
Jiyu dropped her gaze to the floor. She couldn't stand the discomfort caused by Hunter's presence, which cast a heavy shadow over her.
Just then, an assistant coordinator brought an empty chair and placed it next to Jiyu. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief and lean back into the chair that had felt like a bed of nails. The moment Hunter flopped down into the seat next to her, Rex pulled her toward him again.
[Liv, do as I say. Ignore Hunter as much as possible and do everything with me first. Got it?]
[......]
Jiyu glanced at Hunter in silence.
His legs, stretched out insolently, and the large hand resting upon them entered her field of vision. His long fingers tapped his thigh—tap, tap-tap, tap-tap-tap.
Having become an expert at reading Hunter's moods, she knew exactly what that meant. He was thoroughly irritated. When he was in a bad mood but it was awkward to explode, he had a subconscious habit of tapping his fingers.
'What on earth did he see that made him think I'm liked?'
Rex was definitely a little crazy.
.jpg)