Bluebird Lady and The White Lion Family Chapter 43

 

‘Besides, I was planning on getting divorced and leaving one day.’

 

Sophina was digging a hole in the ground, lost in her world.

 

Ricardo watched her carefully. He crouched down and closed the distance between them. Then he patted my arm as if to offer me an arm pillow.

 

“Huh?”

 

When Sophina moved away, Ricardo just sat back up.

 

Then he tilted his head and leaned in close.

 

Ricardo’s dazzling white hair was disheveled. His blue eyes sparkled as clear as moonlight, filled with nothing but Sophina.

 

‘Oh, that surprised me.’

 

Sophina flinched back like a bluebird caught stealing raspberries.

 

The soft flesh of her cheeks trembled as if they were sticky rice cakes.

 

Ricardo didn’t seem to mind and continued the conversation.

 

“You said you weren’t sure about your birthday, didn’t you?”

 

“What?”

 

I nodded, and then he asked another question that I couldn’t guess the intent of.

 

“How about October 3rd?”

 

“What?”

 

“If you don’t remember, we can make one up.”

 

Ricardo glanced down needlessly and said dryly.

 

Something was bugging me.

 

What Sophina had said when they’d gone out for a quick walk, about not knowing her birthday.

 

‘It’s just that.’

 

And for a small reason…

 

How sweet of Sophina to take the initiative to organize a birthday when it wasn’t even her responsibility.

 

‘I feel like I’ve gotten a bit of comfort from her.’ Ricardo

 

“Will you let me celebrate it every year? Thank you for being born.”

 

‘What did I just hear?’ Sophina

 

Sophina’s cheeks flushed bright red.

 

“…That’s fine.”

 

She spoke in a small whimper, not even bothering to take his hand. Ricardo was so strange.

 

‘It’s as if he read my mind.’

 

He always was.

 

Whenever I needed him, he’d show up, help me, and never say anything.

 

And it made me feel weird.

 

To be taken care of by someone meant that they were paying attention to me.

 

Suddenly, I realized that I wanted to be friends with Ricardo.

 

Not because I wanted to be friends with the Male Lead, but because I wanted to be with Ricardo.

 

“Wow. Oh, you want to be friends with me. That’s a very touching thing to say.”

 

The innocent voice faltered like a child who’d lost his way.

 

“I’ve never heard anything like that before, so it’s weird.”

 

Well, you’re a wonderful person.

 

The words came out like a groan, almost like a whine. Too embarrassed to say it out loud.

 

“Anytime you want.”

 

“Like what?”

 

Ricardo’s throat rumbled as if he’d made a great decision.

 

“Friends.”

 

The word friend still didn’t sit right with him.

 

It sounded like a word that would inexorably close the distance between them.

 

To be friends was to have an emotional connection, and that was a risky endeavor.

 

Besides, there was a contract between Sophina and me.

 

‘As long as we want each other, as long as it’s not dangerous, and then we’ll be fine.’

 

Ricardo tightened his hold on Sophina’s fingers.

 

The warmth of another’s touch seeped through his fingertips.

 

The unfinished word tumbled out of Sophina’s lips.

 

“It’s…”

 

He may or may not know.

 

Sophina clutched Ricardo’s arm and bowed her head softly.

 

‘I feel so strange…’

 

At that moment, Ririela, who had been sleeping soundly, snuggled against her.

 

Smiling sheepishly, Sophina patted Ririela’s shoulder. The touch caused Ririela to slowly lift her eyelids.

 

She looked up into the night sky and patted Sophina’s shoulder.

 

“It’s a shooting star….”

 

Sure enough, she was right, a cluster of twinkling stars lit up the night sky.

 

“…Wow.”

 

Sophina let out a small gasp.

 

Even Canus, who had been dozing off, jumped up and did a little dance of joy.

 

— Shooting stars? Where?

 

“I guess we should all make a wish.”

 

Their mother, now awake, took everyone’s hands in hers and prayed fervently.

 

A shooting star fell over Sophina’s head, too.

 

As she made her wish, Sophina slowly opened her eyes and looked at Ricardo.

 

Their gazes entwined, and there was an awkward silence, followed by a quiet laugh.

 

It was so cozy to be surrounded by others at this moment, making wishes.

 

“What’s so funny?”

 

Khan asked playfully, glancing between the two of them.

 

Sophina raised a bashful eyebrow and turned to her mother.

 

“What kind of wishes did Mother make?”

 

“That all of my family here would be happy every day.”

 

Family…

 

The word stuck in Sophina’s heart.

 

‘Do I dare to think of these people as family?’

 

Amid these unsure thoughts, something felt like a tug, and she slid to the floor.

 

Then she landed firmly at Ricardo’s side.

 

The silken cord around her waist had been pulled by Ricardo’s movement.

 

“This is tighter than I thought, my lady.”

 

Sophina glanced down at the silken threads.

 

For some reason, she felt as if the red thread tied around her waist would never break.

 

That’s how Sophina became friends with Ricardo.

 

🐾

 

A day after the raucous birthday party, Sophina called out to Ricardo in a cheerful tone.

 

“Hey!”

