She's been alone with a lot of thoughts since early morning.
There was nothing special going on, but she went to the temple and glanced around, and there was no Ivan among the people. So she was worried that Ivan might not come today.
And the end of those thoughts always came down to the worry that something might have happened to Ivan.
“...I don’t think anything is wrong.”
Amelia bit her nails and paced around the bedroom, worried about Ivan. He was the first person she had met who had not been swayed by Aaron. He was a friend. So Amelia sincerely hoped that no trouble would come to him.
“Why didn’t you come last week?”
So it was only a friend that she was very happy that Ivan, whom she met today, showed no signs of suffering. But at the same time, a little resentment also arose.
“Last time, I waited here alone and then went back. I was so worried...”
Knowing how much I love you. Knowing how much I depend on you. How could I do it without saying a word?
“You were waiting for me?”
Ivan asked with a hint of resentment in his voice.
“Of course. You said you’d meet next week first.”
Amelia, who had been speaking honestly without thinking too deeply, stopped. It was because she felt that she was asking too much from someone who was neither her family nor her lover.
“I didn’t mean to blame you...”
Amelia trailed off, watching him closely. Ivan was completely free. He had even said that he would soon quit his apprenticeship and leave. Even so, he had taken the time to come see Amelia. Amelia had no right to force or restrain him.
“Yes. I promised.”
However, Ivan coolly acknowledged the promise he had made to Amelia. Amelia's attitude of not being able to finish her sentence while watching the situation was funny.
“Something happened.”
“Did something hurt somewhere?”
Ivan nodded to Amelia's question.
“It’s not that I was sick.”
“...”
“There’s something noisy going on.”
And with a smooth smile, he escaped Amelia's subtle questioning.
“Did things go well?”
“No, not yet.”
Ivan answered as he sat down. His voice was cold, but somehow it sounded cold. That was how it sounded to Amelia. Was there something bad that had happened? She was about to ask him out of concern. Amelia found a pocket or something like that tied to his waist through his robe.
“Still, I came here today to keep my promise.”
The round black eyes sparkled with curiosity. Ivan, who noticed the curiosity in Amelia’s eyes, put his hand on the pocket tied around his waist.
“Please forgive me.”
But he didn't untie the string. Amelia's gaze, which had been staring at the hand for a long time, moved from Ivan's hand to his face.
“If you say so, I will open it for you.”
The man set a condition with a calm and composed face. It was a condition that he could not refuse.
“I will do that.”
Amelia pretended to glance at Ivan for a moment before answering. She had never had any intention of resenting Ivan in the first place. To be completely honest, Amelia was afraid that he would get angry and not come back to her. She didn't want to upset him.
"What's this?"
At Amelia's question, Ivan sat down and removed the pouch from his clothes. He then opened his mouth, and a sweet smell began to spread faintly into the air.
"Caramel."
Amelia's eyes widened as she followed the invisible scent. This was because she did not understand Ivan's intention in suddenly offering her the caramel.
“Why is this?”
Amelia asked, staring blankly at the bag that had fallen into her palm. It was true that desserts were expensive, but they were not something Amelia had never tried before.
“The promise I made last time was to bring you some chicken skewers.”
But the moment Ivan answered right after, Amelia understood everything.
“Because I couldn’t get it.”
It meant an apology.
“Alcohol doesn’t smell if you just close the lid, but food was a bit more difficult.”
At the same time, it also meant interest. Not forgetting even a promise that was easily made, that's usually what is called interest.
“I know caramel isn’t that special to you, but please understand.”
Even as she listened to the excuse, her heart pounded. Amelia didn't even think about reaching for the caramel in her pocket and just stared blankly at Ivan.
“...You remembered that promise and brought this?”
Ivan nodded to Amelia's question, as if to say, "If not, why would I bring it?"
“I heard that desserts are expensive. Wasn’t it hard to get them?”
Amelia opened her mouth cautiously. Ivan didn’t answer for a moment. It was after some time that he shook his head, holding back his words as if he were pondering something.
It couldn't have been easy.
There was no answer. And what he showed was only a smile. But Amelia guessed so. It was said that it was not easy for commoners to eat three meals a day even when there was no famine.
"Thank you..."
Tears welled up in her eyes. The cloth bag lost its original shape and became wrinkled in Amelia's small hands. Amelia barely managed to express her gratitude in a tearful voice.
“This is the first time someone has apologized so much just to keep a promise with me.”
An indescribable emotion surged through her. Ivan stared silently at Amelia as she spoke incoherently. As if he had sensed that Amelia was someone who did not know how to respond to the emotions that were rushing through her.
“...”
As the silence continued, Amelia suddenly raised her head. Her green eyes, shining more transparently as they received light, met her black eyes directly. It was because no one was avoiding their gaze. It was the same even after a long period of suffocating silence.
At that moment, an idea occurred to Amelia.
Perhaps.
“Ivan.”
Amelia didn't hesitate. She just opened her mouth carefully. Ivan didn't answer. But his eyes, which slowly closed and opened at Amelia's call, answered instead. He was listening to Amelia's words.
“Of course, I know what I’m saying may sound strange.”
