Mr. Kadan in the Deep Forest - Chapter 4
Her gaze slowly traveled from the thick muscles of his chest up to his neat collarbones, strong neck, and unruly beard. Through his untamed black hair, she saw his prominent nose and full lips.
It was the same man who had freed her earlier. And Luna realized that she had been resting her head on his arm.
Startled, Luna pushed against his chest, trying to sit up. But the pain that shot through her body made her collapse back down with a soft thud.
At that moment, Luna looked at her arm. Bandages soaked in herbal water were tightly wrapped from her fingers up to her upper arm. The same was done on her other arm.
“You’re awake.”
The man rubbed his eyes tiredly before getting up from the bed. Unlike Luna, whose skin had always been pale from covering up, his sun-kissed skin had a healthy, warm tone.
He picked up the blanket they had been sharing and draped it over Luna, covering her body. The soft sensation of the beast’s fur against her skin was strangely vivid.
Only then did Luna realize she was naked.
She should be thanking him for saving her, but she was too preoccupied with covering herself with the blanket he handed her. It wasn’t so much her nakedness, but the fact that her tattoos were exposed that embarrassed her more.
However, to her surprise, the man didn’t seem to care about her markings.
“Freezing. I warmed you.”
He explained briefly while scratching his head, while his clear eyes, peeking through his messy hair, were completely without any ulterior motive.
“Um, my clothes…”
Luna looked around, and the man, wearing only pants, got up from the bed and handed her a large shirt. Every time he moved, his well-toned muscles shifted under his skin.
“Your clothes ruined.”
The shirt he gave her was an old, worn piece with patches here and there. Luna spotted her white dress lying by the hearth. It was torn and stained with blood, reduced to rags.
‘Did wild beasts attack me when I passed out?’
There were only scratch marks on her arms and legs, and her flesh hadn’t been torn away, so it must have been thanks to the man. No predator in such harsh weather would willingly leave its prey behind.
‘But why did he bring me to the cabin?’
With her strange tattoos, she was certain he must have felt uneasy about her. Luna remembered how people had always avoided her and pulled the shirt he gave her over her body. The shirt was so large that it covered half of her thighs, and the sleeves were a good hand’s width too long.
“Um… the shirt’s too big, haha.”
Luna laughed awkwardly, and the man suddenly blushed, quickly turning his gaze away.
It was surprising that the man, who hadn’t flinched at seeing her naked, was now embarrassed by her simply putting on clothes.
He brought over a thin soup he had placed over the hearth, ladling it into a wooden bowl before offering it to Luna.
“Eat. Help you heal.”
Was he saying she needed to eat to get better? Luna absentmindedly took the bowl of soup. As she just stared at it, the man patiently rolled up Luna’s long sleeves and began feeding her.
Flustered, Luna accepted a few spoonfuls of soup, biting down on her lower lip.
‘Since my nanny died, it’s the first time anyone has cared for me.’
For a moment, her heart and eyes grew hot. She felt like she might burst into tears, so she quickly turned her head, extending her hand toward him.
“Please, I can eat on my own.”
“Yes.”
The man hesitated but handed her the spoon. Then, after briefly glancing at Luna’s tearful eyes, he quietly left the cabin. Soon, the sound of chopping wood echoed from outside the window.
‘Did he just consider my feelings?’
Luna watched his silhouette through the fogged-up window as she quickly finished the soup. It was an oddly comforting soup. The despair she felt until yesterday had vanished with the warmth of just one bowl.
‘It doesn’t have anything special in it, but it’s delicious. He must be really good at cooking.’
The savory and perfectly rich taste of the soup lingered in her mouth, and the tears that had welled up in her eyes slowly settled down her throat.
Regaining her composure, Luna slowly looked around the cabin. The worn window bathed in warm afternoon sunlight, the neat shelf and well-used stove, the clean but old clothes and bedding, and the dried ham and fruits hanging neatly on the wall.
The cabin, reflecting the man’s tidy personality, had a cozy, inviting atmosphere.
Luna sat on the edge of the bed, quietly waiting for the man to return. The rhythmic sounds of him chopping wood and the snow falling off the roof were the only noises that broke the silence, but it wasn’t boring.
After some time, the man returned to the cabin, carrying a large stack of firewood. He set it down next to the stove and walked over to Luna, extending his hand.
On his large, calloused palm were small, red berries—the sweet snowberries that only grow in winter. The berries were glistening and releasing a refreshing fragrance.
“Eat.”
“And you?”
“I ate. Hand.”
Luna absentmindedly extended one hand, then quickly held out both hands. To take the snowberries from him, she needed to gather them with both hands, even though they were only a small handful in the man’s hand.
