Episode 17

The unexpected reaction caused Hestia to hold Theo’s gaze for a moment.

“Okay, I’m going to grill fish tonight, so look forward to it!”

She grinned and ruffled his soft navy blue hair.

Theo, who had been told not to do this, was surprisingly receptive to Hestia’s touch, his head bent low.

While he washed, Hestia built a fire in the yard, sat down, and began grilling fish on skewers.

“Lou is such a good fisherman.”

After letting Theo into the bathroom, she brought him a large fish, not long after his request.

“…….”

As I watched the fire crackle and the flames burn, wild and fragile, my mind drifted down into the abyss.

Hestia’s emotions quickly subsided as memories she wanted to forget began to bubble up.

“No! Stay with me!”

It was only a matter of time before these dark memories would consume her if she let her guard down.

Hestia slammed her palm against her forehead, snapping her back to reality.

The stinging pain brought her emotions back to the surface.

“Huh? Hestia, are you okay?”

Theo came running out of the bathroom. His eyes were wide with surprise.

“You’re just in time, aren’t you? Look at this! Nice bake, huh?”

Ignoring his concern, Hestia smirked and pointed to the roasting fish, which was turning golden brown.

“Let’s see.”

But Theo didn’t even glance in her direction, just stepped closer and bent down to face her.

“It’s red.”

“Huh?”

Theo tucked a stray strand of Hestia’s hair up to look at it, then rolled his eyes.

“Why did you hit your forehead?”

Theo looked at her forehead, then lowered his gaze and made a small bruising face.

“Um……. To wake you up?”

Hestia shrugged as if it was no big deal and rubbed my forehead vigorously.

“Whatever you do, don’t do this next time. I’d rather you run, or scream.”

Theo gently pulled Hestia’s hand away from my forehead and set it down.

“Or you could call for me.”

The corners of my mouth tilted upward in a gentle smile.

Was it the warmth of the bonfire, or was it just my imagination that Theo’s expression seemed unusually warm?

“……you?”

Their gazes intertwined in the crackling firelight.

“It’s nice to have someone around, at least it doesn’t feel weird.”

Theo slowly turned and sat down next to Hestia.

“You know, it’s times like this that I think I’m 14.”

Hestia smirked and flipped the skewer over.

“You’re too kind to believe me now.”

With that, Theo let out a guttural laugh that drifted on the wind.

Hestia’s eyes widened in surprise at the sound of his fresh laughter, and she quickly shifted her gaze to Theo.

There he was again.

A look of overlap.

A laugh that made her feel nostalgic.

Golden eyes that seemed to resemble stars or blazing sun, and navy blue hair that seemed to reflect the night sky.

“……You’re pretty when you laugh.”

Yeah, you used to smile just as pretty.

It was the last thing I wanted to say to you before we left.

“That sounds like you’re usually called ugly, but I’ve never been called ugly anywhere.”

She closed her eyes again and opened them, seeing Theo’s full form.

Hestia quickly shook the thought out of her head.

“I just meant that you’re always pretty, but when you smile, you’re even prettier.”

She smirked, pretending not to notice.

“I’m even prettier when I’m dressed up.”

“Stop it. There’s no cure for Prince’s disease.”

“…….”

Hestia grinned from ear to ear at Theo’s increasingly narrowed brow, as if she were finding it amusing. The thought of the past was long gone.

“Smile. Your luck is running away from you.”

He lifted his index finger and gently rubbed his hand across Theo’s wrinkled brow.

This time, Theo didn’t shy away from the warmth of her touch, the warmth that radiated from her cold fingertips was too good.

His guard had already been down.

It’s just that he didn’t realize it…….

Theo snapped out of his daze and turned his attention back to the grilled fish.

“By the way, when did you catch the fish?”

“A friend brought it to me earlier.”

Well, he didn’t say the friend was human.

Hestia answered the question with a straight face.

“Did you happen to catch that lai……. Ha. No.”

But Theo’s brow creased again at Hestia’s words. Theo ran a hand through his hair roughly, breathing heavily.

“Why? What is it? Why do you have to make me wonder?”

Hestia cocked her head at Theo, who was suddenly acting strangely.

Had he realized who Lou was? Maybe……. Had he seen what happened with Mr. El?

A sudden tension flashed through her, and Hestia stilled, studying Theo’s face.

“That bird…….”

Theo’s head snapped up from its slumped position and he met Hestia’s brown eyes.

The golden pupils sparkled deeply, taking in Hestia’s entirety.