 

“Why?” Ricardo replied with a short, innocent tone.

 

After becoming friends, Sophina and Ricardo decided to let go of the tension.

 

‘You learned to speak informally. That’s a great improvement.’

 

The words rolled off my tongue naturally, as I had always spoken with respect. It felt like stepping out of the closet.

 

Sophina grinned as if she were a lunatic beast with her mouth hanging over her ears.

 

“What’s October 3rd, anyway?”

 

She remembered him saying that it was sometime in the fall, but she wasn’t sure why he’d picked that day.

 

In response, Ricardo sat down on the bed and crossed his legs idly.

 

Then he looked up slowly at Sophina, who stood before him and set his chin.

 

“Guess what.”

 

The words were almost arrogant.

 

Sophia pouted her lips and squinted.

 

“You didn’t just jump to the conclusion that it was the day after your birthday, did you?”

 

Ricardo’s birthday wasn’t October 2nd.

 

It was a plausible deduction. 

 

The corner of his mouth twitched up at an angle, teasingly smirking at Sophina.

“Maybe.”

 

“What?”

 

Ricardo chuckled at Sophina’s flustered expression.

 

Actually, that day…

 

‘Four years ago, the day I first saw that bluebird.’

 

Ricardo could still remember it. But then, she picked them up like they meant nothing.

 

“I just thought that fall day would be perfect, though you don’t seem to remember it very well.”

 

“…Remember?”

 

Sophina mulled over the last word.

 

Ricardo shrugged as he rattled off a list of words.

 

“Autumn leaves. Elm, lion.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“And…”

 

He trailed off, his voice sounding strained.

 

‘I was going to say the word contract, but why won’t the word fall out of my mouth?’ I asked, feeling a little annoyed.

 

Ricardo tilted his head, then continued as if to say nothing.

 

“I think I’ve given you all the hints you need.”

 

The corners of Ricardo’s lips curved into a fine smirk as he whispered slowly into Sophina’s ear.

 

“I think that’s enough for today.”

 

After all, he planned to wait for her to think of something on her own.

 

If I got frustrated, then I would tell her.

 

‘Well, I don’t know if telling her the whole truth will make it clearer.’

 

He patted her on the head and left the room.

 

When she was alone, she muttered to herself, dumbfounded.

 

“Has he ever met me?”

 

For a moment, I thought I could understand what he was saying.

 

The thought didn’t last long.

 

“Oh, right. I was supposed to have tea with my mom and sister!”

 

From now on, Ririela would be joining Mother at tea time.

 

Sophina strolled down the hallway with light steps.

 

She knocked on the door of Khan’s office with a cheerful, rhythmic tap.

 

“I’m here!”

 

“You’re finally here, sweetheart.”

 

Khan opened the door and welcomed the little girl.

 

Sophina’s eyes scanned the room. There was no sign of Ririela.

 

Then Mother spoke first, as if she knew all along, “Why don’t we take a short walk before Ririela gets here?”

 

“Yes! I’d love that!”

 

Suddenly, a walk, something to talk about.

 

The walk with Mother was a lot of fun. The gardens of the Chadwick family were very complicated, and we often got lost, but she showed us the different paths.

 

Sophina would follow her mother, flitting along like a baby bird.

 

Khan stopped near a beautiful flower bed of lone cherry blossoms.

 

“It’s a mysterious sight to behold again.”

 

Giant Clyde trees and pure white Roneache flowers.

 

Mother stared back and forth at the majestic scene, marveling once again.

 

“What a wonder, that a flower that I thought so insignificant and paid so little attention to could have such power.”

 

She called out to compliment her. Sophina scratched the back of her head awkwardly and let out a small, ‘hehe,’ chuckle.

 

“How did you discover it?”

 

Khan asked, and she answered modestly.

 

“I was just reading some ancient texts and got curious, so I did a little research, and Canus’ knowledge of plants helped.”

 

“Ah, that snake clan brat.”

 

Khan looked pensive for a moment at Sophina’s comment, then spoke up.

 

“It’s a good thing you seem to get along so well with the others.”

 

Sophina was an unusual child. Despite her natural enemies, she got along well with the very snakes that tried to harm her.

 

According to reports from servants, they play with it almost constantly.

 

Perhaps people have different hearts, I thought.

 

‘The banquet was perfect, the idea for Ririela’s birthday, the thoughtfulness.’

 

There were many things to be thankful for.

 

Suddenly, Khan came to see her not as a dutiful daughter-in-law, but as a daughter at heart.

 

‘Family ties must be repaid.’

 

Khan spoke in a caring tone, “I know it must have been hard for you to take on such a big job so suddenly. Like yesterday.”

 

“No, it was a good experience.”

 

Sophina threw up her hands in frustration. Khan snapped her fingers in response to her curt, textbook response.

 

Khan pulled something out of her arms.

 

“Speaking of which, I picked this up on the way here. I think it might be just what you need.”

 

“What is it, Mother?”

 

A brown envelope?

 

‘It looks like a gift, but I don’t know what it is,’ Sophina asked innocently.

 

Mother replied bluntly, “Land deeds.”