Ta-da-dak. With a light thud of kicking a puddle, the drenched collie came running down the ramp, tail wagging.
Woof, woof!
The collie, running around, his fur sticking together, looked like a sullen old man.
A rainy riverside with the entire sky covered with clouds.
He sees a charming girl with brown hair and olive eyes standing on the ramp. How long has she been standing there? The rain has miraculously thinned. The hem of her skirt, which she is holding with an old umbrella tilted, is already wet. In her other hand, she holds two umbrellas that are even more worn than the one she is holding.
Aaron couldn't take his eyes off her as he absentmindedly ran his hand through his drenched blonde hair and blinked slowly to clear the raindrops from his eyelashes.
“She's so impatient! Tsk!”
Ben looked back and clicked his tongue.
The whole sky is covered with clouds, but he doesn't know why it's so bright that tears come to his eyes. Has the gate of heaven opened? Will she smile warmly even when these bloody feet cross the threshold? Leila, facing the bloodshot walls, noticed that Aaron's chin was swollen and opened her lips.
“...Dad! Did you hit him? Did you hit him? Oh my god!”
A startled step came down the ramp. She seemed as if she was going to run, but she soon stopped because it was slippery and wet.
“You hit Aaron? Dad...!”
Ben looked at Leila with a dumbfounded expression as she cried out in pain.
“Yeah! I did it! This! I have to raise this girl!”
“Why, why! If you hit you like that... Aaron...!”
Leila's face looked as if she was about to cry. His heart, which had been empty like a hollow, immersed in danger, anxiety, and pain, was filled in an instant. Without even realizing it, his feet ran toward her.
Aaron ran up the ramp and hugged Leila.
“Leila.”
Leila, who was awkwardly hugging Aaron, who was soaking wet from head to toe, glanced at her father.
Ben scowled and hoisted Aaron's bundle onto his shoulder, muttering some nonsensical insults to Aaron, a Dubliner, such as "You Dubliner!"
Aaron cried and laughed in a hoarse voice.
“Mr. Ben is a respectable person.”
Leila, who was about to tearfully protest to Bendo, stopped her lips.
“What, what happened... Is dad angry...?”
The umbrella, which had been awkwardly held by her half-opened arms, soon stood round over Aaron's head. The rainwater that had slipped down the hole in the umbrella was hot. Leila, who had stopped struggling, felt the hot wetness on the back of her neck and grimaced as if she was about to cry. Then, when she heard her father's shout, tears welled up in her eyes.
“You bastard, pack your bags and follow me! I’ll throw you in the attic and watch you!”
'Uh?'
No matter how much she thought about it, it was a call to come home. And then she saw that her father was carrying Aaron's luggage. After staring blankly for a while, Leila met her father's eyes, looking at her over Aaron's shoulder, and smiled.
'Really?'
She blinked once more, worried that she wouldn’t be able to see well because of the rain. But Ben had already turned his head away. Leila put this embarrassing situation out of her mind for a moment and hugged Aaron’s hot, soaking body tightly.
“Why are you crying?”
“I’m so embarrassed... I’m crying.”
“Aaron.”
“It was so bright that it brought tears to my eyes.”
Leila swallowed her tears at the sincerity that came to her intermittently.
“Don't cry.”
A very common phrase. She hopes that the truth that cannot be hidden will bring comfort to the wounded person.
“Because you cry... I cry too.”
Leila looked dumbfounded at the fact that Ben had already guessed her relationship with Aaron. Ben pounded his chest in frustration at his pitiful daughter's lack of awareness.
“The clothes he’s wearing are mine, you filthy bastard! If you’re going to deceive me, don’t show it!”
“Oh, I’m sorry...”
Only then did Aaron apologize and try to take off his clothes in a hurry, but he didn't get a good answer.
“You bastard! You’re trying to seduce someone by revealing your upper body in my house! You damn bastard! You’re so skinny that you can’t even eat, so I'll feed you meat! I’ll go get a calf!”
Ben went out, grumbling. Aaron, who was peeking out the door to check his mood, and Leila, who was peeking out right below him and looking at the same place, met eyes. Without knowing who would be the first, they burst out laughing.
Aaron became a guest in Leila's house without even having time to wonder if he was okay. Ben gave him an attic with a steep roof that felt very narrow. He looked at Leila, who was complaining about water dripping from the ceiling, and gave her a pitiful look, saying, "If you don't want to get rained on, fix the roof yourself!" before leaving.
Although Ben was a quiet man whose thoughts were hard to understand, Aaron was able to read his expressions to some extent.
Even though he knew Leila's feelings for him, he was definitely not a man who would be swayed by pity enough to let him into his house because he felt sorry for him. The fact that his eyes, which usually watched him, did not hide his wariness and will to observe was proof.
