* * *
Now, he treated Ashton like a long-time childhood friend—like someone truly precious to him.
His attitude had shifted entirely.
“You should’ve called me if you wanted to go out. We could have come together.”
Ashton carefully pulled him close, wrapping an arm around his small frame.
He pressed a light kiss to Remy’s smooth forehead.
Their embrace carried the scent of flowers, mingling with the crisp autumn air as the wind carried it through the garden.
“Shall we walk together? Only if you’re up for it.”
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
Remy stepped out of Ashton’s arms, and Ashton extended a hand toward him.
Without hesitation, Remy placed his hand over Ashton’s, and together, they started walking.
For a while, they strolled in comfortable silence through the Wesley estate’s garden.
The scent of blooming flowers lingered around them, and the sunlight bathed their shoulders in warmth.
Framed by the autumn-colored landscape, the two of them looked like a painting brought to life.
“The Countess sent me a letter. She’s returning to the Wesley estate soon.”
“Yeah, Chandler mentioned it too. My mother will be coming home soon.”
“She must have been worried sick. How could she not be? Her only son was on the brink of life and death.”
“That’s true. I feel bad about it.”
After walking a few more steps, Ashton hesitated before speaking.
“Are you okay?”
“With what?”
“With the Countess coming back.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“If she raised you since childhood… wouldn’t she realize right away that you’re not really Remy?”
“Hmm…”
To be honest, that thought had crossed Remy’s mind before. If it were anyone else, they might not notice, but his mother—the woman who had given birth to and raised him—was sure to see through him.
And yet, for some reason, he had a feeling it would be okay.
He didn’t know why, but something told him that seeing her wouldn’t feel strange at all.
“Ashton,” he said, smiling softly as they walked along the garden path.
“Yeah?”
“I had a dream. Back when I was still unconscious.”
“What kind of dream?”
“A dream where I went back to Remy’s childhood. In the dream, I was a little kid—tiny, with small hands.”
Remy spoke with an almost dreamlike expression, as if he were slipping back into that memory.
“And in that dream, I met you. It was in a vast field of pampas grass, and for some reason, I was all alone. But then, you came to find me. You were just a kid too.”
Ashton furrowed his brows slightly, looking momentarily surprised, though he didn’t say anything.
He simply listened.
“We ran through the pampas field together. When I got tired, you carried me on your back. I held onto you as we crossed that field…”
Remy trailed off, then let out a shy laugh.
Watching him, Ashton finally chuckled, shaking his head.
“What were we talking about?”
“Hmm?”
“In the dream. What were we saying to each other?”
Remy tilted his head, as if in thought, then pouted playfully.
“Not telling. That’s something I’d rather keep to myself.”
Ashton let out a loud laugh at Remy’s cheeky response, and Remy, unable to hold back, laughed along with him.
He felt a little embarrassed—because the feelings he had for Ashton in that dream… he wasn’t quite ready to share them.
“Remy.”
“Yeah?”
“I didn’t… say anything weird to you, did I?”
“What do you mean?”
“Like… telling you that I liked you or something.”
“Huh?”
Caught off guard, Remy blinked at him in confusion.
“Why would you say that all of a sudden?”
“Just making sure.”
“So… you didn’t?”
“Well, I did tell you once before, didn’t I? That I liked you when we were kids.”
Remy stiffened, his mind going blank.
“Wait… that was just a joke, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah. Well, sort of.”
“…?”
“It was meant to tease you, so yeah, it was a joke. But it was also true. Back then, I really did like you.”
It was so unexpected that Remy didn’t even know how to react.
He simply stood there, frozen.
“…What the hell. Why would you bring that up now?”
“Why are you so surprised? It’s not like I just started liking you yesterday or today.”
“Could you not say that so casually with such a straight face?”
“Shouldn’t you be used to it by now?”
“No, you’re the weird one! How can you say something like that so nonchalantly?”
Remy huffed in frustration.
He had only just started acknowledging his feelings for Ashton, and they still felt unfamiliar and embarrassing.
Yet Ashton kept casually saying he liked him with that same calm expression, making Remy feel oddly cheated.
If only that guy looked even half as serious as he felt…
“Remy.”
“What.”
“I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
Ashton slowly started walking.
Remy was dying of curiosity about what he was going to say, but he followed him nonetheless.
“I read your last journal entry.”
“……!”
Remy had completely forgotten about it.
That cringeworthy journal he had written, thinking he would never return to this world.
“A-Are you insane?! Why the hell did you read that? Are you out of your mind?!”
“What are you talking about? You literally left me a letter asking me to read it.”
“…….”
“Chandler gave it to me. He said it was something I absolutely needed to see.”
“Damn it…”
For once, Chandler’s unnecessary loyalty felt like a curse.
“So… what. What about it? Now that you’ve read it, what do you want me to do? Are you planning to tease me about it forever? Go ahead! I’m not even embarrassed! Not at all!”
Remy, who was clearly burning with embarrassment, bluffed with all his might.
In truth, he was so mortified that he wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.
Just what the hell had his past self written in that journal?
The more he thought about it, the more unbearable it became.
Even in the cool weather, his face was burning up.
“Remy.”
Ashton reached out, gently touching Remy’s flushed face.
Their steps came to a stop, and they faced each other.
Under the warm sunlight, Ashton gazed at Remy with an even warmer smile.
“I was really happy. Reading the last words you left for me.”
Remy felt like his heart had stopped.
He had expected Ashton to tease him and gloat, but instead, seeing that serious expression on his face made Remy feel like he was losing his mind.
“That’s why I decided—I had to tell you today.”
With that, Ashton slowly knelt down on one knee.
Remy, too stunned to speak, watched as Ashton reached into his coat and pulled out a small box.
Then, he opened it.
Inside the navy velvet-lined box was a ring.
A beautiful one, set with a large green gemstone that gleamed as brilliantly as Remy’s own eyes.
“Remy. Will you marry me?”
And just like that, Ashton proposed.
“My feelings for you have grown too big for us to remain just childhood friends. I want to be your one and only Alpha now. As your mate—one that no other Alpha could ever dare to covet.”
In that moment, Remy couldn’t hold back the overwhelming emotions surging within him.
Tears welled up and began to fall, glistening like jewels in the bright sunlight.
Ashton watched those tears sparkle and softly spoke one last time.
“Will you accept me, Remy?”
Without hesitation, Remy nodded and threw himself into Ashton’s arms.
Ashton stood up and held him close as Remy sniffled into his shoulder.
Beneath the golden sunlight, their hearts burned as hot as the sun itself.
* * *
Aww