.png)
Heiner's face was turned away from the moon, making it difficult to see his expression. For some reason, Annette's legs gave out as soon as she heard his voice.
Heiner firmly grasped Annette's unsteady arms and steadied her. Once she was more or less balanced, he led her to shore.
Annette stood on the sand and looked up at Heiner cautiously.
His face, illuminated by moonlight, was shadowed by the bridge of his high nose. His features were pale and beautiful, like a perfectly sculpted statue.
His jaw tightened as he met Annette's gaze. His gray eyes sank, as if they were sinking. Annette muttered.
“You’re late. I thought you’d come to catch me earlier.”
“Put on your shoes and pack your bags. Now.”
Heiner ordered with a completely hardened face. She nodded slightly, then started to walk away before pausing. A pain belatedly crept into her foot.
Blood was seeping out, as if she'd stepped on something. Annette debated whether to ask for her shoes. It was a seemingly trivial request, but she found it difficult to bring it up.
Heiner, who was looking at the scene, sighed somewhat nervously.
“Stand there.”
Heiner walked over to the luggage and picked up the shoes and a paper bag. Annette absentmindedly took the bag that was thrust out in front of her.
The next moment, her body jerked. Annette let out a short scream and grabbed his coat. Heiner held her hip and under her knee with one hand.
“I’ll walk...!”
Annette cried out in panic, but he didn't respond. The hem of her dress, soaked with seawater, soaked even Heiner's clothes.
“It’s not that I can’t walk. Heiner, let me down.”
No matter how many times Annette spoke, he didn't even pretend to listen. Eventually, she gave up and relaxed.
Heiner quickly left the beach, holding Annette in one hand and her shoes in the other. The cold sea breeze slowly dried the moisture from her skin.
Heiner arrived at a nearby hotel. Even when they reached the hotel entrance, Heiner didn't seem to have any intention of letting her out. Annette twisted her body slightly, trying to escape.
“Now, please let me down. I’ll put on my shoes...”
“Stay still.”
He cut Annette off in a gloomy voice.
Heiner's mood seemed extremely low. Annette looked at his neck, where the veins were faintly visible, and wondered.
'Are you angry because I ran away...? Why?'
She hadn't expected him to be angry. She figured Heiner would just have his attendants arrest her immediately, give her a few warnings, and then throw her in her room.
'This time I might end up in a mental hospital.'
While Annette calmly anticipated the future, Heiner strode into the hotel.
As they came under the bright lights, Annette buried her face in his chest, afraid that someone might recognize her.
Heiner's characteristic heavy body odor intensified. Annette remained still, her nose buried in his embrace. She could feel his body stiffening faintly.
Heiner might not like it, but he had no choice. He was the one who had initially refused the request to get off. If he didn't want to be so close, he could have just let her go.
But Heiner only hardened his lips slightly and did not let her down.
Heiner, who had received a key to a vacant room at the front desk, boarded the elevator. They didn't exchange any words until they reached their room.
As soon as Heiner entered the room, he tossed her shoes aside. He also snatched the paper bag Annette was holding and tossed it down. Her handbag, which had been placed inside the bag, was half-swept out.
Heiner frowned when he saw the black handbag.
“Why did you leave it on the sandy beach? What if someone steals it?”
“...That’s right.”
She hadn't thought of it. It seemed stupid, but it really happened. Annette had never once considered that someone could "steal" her things.
Stealing from others was a deeply uncivilized and vulgar act. She never even imagined such an act. She had no need for anything, so there was no need to steal.
Annette also always had attendants with her. Naturally, they guarded her luggage. This wasn't something she had to worry about.
While Annette was in shock and a new realization, Heiner carried her to the bathroom.
He pushed the tin bathtub against the wall and lowered Annette into it. Annette leaned against the wall, her injured foot slightly raised.
“...I’ll do the washing.”
At those words, Heiner stared blankly at her face for a moment. Then he turned and left the bathroom, leaving the door open.
Annette hesitated for a moment, then lifted her skirt and washed only her legs and feet.
