IPUAVNP Chapter 120

Episode 120

 

‘The rabbit wanted to leave through the magical door and even asked me when it would open.’

‘Why leave? I like Roden.’

Even though I couldn’t feel any sincerity in your words, I still chose to believe you.

‘It felt like the rabbit was ready to leave the moment the magical door opened. That rabbit clearly had no intention of staying here and living with Kyle for long.’

‘Of course not. Roden is your hometown, and it’s the place where we’ll spend our entire lives together. I’ve already adjusted to life here, hehe.’

As you laughed and said those words, your smile felt different from before. 

I told myself it was just my imagination, that I was being overly sensitive. But the result of believing in you turned out to be another lie.

Kyle let out a bitter laugh.

If you were planning to live here forever, then why were you reading this book? Why did you hide it from me so hastily?

His hands trembled as he gripped the book tightly.

Brody had lied to him—again. First, in Avril Village, and now, even here.

‘Why? Why would she do this to me?’

Memories of all the days he’d felt uneasy about Brody came flooding back. It was as if she had been silently telling him all along.

That she had grown cold.

In the end, the answer to all the fears he had felt was simple.

Brody wasn’t planning to leave with him. She was planning to leave on her own, to abandon him.

The moment he reached that conclusion, the light in Kyle’s eyes faded. A chilling darkness settled in its place.

 

***

 

Brody woke up to the sound of bustling movements.

Rubbing her eyes, she sat up in bed and saw Kyle pacing the room, tossing clothes and belongings into a large bag.

“Kyle, what are you doing…?”

She was curious why he was suddenly packing, as if he had somewhere to go.

Kyle replied without even looking at her,

“If you’re awake, get dressed. We have somewhere to be.”

“Where are we going?”

Caught off guard, Brody hurried to shake off her grogginess. She had no idea about any plans to go anywhere.

“Why are you packing so much? Where are we going?”

Kyle’s expression was cold, different from usual. His voice, however, wasn’t angry.

After several questions, he finally answered, still not looking at her.

“You’ll find out when we get there.”

Though uneasy, Brody sensed the sharpness in his demeanor and chose not to resist, instead quietly preparing to go out.

When she tried to pack a small bag of her own, Kyle grabbed her hand the moment she finished dressing and led her out of the room.

“Shouldn’t I pack some of my things too?”

“I’ve already packed for you.”

Brody glanced at the bag in his other hand. It didn’t seem large enough to hold her dresses or belongings.

‘Did he really pack for me?’

But she had no time to argue.

Descending the stairs together, they encountered Alexander and Eliza, who were heading to the dining room.

“Kyle, where are you headed?”

Alexander asked, startled by his son’s packed bag.

Kyle didn’t answer and simply walked out of the house with Brody in tow.

Brody’s mind raced with uneasy thoughts. Unable to hold back, she asked,

“Kyle, don’t tell me you’ve had another fight with your father? Is that why you’re leaving?”

“It’s not that.”

And that was all he said.

Despite her growing concern, Brody couldn’t press further. The icy decisiveness in his attitude silenced her.

Kyle mounted a horse, pulling Brody up with him, and rode toward the eastern fir forest of Mount Nevo.

It was a secluded area with no signs of civilization.

Deep in the forest, they stopped in front of a small cabin.

Kyle dismounted and led Brody inside.

The cabin was modest and aged, but it was equipped with a kitchen, a fireplace, a small bed, and a tiny wardrobe. That was all.

Still confused, Brody looked around the cabin.

“Is this where we’re staying?”

Kyle dropped the bag onto the bed and replied,

“From now on, we’ll live here.”

“…Here? Just the two of us?”

“Yes.”

“Why all of a sudden?”

Kyle rolled up his sleeves and headed to the kitchen, where someone had already stocked some food. He answered casually,

“We planned to leave the house for a few days anyway. Did you forget?”

“Well, yes, but…”

She had thought he was beginning to reconcile with his family and expected them to stay longer at the main house.

Brody hesitated, concerned.

“You… didn’t have another argument with your parents, did you?”

Kyle denied it firmly, exuding a silent irritation that warned her not to ask further.

Though worried, Brody dropped the matter.

She recalled seeing Alexander and Eliza earlier that morning—they didn’t seem upset or troubled.

After a quick glance around, Brody decided to check the bag Kyle claimed to have packed for her.

But inside the bag, there was hardly anything to call belongings. All it held were Brody’s usual items: her comb, mirror, and the white nightgown she used as sleepwear.

Not a single piece of outdoor clothing. And yet he claimed to have packed for her.

“Kyle, I think we need to go back home and pack again. I don’t even have any outdoor clothes.”

She spoke in disbelief, but Kyle only gave a half-hearted response.