But Aaron was grateful for even the bare minimum of tolerance. He quietly went to find Ben and thanked him, but Ben didn't even snort. Well, even if he has a daughter like Leila, he wouldn't want to see a sane guy rushing at her.
The rain kept pouring down. It is said that it is good to take a break from herding cattle during the rainy season. As a result, Aaron, Leila, and Ben were all trapped in the same house.
Ben tried to keep Aaron in his sight at all times. Perhaps he was worried that Aaron and Leila might get into trouble, so Aaron silently followed his request and never left his field of vision.
“I will do whatever you ask me to do.”
Instead, Aaron treated Ben with sincere gratitude every day. He volunteered to do chores and even fixed his broken doorknob by carving a nice piece of wood. When he was told to clean up the cow pens, he got up without a second thought and spent the whole day there. Feeling sorry for him, who was being treated like a servant, Leila brought him food in a hurry.
He would often hover around Aaron like a chick, rubbing his shoulders or nagging him, and instead of feeling relieved, he thought he was going crazy.
Aaron was somewhat conscious of Ben and kept his distance from Leila, maintaining a polite attitude. But his daughter, whom he was grateful for just staying still, followed him around like a cicada clinging to an old tree, so he couldn't get angry at Aaron. Anyone would say that his daughter was the bigger problem. Oh my! Oh my!
Finally, after about five days, Ben stopped his silent protest.
“You studied medicine?”
It wasn't surprising that this maggot-like thing was educated, but the fact that he had obtained a formal degree seemed a bit impressive to Ben as well.
“Yes. It’s not that great.”
He was so unlucky that he was even humble! But he didn't hate the fact that he was being bowed down. Over the past few days, Ben had been realizing little by little that it was very easy to take advantage of Aaron.
“Can’t you even see a sick calf?”
“...I did take care of some horses when I was in the military.”
“There’s a guy who’s quite shabby. Come and take a look.”
Most of these were somewhat unfamiliar demands to Aaron, but he silently tried his best.
And then this happened too.
“Well, yeah. Even when I was in the military, there were a lot of really shitty superiors.”
“May I ask what your position is?”
“You speak first.”
“I am a lieutenant.”
“This kid! You're sitting there joking again! You're the original rank!”
Aaron laughed awkwardly at Ben's scream, his face reddening.
“My original rank was lieutenant. I lost my military number, so I can’t prove it.”
“At your age?!”
“...It is true that it is a rapid promotion.”
“Dublin is rotten! A fool like you is a lieutenant, for fuck’s sake.”
“I’m also curious about Mr. Ben’s story.”
Ben, who had been flinching, turned red and blue in the face.
“Don’t pay attention to me!”
Aaron didn't ask any more questions because he didn't want to tell him his rank until the end. Later, he heard from Leila that he was a corporal. Aaron also knew that soldiers are sensitive about ranks, regardless of whether they are active or retired, so he pretended not to know. He even tried to joke around a little.
“Captain, I will work hard tomorrow too.”
“What kind of captain are you! Get out, man! Don’t talk to me!”
Leila smiled brightly every day as she watched Ben and Aaron grow closer. The small house was a paradise for Aaron, happiness for Leila, and a sigh for Ben.
The rain stopped for the first time in almost two weeks.
"You punk."
Ben confirmed that the sky had cleared and called Aaron first.
Aaron was carving a block of wood again today, as usual. He was going to sell it to Walter. Ben, who had been staring at his scarred hands for a long time, nodded.
“Follow me. We’re going downtown.”
When you go into the city, you will see a lot of Ramrocks. He knew that there were a lot of soldiers walking around. He had gone to find Walter out of necessity, but it was safer to avoid it as much as possible. However, Aaron, who did not want to refuse Ben's request, followed him on the condition that he borrow his hat.
Ben clicked his tongue at him, who was wearing his hat pulled down low, and grumbled, "What are you trying to hide when all I can see is your face?"
That's when Leila followed.
“Wait a minute! Dad, Aaron! It’s been a while since I’ve gone. I’ll go with you. I’ll go check out the market too!”
Ah, she's pretty. Aaron looked at Leila's luscious lips and was hit on the back of his head by Ben. 'This brat!' Aaron had nothing to say and laughed and approached Leila. She was a head and a half shorter than he, so he had to bend down to get on eye level with her.
“Leila, here, it’s messed up like this. Can you fix it?”
"...Yes."
“It smells like tangerines.”
“The tangerines that Auntie Mia gave you are on the table. Didn’t you eat them?”
“I haven’t seen it.”
“Let’s eat it together later.”
“Is that so?”
Aaron bent his knees slightly and bent his waist as he fixed Leila's thin autumn coat, which had become disheveled due to her hasty running.
Suddenly, he thought, he wished Leila had a little warmer coat. He doesn't want to dress her up like the women of Eastern Rock, but he wants to give her better clothes, better food, a better house, and a more affluent life.
