FTP-85

At times like this, she didn’t know how reassuring it was that Aiden was a veteran in everything that happened in the countryside.

 

Anje carefully placed the fish she had finally caught into the bucket, making sure not to let it slip away. The fish swam actively inside the narrow container, circling around.

 

“Oh, my fishing rod this time…”

 

“You can’t let it go!”

 

The fish reappeared and shook their fishing rods whenever the surroundings became quiet.

 

There were minor accidents in between, such as Anje’s fishing hook getting caught in aquatic plants or the two fishing lines tangling, but it didn’t take long for them to catch enough fish for both of them.

 

After skewering all the cleaned fish onto skewers and placing them next to the fire, Aiden tried to push Anje away, telling her it was hot and to stay away.

 

However, since Anje had entrusted most of the tasks, like cleaning and making the campfire, to him, she insisted on helping as well.

 

“This much isn’t that hot.”

 

“You’ve got sweat on your nose, what do you mean?”

 

Seeing Anje wiping her face in embarrassment, he chased her away again, telling her to at least dip her feet in the cool river water.

 

“Then you should go with me. It’s hot being next to the fire.”

 

“I have to watch the fish.”

 

If they were placed too close to the strong fire, only the outside would burn black and the inside could be undercooked. Therefore, he had to use a technique of lighting the fire as weak as possible and frequently turn the fish to ensure it touched the edge of the flame evenly.

 

Anje reached out her hand, saying she would also help turn the fish, but Aiden stopped her again, saying she might burn her hand.

 

“I don’t want to make only you suffer…”

 

“Today, you are in charge of dessert. Leave the main dish to me.”

 

After eating all the fish, they planned to lightly scorch marshmallows stuck on twigs over the fire and then eat them as dessert sandwiched between biscuits and chocolate.

 

It was a snack she had learned while having a barbecue the day they went to visit Mr. Penny’s house, and it was a relatively safe and simple task, so Aiden allowed her to do this much.

 

“Tch, aren’t you looking at me too much like a child?”

 

Could it be that he always overprotects her because he sees her not as a woman, but as a child? Anje asked, feeling an ominous premonition.

 

He replied without taking his eyes off the fish and the fire.

 

“It’s not that, it’s because you are that precious to me.”

 

With that, she couldn’t argue anymore. Anje softened her frown and stood up from her crouched position.

 

“Then let me at least dampen your handkerchief for you.”

 

He also had sweat glistening on his neck, and ash that had flown had gotten on his cheek. She quickly ran and wet a handkerchief with cold water and then returned and wiped his face and neck.

 

“How is it? Is it cool?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

He turned his head away, pretending his eyes were stinging from the smoke.

 

‘Is this also an illness?’

 

He knew that the action of wiping his face and neck was done with pure good intentions. However, every time she suddenly got closer, every time her body touched his, it inevitably made him recall the memories of that night.

 

How pleasing the sound of her gasps as she ran out of breath had been, how sweet her lips, as soft as flower petals, had been.

 

It was fortunate that he had a personality that could endure and bear anything well. If that weren’t the case, he would probably have lost his patience a long time ago and kissed her again, like before.

 

To keep his mind clear, he looked back at the fish on the campfire.

 

“It seems like they’re almost all cooked now…”

 

He picked up one of the skewers and took a bite. The white flesh, dripping with oil, was perfectly cooked.

 

“Hmm, it looks like we can eat now. Wait. The skewer is hot, so wrap this around the handle.”

 

“Okaay.”

 

Anje, who was about to scold him for being such a nag, obediently followed his instructions after seeing his eyes reddened from the smoke.

 

“Hoo, hoo.”

 

Steam rose in wisps from the freshly grilled fish. Afraid it might burn her mouth, Anje carefully blew on the surface to cool it before taking a big bite.

 

One bite, and then another bite. Before she knew it, she forgot to cool it and ate crunching until only the bones, head, and tail parts of the fish remained.

 

“Is it good?”

 

“Delishous.”

 

Though speaking with food in her mouth was against etiquette, Anje couldn’t hold back expressing this moving taste with her mouth.

 

The fish, infused with the natural scent of the wood used in the campfire, was so tender that it went down the throat on its own without needing to be chewed many times.

 

As he held his share of the grilled fish in his hand, he responded,

 

“I should be careful, too.”

 

After all, he didn’t want to end the day he made a new memory with her with an unpleasant ending by having a nightmare.

 

Completely absorbed in the dish before him, Anje hadn’t been able to look closely at him and asked as he saw his hand.

