Today’s walk was scheduled for around sunset, so she decided to close her eyes for a moment until then.

That’s when it happened. She felt a sudden, burning pain surge in her chest.

Even without looking, she knew.

The second petal was blooming.

Selena bit down on the blanket to stifle the sound. If she screamed, people would come running.

She couldn’t reveal the secret. That was not an option.

Clutching the blanket, Selena convulsed on the wide bed like a trapped beast on the verge of death.

How much time passed?

By the time the muscles around her jaw stiffened, the pain in her chest gradually subsided.

Selena tried to get up from the bed, but she collapsed.

She made several futile attempts to rise. All in vain. Glaring at her knees that refused to support her, she crawled on the floor. She was thankful that no one was there to witness it.

Arriving in front of the mirror, she took a deep breath. Then, she let out a hollow, bitter laugh.

It was a sight to behold.

Clothes soaked with sweat, hair disheveled and sticking out here and there, and a face as pale as ever. The area around her mouth that had held onto the blanket was now a deep shade of red.

She looked worse than someone who had lost their mind.

After laughing at her appearance for a while, Selena cautiously pulled down her neckline.

When she had pulled it down enough to reveal her chest, what she had been searching for came into clear view.

On the leaf, two petals.

“As expected…”

Her voice echoed quietly in the room. It was an empty voice.

* * *

The first petal bloomed inconspicuously. It was there when she went to sleep and when she woke up, it was right on her chest.

However, somehow the second petal didn’t follow suit.

“Will I experience this five more times?”

Or it could be even worse.

Selena looked at herself in the mirror again, shook her head, and then undressed completely.

Fortunately, the pain had subsided. Whether it was the pain accompanying the blooming of the petal or the pain completely disappearing after the petal fully blossomed, it was gone.

Should she consider this a good thing or a bad thing?

She took off the sweat-soaked clothes and dropped them in the laundry basket. She dabbed a towel with water, lightly wiped her body, changed into clean clothes, and then waited for Aiden after opening the window in the room.

The chill made the room cold, but it seemed better than the stuffy air.

Leaning her face on the tea table and closing her eyes, Selena quietly tapped on the table.

The room felt excessively lonely and silent.

She just hoped Aiden would knock soon.

* * *

Having changed into clean clothes and fixed his hair, Aiden left his room around sunset. Even until the moment he grabbed his room door handle, he hesitated.

Phew.

Aiden sighed, and tension rose gripped his face.

He would pass through this corridor, go up the central staircase, and head to the Miss’s room. They would leave the room together and stroll through the garden.

And then… say it.

It felt like a series of simple steps, yet it seemed so difficult.

As Aiden pondered, repeating his thoughts again and again, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. He had run into someone.

Someone not on good terms with him.

“Hi, Aiden.”

That someone greeted him with a smile, standing tall with a straight back. Aiden looked at him expressionlessly and then spoke.

“…Hello.”

Lucas nodded lightly and smirked.

“Oh, where are you heading….dressed up like this…”

Lucas paused for a moment after saying that. His eyes, focused on Aiden’s clothes, slowly rose to meet Aiden’s gaze.

A subtle light flickered in Lucas’ eyes.

Soon, the corners of his mouth lifted deeply. There was a clear mischievousness in those curved corners.

Noticing this, Aiden secretly sighed inside.

“Have you finally mustered the courage?”

The fact that Aiden and Selena took a daily stroll together was well-known among the mansion residents. Lucas wouldn’t not have known that either.

Sometimes, he would stop by the window, looking at Selena walking with a faint smile on his face. If Aiden was preparing to go outside during this sunset time, then there was no other reason than going for a garden stroll.

However, the issue was the attire.

Certainly, when he glimpsed Aiden during the day, he was wearing more comfortable apparel than this. But now, it had changed.

Lucas quickly understood what it meant when he saw Aiden’s slightly dressed-up appearance and neat hairstyle.

“It’s not something you need to worry about.”

“Because I want to worry. I hope it doesn’t go well for you.”

Lucas smiled at Aiden’s rebellious tone. His vaguely raised corners of the mouth emitted a sarcastic remark that didn’t match his expression.

Aiden sighed with a tired look and met Lucas’ round eyes, raising the corners of his mouth in a similar manner.

“….You’re very friendly.”

“I’ve heard that a lot.”

Lucas replied naturally and glanced outside the window. It was around sunset, and sky and ground were soaked in a red glow. Although he used to dislike it, now it was a color that he didn’t mind.

Aiden wondered what kind of response Selena, who had brought back his glow, would give.

“Well then, I have a promise with a friend… If you happen to get rejected, come find me later tonight. Let’s have a drink together. We’re in the same boat, after all.”

Lucas finished speaking while smiling until the end and went on his way.

Aiden’s face lost its smile as Lucas walked away.

Not that his thoughts weren’t complicated enough. Lucas had really thrown fuel into the fire.

Lucas, who was walking ahead, felt confused and yet strangely triumphant.

* * *

The air in the garden was chilly. No, it was beyond chilly. It was already past early winter, heading into full winter.

It was fortunate that I had put on thick clothing. Adjusting the clothes I wore, I walked quietly.

Aiden was also quiet beside me.

Well, whatever. But why is Aiden so silent when the main purpose of today’s walk was Aiden’s ‘story’?

