Everybody makes mistakes

Ahem.
Theron cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Yes, well… actually, that’s right.”
“But why didn’t you knock on the mansion door?”
“It’s not like she’d meet me even if I did.”
Selene was the type to loathe such rude behavior.
Like showing up unannounced or calling repeatedly after a fight.
“You seem afraid of being disliked.”
Selene’s maid chuckled.
Her expression was not mocking or ridiculing, but rather like someone finding a child’s clumsiness cute, which made Theron even more embarrassed.
“It’s because I made a mistake.”
“There’s no one who doesn’t make mistakes.”
Theron, standing awkwardly, put his hands in his pants pockets and looked elsewhere.
“Then could you please tell Selene that for me?”
“I can tell her for you, but it’s the person’s responsibility to apologize for their mistake.”
‘Who doesn’t know that? She has to give me a chance to apologize.’
“And when apologizing, it’s important to show sincere feelings.”
“…”
“Without spouting plausible lies to cover up the mistake.”
Theron, who had been inwardly sneering, was startled by Gwendolyn’s words.
Because he had planned to apologize with all sorts of flowery language as soon as he met Selene.
He had also prepared excuses in case she pressed him about other suspicions, such as his past experiences with women.
Seeing the speechless Theron, Gwendolyn smiled.
“You look like you have a lot on your mind. But as I said, I’m lenient with mistakes, so I’ll help you out this once.”
“…”
“Miss Selene is going to the piano shop around 2 o’clock in two days to buy a new metronome. When she goes out, she usually stops by the coffee house on the main downtown intersection for a short while, so if you want to meet her as if by chance, you should aim for that time.”
Theron, though dazed, did not miss her words and immediately engraved them in his mind.
‘Two days later, 2 o’clock, the coffee house on the main downtown intersection.’
“I hope luck is on your side.”
Gwendolyn, as if her work was done, picked up the small, empty trash can.
Theron was a little flustered as Gwendolyn, who had appeared like an angel and helped him, was about to leave without any lingering attachment.
“W-wait a moment.”
Gwendolyn turned around.
“Why are you helping me?”
Theron asked quickly, as if afraid Gwendolyn would disappear.
Gwendolyn seemed to ponder the question for a moment before stopping and smiling gently.
“It’s an era that needs love and romance, isn’t it?”

Selene was preparing to go out for the first time in a while.
The metronome she used for piano practice was broken, so she had to buy a new one.
It wasn’t a pleasant outing for Selene, who had planned to practice all day today because her piano playing hadn’t been to her liking since she had stopped seeing Theron.
‘Still, they say the more haste, the less speed.’
It was also her first outing in two weeks.
Selene admired the scenery outside the fast-moving car.
Autumn was already in full swing.
The colorful autumn leaves decorated the streets, and the sight was like looking at a splendid landscape painting in a frame, which gradually made her regret about her practice disappear.
Her university professor and Gwendolyn had also said that it was very important to see and feel many things to play the piano with rich emotion.
Arriving at the piano shop, Selene chose the sturdiest-looking metronome.
It would be troublesome if it broke again soon.
She had filled up on her sensitivity to the season today, so she didn’t need to go out for a while.
However, Selene did not go home right away but stopped by the coffee house on the downtown intersection.
Although Selene didn’t like to spend time meaninglessly sitting in a coffee house, the coffee at this shop was delicious enough to be worth spending a little time.
Selene, who had taken a seat on the outdoor terrace, looked at the empty street.
It had rained in the morning, and since it was a weekday, there were no people on the street.
It was perfect for enjoying a quiet leisure.
Selene took a cigarette from its case and put it in her pipe.
Sometimes she craved this feeling of strong smoke filling her lungs.
But even after putting the cigarette in the pipe, she couldn’t find a lighter no matter how much she looked.
Selene’s brow furrowed.
‘This is annoying…’
She thought about asking the clerk for a match, but she didn’t want to smoke that badly.
Click.
Just as she was about to take the cigarette she had put in the pipe out without any lingering attachment, a lighter that had suddenly appeared in her vision lit the cigarette.
Selene followed the large hand holding the lighter with her eyes.
At the end of that gaze was the man who had been sending her letters so persistently.
Theron Cox.
Selene frowned at the appearance of the unwelcome man.
In contrast, Theron, with an unconcerned face, took out a cigarette from the inner pocket of his jacket, put it in his mouth, and lit his as well.
Hooo-
White smoke billowed from his mouth.
Theron, with his gaze fixed straight ahead, said softly as if muttering, “I thought you needed a light.”
‘Come to think of it, this man has a very brazen side.’
Considering how he had nonchalantly struck up a conversation at the launching ceremony a few days after falling into the fountain.
“I didn’t ask you to light it.”
“It’s not a difficult thing to do.”
Selene, who had glanced at Theron who replied as if it were no big deal, once again fixed her gaze on the scenery outside the terrace where the autumn leaves were falling.
It was the same for Theron.
The man who had been sending letters like crazy, without a care for the cost of paper, did not ramble on but, like Selene, just puffed out cigarette smoke with his gaze fixed straight ahead.
Hooo.
In the silence, the smoke that billowed from both their mouths just flowed out, scattered, and disappeared repeatedly.
Selene, who had been silently gazing at the leaves glistening with rainwater that had not yet dried, was the first to speak.
“How did you know I was here? Did you follow me like a stalker or something?”
“I saw you by chance while passing by.”
“Coincidences happen to you quite often, Mr. Theron.”
“You should know that you stand out. It would be stranger to see such a beautiful woman sitting alone on an outdoor terrace and not notice her.”
Theron stubbed out the cigarette he had only smoked a few times.
Then he turned his body to sit facing Selene.
“Of course, it’s also true that the heavens answered my earnest prayers. I prayed every day that I could meet you, Miss Selene.”
“I don’t need an apology.”
“Then would you like to curse at me to your heart’s content?”
Selene turned her gaze to Theron.
Funnily enough, his face was serious.
“Insults don’t just come out whenever I want them to.”
“Anything is fine. As long as it’s not ‘don’t come see me again’.”
“Theron.”
Theron, who had been making a determined face, stopped talking when his name came out of Selene’s closed lips.
“Did you lie to me?”
But he seemed to have come to his senses at the content right away.
“…Why do you ask such a question?”
“Because not only your kissing, but the way you touch a woman’s body seems experienced.”
“That’s…”
Theron’s lips parted.
He had a confused look on his face.
Although it was for a fleeting moment, Selene saw many emotions pass through his eyes.
Was that perhaps hesitation before speaking the truth?
Or humiliation?
If not, it would be a misunderstanding that would be hurtful.
Whatever the answer was, Selene hoped Theron would speak honestly.
So that if it was later revealed to be a lie, she wouldn’t have to live with the memory that the first man she kissed was the worst.
Theron’s throat bobbed.
He seemed to have made up his mind.
“Yes, I lied to you, Miss Selene.”
Perhaps because she had expected it, the shock was not great.
In contrast, Theron, as if finding this situation of confessing his lie unbearable, undid the top button of his shirt.
“It’s true that I’ve never been in a serious relationship, but it’s true that I have experience with women.”
“How much?”
“…Quite a lot. But I never slept with just anyone! I always ended the relationships cleanly…! Of course, I’m not the kind of trash who dated multiple women at the same time. I swear on my company.”
Selene exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke.
“I don’t need your company. I have to believe your words anyway. It’s actually a good thing.”
“Thank you for believing me… no, wait.”
Selene lifted her head.
Theron, who had been looking grateful, narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Did you just say… it’s a good thing?”