A rainy riverside with the entire sky covered with clouds.
He sees a charming girl with brown hair and olive eyes standing on the ramp. How long has she been standing there? The rain has miraculously thinned. The hem of her skirt, which she is holding with an old umbrella tilted, is already wet. In her other hand, she holds two umbrellas that are even more worn than the one she is holding.
Aaron couldn't take his eyes off her as he absentmindedly ran his hand through his drenched blonde hair and blinked slowly to clear the raindrops from his eyelashes.
“She's so impatient! Tsk!”
Ben looked back and clicked his tongue.
The whole sky is covered with clouds, but he doesn't know why it's so bright that tears come to his eyes. Has the gate of heaven opened? Will she smile warmly even when these bloody feet cross the threshold? Leila, facing the bloodshot walls, noticed that Aaron's chin was swollen and opened her lips.
“...Dad! Did you hit him? Did you hit him? Oh my god!”
A startled step came down the ramp. She seemed as if she was going to run, but she soon stopped because it was slippery and wet.
“You hit Aaron? Dad...!”
Ben looked at Leila with a dumbfounded expression as she cried out in pain.
“Yeah! I did it! This! I have to raise this girl!”
“Why, why! If you hit you like that... Aaron...!”
Leila's face looked as if she was about to cry. His heart, which had been empty like a hollow, immersed in danger, anxiety, and pain, was filled in an instant. Without even realizing it, his feet ran toward her.
Aaron ran up the ramp and hugged Leila.
“Leila.”
Leila, who was awkwardly hugging Aaron, who was soaking wet from head to toe, glanced at her father.
Ben scowled and hoisted Aaron's bundle onto his shoulder, muttering some nonsensical insults to Aaron, a Dubliner, such as "You Dubliner!"
Aaron cried and laughed in a hoarse voice.
“Mr. Ben is a respectable person.”
Leila, who was about to tearfully protest to Bendo, stopped her lips.
“What, what happened... Is dad angry...?”
The umbrella, which had been awkwardly held by her half-opened arms, soon stood round over Aaron's head. The rainwater that had slipped down the hole in the umbrella was hot. Leila, who had stopped struggling, felt the hot wetness on the back of her neck and grimaced as if she was about to cry. Then, when she heard her father's shout, tears welled up in her eyes.
“You bastard, pack your bags and follow me! I’ll throw you in the attic and watch you!”
'Uh?'
No matter how much she thought about it, it was a call to come home. And then she saw that her father was carrying Aaron's luggage. After staring blankly for a while, Leila met her father's eyes, looking at her over Aaron's shoulder, and smiled.
'Really?'
She blinked once more, worried that she wouldn’t be able to see well because of the rain. But Ben had already turned his head away. Leila put this embarrassing situation out of her mind for a moment and hugged Aaron’s hot, soaking body tightly.
“Why are you crying?”
“I’m so embarrassed... I’m crying.”
“Aaron.”
“It was so bright that it brought tears to my eyes.”
Leila swallowed her tears at the sincerity that came to her intermittently.
“Don't cry.”
A very common phrase. She hopes that the truth that cannot be hidden will bring comfort to the wounded person.
“Because you cry... I cry too.”
***
Leila looked dumbfounded at the fact that Ben had already guessed her relationship with Aaron. Ben pounded his chest in frustration at his pitiful daughter's lack of awareness.
“The clothes he’s wearing are mine, you filthy bastard! If you’re going to deceive me, don’t show it!”
“Oh, I’m sorry...”
Only then did Aaron apologize and try to take off his clothes in a hurry, but he didn't get a good answer.
“You bastard! You’re trying to seduce someone by revealing your upper body in my house! You damn bastard! You’re so skinny that you can’t even eat, so I'll feed you meat! I’ll go get a calf!”
Ben went out, grumbling. Aaron, who was peeking out the door to check his mood, and Leila, who was peeking out right below him and looking at the same place, met eyes. Without knowing who would be the first, they burst out laughing.
Aaron became a guest in Leila's house without even having time to wonder if he was okay. Ben gave him an attic with a steep roof that felt very narrow. He looked at Leila, who was complaining about water dripping from the ceiling, and gave her a pitiful look, saying, "If you don't want to get rained on, fix the roof yourself!" before leaving.
Although Ben was a quiet man whose thoughts were hard to understand, Aaron was able to read his expressions to some extent.
Even though he knew Leila's feelings for him, he was definitely not a man who would be swayed by pity enough to let him into his house because he felt sorry for him. The fact that his eyes, which usually watched him, did not hide his wariness and will to observe was proof.
But Aaron was grateful for even the bare minimum of tolerance. He quietly went to find Ben and thanked him, but Ben didn't even snort. Well, even if he has a daughter like Leila, he wouldn't want to see a sane guy rushing at her.