Amelia's lips trembled as she continued to speak. It was because she was nervous. Amelia fidgeted as if she had placed her hands in the air and didn't know what to do with them.
“...”
Then, when Ivan's gaze fell on her hand, she quickly grabbed it and pulled it down.
“Why did you still remember the promise you made to me?”
Ivan was silent, but Amelia assumed that he was waiting for her to finish speaking. Although she had not seen him for more than a few days, she did not think that Ivan was a good-natured young man who would listen to her nonsense.
“Actually, that’s true.”
“...”
“It was just a fleeting promise. Even if you had forgotten, I wouldn’t have scolded you. I wouldn’t have asked you to bring me chicken skewers or anything. If you hadn’t come last week, I would have understood if you had just said there were circumstances.”
Amelia stammered.
“Why did you bring caramel as an apology?”
But despite her dull-sounding tone, Amelia was becoming more and more confident in what she was saying as she continued to speak.
“You could have just ignored it. Even if you remembered, you could have pretended not to know. But why did you want to apologize to me when I didn’t even ask for it?”
Their eyes met, clinging to each other, begging for the answer she wanted.
"If."
“...”
"me..."
Amelia raised her hand, which was as trembling as the voice she was speaking. She carefully, but desperately, grasped the end of Ivan’s sleeve, like a child grasping at one of its parents’ fingers.
“You, what?”
Then Ivan spoke. The subtle silence flowing between them seemed uncomfortable. Or perhaps he was trying to avoid beating around the bush to tell her the answer he already knew. Amelia pursed her lips.
“There is one month left.”
Of course, it could be an illusion. It could be, but that's possible.
“Do you like me?”
But her foolish instincts told her otherwise. Amelia stared at Ivan, hoping that he would give her the answer she wanted.
“So you brought this?”
Her heart was pounding like crazy. Amelia clung to Ivan as if she were clinging to him. Then, she shook the sleeve of his robe that she was holding in her hand as if asking for an answer.
“Ivan.”
Ivan's eyes, which had been groping the air as if thinking of something, slowly rolled and stopped on Amelia's face.
“What about you?”
“...”
“Do you like me?”
Ivan asked. His eyes, seemingly impertinent and careful, scanned Amelia's face for traces of emotion. It felt as if time had stopped. Amelia swallowed.
Maybe this is her chance.
That thought occurred to her. The moment that thought took over her mind, Amelia didn’t stop her body from moving. The moment their lips touched, the pockets and such fell limply to the floor.
At the same time, Ivan's sleeve was wrinkled by Amelia's hand like a pouch containing caramel.
There was nothing special going on, but she went to the temple and glanced around, and there was no Ivan among the people. So she was worried that Ivan might not come today.
And the end of those thoughts always came down to the worry that something might have happened to Ivan.
“...I don’t think anything is wrong.”
Amelia bit her nails and paced around the bedroom, worried about Ivan. He was the first person she had met who had not been swayed by Aaron. He was a friend. So Amelia sincerely hoped that no trouble would come to him.
“Why didn’t you come last week?”
So it was only a friend that she was very happy that Ivan, whom she met today, showed no signs of suffering. But at the same time, a little resentment also arose.
“Last time, I waited here alone and then went back. I was so worried...”
Knowing how much I love you. Knowing how much I depend on you. How could I do it without saying a word?
“You were waiting for me?”
Ivan asked with a hint of resentment in his voice.
“Of course. You said you’d meet next week first.”
Amelia, who had been speaking honestly without thinking too deeply, stopped. It was because she felt that she was asking too much from someone who was neither her family nor her lover.
“I didn’t mean to blame you...”
Amelia trailed off, watching him closely. Ivan was completely free. He had even said that he would soon quit his apprenticeship and leave. Even so, he had taken the time to come see Amelia. Amelia had no right to force or restrain him.
“Yes. I promised.”
However, Ivan coolly acknowledged the promise he had made to Amelia. Amelia's attitude of not being able to finish her sentence while watching the situation was funny.
“Something happened.”
“Did something hurt somewhere?”
Ivan nodded to Amelia's question.
“It’s not that I was sick.”
“...”
“There’s something noisy going on.”
And with a smooth smile, he escaped Amelia's subtle questioning.
“Did things go well?”
“No, not yet.”
Ivan answered as he sat down. His voice was cold, but somehow it sounded cold. That was how it sounded to Amelia. Was there something bad that had happened? She was about to ask him out of concern. Amelia found a pocket or something like that tied to his waist through his robe.
“Still, I came here today to keep my promise.”
The round black eyes sparkled with curiosity. Ivan, who noticed the curiosity in Amelia’s eyes, put his hand on the pocket tied around his waist.
“Please forgive me.”
But he didn't untie the string. Amelia's gaze, which had been staring at the hand for a long time, moved from Ivan's hand to his face.
“If you say so, I will open it for you.”
The man set a condition with a calm and composed face. It was a condition that he could not refuse.
“I will do that.”
Amelia pretended to glance at Ivan for a moment before answering. She had never had any intention of resenting Ivan in the first place. To be completely honest, Amelia was afraid that he would get angry and not come back to her. She didn't want to upset him.
