Lovers

39

One of the Many Reasons I Like You

Riegel frowned and took out a handkerchief. He meticulously wiped my face with it. Then he wiped my hands and clothes before handing the handkerchief to a nearby guard.

“Dispose of this.”

As I watched the guard nod slightly and move towards the trash can to discard the handkerchief, I barely held back from saying, “You could just wash it.” Right, who am I to comment on how he disposes of his own handkerchief?

“Is it so surprising that my family is curious about you?”

“No.”

“Well, your family over there doesn’t even know of my existence.”

Why does he have to phrase it like that again? You must have had a twisted mouth in your past life.

As I was opening and closing my mouth, unable to rebut Riegel’s words, he properly adjusted my clothes. While he was pretending to be hurt even though he wasn’t, it somehow stimulated my guilt again, so I took another sip of coffee, when—

“Still, if we get married, those people—”

Pffft—

This time, I ended up dirtying Riegel too. Riegel’s eyebrows twitched.

“Ah, sorry.”

I apologized while coughing. My nose hurts. I think the coffee went up my nose. As I kept touching my nose, Riegel clicked his tongue. When Riegel held out his hand, the guard placed his handkerchief in Riegel’s hand as if it were natural.

Handkerchief? Was there anyone in our line of work who carried such a floral handkerchief? Surprised by the appearance of such an ill-fitting item, I stared at the bodyguard from SAAD, who replied gruffly when he caught my gaze.

“My wife prepares it for me every morning.”

“Ah, you must have a good relationship.”

I said that because I had nothing else to say, and a faint smile appeared on the face of the man who had been as expressionless as a human weapon. I could tell that he truly loved his wife.

After Riegel meticulously wiped himself and me, he returned the handkerchief to the man, saying,

“This one too.”

Hey! That’s the handkerchief his loving wife prepared for him!

I grabbed Riegel in surprise, but Kouri quickly took the handkerchief and threw it away. Is this loyalty? He discarded his beloved wife’s item without any change in his expression.

What the— Kouri smirked when he saw my dumbfounded face. That look seemed to say, “How innocent and foolish,” which made me even more bewildered.

As I glanced uncomfortably at the trash can, Riegel laughed.

“You’re making such a fuss over a handkerchief.”

At Riegel’s words, Kouri spoke with a face trying to hold back laughter.

“The handkerchiefs my wife bought probably cost about 1,400 leed for ten. And the compensation Mr. Riegel will give to my wife will be a single card.”

No, that makes even less sense. You’re going to settle it with just a card saying “I’m sorry”? You’re not even going to write it yourself? As I frowned, Kouri continued.

“I’m very happy thinking about my wife enjoying shopping with her friends using the unlimited black card. Thank you, Mr. Riegel.”

…Oh.

If that’s the case, Mrs. Kouri probably won’t be too upset about a handkerchief that’s worth less than a cup of coffee. Moreover, since she’ll be shopping, it seems like he’ll be buying her luxury goods or something.

When I glanced at Riegel, he shrugged.

“I don’t think Martina would scold me for throwing away a dirty handkerchief.”

“She would have disliked it more if you had brought back the dirty handkerchief to return it to Martina, which doesn’t suit you at all. My wife worries about Mr. Riegel even more than she worries about me.”

It was unexpected.

I thought Riegel would just be ordering the bodyguards around, but he had a bond with them. I had no idea the bond was strong enough for him to have interactions with the chief bodyguard’s wife. When I looked up at Riegel, he laughed as if in disbelief and pressed down on the brim of my hat.

“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s unpleasant.”

“How am I looking at you?”

“Like it’s too surprising that I know Martina.”

“Because it is too surprising?”

“Why is it surprising? Are all the rich people you know the kind who beat people to death with wads of cash?”

My mouth clamped shut. Well, isn’t that how it is in movies and dramas? Seeing my face, Riegel shook his head.

“The media ruins kids.”

“There are some rich people like that.”

Kouri looked at me with pitying eyes. It was more annoying that he was siding with me by saying “There are some rich people like that” with eyes full of sympathy. But the truth is, that was the only thing I could cling to, so I pointed at Kouri and said,

“There are rich people like that, right!”

“Are there no jerks among the poor? Rich people act like jerks with money, strong people act like jerks with strength, and those with nothing act like jerks by not giving a damn. Isn’t that the characteristic of jerks?”

Wow, damn, he’s right…

As I gaped, Riegel pulled me into his arms and ruffled my hair.

“You’re so naive. Don’t be fooled by the media. Rich people have personality problems? So people who aren’t rich are morally superior to the rich? So the morally excellent majority who aren’t rich should be model citizens who pay more taxes?”

Riegel spoke as he held my shoulder and walked towards the escalator going down to the first floor.

“Don’t fall for that kind of consolation.”

Riegel is only three years older than me. Even though I know this, his profile looked like that of an old man who had seen it all.

