∴ ∵ ∴
“S-STAMINA monster…”
Finally leaving the festivities, Rose crouched down inside the fiacre and cursed Harij. Dragged around here and there after finishing the sherbet, she was exhausted.
Don’t underestimate a shut-in’s lack of stamina! Rose was tired enough to resent the crow crowing at the sunset.
“Sleep for a bit. I’ll wake you near the forest,” Harij offered, not at all bothered by her grumbling.
“Don’t want to.”
I never want to experience the shame of him seeing my stupid just-waking-up face again.
Reality cruelly ignores wishes. Rose was fast asleep within a few minutes.
She awoke in the forest. The first thing she saw was her swaying feet. Stupefied, she blinked until she realized Harij was carrying her on his back.
“Wh-Wha?!”
“Awake now?” Harij asked, sounding no different from usual despite giving her a piggyback ride. Her face went paper white.
“Why? Carry? Heavy…!”
“Stay put for a bit. I know you’re tired.”
She was dead tired, but she would rather walk home with her feet covered in blood blisters than make him carry her. But Harij wouldn’t let go no matter how much she squirmed and struggled. Rose gave in and knocked her cheek against his back. Now that it came to this, she wanted to get back at him and flexed.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to make it so I’m too heavy to carry.”
“You aren’t heavy. You’re lighter than a feather.”
“Humans lie so easily. Hmph,” she snorted.
Harij’s throat shook with laughter. Rose was curious what kind of face he was making as he laughed.
But she was positive not being able to see each other’s faces while they were in close contact was what allowed her to keep calm enough to be open with him.
Rose quietly said, “Harij.”
His grip loosened on her legs. He held her back up before she could even feel as if she was falling.
“…What is it?”
It seemed to be quite the shock for him to hear her call him just “Harij” after how stubbornly she refused to say his name even with honorifics. His voice had cracked.
Today, Rose had heard countless people in the city call him Harij. Everyone spoke to him affectionately. The trust he had built up with them until now was kindly returned with the way they said his name.
Rose loved the ring of it.
“Is it all right if…I stay at your manor only during the night?”
This time she felt her bottom drop without anything to hold it up. But, naturally, he supported her before she could slide all the way down his back.
“…Of course.”
His answer was concise, as if he feared she would withdraw her request if he ruined her mood by asking a question or said anything more than that.
Rose rubbed her forehead into his back.
One long shadow walked through the forest.
I remember seeing a shadow like this as a kid. Rose quietly closed her eyes while being rocked to sleep in the cradle of happiness.