The steps that had been eager to hear Sharti’s praise slowed down.

Standing still, Ren clicked his tongue, rubbed his forehead, and sighed deeply.

“I should have filled it a little.”

If he had filled just the right amount for a few days, they could have gone out today, like this, with Sharti.

Ren breathed a deep sigh at the belated realization.

He felt pathetic for becoming less meticulous and immature when only dealing with Sharti.

He wondered why the child’s scolding kept coming to mind.

It wasn’t wrong, though.
Sharti wanted Ren to rely on her, not out of pity or compassion but out of a sense of necessity.

If that were the case, she needed to act actively like this time.

“Pretending to be sick or pitiful won’t work anymore.”

Now he also had some room.

As per Vireta’s advice, he could clearly express his attitude, realizing why he wanted to stay by her side.

‘Equality… maybe not, but I want to face Sharti.’

He wanted to be a companion for Sharti without feeling burdened or powerless.

Sharing secrets and hiding their relationship – that’s all Ren desired.

“And later, to Sharti…”

Ren, who was speaking aloud about a sudden thought, closed his mouth.

Ren lightly brushed his hair and quickened his pace.

Contrary to his stiff lips, his ears turned red.

” Huh?”

At that moment, Ren immediately turned in the direction of a faintly seen blue-purple.

Amidst the bushes, blue-purple flowers were blooming.

Ren quickly crouched in front of them and picked the flowers.

Due to his rough touch, some petals were damaged, so Ren concentrated and picked the flowers again.

“If I give her a lot, will she like it more?”

With a simple observation, Ren stood up.

After a while, when they arrived in front of Sharti, Ren awkwardly extended the bouquet he made.

“Ah…”

Due to the wind that had just blown, Sharti’s hood fluttered, revealing a soft curve of her lips.

The bouquet, made up of merely five flowers, made Sharti smile.

Looking at her in a daze, Ren unconsciously scratched his nape.

This time, it was a bit ticklish.

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

Strangely, the embarrassment was Ren’s share this time.

Ren turned his gaze away.

As Sharti, who had been looking at the blue-purple flowers for a while, raised her head.

“I also have something I want to give to Ren.”

“What else are you going to give?”

Ren furrowed his eyebrows reflexively.

Whenever he repaid one thing, Sharti intended to give him another in return.

“I have my pride too.”

As Ren came out with a firm attitude, Sharti fell silent.

After carefully choosing her words, Sharti pointed upwards.

“Besides material things, there’s something I want to show you.”

She added that if he didn’t like it, she wouldn’t go.

Ren quickly shook his head.

‘If I refuse, we might have to go back home.’

Ren nodded firmly.

And the two climbed the mountain again. As they approached the area Sharti indicated, the terrain became steeper and more challenging.

Ren looked at Sharti’s back as she walked ahead, swallowing a sigh.

‘It might be better if I carry her.’

However, Sharti, who showed no sign of injury or fatigue, didn’t seem to willingly allow it.

Ren thought hard.

“Sh, stop for a moment.”

“…?”

“Stepping on branches or avoiding mud, if you land your foot wrong, there’s a risk of slipping down a cliff.”
Ren reached out to Sharti.

“I think it would be better for both of us to hold hands for safety.”

It wasn’t a lie or an obvious act.

Throughout the climb, Ren was concerned that Sharti might stumble with each step she took.

‘I’d rather get hurt myself.’

Ren was determined.

Sharti also seemed to be contemplating.

Seeing Ren, who had gone back and forth to the log house carrying a heavy water bucket dozens of times, she worried about his legs.

“There’s not much left, so let’s endure a bit longer.”

“Sure.”

When Sharti extended her right hand, Ren unconsciously relaxed the muscles in his face.

With a relieved expression, Sharti held his hand a little tighter.

The two, concerned about each other’s safety, soon reached their destination.

“Here we are, Ren.”

As Ren followed Sharti’s lead, he experienced a moment when everything turned white in his mind.

“…….”

“The scenery I wanted to show you.”

Literal as it was, a clear view of the mountain landscape came into view.

Fading autumn leaves and bare trees preparing for winter.

And the vast expanse of the mountain forest unfolded endlessly.

Ren mumbled his impressions from deep within his chest at the sight of the breathtaking scenery.

“……It’s vast.”

Ren suddenly recalled the dark and narrow cave. And then, he thought of Sharti’s log house.

Outside, the world was wide and vast.

He didn’t understand why it was shocking.

“It’s wide.”

With a somewhat drowsy tone, Ren murmured quietly.

Ren lowered his gaze.

“……. ”

Looking down from a high place, he felt a sense of oppression, as if the world was pressing down on him.

More precisely, it felt like a dismal loneliness and a heavy solitude were swallowing him up.

“……Ren?”

Ren slowly turned his head.

Sharti, sensing something strange, was worried about him.

“……Sha, I think I have a fear of heights .”

Although he tried to put on a nonchalant expression, his eyes, pale and shivering, couldn’t hide it.

Sharti immediately grabbed his arm.

Then, she covered his eyes with her right hand and placed her left hand on his forehead.

“Don’t push yourself, and try to breathe evenly.”

“……. ”

Strangely, upon hearing Sharti’s voice, the chilling discomfort that coiled around his body disappeared.

He could focus only on her voice.

‘Could my injury have been caused by a fall?’

It was a possibility.

Just like Sharti, who was agitated by the fire, the discomfort and pressure he just felt might be trauma.

‘It might be groundless, though.’

Or maybe he was shocked by suddenly seeing the vast world.

Of course, Ren wanted to believe that he didn’t have such a fragile body.

Ren used the fragrance of the flowers from Sharti’s hand as a curtain and closed his eyes.

“……. ”

The now much calmer Ren grabbed Sharti’s left hand and held it tightly.

Although it seemed like he was clinging to her, Sharti didn’t mind.

“I’m sorry. I was too careless.”

Sharti’s apology revealed a sense of self-blame.

“It’s okay.”
When Ren shook his head, Sharti spoke in a melancholy tone.

“You’ve been living in narrow spaces until now. You should have considered the possibility of your heart being startled. I’m sorry.”

“……. ”

Barely escaping the role of a patient, Ren closed his eyes tightly and swallowed his saliva.

Ren had a hunch.

That Sharti would perceive him as a frail patient rather than how he appeared on the surface.

And as expected, Sharti overly cared for Ren as they descended the mountain together.

Ren’s only solace was Sharti’s firmly grasping hand, just that.

‘It feels warm.’

The momentary discomfort he felt vanished completely in the warmth transmitted by the small hand.

Unconsciously, Ren concealed the fragments of the memories he had involuntarily rejected.