“Hello. I’m Estelle, and I oversee the early childhood program at the imperial education facility,” Estelle said, seemingly unsurprised by Kirine and Ares’ sudden visit. It seemed the Emperor had given her a heads-up.
“No,” Sasha suddenly interrupted, shaking her head vigorously and wrapping her arms around Ares’ neck. Both Kirine and Ares, who had expected Sasha to be excited, were shocked.
Kirine glanced at Ares in confusion and gently patted Sasha’s head. “There are a lot of friends here your age. You’ll have fun playing with them, don’t you think?” she asked softly.
“I like being with Mom and Dad more,” Sasha replied.
“Don’t you want to play with other kids?” Kirine persisted.
“No,” Sasha said, slowly shaking her head. Thankfully, it wasn’t that she disliked other children. But she wouldn’t loosen her grip around Ares’ neck, tightening her arms as if determined not to let go.
Worried that something might be wrong, Kirine looked over at Ares again. Ares also seemed at a loss, tilting his head in confusion.
At that moment, Sasha parted her lips cautiously. “Is it for real this time?” she asked, her purple eyes filled with anxiety.
“Huh?” Kirine replied.
“You said something similar last time, but you didn’t come back,” Sasha continued.
“…What?” Kirine was confused. It seemed like something important, but she had no idea what Sasha was talking about.
As she carefully observed Sasha’s expression, a soft sigh escaped Kirine’s lips. Could it be… She remembered the time when she and Ares were involved in a sudden accident, unintentionally leaving Sasha alone. It seemed they had promised to return quickly before the accident happened.
So that’s why she’s feeling anxious. Sasha was probably afraid that, just like before, she wouldn’t see them for a long time.
Kirine felt a heaviness in her chest, a mix of guilt and sorrow. She had been foolish to think that everything was fine just because Sasha seemed to be coping well.
“It’s because we were apart for so long last time, isn’t it?” Kirine asked, gently stroking Sasha’s head, which was resting on Ares’ shoulder. Sasha turned her gaze toward Kirine. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes were enough to convey the answer.
“I’m sorry for making you wait so long. I promise that will never happen again. Can you trust me just one more time?” Kirine said, speaking slowly and sincerely. She watched as Sasha hesitated, her eyes lowering briefly before she slowly raised her head. Sasha reached out her small hand toward Kirine.
“Only if you promise with a pinky swear,” Sasha said. Her little fist unclenched, and her tiny pinky extended. The sight was so endearing that Kirine couldn’t help but laugh softly. How could even her hands look so much like a doll’s?
“Of course,” Kirine replied. Their pinkies intertwined, and the moment felt as warm and comforting as the golden afternoon sun.
“And a kiss, too,” Sasha said.
“That…” Kirine hesitated.
“Hurry,” Sasha insisted, tapping her chubby cheeks with her fingers. When Kirine continued to hesitate, Sasha leaned her face even closer, her grip on Ares’ shoulder tightening to the point of trembling.
Seeing this, Ares gave Kirine a quick glance, signaling her to just go along with it. Finally, with a reluctant sigh, Kirine gave Sasha a light peck on the cheek.
It was just a simple kiss, yet it left Kirine feeling oddly embarrassed. Meanwhile, Sasha burst into a delighted giggle. Her gaze soon shifted toward Ares.
“Dad too,” she said.
“Huh?” Ares replied.
“I want you to promise and kiss me too,” Sasha continued.
Ares’ mouth clamped shut. He hadn’t expected Sasha to make the same demand of him. Feeling cornered, he shot an awkward glance at Kirine, who deliberately avoided his eyes, pretending not to notice.
“Uh… Since you already got one from Mom, maybe that’s enough?” Ares suggested.
“I want one from Dad too,” Sasha insisted.
When Ares hesitated, Sasha whined. “Daaaad.”
Her drawn-out plea left Ares with no choice. Reluctantly, he leaned in and planted a quick kiss on Sasha’s cheek. Only then did her stubbornness relent.
“So, you’ll come pick me up later, right?” Sasha asked.
“Of course,” Ares replied, nodding confidently.
Only then did Sasha’s face soften with satisfaction. “See you later, then!” she said.
As soon as Ares put her down, Sasha naturally reached for Estelle’s hand, flashing a bright smile as if to reassure them not to worry about her.
“Maybe we were thinking too much about our own convenience. She probably wasn’t okay with this after all,” Kirine said in a heavy tone, watching Sasha take off her shoes and enter the classroom.
A wave of guilt washed over her, and her shoulders slumped in response. But Ares’ reaction was a little different.
“What’s wrong?” Kirine asked.
“I don’t know… I just feel kind of strange,” Ares replied, his gaze still fixed on the spot where Sasha had disappeared.
It was hard to explain how he felt. If he had to describe it, it was like having a part of his body torn away and left with someone else, leaving him both anxious and worried. And yet, when Sasha was around, he felt warm, like a flower basking in the sun’s light.
Once we find out who caused the accident… Ares glanced at Kirine. Given how opposites they were, he was certain that as soon as the case was resolved, she’d be waiting for the first chance to push for a divorce.
Who’s going to take Sasha then? His gaze returned to the empty spot where Sasha had been. Despite only being separated for a brief moment, he already felt an unexpected sense of longing. What surprised him even more was that he didn’t mind it.
No, it’s clear. I should be the one to take Sasha. The moment he firmly resolved this in his heart, his eyes met Kirine’s. Startled, Ares quickly masked his emotions, reverting to his usual indifferent expression.