I died and was reborn into an Otome game!? (Hiatus)

Before Ball - Age 11

Jayne and Abraham have been friends for a year now, oftentimes Jayne would go to the stables and see him and Abraham would sneak out into the lake to see her. At this stage of the game, Jayne was tasked as one of the laundry maids, having to take clothes and wash it in the lake. She still wanted to work hard, she still needed to get the role of the personal maid.

Jayne has formulated a plan, it was perfect. The main character of the game, Octavia, has the choice between five suitable bachelors to choose from. Jayne had decided who would be Octavia's choice, that, of course, would be Abraham. Jayne would fulfil the role as the 'childhood best friend' and when she was chosen the be Octavia's personal maid, she would get close to her and just *nudge* her in the right direction, the two would fall in love, get married, and with Abraham as a duke, he would surely treat Jayne right and buy her a comfortable home for her to live in for the rest of her life. It was foolproof.

Jayne knew that Abraham was a softie. He was kind, sweet and caring by nature. That's why he suddenly asked her to be his friend, that's why he always snuck in a bread roll for them to share every time he went to visit, that's why he always helped her with the laundry.

Jayne was the only other person in the castle who was the same age as him, so naturally, he would want to be friends with her, usually, people would have to be at least 15 to be employed at the castle, but Abraham's guardian worked here and Jayne's parents needed the extra money, so there were exceptions made for them to also work here prematurely. Some may call it child labour, Jayne calls it an opportunistic event.

They were now currently at the stables, brushing horses, "Jayne?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you sing for me?"

Jayne stopped brushing her horse, "why?"

Abraham's face flustered that his question was questioned, "Well, uh, I kinda like it? It calms me."

"Are you not calm right now?" She further questioned

Abraham's face turned even more red than it was before, "I, uh, I." It was impossible for him to form a coherent sentence.

Jayne sighed at his meek nature, " You know you're just so cute, like a bunny rabbit."

"I am not a bunny rabbit." His voice cracked, causing him to blush more and causing Jayne to laugh.

"Hey- Hey! It's not funny!" He pushed his foot into the ground, "I am not a bunny rabbit!"

"You're right, you are a boy, not a bunny rabbit, but you are cute like one."

Abraham turned to hide his face, Jayne laughed.

He shot his head at her "Don't laugh at me! I am a man."

"Oh yeah? And who told you that?"

"Mr Morton." Abraham adopted the last name of his guardian, not knowing what his original last name was.

"Well, what does he say that qualifies you as a man."

"I work, I have a job, children don't have jobs." He held his chest up high.

"That's not all that qualifies a boy to turn into a man."

His chest deflated, "It doesn't?"

Jayne stepped away from the horse and towards him, "A man must have courage, and be a gentleman and to know how to love." She decided to plant some seeds into his brain that would hopefully sprout later in life.

"Know how to love?" He tilted his head like a puppy.

"Yes Abraham, how to love, one day, you will meet a wonderful woman or man I don't judge, but one day you'll meet a wonderful person, and, as a man, it is your duty to protect them and cherish them, I mean, you're going to spend the rest of your life with them, of course, you're going to have to love them. And that's what a man does."

"It is?"

"Yes, boys are stupid, they hurt the ones who care for them. Men are brave, they stand up for what they believe in, let that be love or any other belief."

Jayne hoped that her words spoke to him. And they did. She went back to brushing the horse, whilst Abraham was deep in thought about something he didn't truly understand