The Doll Has a Name Chapter 24.2 - About Us

As if their thoughts were connected. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, making his eyelashes tremble.

 

“I thought you’d be asleep, since you’ve been tired all this time.”

“So why did you come?”

“Because even so, I had a feeling you wouldn’t be sleeping.”

 

He smiled with his eyes, his tone easygoing. 

 

The room held only the soft light of a lamp and the even more fragile moonlight, yet the image of him slowly sweeping back his hair to reveal his forehead was strikingly clear. His red hair flowed back, then fell again, brushing against his eyebrows.

 

Kise stared persistently at this Leonhardt.

The shirt draped loosely over straight-legged pants, the top buttons left unfastened and open. 

 

Even then, only half of the shirt was tucked into his pants, the other half crumpled and sticking out.

 

It was truly a disheveled and indecent getup. She understood it was sensual and provocative, but it was utterly lacking in neatness. 

 

Unlike herself, who never lost her tidiness. 

 

Drawing a firm line between herself and him like that, Kise soothed her mind.

 

“I was deliberately not sleeping. I sleep so much that I can’t think clearly.”

“Shouldn’t that be the other way around?”

“No, this is right. I have so much to think about, but sleep comes and I can’t do any of it.”

 

Kise’s constitution has always been that of a night owl. 

 

During the day, she barely feels alive, and by night, she collapses into bed.

So, no matter how much she messes up her life during the day, or what she does to ruin it, she absolutely must sleep at night.

She thought moving to a new neighborhood might change something, but her inherent nature refused to change overnight, despite the urgency of her situation.

‘Ah, I have so much to do.’

She needed to unpack, familiarize herself with the local geography, study to get up to speed for her new job, and make a schedule.

And that wasn’t all. She also wanted to find out a thing or two about this suspicious man right in front of her.

 

“Don’t feel like sleeping?”

Leonhardt responded to Kise’s words with drowsy eyes.

He didn’t mind her trying to dodge and weave, slipping through his fingers to avoid having her thought patterns read. 

 

It seemed he actually wanted to get closer to her. 

 

And probably, he wanted to…

“If you want to fight off sleep, I can share some stimulants with you.”

“Stimulants?”

“Caffeine.”

Leonhardt, who had been leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, smoothly pushed himself off and grabbed the doorknob to the study.

Kise’s back instantly stiffened, remembering the things she had been planning to do in their absence like a thief in the night.

But when he gestured for her to come this way, she feigned ignorance and followed him out.

 

As soon as he entered the study, Leonhardt walked straight over to the sunlit window. 

 

He turned a groove hidden in a low decorative cabinet that did not reach above the windowsill and soon pulled out a small wooden box.

 

“A tea box?”

 

Even as she said it in disbelief, Kise immediately recognized what it was. 

 

It was a tea-leaf storage box with temperature and humidity control.

 

The craftsmen capable of making them were so rare that one would be lucky to even catch a glimpse of one, likely only in a royal collection.

 

“So these really do exist. May I open it?”

 

“You want to be the one to open it?”

 

“If you’ll allow me.”

 

“Of course I’ll allow it.”

 

Inside the box, there was a space in the center for a teapot and cups, with compartments on both sides to store tea leaves and coffee beans. 

 

Kise sniffed the aroma of the black teas and coffee beans arranged in each compartment and couldn’t hide her excitement.

 

Wow, amazing!

 

As Kise became immersed in curiosity, Leonhardt laughed with a boyish innocence.

 

“This is a secret only I knew about, hidden here. Should I share it with you, too?”

 

“Really?”

 

They were the only two here, so no one else could find out. 

 

That fact created a secretive atmosphere. Their voices grew quieter, movements masked by the sound of their breathing.

 

Kise pleaded. 

 

‘Share it, share it with me. Tell me too!’

 

“Sharing is a beautiful thing. When you share and give, the world becomes more beautiful.”

 

“So what will you share with me?”

 

“It’s a beautiful world—why would there be conditions?”

 

Even in a beautiful world, you have to pay the price when it’s due. For the sake of order.

 

“What do you want?”

 

“Unlimited access to this space.”

 

“Are you insane?!”

 

“I do hear that from time to time. But I’m always in my right mind. My things are here, it doesn’t make sense for me not to be able to enter.”

 

“But as of today, it’s my space.”

 

“I’m not forcing you. If you don’t like it, you can just refuse.”

 

If you don’t like it, just refuse.

 

With a strangely captivating smile that could steal one’s gaze, Leonhardt whispered obnoxiously.

 

Combined with his warm body temperature and drowsy breathing, it was a rather powerful assault.

 

Anyway, he was an intelligent negotiator. He knew full well that someone who’s already inclined would find it hard to refuse, and he acted accordingly.

 

…A smart criminal.

 

“But you can’t come in when I don’t allow it.”

 

“Of course, I’ll observe that much courtesy.”

 

“And you can’t just barge in unexpectedly.”

 

“Certainly.”

 

“…Then let’s settle it that way.”

 

“Good, come here.”

 

The scent of sandalwood rushed over her all at once, followed by a warm sensation covering the back of her hand.

 

From behind, Leonhardt, who had wrapped his arms around her, placed his hands over Kise’s and guided them, moving back along the inside of the decorative case.

 

Something clicked faintly, catching at a corner. 

 

He tapped the spot lightly with his fingertip, showing her how to open it.

 

“To take it out, press this groove and turn.”

 

“And to put it back in?”

 

“Fit it snugly into the space, then press firmly until you hear a click.”

 

Following his instructions, Kise practiced taking the tea caddy out and putting it back in. 

 

Seemingly engrossed by the fun of it, she had her head stuck so far into the case it looked like she might climb inside. 

 

Leonhardt offered her a cup of freshly brewed, warm black tea.

 

“The caffeine I promised.”

 

She had thought so the first time she saw him too—he was generally quite generous and treated her lavishly. 

 

Seeing that he had even brought a saucer to match, Kise took a sip with a slightly softened expression.