I Became The Male Lead's Female Friend

“So, do you eat beans now?”

Rudrick looked at me and asked with a smile.

“What will a person who lied first say?”

“A lie?… Oh, no! It’s not like I couldn’t eat it!” answered Dahlia.

“Either way.”

Since then, he explained one by one how he couldn’t eat beans at the time and whether he could no longer be picky and ate everything well.

Arranging a love interest in a yard that was already in the past was ugly, but I decided to be on the ugly side first.

This was because Rudrick, who listened, was smiling.

And now that we finished watching the play, which was our last schedule.

Suddenly it was dark outside before we knew it.

‘Ah, by this time…’

As I glanced up, the sky was darker when we entered the theater.

Rudrick, who called the carriage, asked, “Shall we go back?”

I thought about something for a moment and shook my head.

“No, let’s make one last stop.”

The carriage ride took us to a plaza in the middle of downtown.

The plaza with a nice fountain in the middle was an ordinary resting place often visited by the people of the capital, but now it was a little different. It was decorated as splendidly as the victory celebration was held not long ago.

And, as expected, my mouth at the scenery that I saw as we approached the plaza.

Trees with white branches were planted around the plaza, and a long string hung from the branches to the fountain. And there was a small bead attached to the string, and now it was dark as night came it was shining on its own, scattering colorful lights.

I wanted to see the night view at the end, but it’s hard to find such a place in the capital without a high slope, so I chose the plaza instead.

Still, I only heard from the maids that the plaza was well-decorated, and it was the first time I saw it in person.

I stared blankly at the plaza, which was shining with a faint halo of light. 

Then suddenly, words slipped from my lips, “How was your day?”

“…?”

Before I could hear Rudrick’s answer, I continued, “Ever since I was young, I’ve always wanted to come downtown just with you alone. So I wanted to do a lot of things, but I haven’t seen you for a long time…”

“…”

“But I got all my wishes today.”

I added with a faint smile, “I hoped it would be like a break for you, but it seems like I’ve only satisfied my greed…”

“But I had so much fun going around with you. To the extent that I wonder if this has happened recently.”

“…”

“I don’t think you hated it either, but it’s different to hear it in person.”

“…”

“Rudrick, how was it?”

Only then did I look back at him, who was looking down at me? I don’t know when, but his gaze was always fixed on me. 

Looking at his face in that soft light, I asked,

“Did you have fun today?”

✿

Rudrick looked at Dahlia sitting next to him when she suddenly asked,

“How was your day?”

To tell the truth, what had happened today was extremely boring for Rudrick.

Like any normal person, he rode a carriage downtown, went shopping, had lunch, drank tea, watched a play, and finally watched the night view.

Perhaps if he had been with someone else, he would have left his seat first because he was bored.

However, as he rode into the courtroom of Averine Mansion in a carriage, and especially seeing Dahlia running out of the mansion, he had a strange feeling that today would not be the same as usual.

Dahlia, who usually untied her hair and looked at him with a bright expression, kept stealing his attention.

And his hunch was right.

It was the first time Rudrick had experienced such a thing in his life. Indeed, he became Dahlia’s ‘doll’.

An uneasy air crept up as Dahlia took him to the salon, and when he saw Dahlia ordering him to fold the catalog and bring dozens of clothes, he felt something was certainly wrong.

If he doesn’t run away now, he would go through hardships. 

‘I have to get out of here right now.’ Rudrick thought.

However, what prevented him from doing so was the face of Dahlia, who was so happy while dressing him.

‘When I saw that face, I was filled with the warm feelings that I had when I was young.’

So Rudrick finally gave up on the idea of running away.

Of course, after that, Dahlia’s doll play did not end at the salon. 

He was caught by Dahlia and had to go all over the place.

From shoe shops, hat shops, jewelry shops, and even shops selling various trinkets. 

Rudrick felt mentally tired after wandering around without a break, but not all the places he went with Dahlia were boring.

He laughed at Dahlia, who was looking at him with a serious expression, and her chatter while drinking tea or eating was not bad.

Most of all, it was when we watched the play.

However, he did not enjoy watching plays. No, there was no play to watch in the first place.

So what’s good about it was…

It was that he could observe Dahlia, who was asleep.

Dahlia fell asleep as soon as the play started. It was different from the attitude of boasting that a famous actor from the Empire would come out in this play, saying it would be fun.

“Ha, what the…”

Rudrick was dumbfounded. He was dragged around all day today, and the one who ran around was him, but it was her who fell asleep as if tired of their trip.

Still, if you think about it, she has significantly lower stamina than him, but she has been able to walk around like that so far.

Rudrick couldn’t help it.

He smiled, just staring at Dahlia’s face unknowingly.

“Hmm…”

For a moment, Rudrick froze. It was because his shoulder felt warmth.

Rudrick just turned his eyes and looked at the leaves and saw Dahlia.

Dahlia, who had been sleeping on the sofa, turned over and rested her head on his shoulder.

Rudrick gently raised his hand and touched Dahlia. 

But deep asleep, she showed no signs of waking up.

So… he let it go.

‘The sound of the music from behind was calm, and I liked it, the regular sound of breathing felt in the cozy space wasn’t bad, and the warmth spreading from my shoulders oddly tickled my heart.’

He also ended up closing his eyes. Wishing that this peace would continue.

Although, I had to hear Dahlia say, ‘Did you sleep well?’ when she opened her eyes later. 

Rudrick only smiled, she seemed to be dreaming that she had fallen asleep against his shoulder.

But he didn’t hate the fact that her secret, which he only knew, didn’t bother Rudrick.

When we arrived at the plaza in a carriage, saying that she had a place to go for the last time, Rudrick was dumbfounded at the words that followed.

“Did you have fun?”

At those words, Rudrick felt strange.

It was too much to express this feeling only as ‘fun’.

It’s hard, embarrassing, and comfortable at the same time, and couldn’t I express this strange fluttering feeling in just one word?

But I’m sure it wasn’t bad. No, rather, I was secretly into it, I had to admit.

‘Every moment with Dahlia.’

Because I still think that I don’t want to be separated from her at this moment.

So, if I had to say this feeling, and I answered, “Yes.”

Rudrick looked at Dahlia and smiled softly, then added,

“It was fun.”

✿

“Why did you suddenly laugh like that?”

I looked blankly at the papers.

I didn’t think about anything that day. Furthermore, I just thought, ‘It must have been pretty good’ when I saw him smiling uncharacteristically.

But when I returned to my daily life, a long time passed. It’s something that pops up all of a sudden.

Perhaps it was because I didn’t expect a positive response from him, who was different from before.

Simply saying ‘just like that’ would have sufficed, but my conscience was pricked, and felt refreshed because he laughed as if he was truly happy.

And I, who couldn’t concentrate on the documents again today, rested my chin on my hand while and am lost in thought. I spit it out on impulse.

“Shall I take him somewhere else next time?”

Seeing him who liked the busy street of the plaza, I thought that would be fine too.

I heard that the lake a little far from the capital was so pretty. Or should we go boating, which was popular among nobles these days? There was also a villa that my family bought recently, and we could enjoy a vacation there.

But my delusion didn’t last long, because of the news I was waiting for to make all my bland feelings disappear.