Chapter 32

I must be crazy.

As he handed over the warm wine, Rev, who was surprised by Luce who suddenly slapped her cheek, approached her.

“What’s wrong, Luce?”

“I had very impure thoughts for a while.”

“An impure thought?”

It is a flow of thought that no one could possibly believe unless there’s alcohol in the warm wine. 

It’s the hand she has always seen! It’s definitely a hand that she shook here and there to see if there was a band-aid!

To tell her childhood friend that he’s all grown up because his muscles and veins stand out, what a sinister thought!

If there is a God, it is clear that he will punish her. 

Mom, you didn’t have to worry about Rev. You should have worried about your daughter.

“What are the impure thoughts?”

“There’s something like that. Kids don’t have to know.”

Yes, don’t worry about this puppy-like friend who’s upset because she didn’t tell him! 

She didn’t think to say it, but imagine how shocked this innocent child would be if she did.

Fortunately, Luce naturally changed the topic.

“I wish we had made a snowman and a snow butterfly today. Right?” 

He nodded quickly when she talked about last year’s memories.

“Yeah, it was fun then. Still, I can’t help it because your mother is worried.” 

“Still, there’s still a little bit left before the end of winter, so let’s make it again next time we meet.”

“Okay. But what were your impure thoughts?”

Does it not work today?

Rev tilted his head as he watched Luce’s embarrassed hands and feet go out together.

“It’s just that there is such a thing! I, I will tell you next time!” 

“Next time? When?”

“When we become an adult! I’m going!”

“I’ll take you.”

A crackling sound was heard from behind, and Rev, who wanted to see her off before asking, hurriedly followed.

Then, as if it were natural, he took the bottle of Luce’s warm wine, held it, and held out his hand instead. 

Unlike the pretty smile, she didn’t have the ingenuity to refuse his big, angular hand.

“It’s right in front. I can go alone.”

“It’s okay. Today is your birthday.”

“What do you usually do when you take me there? Do you know what you said the day before yesterday when you took me there? Today is Tuesday, so I’ll take you there, like that.” 

White breath escaped his low laugh.

“Does the reason you want to take me every day change?”

Snow is falling lightly.

With a white face just like snow, he spoke quietly.

“Sometimes it’s Tuesday, sometimes it’s raining, sometimes I want to get some fresh air, and sometimes I like the scent of flowers.”

Rev, who was listing the reasons as if analyzing variables, clasped his hands.

“It changes every time… Actually, it’s all an excuse, Luce.” 

“….” 

“I just wanted to talk a little bit more.”

The plain and warm words sounded like a confession.

It’s like a confession.

What will Rev say if she says that? 

Didn’t he mean that? 

Yes, is it a confession in the dictionary sense?

Either way, it seemed to be harmful to the heart.

This is all because of the warm wine. Maybe Rev didn’t get all the alcohol out of the warm wine. 

That’s probably why it’s like that today. That’s why she feels weird today. 

After thinking about how to answer for a while, Luce gave the most acceptable but a little cowardly answer.

“Ung. I like talking to you too.”

“I’m glad you said that.”

‘I’m serious,’ but she didn’t answer it like that. 

Because that’s not what she really wanted to say. 

The sound of stepping on the snow filled the surrounding for a while. The whole world is white.

“I’m going to go now, Rev.”

Rev grabbed her and said, “Wait a minute,” when she said a quick greeting.

“It’s a gift.”

“Huh? A gift? But you have already treated me to a delicious meal.”

“Since it’s your second birthday with me, so I wanted it to be a little more special… Happy birthday, Luce. I miss you.” 

Rev smiled lightly, handed me a bottle of warm wine and a small gift box, and then moved away.

What did he want to make it more special?

Just being together on her birthday is special. 

“When is your birthday, Rev?”

She asked him once because she wanted to take care of him after her birthday last year. But Rev turned around very awkwardly. When she asked why, she got an unexpected answer.

“I don’t know either.” 

Rev is not good at lying. So that statement would be sincere.

What kind of life did Rev live that he doesn’t even know his birthday? 

Luce sighed as she thought back on the conversation that ended with regret and sorry when the questions fell apart. 

The thoughts of when she first got to know Rev came to life again. 

‘Because Rev grew up in a very different environment from others. Let’s not carelessly ask anything.’

Luce, who was trying to turn her head thinking about the luggage she had left at his house, caught something strange in her gaze. 

Meow.

“Cat?”

Meow.

