He was clearly outside the valley, but he was here in the blink of an eye, bracing me against his chest.
“Thank you.”
“It was nothing.”
pounding, pounding.
My chest pounded as I began to recognize him as a man.
A sweet man who didn’t blame me for my mistake.
If my mom had seen Lacius, she would have told me that this is the kind of man I should marry.
“Can I sit here and eat?”
“Sure.”
My mango tasting was done with my feet dipped in the valley.
I dipped my fork into the mango and took a bite.
My mouth was full of mango, so I couldn’t utter an exclamation, but the freshly picked mango from the tree was incredibly sweet.
“Oh my God, it’s so delicious!”
“I didn’t know you would be this happy. I guess I’ll have to come here often and pick some from now on.”
“Are there more mango trees?”
“The one you saw earlier belongs to a short variety. You probably couldn’t see the others because they were too tall.”
Lord, is this heaven?
It’s simply a shame that time is passing.
Wouldn’t it be great if time just froze here? Right at this moment?
If only we could live here with just the two of us without thinking about anyone or anything.
‘But that’s impossible.’
Let’s not even think about the things that were impossible from the beginning.
I pushed the last piece of mango into my mouth and stood up energetically.
I had to find the three rocks, but it didn’t seem like they were here.
Since it was a valley, I thought there would be rocks, but I couldn’t find three of them grouped together.
“We could check out the cottage in the woods, or we could go horseback riding on the beach; which would you prefer?”
“Um, of course… Horseback riding!”
Riding Siwoo was so much fun.
They say horses are stubborn and won’t move forward if they don’t like the person riding them, but Siwoo never did that.
We just got along well from the beginning. Like the things I had drawn.
“Then let’s go this way.”
Lacius held out his hand to me.
It seemed like we were going in a different direction than before.
“Thank you.”
I held his hand and safely crossed the slippery valley.
Once we’re out in the grass, I realize the hem of my skirt is soaked through.
“Wait a minute, Lashin.”
I wouldn’t have minded walking, but my clothes were heavy.
I gently let go of his hand and bent down to wring out my skirt.
After the water that had soaked into it dripped away, it felt much lighter and more refreshing. When I raised my head, I saw Lacius turning his head to the side.
“Uh…”
His ears seemed to be turning red.
Feeling a little embarrassed, I deliberately flapped my skirt.
It was to let him know that it was all over.
“… … I’m a man too, so if you keep lifting your skirt like that—.”
“You’re having naughty thoughts?”
“No. My heart is pounding.”
I joked, but what came back was a serious declaration, and the atmosphere instantly became awkward.
I hesitated, not knowing what to say.
He sees me as a woman.
That simple sentence touched and filled my chest.
“Let’s go find Siwoo. It shouldn’t be too hot for Siwoo now.”
“Yes.”
If Lacius had been a playboy, he would have probably dated thousands by now.
Throwing such a fluttering remark out of the blue should be illegal.
I fiddled with the hem of my skirt with my fingers and stole a glance at his profile.
I could taste the sweet flavor of mango in my mouth.
Then I remembered the kiss we once shared.
* * *
I wondered if I could find the three rocks if I rode Siwoo, but there was no success. I was sweating, while Lacius didn’t seem to be bothered by the heat at all, which was fascinating.
“It is dangerous to ride a horse in the sun for too long. You might get heatstroke. How about taking a rest inside?”
“That would be nice, but…”
I wanted to keep looking for the rocks. However, after riding for about 30 minutes, it grew hotter, and Siwoo seemed tired. I obediently got down from the saddle and glanced at the sea.
‘Going into the sea because it’s hot might not be the best idea, right?’
I didn’t have a swimsuit, and I was a bit hesitant to go in with a one-piece that would cling to my body.
Besides, I don’t even know how to swim.
With a sour taste in my mouth, I gave up and headed back to the cottage.
Lacius followed, tethered Siu to a cool spot, and fetched him some water.
Meanwhile, I quickly washed my face and took off my uncomfortable clothes.
After finishing my shower, all that was left was to throw myself onto the spacious bed.
You could tell that this was a vacation spot from the bed, which was much bigger than a king size.
“Ah, soft and fluffy…”
I set the teddy bear he gave me aside and closed my eyes. The sound of the crashing waves tickling my ears soon lulled me to sleep.
Lacius came over and gently stroked my head, as if checking if I had a fever, but I couldn’t even open my eyes.
It seemed like my stamina wasn’t supporting my desire to have more fun.
“Get a good night’s sleep, and when you wake up, something amazing will be waiting for you.”
He whispered affectionately, like a feather brushing against me.
After that, he might have kissed my cheek. In the midst of my confusion over whether it was a dream or reality, only the sound of the waves flowed peacefully.
You can now sponsor an extra chapter by buying me a Ko-fi! 1 Ko-fi= 1extra chapter.
