I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend

‘I was trying to organize my mind.’

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Later, I heard from my parents, but since the Duke came to the capital, he planned to take the Duchess up to the North with him right away.

 

However, the Duchess was tougher than expected.

 

If the Duke had finally brought his mistress into their house, the Duchess would endure that she would never return.

 

And if there’s no mistress in the Duke’s house, the Duke said he’d be in trouble without the Duchess to manage the estate.

 

So the two talked for a few days and found a compromise.

 

I don’t know what happened to his lover, but seeing that the Duchess also decided to go back, it seemed that the Duke eventually took a step back.

 

‘Yeah, she’ll come back later.’

 

I felt sorry for the Duchess walking back into hell, but there’s no way I could do anything about it.

 

The Duchess began preparing to return to the North before winter deepened.

 

When winter begins in earnest, it snows a lot in the North, making it difficult to leave the road.
It was for that reason that the Duke couldn’t be seen lately.

 

Meanwhile, Rudrick’s birthday arrived, and they probably decided to return after Rudrick’s birthday.

 

And Rudrick must have already known all of that.

 

‘But I don’t think they’ll be leaving this soon… ‘

 

No, maybe I didn’t even know, I was guessing.

 

What Rudrick said while looking down the capital from the mountaintop, or Rudrick’s attitude that became strange after the Duke came.

 

There was a good hint to notice, and I vaguely guessed parting with Rudrick.

 

But I kept pretending not to know because I also didn’t want to part with Rudrick.

 

‘I guess I’ve grown attached to you, a lot.’

 

At first, I just wanted to be a proper friend.
Before I knew it, Rudrick and I seemed to have gotten used to each other a lot.

 

 

‘Still, we would have to part ways one day.’

 

Even if it wasn’t because of the Duke, the misfortunes given to Rudrick in the original were endless.

 

Later, when the war breaks out.
By then, he would be away for at least five years apart.

 

So it’s too early to get nervous about this separation.

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It’s not that we won’t be able to see each other for the rest of our lives because we parted ways, and according to the original story, Dahlia continued to be friends with him after Rudrick returned.

 

‘We could still meet.’

 

At that, I made up my mind again.

 

And before Rudrick leaves, I put together a list of things to say, things I wanted to tell him, and things to convey.

 

But I didn’t expect it.

 

That we won’t be able to see each other until the day before Rudrick leaves.

 

‘Are you leaving without meeting me like this?’

 

Of course, I knew that now the Duke Bouser was more troublesome than ever before.
Because the Duke and Duchess, no, the Duke of Bouser was in such a blast.

 

Still, I thought that we would be able to meet as soon as we separated like that…

 

As the day I could count on Rudrick’s departure drew near, I became even more anxious.

 

I was so anxious that I even stayed up all night, I would sleep all night with my eyes open with just a pillow over my face.

 

But soon after, the opportunity came.

 

The Duchess of Bouser had sent us an invitation to meet before she left.

 

It was just the day before Rudrick left.

 

“Winter’s over.”

 

My mother, who met the Duchess Bouser after so long, held her hand regretfully.
My mother also didn’t want to show it, but it seems that she was reluctant to part with the Duchess.

 

“That’s what happened.”

 

The Duchess smiled faintly.

 

The two held hands and talked about things like ‘Come back after winter‘ and ‘I’ll be waiting for you anytime‘.

 

It was certainly a heartwarming sight, but I was preoccupied with something else.

 

It was because I couldn’t find the person I was looking for.

 

‘Why is he not here?’

 

Noticing as I kept snooping around the Duchess, she said with an apologetic smile.

 

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“What should I do? Rudrick’s a little…”

 

I read the hidden meaning of the Duchess’ unfinished words.

 

‘Rudrick was originally going to come, but eventually couldn’t.’

 

When I visited the Duke of Bouser, I didn’t hear about Rudrick’s departure, so Rudrick would still be in the mansion.

 

And as long as the Duchess gave a troubled smile, she would have hidden it right before we came.

 

And it was obvious why she acted that way.

