Enemies Meet at the Engagement Ceremony

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That night.

 

“Ugh, but I’m pissed off!”

 

Sleep didn’t come. I had lost, and that was that.

 

Enoch’s gaze, expression, and the words left lingering in my mind made it impossible to sleep.

 

“You don’t care about me becoming boring? Are you getting boring of me? No, who does he think he is!”

 

Wanting to shout back, I gritted my teeth and repeatedly thumped the blanket.

 

“Does he think he can become something just by swinging a wooden sword and learning a bit of swordsmanship?”

 

Upon reflection, it seemed utterly absurd.

 

Whether I learned swordsmanship or not, what did it have to do with Enoch Gray?

 

I couldn’t fathom why I had to endure such insults.

 

“It’s not like I didn’t want to become boring to Enoch, but…”

 

I never had the desire to be an interesting subject anytime.

 

Yet, at that moment, somehow, there was a sensation as if something heavy sank within me.

 

And the fact that I felt that way was all the more baffling.

 

“That’s pissed me off, reallyyyy!”

 

My mood was foul.

 

It happened while I was vigorously thumping the blanket.

 

“……Ugh.”

 

Groooan.

 

The door cautiously opened, and someone entered my room.

 

I flipped the blanket over, held my breath quietly, pretending to be asleep.

 

Slowly, I tried to exhale evenly, as if peacefully sleeping.

 

Revealing that I didn’t sleep at midnight would lead to enduring lectures for a whole day.

 

“…….”

 

The person who entered my room didn’t say anything.

 

When I attempted to open my eyes, thinking I had successfully pretended to sleep, the flipped blanket slowly slipped.

 

I shut my eyes tightly again, continuing to feign sleep.

 

“…… Phew.”

 

Then, with a soft sigh, someone gently touched my arm.

 

Through the thin nightclothes, I felt the firm touch of calloused skin.

 

‘Oh my.’

 

The person who entered my room was none other than my mother.

 

She carefully stroked my arm with a gentle touch.

 

The muscles that had tensed from holding my arm up seemed to relax under my mother’s touch.

 

“….”

 

Keeping my lips sealed, I exerted effort and didn’t open my eyes.

 

I didn’t expect my mother to come to my room at this hour, but there was an atmosphere that somehow required pretending to be asleep.

 

“This got a bruise, it’s distressing.”

 

My mother murmured as she gently touched my leg.

 

It was where I kicked Enoch during our fight earlier today.

 

Shortly after, I heard a clinking sound, and soon something cool and slippery was applied to my leg.

 

It seemed to be some effective ointment for bruises.

 

“…..”

 

It was an incredibly tender touch, quite different from the scolding my mother gave me earlier in the day.

 

Strangely, my chest fluttered, and the corners of my eyes stung.

 

I tried to hold back, but I found myself sobbing.

 

“Sorry, Cherry. Mom scolded you without even listening to what you had to say, didn’t I?”

 

Despite knowing that I was crying, my mother pretended not to notice and gently kissed my cheek. Her lips were very warm.

 

It was only then that I realized my cheeks were wet with cold tears.

 

My mother continued to fondly stroke my hair and spoke.

 

“I heard that Diana scolded Enoch until he cried too. No matter how much he scolded, Enoch who supposedly mature enough ran away, or something.”

 

Enoch ran away?

 

Suppressing the urge to sit up, my eyelashes trembled with held-back tears.

 

That kid ran away. Nothing could be more surprising than this.

 

“Diana probably made the same mistake as me.”

 

A faint laughter emanated from my mother; it sounded bitter.

 

“Blinded by the desire for reconciliation between Emblem and Gray, I ended up hurting my most precious child.”

 

“…..”

 

“Sorry, Cherry. You’re only seven, and I feel like I burdened you with too much.”

 

With a light touch, my mother’s hand landed on my hair.

 

There was a gentle sound as my hair softly brushed against my mother’s fingers.

 

Truly an affectionate touch.

 

“In case you misunderstand because of my mistake today, let me make it clear. To me, you are more important than Emblem, more than the reconciliation with Gray.”

 

“……!”