Seeing as he left the door open, she figured he meant to do so. And since there was no hot water, taking a bath seemed like a challenge.
The blood, clinging to the sand, washed away in the water. The wound was deeper than she'd expected. As soon as she saw it, the pain she'd forgotten returned. Annette forced herself to look away from the wound.
From the outside entrance, Heiner could be heard talking to someone. It seemed to be his attendant. Annette quickly wiped the moisture off with a towel.
When she left the bathroom, Heiner had already turned on the kerosene stove and spread out the first aid kit. He motioned for her to come and sit down.
As Annette sat cautiously on the bed, Heiner examined the wound on her foot with a silent expression. His hand wrapped around her foot felt unusually large and warm.
Annette found this situation too embarrassing to bear.
Even though they were a couple, they had never properly touched each other's bodies. It was only her feet, but it was still embarrassing.
Heiner's face was still hard. The series of actions—cleaning the wound, applying medicine, and wrapping the bandage—seemed familiar, like an old habit.
Heiner said in a cold tone, tying a knot in the bandage.
“What on earth are you thinking?”
“...”
“Was it really that important to come to a place like this and have to turn away from your attendants?”
“...”
“Why? Did you make an appointment to meet with Ansgar Stetter here?”
Heiner knelt on the floor, looking up at her with angry eyes. But the hand holding her small foot was completely powerless.
“...It’s just this.”
Annette opened her mouth quietly.
“That’s right. It’s just this much.”
Their clashing gazes sent small ripples through the air. Annette tilted her head.
"I thought, 'Why do I need your permission to come to a place like this?'"
"Permission and all, have you forgotten that you're the Commander-in-Chief's wife? Are you in your right mind to wander around without an attendant?"
“That’s why I said I wanted a divorce. I didn’t want to be the Commander-in-Chief’s wife anymore.”
“So, this was meant as a protest to get a divorce?”
“Not necessarily. I just wanted to see the ocean...”
Heiner let out a sigh of relief and placed her feet on the floor.
“Well, it doesn’t seem like you just came to see.”
“...”
“Were you thinking of swimming in the sea tonight?”
"That...!"
Annette opened her mouth without thinking, but couldn't think of a suitable answer. She eventually closed her mouth again.
Annette wasn't quite sure why she'd done it. She wasn't necessarily planning to drown herself in it. But was she planning to live? ... She's not sure about that either.
“...I just wanted to dip my legs in.”
Annette, who had been pondering the matter, simply answered. She felt no need to explain to him her current feelings, her state of mind, or her distracted thoughts.
Heiner raised one corner of his mouth with an expression of inexplicable disgust.
“I guess so.”
He spoke slowly, as if trying to convince himself.
“You’re afraid of a lot of things. You’re afraid of the dark, you’re afraid of heights... you’re afraid of water.”
Annette stared at him silently. Heiner's words were half right and half wrong.
She still had many fears, but the examples Heiner mentioned were from the past.
Annette no longer feared the dark. She now preferred darkness to light, where no one could see her.
She was no longer afraid of heights. Judging by the fact that she had entered the water without much hesitation earlier, she guessed she had lost her fear of water, too.
What Annette was afraid of now was of a slightly different kind.
"You're afraid of everything that seems trivial... but you don't even worry about what might happen to you when you don't have an escort. I always hated you when you did that."
“...”
“That naive, foolish thought—you can’t even imagine that someone might steal your stuff.”
“...”
"The world has changed, but you remain the same. It's so annoying, you haven't changed at all. You're still the same disgusting woman you were back then."
Heiner finished his speech, chewing and spitting out each word. Even after pouring it out, his expression showed no signs of relief.
"This must be a very old feeling," Annette thought absently. Her heart ached as if it had been torn apart, but her mind remained calm, as if it were broken.
Annette thought back to herself. How long had his hatred been going on? When, exactly, had it begun? Was it from the moment they first met? Or was it before they even knew each other existed?
“...Heiner.”
And what the hell.
