I Faked Amnesia to Break off My Engagement,But My Fiance won't let me!!

17. For the First Time, You...

"What is that?"

One day, I was strolling around the city with my maid, Selma, after finishing my errands. I was trembling with a piece of paper in my hand.

"'My Only Prince'... will be on stage?!"

Yes, that paper contained an advertisement regarding a live action for my favorite novel. Moreover, the leading actor seemed to be popular and good-looking. In short, he was perfect for my Mitchell.

There was no way I could miss that. Upon hurrying home, I desperately appealed to my father. "I read the novel in my room the other day, and it was really entertaining. I want to see all the performance!"

In the end, I managed to get my hands on a tickets for the three days of the performance.

The ticket was for two. I invited Jamie during our tea party. She agreed to go with me on the first and second days. However, it seemed that she already had plans during the final day, thus she couldn't accompany me.

I couldn't thank her enough for her kindness. After all, she agreed to accompany me for two days even though she wasn't interested in the performance.

I couldn't afford to invite anyone else. In the first place, I only had a few friends.

Then, Jamie nonchalantly said to me, "You should go with Philip."

"B, but that would surely be strange..."

"Really? I'm sure he'd be happy. For the time being, you should just invite him."

"..."

...Would Philip really be pleased? Wasn't that performance intended for females? Wouldn't he find it annoying?

However, in the end, I had no one else to invite. After contemplating for a while, I decided to invite him in person.

***

"Uh, Phil..."

"What is it?"

"Next weekend in the afternoon, are you free?"

"I have no plans for now."

A few days later. I was invited to the Duke of Laurenson's residence. While enjoying a cup of tea with Philip in the garden under the blue sky, I immediately decided to invite him to the performance.

"If you'd like, uh..."

"What?"

"Why don't we go see a stage play together?"

I felt embarrassed, and said so while lowering my head. Even after a minute had passed, there was no reaction from him.

I was anxious and raised my face—as a result, I was surprised.

The teacup on Philip's right hand was tilted, and the tea was pouring on his clothes.

For some reason, Philip was frozen. When I hurriedly called out and handed him a handkerchief, he finally regained herself.

"...I'm sorry, but what if your handkerchief gets dirty?"

"No, you can use it. Afterwards, feel free to throw it away. I don't need it, anyway."

Indeed, what I had handed to him just now was a failed prototype which I had embroidered during the flower festival. I gave the best result to Philip. I was hesitant to throw the rest away, so I kept them in my bag just in case.

"..."

Philip spread the failed handkerchief, saw what could also be perceived as an earthworm, and widened his eyes in astonishment. Then, he pulled out a beautiful handkerchief from his own chest. At a glance, I could tell that the handkerchief was high-class.

For some reason, he cherished that failure and put it in his breast pocket. Afterwards, he began to wipe the tea stain with that beautiful handkerchief—

—what on earth are you doing?

"Uh, Phil...? Aren't you using the wrong handkerchief?"

"I'm not."

"But that's garbage..."

"It isn't garbage."

Against him who stated it so firmly, I felt that it was useless to argue anymore. I prayed again that the maid would err and ruin it during laundry.

Philip stared at me before he opened his mouth hesitatingly.

"...Are you truly inviting me?"

"Yes."

He then covered his mouth with his right hand. His cheeks and ears, which could be seen through the gaps, were very red for some reason.

"...I'm happy."

"Eh?"

"I'm happy, because it's my first time to be invited by you."

He looked truly happy when he said so. I was surprised.

...As I thought, it doesn't seem like acting.

"But, I don't know if Phil would enjoy it..."

"As long as Viola is with me, I can enjoy anything."

"Is that so?"

Anyway, I was relieved that he'd go with me. Rex was out of the question. He laughed at my favorite novel. Still, I did hope Philip would enjoy it.

"What kind of stage play is it?"

"It's an adaptation of a novel called 'My Only Prince'..."

"Do you like the novel?"

"Yes, I amassed the entire series in my room. It's fun to read."

"...The past you also liked that novel."

Philip repeatedly muttered, 'My Only Prince'—if you kept repeating it like that, I'd be embarrassed, please stop.

While deciding the time he'd pick me up, it became that we would be sharing a meal together afterwards. Somehow, it felt like a date.

"Viola."

"Yes?"

"Thank you for inviting me. I look forward to it."

With those words, Philip eyes gently narrowed and he laughed so beautifully, I couldn't help but admire him.

As always, whenever my heart saw him like that, it raced.

***T/N: YESS!!! ME LOVE SOME BONDING MOMENT!!! I'd be lying if I say i wasn't expecting for the scene where Phil got jealous of viola's husbando