Close Call [LCF Reacts to TBOH]

Chapter 1: Their Dream-Like Memory

The sun slowly rose from behind the horizon, casting a warm glow across the sky. The birds chirped happily, their songs filling the air with a joyful melody. The gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of blooming flowers and fresh dew, refreshing the senses and invigorating the soul. The leaves on the trees rustled softly, dancing in the breeze as if in celebration of the new day.

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"What a lovely start," Rosalyn hummed to herself, half wishing that things would stay that way despite knowing the inevitable.

+

The young boy with scarlet hair had just woken up to the greeting of a sunny day seeping through the blinds of his room. A grin slowly bloomed on his face as a sense of victory filled his body.

"Hehe, today I woke up first!" The three-year-old giggled in glee. However, much to his disappointment, the door opened soon after, breaking his grin into a pout as he heard his father's chuckle.

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'They looked so young,' the old servants at the Henituse duchy couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia as they gazed upon the younger faces of the previous Count and Countess.

The sight of the happy couple reminded them of how amiable the atmosphere used to be. However, despite how cozy it was for them to witness this back in the day, this scene served to hit them in the gut once again. Quite frankly, they did not wish to see more of these scenes, despite them supposedly being the easiest part of the whole viewing.

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"You actually woke up late, Cale," Deruth teased.

"Your mommy and daddy have been starving, waiting for you in the dining room." Jour's voice sounded like a bird chirping, which the boy happily copied in his response.

Jumping off his bed, little Cale ran toward his parents who welcomed his hug with open arms.

"Ahhh, no fair! I want to win!" Cale exclaimed.

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"Little young master Cale was so cute!" one of Lock's younger siblings chirped. Lock corrected her, reminding her that his name is now Kim Rok Soo.

"Oh, right, I mixed it up. Oops," she said, but that didn't change her opinion about the three-year-old being an adorable kid.

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"You would have if you didn't stay up so late trying to read those picture books," Deruth responded, tousling his son's hair teasingly, feeling rather amused at the boy's surprised look.

"Your books are still scattered around. I doubt the maids didn't tidy them up before your bedtime."

Deruth's reply made Cale glance back at his bed before then smiling sheepishly at his parents.

"Ehe...?"

+

The atmosphere of the room was warm and cozy, with some people even smiling fondly at the scene. This kind of sight was rare, especially among nobles.

Afterall, usually, after a certain age, children of nobles were raised by their servants. Even the most affectionate families didn't usually interact this closely with each other. So, truly, it was worth being jealous of if only they didn't remember what the future held for these people.

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Chuckling softly, Deruth picked him up while Jour asked their son, "Did you sleep well, Cale?" as they walked towards the dining room.