Silver Lining

New Day

"Who made you cry?"

The young master's reddish-brown eyes were intense with rare anger, yet his touch was gentle as he tenderly rubbed the tear marks from her cheek with his thumb.

The lady could barely control the heat rising to her face as she tried to explain, words caught in her throat.

Before she could respond, a voice came from behind her.

"It's just us."

Choi Jung Soo's voice carried a steady calmness as he stood up from his seat.

Cale's gaze flicked toward the source of the voice.

He saw two people he recognized very well.

A man who bore a strong resemblance to his guardian knight, Choi Han, and a little boy around On's age with silky white hair and red-carnelian eyes, standing on the seat with an annoyingly knowing smile on his young face.

These were Cale's Hyung-nims, whom he had sent messages to: Choi Jung Soo and Lee Soo Hyuk, now known as Sui Khan.

Receiving their gaze, the lady felt as if she had been caught in the act of something inappropriate, and her face reddened even further.

She brushed away Cale's hand lightly, stepping back to put some distance between them.

Raisa looked away, taking a moment to calm her heated face.

In her flustered state, she did not notice the way Cale's hand lingered in the air for a moment, before he awkwardly retracted it.

His eyes darted back to the two men who now had wide smiles plastered on their faces, clearly amused by the scene they had just witnessed.

"Are you here this late?"

Cale asked, his voice carrying a tone of weariness.

Choi Jung Soo answered with a sigh as he looked at the boy.

"Someone was just being impatient."

"Hehe."

Sui Khan smiled innocently.

Both Choi Jung Soo and Cale held their foreheads, feeling the onset of headaches.

Despite the tension, they all moved to sit at the table together.

Cale's eyes remained on the lady, who was now silently sipping her drink.

Raisa looked away, avoiding his gaze.

The young master couldn't shake his concern.

Finally, he turned his attention to the two men.

"How come you made Yeon Hwa cry so hard until her eyes reddened?"

His tone was calm but carried a hint of accusation.

Raisa immediately turned to him, her silver eyes filled with woeful indignation.

"...It's not their fault."

Her voice sounded pitiful as she defended them.

As the lady, still emotionally vulnerable, spoke, her eyes grew teary again.

Tears slid down her cheeks one by one, pitifully.

Cale's heart ached at the sight.

He moved to her side and hugged her gently, patting her back.

His voice was soft but carried a rare note of panic.

"That's right. That's right. It's not their fault. It's no one's fault. Stop crying, Yeon Hwa, please."