“If you need anything while we’re here, just let me know. I’ll go back and get it.”

“…”

Brody stared at him blankly. He didn’t seem in a good mood, but since she didn’t know the reason, it only made her feel more frustrated.

“Kyle, are you sure nothing’s wrong?”

At her serious tone, Kyle finally lifted his head and looked at her.

But all he did was stare blankly, his gaze unreadable. Then, as if dismissing the question entirely, he turned his eyes away.

“Nothing.”

It wasn’t nothing. But judging by his behavior, asking further would only result in silence.

Brody sighed softly. If he hadn’t fought with his family, then why had he brought her here to live in such a secluded place, just the two of them?

If anything, shouldn’t he be avoiding her right now? Living in such close quarters with her in this tiny cabin would surely feel awkward for Zelda.

A sudden thought crossed her mind, making her eyes narrow.

‘Could he have brought me here on purpose? So I wouldn’t have to keep facing Zelda in the house?’

Brody’s tendency to associate Kyle’s every action with Zelda had become second nature by now.

She mulled over the idea and felt her mood souring. Frustrated with her own thoughts, she stood up.

‘There’s no point in wasting energy on unproductive speculation. I should just look around this cramped little cabin, since it seems we’ll be staying here for a while.’

Brody walked over to the window by the bed and tried to open it.

“Huh?”

The window wouldn’t budge.

Startled, she pressed harder, but the window, which didn’t even have a latch, remained firmly shut.

“Kyle, I think the window’s broken. It won’t open.”

“I’ll fix it.”

His response was nonchalant, as if he already knew.

Brody frowned, unimpressed.

The cabin was so small that there wasn’t much else to explore, so she decided to head outside to take a look around.

But when she tried to open the door, it wouldn’t budge either.

She yanked and pulled with all her strength, but the door remained stubbornly shut.

It was definitely working earlier when Kyle opened it!

“Kyle, what’s going on? The door isn’t working either!”

Brody shouted, her voice tinged with frustration. But Kyle only gave the same indifferent reply:

“I’ll fix that too.”

‘Seriously? If the cabin’s in such bad shape, shouldn’t you have fixed it before bringing me here?!’

After struggling with the door for a while, Brody finally gave up and slumped onto the bed.

Her eyes darted nervously around the tiny cabin, an uneasy expression on her face.

Meanwhile, Kyle stood in the kitchen, silently organizing the food he’d brought.

His face was devoid of any emotion, his calmness unsettling to watch.

 

***

 

On the day they moved into the cabin, neither Brody nor Kyle stepped outside even once.

Brody had tried to go out at one point, but with the door refusing to open, she had no choice but to stay inside.

Even when she asked Kyle to open it for her, he ignored her entirely.

Brody resolved to put up with his uncooperative behavior for as long as her patience allowed and resigned herself to staying indoors.

The two spent the afternoon cleaning the small cabin and organizing their minimal belongings. By evening, Kyle prepared dinner himself.

Despite the limited resources, he quickly made a hearty soup filled with meat and vegetables.

After washing up with the hot water Kyle had prepared in the small bathroom, Brody sat down at the table, eating the soup while sneaking glances at him.

Kyle, on the other hand, was barely touching his food.

‘That’s not like him.’

Usually, Kyle had a hearty appetite, but now he was eating as if he had lost all interest in food.

The silence between them, broken only by the crackling of the fireplace, began to feel awkward.

Trying to lighten the mood, Brody spoke up.

“Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve ever had something you cooked.”

“…”

“This soup is amazing. You’re such a great cook, sweetheart.”

She smiled as she praised him, but Kyle showed no reaction.

Instead, he suddenly set down his spoon, picked up his bowl, and stood.

Without a word, he walked over to the trash bin and dumped the rest of his soup before turning to Brody.

“When you’re done, just leave your bowl there.”

He then walked to the fireplace, sat down with his back to her, and began poking at the logs with a fire poker.

Brody blinked in shock, her gaze following him. Her face turned red with embarrassment, her chest tightening with a dull ache.

‘I was just trying to compliment him.’

She bit her lip, her thoughts racing.

‘Was it because I called him ‘sweetheart’? Does he hate hearing that from me now?’

The more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt for using a playful tone to lighten the mood.

She clenched her fists, her emotions a mix of frustration and humiliation.

‘I guess even hearing me call him ‘sweetheart’ is uncomfortable for him now.’

 

Both our leads are suffering so much, I hate I hate it I hate Kernels too at this point; I didn’t know he would be this sly. Our leads are just one step away from tearing each other apart ༼⁠;⁠´⁠༎ຶ⁠ ⁠۝ ⁠༎ຶ⁠༽