 

“Never forget that. There might be times when I scold you in the future, but you will always be the most precious to me.”

 

My mother’s voice was like a lullaby.

 

Her words, flowing from her lips, descended upon me like a gentle rain.

 

Like clothes soaking in drizzling rain, my mother’s words seeped into me.

 

“You were quite angry at Enoch’s words today, right? That’s probably because the pride and bravery of Emblem are already growing within Cherry.”

 

Though I remained motionless, at this moment, I wanted to nod in agreement.

 

Everyone around me takes pride in being Emblem, and I grew up witnessing that.

 

Strong, brave, just, and honorable Emblem.

 

 

With an attitude and grace befitting its reputation, putting effort into using its power for the greater good.

 

I, too, grew up consuming the pride of Emblem on the land of Emblem.

 

Somehow, just like my mother’s words, those qualities had emerged in me.

 

Perhaps that’s why I impulsively confronted Enoch for insulting Emblem.

 

“Mom think that should be enough. So, I won’t force you anymore. Whether it’s learning swordsmanship or trying to get along with Enoch.”

 

“……”

 

“But still, Mom won’t let go of a glimmer of hope. Your mixed heritage is a tricky thing. People are so unpredictable, and I still believe that the fate of you and Enoch is uncertain.”

 

While my mother hadn’t demanded my responses until now, this time, she asked as if seeking an answer from me.

 

“So, can you forgive me for this?”

 

Quietly, I nodded in response to my mother’s words.

 

Then, my mother gently kissed my cheek again and whispered.

 

“Thank you, our daughter. Mom loves you very much.”

 

Afterward, my mother quietly got up and left the room.

 

After she left like that, I sat up abruptly.

 

Plop, tears fell onto the blanket.

 

“I’m scared.”

 

That person, my mother, was frighteningly affectionate to me.

 

In my past life, I had never experienced the love of parents.

 

They were parents who fought every day, occasionally raising their hands against me.

 

When I finally managed to say, ‘Don’t hit me,’ they died in an accident.

 

‘Losing parents at a young age, how pitiful she is.’

 

‘But who would take in such a burden? Besides, the kid doesn’t even cry, it’s kinda off-putting.’

 

I wandered from one relative’s house to another until I eventually entered the foster care system.

 

It was sometimes heartbreaking, but I gritted my teeth. Even if I wondered what it felt like to be loved by parents, I kept my distance. It was something I couldn’t have.

 

Then, one day, a couple appeared, expressing their desire to take me in.

 

‘Hello? I’m a distant relative of your mom. We met when you were little. Do you remember?’

 

‘Would you like to live with us? We don’t have children, and we’ve been waiting to meet you.’

 

They had pleasant appearances, exchanged affectionate glances, and spoke with gentle voices. I wanted to follow them.

 

I wanted to learn how to receive and share affection among loving people.

 

‘Really? Oh my! We should throw a party. Gotta make lots of delicious food. Do you have any preferences?’

 

‘Thank you for choosing us. We will treat you with great care and affection.’

 

On the night we decided to go to the couple’s home, it was also the night we planned a modest party.

 

‘Student, don’t come in here! It’s a crime scene!’

 

‘Hey, get this kid out of here! Is the forensics team here yet?’

 

The couple’s house was surrounded by police tape, and later I found out that they had committed a joint suicide inside.

 

It didn’t make sense. People planning to commit suicide wouldn’t have recommended an adoption to me and made so much effort to turn my heart.

 

That day, I was convinced that the couple’s deaths were not a simple suicide but murder, and I decided to become a inspector.

 

“Sob, h-hiccup…”

 

The tears didn’t stop. My past life was so heart-wrenching.

 

Never experienced it, almost had it once, and lost it.

 

Realizing that I was actually scared of losing that deep-rooted affection, something I had never felt before.

 

“I wasn’t unloved…”

 

Today, my mother gave me assurance.

 

No matter what I do, I will always be her daughter.

 

She will always love me.

 

“I look awful, really.”

 

I felt immature for finding comfort in those words.

 

But after burying my head between the two embraced knees, the smile on my lips showed that I didn’t know how to leave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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