 

“Doesn’t it feel hot? Don’t you need something to hold it with?”

 

“This much heat is nothing for me. My skin’s tough, so it’s fine.”

 

True, his hands, which she had held a few times before, were rough and thick, unlike hers, and felt like touching old wood.

 

“Here, have another one.”

 

“Oh, thank you.”

 

She had only glanced at his hands briefly, but he mistook it as a sign that she wanted more fish. He cleanly brushed off the surface of a fish and handed it to her.

 

As she nibbled on the fish, her gaze wandered back to his hands.

 

‘Holding hands now, it might be a bit too much, right?’

 

It was night, and there was a beautiful campfire. She wanted to create an atmosphere where she could have a serious conversation with him. Like holding hands or leaning her head on his shoulder.

 

However, her current appearance was not suitable for doing such things. The fish skewered on the skewer was very delicious, but there was a high probability that her body smelled like smoke.

 

‘I’ll finish the fish first and then, during dessert… Huh?’

 

Anje, who was secretly observing him and making a plan, discovered something strange.

 

“Here.”

 

Since earlier, he had been giving Anje the fish gathered to the left of the campfire, while he himself only ate the fish placed on the opposite side. No matter how many new fish he gave her, the pattern remained the same.

 

‘Is there a difference in taste between this side and that side?’

 

Unable to suppress her curiosity, Anje reached out toward the right side, where he had been picking up his share of grilled fish. Aiden stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

 

“I told you, if you stay still, I’ll bring it to you, Anje.”

 

“This one looks tastier.”

 

When she made that excuse, he frowned slightly before relaxing and replying,

 

“Fine. I’ll peel the skin off and give it to you, so wait a moment. This one’s more burnt than the others.”

 

“…Ah.”

 

Only after hearing his words did Anje realize. She had noticed that every fish he held had a darker surface, while the ones he handed to her were mostly clean with little to no burn marks.

 

There was a method to how Aiden had divided the fish. The ones that were well-grilled and ready to eat were for her, while the ones that failed in fire control and needed the skin peeled off were for him.

 

Anje’s face flushed brightly. Not from the campfire, but from psychological reasons.

 

“Just give it to me, Aiden. I can eat it myself. I don’t mind a little charring.”

 

“It’s fine. I’ll peel it quickly for you. Eating too much charred food isn’t good for your health.”

 

He mumbled as he focused on peeling the fish.

 

Looking at his concentrated profile, Anje felt a lump in her throat.

 

‘This is why I…’

 

She couldn’t help but like him. He cared for her so naturally, as if it were nothing, putting her first, even sometimes over himself.

 

“Aiden.”

 

She leaned her head on his shoulder. Worries like whether she smelled like smoke or if her hands were sticky seemed so trivial.

 

“I like you.”

 

He dropped the fish he had just finished peeling.

 

“Yes?”

 

The strange words rang in his ears, and he wasn’t sure if it was a strange hallucination or reality.

 

“What did you just say?”

 

Anje gave a small laugh and brought her lips close to his ear. Then, speaking clearly so he couldn’t possibly mishear, she said again.

 

“I said, I like you.”

 

Aiden froze, unable to breathe, blinking only once.

 

“…What?”

 

Was she saying she liked the fish or the campfire?

 

TL/N: FOR YOUR REFERENCE WHAT ANJE ACTUALLY SAID WAS ‘좋아해요’ WHICH COULD ME ‘I LIKE IT’ OR AS A CONFESSION ‘I LIKE YOU’ AND SINCE ANJE SAID AIDEN’S NAME FIRST THEN WHAT SHE EXACTLY SAID ‘AIDEN, I LIKE YOU.’

 

“Geez, I already said it in the beginning. You fool.”

 

It was already embarrassing to say such words, but now he was acting so dense. Was he pretending not to understand on purpose?

 

Anje buried her flushed face in his shoulder, then jumped up from her seat.

 

“I’ll wash my hands and face for a bit. Let’s talk again later.”

 

She couldn’t bear to look him in the eye because of the embarrassment, and seeing the grease stains on her clothes, she didn’t want to continue the confession in this state.

 

She ran quickly to the riverside to cool her face and get a little cleaner.

 

“She likes me?”

 

Aiden, left alone by the fire, muttered with a dazed face.

 

She definitely said that. And she attached his own name before those words.

 

‘Aiden, I like you.’

 

Putting those words together… it meant she liked him.

 

Anje liked Aiden.

 

TL/N: FINALLY, YES YESSSS.

 

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