“You must have found me funny.”
What on earth was he thinking when he saw my love?
Heiner firmly grasped Annette's unsteady arms and steadied her. Once she was more or less balanced, he led her to shore.
Annette stood on the sand and looked up at Heiner cautiously.
His face, illuminated by moonlight, was shadowed by the bridge of his high nose. His features were pale and beautiful, like a perfectly sculpted statue.
His jaw tightened as he met Annette's gaze. His gray eyes sank, as if they were sinking. Annette muttered.
“You’re late. I thought you’d come to catch me earlier.”
“Put on your shoes and pack your bags. Now.”
Heiner ordered with a completely hardened face. She nodded slightly, then started to walk away before pausing. A pain belatedly crept into her foot.
Blood was seeping out, as if she'd stepped on something. Annette debated whether to ask for her shoes. It was a seemingly trivial request, but she found it difficult to bring it up.
Heiner, who was looking at the scene, sighed somewhat nervously.
“Stand there.”
Heiner walked over to the luggage and picked up the shoes and a paper bag. Annette absentmindedly took the bag that was thrust out in front of her.
The next moment, her body jerked. Annette let out a short scream and grabbed his coat. Heiner held her hip and under her knee with one hand.
“I’ll walk...!”
Annette cried out in panic, but he didn't respond. The hem of her dress, soaked with seawater, soaked even Heiner's clothes.
“It’s not that I can’t walk. Heiner, let me down.”
No matter how many times Annette spoke, he didn't even pretend to listen. Eventually, she gave up and relaxed.
Heiner quickly left the beach, holding Annette in one hand and her shoes in the other. The cold sea breeze slowly dried the moisture from her skin.
Heiner arrived at a nearby hotel. Even when they reached the hotel entrance, Heiner didn't seem to have any intention of letting her out. Annette twisted her body slightly, trying to escape.
“Now, please let me down. I’ll put on my shoes...”
“Stay still.”
He cut Annette off in a gloomy voice.
Heiner's mood seemed extremely low. Annette looked at his neck, where the veins were faintly visible, and wondered.
'Are you angry because I ran away...? Why?'
She hadn't expected him to be angry. She figured Heiner would just have his attendants arrest her immediately, give her a few warnings, and then throw her in her room.
'This time I might end up in a mental hospital.'
While Annette calmly anticipated the future, Heiner strode into the hotel.
As they came under the bright lights, Annette buried her face in his chest, afraid that someone might recognize her.
Heiner's characteristic heavy body odor intensified. Annette remained still, her nose buried in his embrace. She could feel his body stiffening faintly.
Heiner might not like it, but he had no choice. He was the one who had initially refused the request to get off. If he didn't want to be so close, he could have just let her go.
But Heiner only hardened his lips slightly and did not let her down.
Heiner, who had received a key to a vacant room at the front desk, boarded the elevator. They didn't exchange any words until they reached their room.
As soon as Heiner entered the room, he tossed her shoes aside. He also snatched the paper bag Annette was holding and tossed it down. Her handbag, which had been placed inside the bag, was half-swept out.
Heiner frowned when he saw the black handbag.
“Why did you leave it on the sandy beach? What if someone steals it?”
“...That’s right.”
She hadn't thought of it. It seemed stupid, but it really happened. Annette had never once considered that someone could "steal" her things.
Stealing from others was a deeply uncivilized and vulgar act. She never even imagined such an act. She had no need for anything, so there was no need to steal.
Annette also always had attendants with her. Naturally, they guarded her luggage. This wasn't something she had to worry about.
While Annette was in shock and a new realization, Heiner carried her to the bathroom.
He pushed the tin bathtub against the wall and lowered Annette into it. Annette leaned against the wall, her injured foot slightly raised.
“...I’ll do the washing.”
At those words, Heiner stared blankly at her face for a moment. Then he turned and left the bathroom, leaving the door open.
Annette hesitated for a moment, then lifted her skirt and washed only her legs and feet.
Seeing as he left the door open, she figured he meant to do so. And since there was no hot water, taking a bath seemed like a challenge.