“…….”

The stare was insistent, and Hestia couldn’t escape it.

She swallowed dryly, forgetting the nervousness that surged through her as the dark golden eyes locked on her.

Theo’s expression was odd.

It was almost childlike.

Or bewildered by the unfamiliar reaction.

Hesitant to walk into a trap.

Or delighted at the upcoming excitement.

His expression was one of conflicting emotions.

Theo’s lips curled into a tight line, and he seemed to consider for a moment.

“That bird……. I guess I’ve taken a liking to Hestia.”

Then he seemed to realize the answer to his question.

Theo’s lips drew into a faint arc as he turned to face her. His golden eyes no longer held the tremor of worry.

“…….”

Hestia followed Theo’s lead and offered a faint smile.

No matter what the question, it was so sweet to see a child growing up and finding their answers.

Tadak-!

A song of flames pierced the silence, waking Hestia and Theo, who looked at each other.

“Oh no, we’re going to burn.”

Hestia, who had averted her gaze first, hastily pulled out the grilled fish.

She chose the largest, ripest skewer.

“Here. Eat.”

She handed it to Theo first, as was now a matter of course.

“See, you’re such a thoughtful guy.”

Theo blinked, smiled, and took the skewer with a mischievous toothy grin.

“Ah…….”

Hestia froze, stopped moving, and swallowed hard. She felt like she’d been exposed like she’d been exposed to a weakness she’d denied for so long.

Maybe……. Yes. I felt like I was facing the ‘me’ that I’d been avoiding.

Contrary to my expectation that I would be in despair from countless betrayals, I found myself smiling. As if it had always been there.

She wasn’t cowering in fear of being hurt again.

Just……. Like I’d turned a blind eye because I didn’t want to be the only one hurt.

And then this.

“……Thank you.”

This kid informed me.

“Thank you, Theo.”

Hestia smiled, genuinely, brightly.

I felt like one of the walls I’d been cowering behind had come crashing down.

* * *

“I told you to lie down first, why are you here?”

Hestia, who had just finished her shower, came into the house.

Despite her insistence that he go to bed first, Theo was still sitting in the chair, waiting for her.

“Just a minute.”

Only when he saw Hestia enter did Theo push himself up from the chair?

“Come on, let’s go in.”

Hestia opened the door as Theo stood up.

Theo hurried to stand beside her.

“Here. You over there. I’ll take this.”

Hestia pointed to the new bed and then to the old bed.

“Well…… good night. Theo.”

She waved goodnight with a sheepish smile.

“……Good night, too, Hestia.”

Theo waved back with a coy smile, not quite meeting Hestia’s eyes.

It was a simple greeting that seemed natural at first glance.

It was an awkward, unfamiliar greeting to them.

“Hmmm! Hmmm!”

“Whoa…….”

The two men rolled their eyes and hurried to their respective seats.

The only sound in the dimly candlelit room was their breathing.

Theo lay silent under the covers, while Hestia leaned against the back of the bed, reading a book.

“Hestia, do you…… trust me?”

Theo asked, breaking the silence.

“I think you asked me that last time.”

“And the answer is the same now as it was then?”

It doesn’t matter if you believe in someone or not.

Theo still remembered the words.

“……I do.”

Before Hestia could say anything else, Theo spoke up again.

“Huh?”

A stupid sound escaped Hestia’s lips at the completely unexpected words.

Embarrassed and surprised, Hestia looked up from her book and looked at Theo.

But Theo just lay there, his face as calm as if she hadn’t said anything.

“You’ve lived so long, you’ve gone deaf. What a waste…….”

“After three days and three nights with you, shouldn’t you have some faith?”

Just saying.

Theo muttered softly, pulling the covers up to his neck.

Three days might not seem like a lot of time to get to know someone, but for some, it was a long time to get to know someone’s true nature.

Theo’s sincere, hard brown eyes and caring demeanor made her trust him.

Even more so when it came to Theo, who was so susceptible to emotion.

“I just……. I just wanted to say yes.”

It wasn’t something Theo said easily, either, but it was something he felt strangely compelled to tell Hestia.

To believe in someone, anyone. Even though he’d never said it before.

When he finished, Theo pulled the covers closer, covering her eyes.

Hestia could only stifle a giggle at the bluntness of his confession.

Theo’s embarrassment seemed to reach even here.

To believe that……. She wondered if she should answer because she was a Moor.

“Uh…… well. That’s nice of you to say, but…….”

After a long pause, Hestia slowly opened her mouth.