‘Herden probably doesn’t like desserts.’

In her past life, there were a few occasions when she had offered him dessert, having eaten it alone. However, he had never taken a single bite.

Though the desire to share something delicious with him was met with rejection, she couldn’t force him since it was a matter of personal preference.

The fact that he brought marshmallows every night meant it was entirely for her. She didn’t understand why it had to be marshmallows.

While Blair was immersed in recovering her strength and asleep, Herden stayed busy investigating the mastermind behind the kidnapping, returning late every night.

If Blair, who had fallen asleep early, briefly opened her eyes in the late-night slumber, he was always sleeping beside her. Along with the ever-burning fireplace.

By th
Blair, waiting for him, approached the drawer where she had placed the book, thinking of reading the borrowed geography book during the day. Then, in her absent-minded gaze, the scenery from the balcony came into view.

Beyond the balcony’s French doors, something white was fluttering in the air.

‘…Snow?’

It couldn’t be snowing in spring.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be fluttering cherry blossom petals.

When she saw them the day before the huntin
He approached the table and set down what he had brought. It was a dish containing marshmallows.

“How is your body feeling?”

“I’m fine. But what’s this?”

“Marshmallows?”

“No, not that… Why did you bring this?”

Herden brought a small candle from a nearby lamp and a lighter from next to the fireplace.

“Have you ever tried roasted marshmallows?”

“…No, never.”

Roasted marshmallows cool quickly. There
Herding pulled Blair’s chair, which was far away, with one hand. Although it should have been heavy, the chair came to him too easily, pulled as if it were light.

“If it seems difficult, talk about it now.”

Blair alternately looked at Herding and the small candle in front of her, then nodded as if she had made up her mind.

“I think it’ll be okay.”

Herding skillfully lit the lighter and set fire to the candle.

Blair looked at the candle nervously.

As she stared at the flame, a sense of fear crept in, imagining that the candle would tip over and set the table on fire. The growing flame seemed like it would burn everything in the room.

“Uh…”

Even though it was just an imagination, sweat dripped from her hands, and her breath became rapid. Just like back then, when she couldn’t breathe properly trapped in the fire.

Yet she couldn’t take her eyes off the candle. If she looked away, she was afraid that the fire would grow unnoticed and engulf her.

At that moment, a large hand covered Blair’s eyes. Simultaneously, a calm voice descended like a blanket.

“Close your eyes; you have to open them.”

Following his words, Blair slowly closed her eyes. However, even with closed eyes, the memory lingered, making her feel mature.

She reached out her trembling hands and held the large hand gently covering her face. Then, the impending sense of fear gradually subsided.

In this moment, the realization that she wasn’t alone.

“Breathe slowly.”

Blair calmed her rapid breath, faithfully following his voice.

“When you open your eyes, do the same.”
Herding moved the hand covering Blair’s eyes.

Blair slowly opened her eyes and faced the candle. As her breathing quickened again, this time Herding spoke without obstructing Blair’s view.

“Eyes.”

Blair followed his instructions step by step, blinking her eyes and taking deep breaths.

“Now, we’ll roast marshmallows.”

He picked up a marshmallow skewered on a stick and brought it to the small candle. As he slowly turned the marshmallow near the flame, the outer layer began to brown.

Blair was once again captivated by anxiety, but remembering Herding’s words from earlier, she tightly closed and then opened her eyes.

Herding extinguished the candle and offered the well-roasted marshmallow to Blair after letting it cool for a moment.

“Go ahead, eat.”

Blair hesitated for a moment before putting the marshmallow in her mouth. The warm and sweet marshmallow melted in her mouth. While regular marshmallows were enjoyable, freshly roasted ones were even more delicious.

The fearful expression in Blair’s eyes as she hesitated with the marshmallow faded, and vitality returned.

Just from a piece of roasted marshmallow.

Herding’s gaze, watching her, softened strangely. At that moment, Blair turned to look at him, and their eyes met.

“Soft and… sweet.”

“Now try it yourself.”

Herding handed a marshmallow to Blair and lit the candle again.
Blair had a slightly frightened expression, but without hesitation, she nodded her head.

However, as soon as she held the marshmallow near the fire, her hand began to tremble, and simultaneously, her breath quickened once again.

At that moment, Herding’s hand grabbed Blair’s hand. Their right hands overlapped, creating a halfway embraced posture.

Herding’s voice descended over Blair’s surprised and stiffened head.

“It’s okay.”

As if by magic, the trembling stopped when his hand touched hers.

Herding held Blair’s hand and roasted the marshmallow.

After overcoming various obstacles, Blair stared blankly at the marshmallow she had roasted.

“You did well.”

Herding raised his right arm, lightly stroked her head, and then released her from the embrace. He extinguished the candle.

Blair extended the marshmallow in her hand to Herding and asked, “Aren’t you going to eat?”

But, as always, he shook his head.

“I don’t particularly like it.”

Thus, the marshmallow she roasted this time belonged to Blair. As she bit into the marshmallow, a soft and sweet taste spread in her mouth.

While savoring the flavor, she suddenly felt a gaze and turned her head. When Blair blinked, Herding gave a faint smile.

“Is it that delicious?”

His gaze, usually gentle, made her heart flutter this time. It was a feeling so familiar.
At that moment, she realized.

“I am once again… feeling this way towards this person.”

Despite disappointment, resentment, pushing away, and taking the long way around, in the end, it’s love again.

“Ah…”

The suddenly realized emotion rapidly surged and tears dropped, one by one.

Herding’s expression froze as he unexpectedly saw Blair’s tears.

“Do you want to stop?”

“No, no. I’m fine.”

Blair hastily wiped away her tears.

However, once the tears started, they didn’t seem to stop easily. Like her own emotions.

Herding looked at Blair in that state with a stiff expression, then sighed softly, wiping away her tears, and asked, “Then why are you crying?”

Blair, feeling her heart flutter at his touch, stared at him blankly.

Crying in this situation would surely seem strange. She should say something in response, but she couldn’t think of any reasonable excuse.

Blair, whose lips were trembling, eventually came up with a reason that even sounded ridiculous to herself.

“It’s just… too delicious.”

“What?”

Herding burst into a laugh as if amazed by that answer.

To prevent him from guessing her true feelings, Blair deliberately laughed brightly.

“I want to eat more.”

Her heart pounding towards him was so painful it made her numb.

The wounds that didn’t hurt when she was unaware now stung fiercely as she became aware of their existence.

Despite that, she decided to turn away from those emotions and simply make today a day for laughter.