The blood, clinging to the sand, washed away in the water. The wound was deeper than she'd expected. As soon as she saw it, the pain she'd forgotten returned. Annette forced herself to look away from the wound.
From the outside entrance, Heiner could be heard talking to someone. It seemed to be his attendant. Annette quickly wiped the moisture off with a towel.
When she left the bathroom, Heiner had already turned on the kerosene stove and spread out the first aid kit. He motioned for her to come and sit down.
As Annette sat cautiously on the bed, Heiner examined the wound on her foot with a silent expression. His hand wrapped around her foot felt unusually large and warm.
Annette found this situation too embarrassing to bear.
Even though they were a couple, they had never properly touched each other's bodies. It was only her feet, but it was still embarrassing.
Heiner's face was still hard. The series of actions—cleaning the wound, applying medicine, and wrapping the bandage—seemed familiar, like an old habit.
Heiner said in a cold tone, tying a knot in the bandage.
“What on earth are you thinking?”
“...”
“Was it really that important to come to a place like this and have to turn away from your attendants?”
“...”
“Why? Did you make an appointment to meet with Ansgar Stetter here?”
Heiner knelt on the floor, looking up at her with angry eyes. But the hand holding her small foot was completely powerless.
“...It’s just this.”
Annette opened her mouth quietly.
“That’s right. It’s just this much.”
Their clashing gazes sent small ripples through the air. Annette tilted her head.
"I thought, 'Why do I need your permission to come to a place like this?'"
"Permission and all, have you forgotten that you're the Commander-in-Chief's wife? Are you in your right mind to wander around without an attendant?"
“That’s why I said I wanted a divorce. I didn’t want to be the Commander-in-Chief’s wife anymore.”
“So, this was meant as a protest to get a divorce?”
“Not necessarily. I just wanted to see the ocean...”
Heiner let out a sigh of relief and placed her feet on the floor.
“Well, it doesn’t seem like you just came to see.”
“...”
“Were you thinking of swimming in the sea tonight?”
"That...!"
Annette opened her mouth without thinking, but couldn't think of a suitable answer. She eventually closed her mouth again.
Annette wasn't quite sure why she'd done it. She wasn't necessarily planning to drown herself in it. But was she planning to live? ... She's not sure about that either.
“...I just wanted to dip my legs in.”
Annette, who had been pondering the matter, simply answered. She felt no need to explain to him her current feelings, her state of mind, or her distracted thoughts.
Heiner raised one corner of his mouth with an expression of inexplicable disgust.
“I guess so.”
He spoke slowly, as if trying to convince himself.
“You’re afraid of a lot of things. You’re afraid of the dark, you’re afraid of heights... you’re afraid of water.”
Annette stared at him silently. Heiner's words were half right and half wrong.
She still had many fears, but the examples Heiner mentioned were from the past.
Annette no longer feared the dark. She now preferred darkness to light, where no one could see her.
She was no longer afraid of heights. Judging by the fact that she had entered the water without much hesitation earlier, she guessed she had lost her fear of water, too.
What Annette was afraid of now was of a slightly different kind.
"You're afraid of everything that seems trivial... but you don't even worry about what might happen to you when you don't have an escort. I always hated you when you did that."
“...”
“That naive, foolish thought—you can’t even imagine that someone might steal your stuff.”
“...”
"The world has changed, but you remain the same. It's so annoying, you haven't changed at all. You're still the same disgusting woman you were back then."
Heiner finished his speech, chewing and spitting out each word. Even after pouring it out, his expression showed no signs of relief.
"This must be a very old feeling," Annette thought absently. Her heart ached as if it had been torn apart, but her mind remained calm, as if it were broken.
Annette thought back to herself. How long had his hatred been going on? When, exactly, had it begun? Was it from the moment they first met? Or was it before they even knew each other existed?
“...Heiner.”
And what the hell.
“You must have found me funny.”
What on earth was he thinking when he saw my love?
Comments
Post a Comment