…What kind of story is he going to tell?

I blinked slowly, looking up at Aiden. The air was full of tension above his red face, bathed in the sunlight.

…What is it? Why is he so tense? It’s getting a little worrying. Well, forget it. He’ll speak when the time comes.

Glancing at Aiden’s tense jaw, I quietly turned my gaze away.

The sides of the flower trees that were spread out were bare of leaves.

It was a cold landscape that suited the chilly air. The once lush and vibrant leaves had disappeared, leaving only withered branches and drooping grass blades.

Today, it felt more poignant for some reason. It resembled a landscape on the verge of death.

Like me.

Of course, it was different for me. When spring comes next year, these things will bloom with tender leaves and come back to life… but not me.

All thanks to that darn flower that nestled into someone else’s chest without a care.

The chilly winter wind swept through the garden. It tousled my hair, and the wind made my neck cold.

Simultaneously, the pain from earlier came to mind. The pain that felt like tearing flesh, the groans I had endured alone.

My head felt heavy. Whether it was because of too many thoughts or just a symptom, I wasn’t sure.

“Aiden.”

As I opened my mouth first, Aiden, who had been tense with anticipation, awkwardly turned his head to look at me.

His expression reminded me of a broken machine, and it made me feel like laughing.

“Let’s finish our walk today.”

“…What?”

Above his face, which had been stiff with tension, a momentary expression of confusion and disappointment appeared.

Like a kindergarten student who heard ‘let’s just play until here today.’

Once again, I showed a pretend smile and replied while rearranging my clothes.

“It’s too cold. Let’s stop walking until spring comes.”

I lied because I didn’t want to see Aiden sulk.

Although I knew that spring would never come for me, I still anticipated it, just like everyone else.

Aiden had been silently looking at me and nodded slowly.

By the time we completed half a lap in the garden, the sky had turned violet.

The middle point between the red sunset and the deep blue night sky.

I wondered if the sky at the boundary between life and death looked like this.

With another petal blooming, my mind was filled with these thoughts. It couldn’t be helped. Today might be a bit negative. How can people only think positive thoughts all the time?

Anyway, my mind was complicated and dizzy.

I tilted my head back and looked up at the sky.

The sun was hiding, and the moon was revealing itself.

And…

“…It’s snowing.”

It was snowing.

Aiden also raised his head and looked at the sky. The way he instinctively reached out his hand was childlike. Seeing that, I also reached out my hand the same way.

Flurries of white powder fell from the purple sky.

It was a beautiful sight where cold and fear were forgotten.

Like the light powder Aiden used to sprinkle. It was so beautiful that I was moved to tears.

* * *

I had no particular fascination with snow in my past life. No, it wasn’t that I had no fascination; there just wasn’t time to appreciate the beauty of snow.

To feel the emotion of beauty, there needed to be a certain amount of leisure.

So, it was amazing. And I admired it.

The scenery of snowfall was so beautiful, and realizing that was surprising.

Even so, it was lovely to know the beauty of snow before I die, I thought.

While watching the snow melt on my palm, I spoke.

“Do you like snow?”

Aiden was still reaching out his hand and gazing blankly at the sky. Although he could have turned his head to answer my question, he didn’t. He just continued staring at the sky.

His closed lips slowly parted.

“No.”

It was an answer that contradicted his actions. While still reaching out, seemingly unable to take his eyes off the sky, he claimed not to like snow.

However, I had no intention of pointing out the inconsistency. Appreciating beauty and liking something don’t necessarily go hand in hand.

“Is that so?”

“….Yes. When you live outside, this snow is the worst.”

Live outside? Ah, come to think of it, Selena brought Aiden from the streets. It was written that he was beaten up in the streets.

The ‘living outside’ he was talking about must be a story from his childhood.

“When it snows, it means it’s a cold day. Moreover, when the snow melts and turns into water, it’s so cold. Many people died from freezing after getting wet in the snow. Literally, people freezing to death. That’s why I didn’t like the snow…”

The story told with a calm voice turned out to be much darker than expected.

Aiden as a young boy came to mind. Huddled in a dark alley, his platinum blonde hair damp, his face bleached white, his hands and feet trembling, and his ears and nose stained red.

The poor child must have been soaked wet like an abandoned animal.

Our childhoods were truly incomparable. Pitiful young Aiden, pitiful young me.

“But now, I like it.”

What woke me from those heavy thoughts was Aiden’s voice once again.

He hated it, and now he likes it… what a fickle fellow.

Looking at the snow melting in my hand, I turned my head to Aiden.

His gaze, which had been fixated on the sky, was now directed toward me.

Our eyes met under the falling snow. Neither of us looked away first. Under the heavy snowfall, we were silent.

No, it was silent but also noisy. Thump, thump, a small sound disturbed my ears.

Was this sound mine or yours? I hope it’s neither of us.

“Whether it’s snow, rain, or thunder, I don’t mind….as long as I’m with someone I like.”

Somehow, my prayers don’t seem to reach. I wished it to be neither of ours, but it turned out to be both of ours.

In the quiet garden, thump, thump, thump.

The sounds of two hearts beating loudly echoed.

The sound of your heart, confessing your affection, and the sound of my heart, hearing those words.

Suddenly, I felt like crying.

__