"What's this?"
At Amelia's question, Ivan sat down and removed the pouch from his clothes. He then opened his mouth, and a sweet smell began to spread faintly into the air.
"Caramel."
Amelia's eyes widened as she followed the invisible scent. This was because she did not understand Ivan's intention in suddenly offering her the caramel.
“Why is this?”
Amelia asked, staring blankly at the bag that had fallen into her palm. It was true that desserts were expensive, but they were not something Amelia had never tried before.
“The promise I made last time was to bring you some chicken skewers.”
But the moment Ivan answered right after, Amelia understood everything.
“Because I couldn’t get it.”
It meant an apology.
“Alcohol doesn’t smell if you just close the lid, but food was a bit more difficult.”
At the same time, it also meant interest. Not forgetting even a promise that was easily made, that's usually what is called interest.
“I know caramel isn’t that special to you, but please understand.”
Even as she listened to the excuse, her heart pounded. Amelia didn't even think about reaching for the caramel in her pocket and just stared blankly at Ivan.
“...You remembered that promise and brought this?”
Ivan nodded to Amelia's question, as if to say, "If not, why would I bring it?"
“I heard that desserts are expensive. Wasn’t it hard to get them?”
Amelia opened her mouth cautiously. Ivan didn’t answer for a moment. It was after some time that he shook his head, holding back his words as if he were pondering something.
It couldn't have been easy.
There was no answer. And what he showed was only a smile. But Amelia guessed so. It was said that it was not easy for commoners to eat three meals a day even when there was no famine.
"Thank you..."
Tears welled up in her eyes. The cloth bag lost its original shape and became wrinkled in Amelia's small hands. Amelia barely managed to express her gratitude in a tearful voice.
“This is the first time someone has apologized so much just to keep a promise with me.”
An indescribable emotion surged through her. Ivan stared silently at Amelia as she spoke incoherently. As if he had sensed that Amelia was someone who did not know how to respond to the emotions that were rushing through her.
“...”
As the silence continued, Amelia suddenly raised her head. Her green eyes, shining more transparently as they received light, met her black eyes directly. It was because no one was avoiding their gaze. It was the same even after a long period of suffocating silence.
At that moment, an idea occurred to Amelia.
Perhaps.
“Ivan.”
Amelia didn't hesitate. She just opened her mouth carefully. Ivan didn't answer. But his eyes, which slowly closed and opened at Amelia's call, answered instead. He was listening to Amelia's words.
“Of course, I know what I’m saying may sound strange.”
Amelia's lips trembled as she continued to speak. It was because she was nervous. Amelia fidgeted as if she had placed her hands in the air and didn't know what to do with them.
“...”
Then, when Ivan's gaze fell on her hand, she quickly grabbed it and pulled it down.
“Why did you still remember the promise you made to me?”
Ivan was silent, but Amelia assumed that he was waiting for her to finish speaking. Although she had not seen him for more than a few days, she did not think that Ivan was a good-natured young man who would listen to her nonsense.
“Actually, that’s true.”
“...”
“It was just a fleeting promise. Even if you had forgotten, I wouldn’t have scolded you. I wouldn’t have asked you to bring me chicken skewers or anything. If you hadn’t come last week, I would have understood if you had just said there were circumstances.”
Amelia stammered.
“Why did you bring caramel as an apology?”
But despite her dull-sounding tone, Amelia was becoming more and more confident in what she was saying as she continued to speak.
“You could have just ignored it. Even if you remembered, you could have pretended not to know. But why did you want to apologize to me when I didn’t even ask for it?”
Their eyes met, clinging to each other, begging for the answer she wanted.
"If."
“...”
"me..."
Amelia raised her hand, which was as trembling as the voice she was speaking. She carefully, but desperately, grasped the end of Ivan’s sleeve, like a child grasping at one of its parents’ fingers.
“You, what?”
Then Ivan spoke. The subtle silence flowing between them seemed uncomfortable. Or perhaps he was trying to avoid beating around the bush to tell her the answer he already knew. Amelia pursed her lips.
“There is one month left.”
Of course, it could be an illusion. It could be, but that's possible.
“Do you like me?”
But her foolish instincts told her otherwise. Amelia stared at Ivan, hoping that he would give her the answer she wanted.
“So you brought this?”
Her heart was pounding like crazy. Amelia clung to Ivan as if she were clinging to him. Then, she shook the sleeve of his robe that she was holding in her hand as if asking for an answer.
“Ivan.”
Ivan's eyes, which had been groping the air as if thinking of something, slowly rolled and stopped on Amelia's face.
“What about you?”
“...”
“Do you like me?”
Ivan asked. His eyes, seemingly impertinent and careful, scanned Amelia's face for traces of emotion. It felt as if time had stopped. Amelia swallowed.
Maybe this is her chance.
That thought occurred to her. The moment that thought took over her mind, Amelia didn’t stop her body from moving. The moment their lips touched, the pockets and such fell limply to the floor.
At the same time, Ivan's sleeve was wrinkled by Amelia's hand like a pouch containing caramel.
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