He let go of my shoulder in front of the escalator and took out his phone from his coat pocket.

“Yes, I saw them leave.”

He answered as soon as he picked up the phone. I couldn’t hear what the other person was saying, but I could guess the conversation to some extent just from Riegel’s words.

“Ah-ah. I see. Tell the head of security to request more manpower if needed. Yes, no problems with the tube side? Make sure to go live occasionally for publicity. That way they won’t dare. Put more pressure on Layer’s side. Yes, understood. Good work.”

But I couldn’t understand why Riegel was concerned about Layer. Why are you worried about Layer? It must have been written all over my face. Then Riegel put his phone in his pocket and said,

“Did you think I’d just sit back and watch someone who says they’re going to kill my fiancé?”

Saying he couldn’t be such a person of integrity, Riegel unwrapped the scarf around his neck and wrapped it around mine. Even though the limousine was surely right in front of the airport, he seemed to be wary of even a moment of cold. I felt like I went from twenty-eight to eight years old.

I glanced around, but the surrounding bodyguards seemed to take it in stride. But to me, these guys looked like they would readily hand over their guns even if Riegel said he was going to kill someone.

When did we get engaged…

It’s too difficult to deal with the consequences of saying such a thing. I don’t know what nonsensical thing Riegel might say to surprise me again.

As soon as we got into the limousine, Riegel took the scarf from my neck. Nakaban was already in the limousine. He was a silver-haired handsome man with silver-rimmed glasses that suited him well. In a good way, he looked intelligent, and in a bad way, he looked like the type who wouldn’t bleed even if you stabbed him.

“The request to talk with August Kuno has been accepted. However, the atmosphere is not very good. It seems their patience is reaching its limit.”

Nakaban handed Riegel a document holder. Riegel smiled cynically as he looked over the documents.

“What more can they do besides threaten?”

“The Chairman is very worried.”

“Tell him not to worry.”

“But—”

“I’ll handle it.”

Nakaban closed his mouth. The light of concern on his face. And the solid will that cast like an iron fortress on Riegel’s face. As I looked back and forth between their faces, I suddenly realized.

“Are you possibly being threatened by Canaris?”

I hadn’t thought of that direction at all. Of course, I had considered possibilities like Canaris being chummy with the Riegel family and receiving support, or the Riegel family being behind Canaris, but a threat?

At my words, Riegel’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“Why would I be threatened by such trivial fellows?”

His tone suggested it was an insult to his pride, and I found myself nodding without realizing it. It didn’t seem likely that Riegel would easily be threatened by Canaris. And Riegel had enough temper to put a bullet in their heads if Canaris tried to threaten him, and still have some left over. With his slightly crazy disposition and the fierce loyalty of those around him, he could do that kind of thing and more. After all, becoming a tycoon in Rotman means you’ve survived by doing things not much different from half the mafia.

But.

It still seems fishy. When I stared at Nakaban, he slightly lowered his gaze. Seeing Nakaban not wanting to make eye contact with me amplified my suspicions even more. I turned my gaze back to Riegel and stared at him blankly. After staring for a time that was a bit too long to just be looking at someone, Riegel finally spoke.

“Nothing happened to me.”

There was a subtle nuance in those words.

“Nothing happened to you?”

“Yes, but something happened to Father.”

Ah, so that’s why Nakaban just said that Chairman Riegel was worried about Riegel. I understood now. The subject of the threat was Chairman Riegel, that is, Riegel’s… ah, Riegel Cheonji. So, Sebastian’s father. Sebastian’s father, Michael Riegel, was threatened by Canaris, and because the father and brothers are too conspicuous, Sebastian, an unknown figure to the world, stepped in to negotiate on their behalf. It would be quite troublesome if it became known that he was meeting with Canaris. In fact, didn’t he have to deal with a security bureau agent approaching him because it became known to the security bureau that he was meeting with Canaris?

“I was going to ask what happened, but never mind. I won’t ask.”

I was going to suggest we not ask each other, as I had a strong feeling that if I asked this, I would have to spill everything too, but Sebastian seemed to have grasped my intention as soon as he saw my face. He opened his mouth before I could even finish saying let’s not talk about it.

“It’s about the crime of insurrection.”

“What, insurrection?”

Treason? As I opened my eyes wide, I could see Sebastian flinch. Looking at him, I shouted in disbelief.

“Tell those Canaris bastards to do it themselves!”

Where do they get off talking about insurrection? Those crazy bastards are asking for death, seriously.

At my words, Sebastian stared at me blankly for a moment before bursting into laughter. He seemed both incredulous and amused. Yet, strangely, his eyes seemed more like they were examining me rather than laughing.

Why are you laughing with such a weird face?

As I was feeling bewildered, Sebastian turned his head towards Nakaban, not me.

“Do you see why I like him?”

At his question, David Nakaban looked at me as if I were some kind of oddball and nodded.

“I think I understand a little…”