Sharti nodded thoughtfully.

“Uh, no, not the gender. I mean, the opposite sex.”

Birena added an explanation.

Birena was currently talking about the difference between the same sex and the opposite sex.

Sharti tapped the note with the pencil eraser.

‘Could she be asking if I’ve ever consciously thought of him as a man?’

Fortunately, Sharti was not completely oblivious to this aspect.

Sharti also inwardly asked herself the same question.

‘Did I ever have such thoughts?’

If she said she never did, it would be a lie, but claiming it was definite was ambiguous.

Originally, aside from Bireta’s family, Sharti had no memories of living with others.

Therefore, she was confused about whether she thought of Ren as a man or if she was merely observing someone who was the opposite of herself.

‘What does it feel like to consciously think of someone as the opposite sex?’

Ren had a masculine appearance with distinctive facial features, not to mention a muscular physique.

His unique imposing aura made him appear as an attractive man.

Naturally, Sharti had felt nervous in Ren’s presence.

However, she was unsure if the trembling was due to Ren’s enormous stature or if it was because his kindness had softened her guard.

“In fact, I was worried too, but Grandma worried a lot. Bringing an outsider man into the house. What if he has ill intentions?”

“……. ”

Sharti was now realizing how surprised Bireta and Birena would have been upon hearing the unspoken facts about their worries.

Sharti raised her eyebrows apologetically.

‘I tried to handle it within my boundaries without causing worries… But in the end, I ended up seeking help.’

She wanted to show a different side than five years ago.

However, she ended up displaying an unreliable side.

“But we trust Sharti.”

When Sharti looked up, Birena smiled brightly.

Though she was far from being a beauty, Birena’s smile was lively and charming. And Birena’s smile was as warm as Sharti’s heart five years ago.

“If that man tries anything, believe that I’ll do this to him.”

Birena pretended to slash her neck with her fingertip.

At the exaggerated gesture, Sharti burst into a soft laughter. As her silent laughter echoed, Birena’s smile deepened.

“Sharti, I haven’t had a conversation with that man or know anything about him, but I know one thing.”

Birena recalled the turquoise eyes she saw in the log house at dawn.

The dark eyes that reminded her of a wild beast that didn’t trust people cast a shadow only when directed at Sharti.

For Ren, Sharti was like the dawn that dispelled the darkness of a deep night.

“To him, you’ve become more than a necessary person. You’ve become an important person.”

Birena was perceptive, especially in matters of relationships.

“A man giving flowers has meaning.”

Especially when it was a man with amnesia who gave flowers.
It could be a survival instinct, or it could be actions naturally emerging to gain favor. However, Birena pretended not to notice all those speculations.

“The one who receives flowers hopes for a smile.”

“……. ”

“It’s because they want to see that expression, that face.”

With Birena’s explanation, Sharti’s thought process came to a halt. The only image in her mind was Ren handing her flowers.

“……. ”

She didn’t consider how she could see the face hidden by the hood. Even if her face was small, there were parts not covered by the hood, probably showing the jawline, and when the wind blew, even the corners of her mouth were visible.

‘Did I… smile?’

Sharti instinctively touched the corners of her mouth. Birena, who silently observed this, cautiously spoke.

“Sharti, maybe, I mean, later on. Do you ever think of taking off the hood in front of that man?”

“……!”

Sharti snapped back to reality at Birena’s suggestion. Anxiously anticipating Sharti’s withdrawal, Birena quickly grabbed her hand.

“Grandma always said to be cautious and not let your guard down. Of course, that’s true. But Sharti, haven’t you ever thought about it?”

How long would she have to live as a dead person, hiding her face from the world? Until death, did she have to live like a faceless ghost during her remaining time?

Sharti considered Birena her closest friend. Birena, as her closest friend, saw through Sharti’s silently harbored frustrations and irrationalities.

“It’s only been five years, but already five years. Many nobles in the Kingdom of Crianet have faces that are somewhat vague. And even if that man regains his memories later, there’s a greater chance he won’t be related to ‘that day.'”

Understood. That’s why she unconsciously felt at ease.

She had already shown her face to him several times, and she could be nonchalant about it.

“Sharti, how often do we meet someone we think is a good person in our lives? When will someone come again, caring about your feelings and giving you flowers?”

Birena took a deep breath. She wanted to see Sharti’s face.