The rain kept pouring down. It is said that it is good to take a break from herding cattle during the rainy season. As a result, Aaron, Leila, and Ben were all trapped in the same house.
Ben tried to keep Aaron in his sight at all times. Perhaps he was worried that Aaron and Leila might get into trouble, so Aaron silently followed his request and never left his field of vision.
“I will do whatever you ask me to do.”
Instead, Aaron treated Ben with sincere gratitude every day. He volunteered to do chores and even fixed his broken doorknob by carving a nice piece of wood. When he was told to clean up the cow pens, he got up without a second thought and spent the whole day there. Feeling sorry for him, who was being treated like a servant, Leila brought him food in a hurry.
He would often hover around Aaron like a chick, rubbing his shoulders or nagging him, and instead of feeling relieved, he thought he was going crazy.
Aaron was somewhat conscious of Ben and kept his distance from Leila, maintaining a polite attitude. But his daughter, whom he was grateful for just staying still, followed him around like a cicada clinging to an old tree, so he couldn't get angry at Aaron. Anyone would say that his daughter was the bigger problem. Oh my! Oh my!
Finally, after about five days, Ben stopped his silent protest.
“You studied medicine?”
It wasn't surprising that this maggot-like thing was educated, but the fact that he had obtained a formal degree seemed a bit impressive to Ben as well.
“Yes. It’s not that great.”
He was so unlucky that he was even humble! But he didn't hate the fact that he was being bowed down. Over the past few days, Ben had been realizing little by little that it was very easy to take advantage of Aaron.
“Can’t you even see a sick calf?”
“...I did take care of some horses when I was in the military.”
“There’s a guy who’s quite shabby. Come and take a look.”
Most of these were somewhat unfamiliar demands to Aaron, but he silently tried his best.
And then this happened too.
“Well, yeah. Even when I was in the military, there were a lot of really shitty superiors.”
“May I ask what your position is?”
“You speak first.”
“I am a lieutenant.”
“This kid! You're sitting there joking again! You're the original rank!”
Aaron laughed awkwardly at Ben's scream, his face reddening.
“My original rank was lieutenant. I lost my military number, so I can’t prove it.”
“At your age?!”
“...It is true that it is a rapid promotion.”
“Dublin is rotten! A fool like you is a lieutenant, for fuck’s sake.”
“I’m also curious about Mr. Ben’s story.”
Ben, who had been flinching, turned red and blue in the face.
“Don’t pay attention to me!”
Aaron didn't ask any more questions because he didn't want to tell him his rank until the end. Later, he heard from Leila that he was a corporal. Aaron also knew that soldiers are sensitive about ranks, regardless of whether they are active or retired, so he pretended not to know. He even tried to joke around a little.
“Captain, I will work hard tomorrow too.”
“What kind of captain are you! Get out, man! Don’t talk to me!”
Leila smiled brightly every day as she watched Ben and Aaron grow closer. The small house was a paradise for Aaron, happiness for Leila, and a sigh for Ben.
***
The rain stopped for the first time in almost two weeks.
"You punk."
Ben confirmed that the sky had cleared and called Aaron first.
Aaron was carving a block of wood again today, as usual. He was going to sell it to Walter. Ben, who had been staring at his scarred hands for a long time, nodded.
“Follow me. We’re going downtown.”
When you go into the city, you will see a lot of Ramrocks. He knew that there were a lot of soldiers walking around. He had gone to find Walter out of necessity, but it was safer to avoid it as much as possible. However, Aaron, who did not want to refuse Ben's request, followed him on the condition that he borrow his hat.
Ben clicked his tongue at him, who was wearing his hat pulled down low, and grumbled, "What are you trying to hide when all I can see is your face?"
That's when Leila followed.
“Wait a minute! Dad, Aaron! It’s been a while since I’ve gone. I’ll go with you. I’ll go check out the market too!”
Ah, she's pretty. Aaron looked at Leila's luscious lips and was hit on the back of his head by Ben. 'This brat!' Aaron had nothing to say and laughed and approached Leila. She was a head and a half shorter than he, so he had to bend down to get on eye level with her.
“Leila, here, it’s messed up like this. Can you fix it?”
"...Yes."
“It smells like tangerines.”
“The tangerines that Auntie Mia gave you are on the table. Didn’t you eat them?”
“I haven’t seen it.”
“Let’s eat it together later.”
“Is that so?”
Aaron bent his knees slightly and bent his waist as he fixed Leila's thin autumn coat, which had become disheveled due to her hasty running.
Suddenly, he thought, he wished Leila had a little warmer coat. He doesn't want to dress her up like the women of Eastern Rock, but he wants to give her better clothes, better food, a better house, and a more affluent life.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment