STABLE BOY ; Trash of the Count's Family

29. HAIRPIN

"That's nice. Now never use the old one for your hair ever again."

South was very conflicted. Cale bought him a simple silver tassel hair pin— it was as simple as they could find, but it was still rather fancy. The ends curled into the shape of wings, a single red decorative gem holding the top together.

The red gemstone was in the shape of a teardrop, and the red colour darkened into pitch black at the center. That caught South's eye most of all. It was pretty, but at least it wasn't too extravagant.

Coachman Leon grimaced at South's old one— he'd used it for everything at this point, writing on the ground, cleaning out horse hooves, killing people. He honestly couldn't believe South stuck it in his hair after all of that.

"But it's the most convenient way to hold it," South pouted. "Putting it in my hair keeps my hands free."

"I'll get you a workbelt, okay? Then you can put it beside your dagger."

"Okay, seonbae..."

"Sheesh, your long, scruffy hair is just like all the horses," Leon ruffled his hair, "but you just somehow always manage to put it up like how the girls do. I don't know if you're a wild child or surprisingly cultured."

South whined when his hair was messed up against his will.

"Oh, the Young Master's done."

South turned to see Cale had come out of the building, placing a box into South's hand before climbing up into the carriage.

"Done," Cale muttered, "now return to the mansion, I'm done with detours."

South couldn't help but feel so amused. Cale was so annoyed at being coerced into buying his siblings their presents, but he still took the time to choose with a lot of care.

"Yes, Young Master," South passed the fountain pen back to Cale so he could keep it inside the carriage instead.

He turned, and bumped into someone.

He stumbled, but kept his balance— "sorry!"

The other man also apologized, "so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going—" he wore a hood over his ash blonde hair, and he picked up something. "This is yours, yes? It fell off just now."

The hairpin.

South took it quickly, "yes, sir, thank you very much," he held it and bowed. This man didn't look like a noble, but he still had to be polite.

The man just acknowledged it and went away. "Be careful now."

South shrugged that encounter off mildly. To think he'd be so unfocused as to bump into someone... no, maybe that guy wasn't looking. Why would someone walk so close to a Henituse carriage, anyways?

...better not to think too hard about it.

"Hey."

South jumped.

The carriage door was still open, and Cale's gaze was locked on that guy— no, he was already gone, vanished into the crowd.

But Cale's voice was serious and cold. And nervous.

Like he recognized the guy and that guy was not supposed to be here.

"Come inside the carriage," he said. "You look ready to fall asleep, I'd rather not have the coachman deal with you."

"Ah— yes, Young Master," South dismissed the fearful feeling and obeyed. He turned to the coachman, who gave him a thumbs up. "Then seonbae, I'll leave it to you."

South climbed into the carriage as well.

He sat down, and as the carriage began moving, he looked at the hairpin in his hands.

Odd.

His hair had never come apart so easily before. He wound it up in a bun properly, in a way that he's always done since his past life. It was always just reliable enough to be easy to take out, yet stayed firm while he worked and exercised.

So how...?

...did that guy really bump into South so hard?