It soon became spring. With the yellow light of the sun shining down upon them, the days went by warmly.

There was a bit of wind blowing, but because they were were in the southern countryside, the nights were not much colder. Ashite propped her chin over her hand and stared blankly out the window. After coming here, even though seeing the same thing each day, she did not get sick of watching the outside scenery and continued to stare at it in awe.

She was strongly reminded of the ocean she had seen that afternoon. Even though the setting of the sun caused everything to be shadowed in darkness, although she couldn’t see it, she knew shards of light were bouncing off the waves. Just thinking about it made it seem like they were present in her view. The sound of it also echoed. The sound of the waves was real. The waves crashed onto the shore as if it would swallow everything in its path, then retreated gently as if it was nothing at all. The repetitive sound of its movement in and out of the sandy beach made it easy to empty her mind and close her eyes. In the day time, the crystal clear waters of the emerald sea stole the attention of the observer, but at night, it was different. Ashite’s eyes closed softly. Her head drooped. This time, she placed her chin over her two arms.

She had been waiting for someone. But she didn’t feel anxious or nervous about it. She just felt relaxed and enjoyed the sound of the waves as she waited. For a long time, she leaned against the comfy sofa. She didn’t even wonder how much time had passed.

Then, she soon heard footsteps. From the 1st floor, the long strides of proper yet hurried steps were climbing up the steps one by one until they reached the 3rd floor. When the outside noises seemed to lessen, the footsteps seemed to have already entered the hallway. It was the farthest room in the back. Again the heavy footsteps walked her way properly.

Then there was a knock at the door. She had come to like the sound of this particular knock.

“Ashite.”

Even though two months had passed since their wedding, he still called her inside with care. As if catering to a special guest. Is this how it always will be, or will it disappear once a year or two pass by?

“Yes. Please come inside.”

Of course, Ashite knew the answer. She got up.

“No.”

The sound of the door was heard practically the same time.

“You may stay there comfortably.”

Ashite smiled. Not for any particular reason other than she liked the way his low voice filled the room.

Lu Havre was standing in front of her soon and lowered his upper body. She must have been out in the wind for a while because her cheeks were red and a bit cold. Lu Havre placed his hands over her cheeks.

“Have you been well?”

They spent the morning together, ate together, and had only spent a couple of hours of the day apart. But still, it felt like she was meeting a person she had not seen for a long time. Ashite answered.

“Yes. Today, I walked around the city and visited Cline.”

Herezde city was one thing, but she went to Cline almost every day. She must really like the beach very much. Well, it isn’t called famous for no reason. Of course, to him, that was all it was. But to this woman. This time, Lu Havre kissed her warm cheek. If she enjoyed it, then that was enough for him.

“I see.”

He said as he sat next to her. The sofa sank under his weight, then inflated again.

“Ashite, I am sorry I left you alone this afternoon.”

His words crept up on her silently as he did in her heart.

“All the time.”

The entire week she had been here, this was the first time she had received an apology. But he had felt guilty about it from the beginning.

Ashite opened her eyes wide.

“Oh no, it’s alright. Lu Havre.”

To be more exact, it was the first time she had heard him apologize in all the time she had known him. He had always been so sweet to her that he never had anything to apologize for, and even if he had done something wrong, he was in a position where it didn’t warrant him to utter such words. Additionally, this was something she had chosen and had discussed together already.

“No.”

She was so surprised, she repeated herself. He realized how high Ashite’s voice got. His brows narrowed. She was about to apologize when.

Lu Havre shook his head. That’s alright. As he said this, he put her cheeks into his mouth. He bit it.

Ashite’s shoulders started to shake. It was not the same sort of trembling due to shyness and embarrassment. But under these bright lights, she felt his hot breath.

Ashite, instead, closed her eyes and whispered.

“I… Uh…Um, Lu Havre, while you were making your rounds―”

Her words kept coming out slowly. Ashite was barely able to continue. Lu Havre had already finished kissing her cheeks, and his breath was on her forehead.

“Even when you are this busy, uh… you spending time with me,”

Lu Havre laughed like he could melt away the wind.

“I’m grateful… Very happy… If I am to express how I feel….”

The yellow shining lamp light dripped onto the carpet floor. It lingered. His words, voice, and warm breath.

“I am, right now, so very, um… oh.”

Her last words sounded erotic even to her. But Ashite failed to open to eyes. Already, his breath was coming toward her. Then his lips soon found hers. They traveled farther down. On her small lips, his warm breath penetrated her.

As if swallowing, he kissed her lips. They had a lot of time. He felt relaxed. He swept back her always soft hair. His eyes curved happily.

“Ashite.”

His even deeper voice rang in her ear. Lu Havre hugged Ashite tightly.

“Will you tell me more specifically what you did today?”

This too had become a daily routine. Every night, they shared this conversation as they lay in their bed. Lu Havre would ask if Ashite had a good day, and Ashite, would, in turn, calmy yet excitedly tell him without hiding any of her emotions. Soon, Ashite buried into his embrace and whispered her love, then asked how his day was. After their peaceful dialogue ended, they turned off the lights and left their body to revel in the soft and cushy bed. A night where they shared their breath and warmth…

The only difference today was that this conversation was not happening in the bed and instead was on the sofa.

“Um…. After you left, I rested a bit…, then wrote a letter to Yuhansam.”

But that was the only thing that was different. The touch of his hand sweeping down her back, the closeness of his breath, and his warmth were the same.