 

Upon quickly grasping the situation, I smiled bravely at the Duchess.
Then immediately turned back and ran then shouted.

 

“I’ll be back!”

 

Today was our last meeting.

 

 

✿

 

 

There was only one place I could think of while looking for Rudrick.

 

‘Behind the Duke Castle.’

 

Rudrick’s secret place, with a hollow tree.

 

When I just started visiting the Duke’s mansion, it was a secret place of his own that Rudrick showed me.

 

I don’t know how Rudrick, who doesn’t come down to the capital a few times, found a place like this.

 

However, he said that if I went into an open tree and crouched down, my mind would calm down.

 

The hole in the tree was so small that only a small child could fit in, but I, too, had tried it once at the recommendation of Rudrick.

 

The inside of the hole was humid but strangely comfortable.

 

That’s when I realized.
Rudrick would come here when he wants to be alone, and be here all alone.

 

And now that time has passed, Rudrick’s still there.

 

“Rud.”

 

I bent down and looked into the hole.

 

Again, Rudrick was curling up inside the tree hole.

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He was crouching, bending his small body, hugging both knees to the fullest, and burying his face in between.

 

Rudrick’s shoulders flinched at my call.

 

Still, he didn’t raise his head.
The more obstinately I looked, the more stubbornly he bowed his head, as if turning away from me.

 

“…Go.”

 

If I left him, he’s really going to cry.

 

But Rudrick’s voice sounded hoarse that I sat down next to him instead of answering.

 

I came to find Rudrick to say goodbye properly, but when I sat in front of him, I didn’t know what to say anymore.

 

After hesitating for a while, I finally decided to talk as usual.

 

“We were supposed to go to the top of the mountain together.”

 

“…”

 

“And we decided to go to the sea again, to go fishing in the pond, and make a snowman together in the winter, and finally, Rudrick promised to dress up as a girl for me one more time.”

 

“…I didn’t make such a promise.”

 

“You finally said it.”

 

I smiled at Rudrick, who shut his mouth again, I rested my chin over my knees and spoke softly.

 

“To be honest, I was embarrassed when I heard you were leaving.
It hasn’t been long since we met.
Then suddenly like this…”

 

“…”

 

“Do you remember when we first met?”

 

  

I could feel Rudrick’s gaze at my sudden words.

 

“I thought I was going to be your enemy then.
I greeted first to look good, but I made a mistake and called out on you.”

 

“…”

 

“Be honest with me.
My first impression wasn’t that good, was it?”

 

“Oh, no…”

 

With a timid mumbled, I glanced sideways toward Rudrick.

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Then Rudrick, who was looking at me, was startled and bowed his head again.
I pretended not to know and pulled my hands back again.

 

“Anyway, it seems that things haven’t worked out since then.”

 

“…”

 

“You’re so timid, I was so considerate of you, and kept coming back and made you anxious.
Then I got burned, played around, fall from the horse, and now even sudden farewell news.”

 

There was silence for a moment.
I said with a smile.

 

“But still, if I hadn’t made you cry at that time, I wonder if we could have gotten this close so quickly.”

 

“…”

 

“I got to know you more because I was nosy.
We were able to reconcile because I got burned, and we got closer by playing around, and I knew a good place before I fell off the horse, and also… Because I was able to congratulate you on your birthday safely before you left.
”

 

“…”

 

“Looking back, the results weren’t necessarily bad, right?”

 

I paused for a moment.
There were so many things I wanted to say until I came here.

 

From the top, telling Rudrick to not be too sad, to the playful pinching that if he cried like that, he’s eyes would swell and turn into a carp.

 

I thought about what to say to make the ending perfect and how to say goodbye…

 

In the end, the words that came out of my mouth were obvious and obvious.

In the end, what came out of my mouth was obvious.

 

“Let’s write letters often.”

 

“…”

 

“We’ll be able to meet again.”

 

“…”

 

“And… again…” I smiled awkwardly and spoke to my heart’s content.

 

“It was nice meeting you.”

 

Hoping that my heart would reach him.

 

“Thank you for being my friend.”

 

I smiled brightly.