At sunset
Slowly, Irene began to return to her senses.
The forest had grown silent, she loosened her tight grip around her legs, lifting her head just a little.
The sun was orange now.
How long… was I sitting here?
Before she could gather her thoughts, she heard footsteps behind her—
soft, slow, approaching her hiding place.
Her heart jumped.
Her breath stopped.
She turned her head slightly, terrified of what she might see.
But
It was Carlo.
Her eyes widened, lips parting relief weakly.
Carlo stepped closer, brushing aside some branches as he crouched near the bush.
He exhaled softly when he finally saw her curled up there, small and trembling.
He gave her a gentle smile.
"Finally found you," he said, reaching out his hand. "Let's go home."
"…Carlo…"
A single tear slid down Irene's cheek.
She lifted her hand to meet his, but as she tried to stand—
"A-ah—!"
Her ankle gave out beneath her.
Carlo immediately steadied her.
Irene gasped, clutching his arm as pain shot up her leg.
"…Carlo… my legs…" she whispered, trembling again.
Her ankles were swollen—one from running, the other from sitting curled up for so long.
Carlo looked over the situation quickly.
His expression softened, then hardened in understanding.
Without hesitation, he stepped into the bush, ignoring the thorns scraping against his trousers.
He slid one arm under her knees, another behind her back.
With a firm lift, he carried his startled sister up onto his shoulders—
her small, fragile frame resting against him.
Carefully, he stepped out of the thorns and branches, returning her to the dirt path.
Irene held onto him weakly.
…
Carrying his sister on his back, Carlo made his way down the dirt path toward home.
Irene held onto him with both arms, finally allowing her body to rest.
"…Carlo… how did you find me?" she whispered.
"I figured you'd be here," he answered simply. "And I saw a few petals around where you hid."
Irene tightened her grip around his shoulders.
She looked up at the orange sky above them—
then down at the dirt path shifting beneath Carlo's steps.
"…I was so scared…" she murmured.
Carlo didn't reply.
Irene tried to lift her head to see his expression,
but from where she lay, she couldn't see his face at all.
She wondered… was he angry?
Worried?
Hiding his own feelings so she wouldn't see?
Finally, Carlo spoke steadily.
"That's what I'm here for, isn't it?"
Irene smiled softly at that.
She rested her cheek against his shoulder, letting her eyes close for a moment.
The siblings returned home as the evening sky darkened behind them.
Back at the small shack, Carlo helped Irene settle on the small bed.
He sat on the floor before her, mixing crushed herbs with water, creating a simple poultice for her swollen ankles.
The room was quiet.
Carlo worked gently, but
"…Ouch!"
He glanced up.
"Does it hurt?"
"Of course it does."
"Endure it just a bit more."
Irene fell quiet again.
She watched his hands—gentle and careful
She reached forward and brushed her fingers through Carlo's slightly messy hair.
"...Hehe."
Startled, Carlo looked up at her, puzzled.
"What are you doing?"
"I just thought…" Irene paused, giving a gentle smile
"Even though life is still the same… it's not so bad after all."
Carlo blinked slowly.
He returned to treating her ankle.
The next morning, Carlo strictly forbids Irene from stepping outside.
He insisted she stay in bed
"Your ankle won't heal if you keep walking on it."
He left early for work, but not before returning once more to drop off breakfast and lunch.
Irene stayed on her bed, watching sunlight leak through the cracks of the shack's walls.
Dust floated lazily in the golden beams, drifting like tiny spirits across the air.
Bored, she turned to the window.
She watched trees sway.
Birds hop across branches.
Grass glitter under the morning sun.
The boy standing under all of it
The boy???
Adrian had come again today.
He stood behind the shack, glancing around, searching for her—
peering between trees, checking the side of the house, looking around…
Instantly, Irene pushed herself off the bed.
Pain shot up her ankle
"Ah—!"
but she ignored it, hobbling carefully toward the door.
Outside, Adrian was still pacing, looking for her.
He stepped closer to the woods, deciding to wait a bit longer.
Thinking maybe she wasn't home today…
But he didn't feel like leaving yet.
Irene moved slowly
one small step, then another
circling around the shack toward him.
Just as Adrian turned toward a fallen tree trunk to sit, Irene called out:
"Adrian!"
He stopped.
Looked back.
The moment their eyes met, Irene smiled—bright, relieved, happy.
She walked toward him
But on her next step, she forgot about her injured ankle.
Her foot twisted.
And she fell straight onto the grass, face-first into dirt.
Ugh…
Before she could even lift her head, a shadow covered the sun.
Adrian was already kneeling beside her, reaching out his hand.
"Are you alright?"
Irene froze from embarrassment, cheeks burning, but she forced a gentle smile to reassure him.
"Ehe…!"
She slipped her hand into his, and Adrian pulled her up carefully
His grip was warm, strong, and gentle.
Adrian helped her walk to the familiar oak tree—the place they always sat and talked.
Once they settled down, he finally asked,
"What happened to your ankles?"
"…I tripped on a rock," Irene replied quickly.
Her eyes darted away in every direction
Adrian didn't know her for long, but even he could tell she was lying.
And if she was lying, there must have been a reason.
He glanced at the cloth bandages wrapped around her ankle, wondering what had really happened.
"What a weakling," Adrian teased, smirking.
"…What?" Irene snapped, startled.
"Nothing."
Irene puffed her cheeks, pouting at him
irritated and embarrassed all at once.
"…I'm much stronger than you think!" she declared.
"Are you?" Adrian teased again, voice cool but amused.
"...Are you underestimating me??"
Her pout deepened, her face scrunching up even more.
Adrian couldn't help it.
He found it… cute.
Enough teasing for now.
He reached into his pouch and pulled out a small bag of treats, cookies from the manor.
Irene's eyes brightened immediately, all irritation forgotten in an instant.
Adrian took one cookie from the bag and held it in front of her.
Irene froze
She hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward slowly
ready to take a bite
But bit only air as Adrian withdrew the cookie at the last second.
He smirked, giving her that teasing smile again.
"Do you want it that much?"
Irene pouted again.
Her irritation returned full force.
"…You're… making fun of me with treats!"
Unbothered, Adrian lifted the cookie to his mouth and bit half of it himself, still smiling.
Then, with his other hand, he placed the entire cookie bag onto her lap.
"That's for you," he said.
"This one is for me."
Receiving a whole bag suddenly, Irene's joy burst back just as quickly as it left.
She opened it immediately and took a bite of a cookie.
Her eyes widened
her face flushed
a spark of pure delight lighting up her expression.
Adorable to Adrian.