“I see.”

And when Ashite spoke, the way Lu Havre would nod and add to it was the same also.

“Ashite, did you say you were going to send correspondence to the princess of Khan?”

“Yes, I’m done writing it and will send it soon.”

“Then, you may use the fastest messenger we have.”

Suddenly, Ashite thought he was joking. She was about to answer as she buried her face into his shoulder. She lifted her head up and turned to see his profile.

His sharp nose, and deep auburn eyes. They were calm.

Hm, this couldn’t be a joke. Ashite swallowed her laughter.

“That’s alright.”

He tried to swallow. The words seemed to waft with the scent of flowers, and a smile naturally spread across his face.

“Is that so? If you need it, you can do that.”

She said it wasn’t necessary, so he didn’t continue with the subject. He instead stroked her cheek and pushed her fluttering hair behind her ear.

“Because you are my queen.”

Again she laughed like the white and yellow light of a lamp, the laugh of a child. Lu Havre rubbed her ears softly.

Her body seemed to react to it immediately. Her shoulders trembled, and her lashes fluttered. Soon, a smile spread across his face.

“And another thing.”

“Um….”

Ashite tried to continue speaking as calmly as possible.

“I went to Cline…and at the ocean, put my feet….”

Of course, she wasn’t successful. Because he breathed into her ear, it felt electrifying. Ashite closed her eyes tightly.

“Yes. And how was it?”

Ashite wondered if he felt the same electricity that she was feeling. He must be feeling the same erotic things she was.

“It was refreshing… soft….”

The ends of her sentences naturally became slow. Mixing with her erratic breathing.

“And the sand… I got used to it after stepping on it for a while… There I….”

“Ashite.”

Lu Havre touched her frail shoulders.

“Did you perhaps dance?”

Dance. She opened her eyes immediately. Now that she thought about it, she had wanted to tell him this. Even in this heated atmosphere where her senses were becoming hazy, it made her suddenly snap back awake.

“Ah. Lu Havre.”

Her voice became more clear. Lu Havre looked at her. Ashite placed her hands on both his shoulders and smiled brightly. Her golden eyes, which were brighter than the lamp lights, sparkled as her cheeks grew red, and her lips curved upwards.

“Yes. I tried to dance once.”

It was the beach she had stepped onto every day for a week for several hours. Under the sunlight, her feet sank into the blinding white sand. Curiously, she felt a playful joy and didn’t notice the passing of time. Dipping her feet into the oncoming waves which wet the sand felt nice. But it was not as nice as the feel of the sand between her toes.

And finally, today, Ashite tried to make it so she wouldn’t sink deep into the sand. When her toes were about to hit the sand, she would switch to her other foot, then, again and again, she skipped. When she started to concentrate on her movements, the chambermaids and guards all stopped to watch.

It was not a perfect dance. All the while she danced. Under the sunlight, in the most beautiful sandy shores, she danced. It was a clear and vivid memory.

Lu Havre stroked the hair of the joyful child.

“I see.”

The more he saw the happy sides of her, he felt like his heart was wrapped in softness.

“Will you show it to me also? Ashite.”

A bit more comfortably, he asked her calmly. Ashite placed her hands over his smiling face.

“Yes. Of course.”

Then he placed his lips over the top of her hand.

“Ah, could you perhaps show me now?”

She must have been so proud of it. She had been holding it in all this time. It was not often he could see such a childish joy about her. Even if it had been something easy to see, he still thought it precious. And so, Lu Havre reflexively nodded.

Ashite got up from the sofa. She pranced over and stood on top of the carpet. It was a soft feeling. He didn’t sink into the sand or hear the crunching sounds beneath his feet, but upon dancing, he couldn’t help but imagine himself there. Soon with a deep breath he―

spun.

Neither thin nor short shift swallowed the light. Her clothes fluttered and drew an ivory-colored shadow. A golden aura seemed to be following in her footsteps. There was not a sound.

But the two of them were listening to a song.

Soon, Ashite reached out her hand. She followed the wind and gracefully headed in its direction. Like a cat, she took an agile step, then another. Her movements were not slow. Yet to Lu Havre, the time it took for her to reach him felt long. She twirled again, and the ivory circle filed his sight.

One step, two steps, three steps. When the ends of her toes touched the carpet, her other foot was already moving ahead. Without her heels touching the floor, she skipped joyously. It was not a slow walk. But it wasn’t necessarily fast. There was no sound, but she moved to the rhythm of the music playing in her ear — skip skip. At the center of the carpet, her ivory-colored dress blinked continuously.

It sounded like the pitter-pattering of the rain or the dancing scent of pink.

Lu Havre kept staring at Ashite. Ashite suddenly started to smile. Did she think of something good? He didn’t try to figure out the reason and instead just watched her.

“Lu Havre.”

She quickly took one or two steps toward him, but as usual, she was so light on her feet that her heels did not touch the floor.

She soon reached out her hand. Her small delicate hand.

“Will you dance with me?”

This dance was created thinking of you, and I wanted to show this dance to you.

And now I want to dance with you.

“Of course.”

It was a hand that was warm, strong, and dependable.

He had always spoke to her through his actions.

I, too, want to with you.

“Ashite. It will be my pleasure.”

Ashite held his hand tightly.

Lu Havre kissed her hand, then whispered. Even without such whisperings, she could feel his warmth. So Ashite smiled and whispered back.

Over and over again, as many times as it takes. If it is dancing with you, always.