A white lump that she thought was a jar or mailbox is a cat! 

She hurriedly opened her eyes, and black fur came out.

“Oh, my, were you getting hit by the snow until it piled up like this? Are you a fool?” 

The black cat meowed as if in response. It was as if it had caught a cold because its cry was a little cracked. 

Luce’s troubles were not long.

‘Let’s put it to sleep, even for today.’

Poor thing…

When she opened the door slightly, it seemed that Chelsea hadn’t returned from the store yet. 

Isn’t it better to put it in first and then tell her later? 

Just in time, the cat meowed once more. Meow.

“Come in, cat.”

It seemed to ask if it was okay to make a strange sound.

Of course, you can fool!

As soon as the hesitant cat took a step, she quickly turned on the stove.

The cat is wrapped in a blanket and given a clean water and pieces of lightly boiled meat so it can eat well as if it had been hungry for a long time.

When I wiped the messy cat’s fur, it wasn’t good to rub it normally.

“I heard that black cats have a lot of aegyo….” 

So cute. Luce, who was smiling with satisfaction, hugged the cat that had filled its stomach.

“I don’t know what my mom will say, so stay in my room for now. Do you understand?”

“Meow.” 

“I don’t know, but since you cry so much, I think I understand. Also, I’ll let you sleep in my room tonight, but I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, I’m sorry.”

“Meow.”

“You are also a precious life, but my mom’s feeling who lives with me is more important… I can still feed you, so don’t go too far.”

“Meoow.” 

Luce smiled and put the cat on the floor, wondering what all the funny talk was about.

The cat rolled up its body on the cushion Luce had prepared as if knowing where it was. 

Suddenly the house is quiet.

As her shop got busier and business got better, Chelsea’s work hours naturally increased. 

Even when she came back, she was always tired, so she couldn’t chat with her like she used to.

Even though her mother doesn’t talk much, she finds it strange when the house is quiet.

‘I wonder if Rev would say one word on a day without me.’ 

In a quiet house, he naturally comes to mind.

Luce opened the gift box that Rev had given her as she smelled the warm wine.

“Oh my…” 

It was a blue-tinted pendant the size of a fingernail. It was the perfect size to hang on a necklace, and the shape was pretty.

All of the gifts Rev gives her are things she can carry with her.

Luce was startled as she swept the pendant with admiration.

‘Is it light?’

When she touched it with her hand, the pendant glowed softly.

What is it? Is it glow in the dark? Luce, who was looking around, was surprised for the second time.

「Luce.」

…Do I hear something wrong?

Thinking of Rev, now she can even hear his voice.

There must be alcohol in the warm wine. 

Luce’s hand, which was about to hit the cheek again, stopped.

「Did you see the present? Do you like it?」

Is this hallucination talking to me?

With her hands stopped in the air, Luce only blinked.

“Uh, uh… Rev? Are you Rev?”

Then came the soft laugh she knew well.

「Ung. It’s me, Rev.」

“What’s this?”

「It’s made with magic engineering.」

“You made this?!”

What kind of over-technology is this!

Rev had made a type of phone. A wireless product the size of a fingernail!

Luce jumped to her feet, surprised almost to the point of shock. It seemed that he heard a sound of a chair rolling.

「Don’t be surprised—I made it for the first time—I wanted to give it to you.」

“Ung? What?” 

「It’s my first time making it, so it’s a bit lacking, but I wanted to give it to you first.」

There were breaks in between, but it was not something to be humbled by saying that it was lacking.

“You’re really amazing… is it okay for me to get this amazing thing?”

「—It was made by me, so if you didn’t use it—I would have lost.」

“Can you say it one more time?”

As she listened as hard as she could, she heard his voice as if he were whispering right next to her.

「I made it with you in mind, so it would have been thrown away if you didn’t use it, Luce.」

“You made it…while thinking of me…?” 

「Ung. I want to talk a little more.」

The sincerity, without exaggeration, reached her ears immediately. 

For some reason, she felt heat rise in her face. 

「You said you had to go back quickly because your mother is worried these days. I was slightly disappointed, so I thought, is there a way?」

He said he only made it because he wanted to talk with her a little more. 

「— It’s good.」

“Ung?” 

「It feels good to hear your voice like this, Luce.」

To be honest, you’re saying this too much. You know? 

…It wasn’t because of the warm wine. This is because of you. It’s your fault.

Luce, whose innocent hair was twisted all over, fell flat on the desk. 
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