Towards the Winter Cabin of Serenity and Madness, Cinderella Runs - Chapter 112
Did he get angry? Roel worriedly lifted her eyelids to peek. Kyden was covering his eyes with his palm, his shoulders shaking. He was silently laughing. Roel’s face flushed hotly.
“Don’t laugh. I’m serious…”
“Ugh, okay.”
He swallowed his laughter, looking up with a dry smile. His crescent-shaped eyes and slightly upturned lips were the same as ever, but Roel kept her mouth shut.
‘Why is he laughing?’
She didn’t like his reaction. Yet, before she knew it, Roel was also smiling slightly. It annoyed her that Kyden treated her words like a child’s whine, but his laughter made her laugh too. It was really strange.
‘Ah, this feels so good.’
Roel, feeling like a fool, opened her mouth wide.
A warm and soft emotion bubbled up from within her, like a spring welling up. This feeling spread to her fingertips, tickling her entire body. Just when she thought she might moan in delight from the fluttering sensation,
Boom—!!
A loud sound erupted from outside the window. Along with it came the cheers of the crowd. Kyden and Roel both turned their gazes to the window at the same time.
Fireworks exploded in the dark night sky. A burst of light, brighter and more dazzling than starlight, illuminated the sky. One after another, more fireworks shot up into the air.
“Wow.”
Roel gasped in amazement as she watched the fireworks. It was the first time she had ever witnessed such a spectacle, and all she could do was marvel.
After a while, completely absorbed in the beautiful display, Roel quickly turned her head. She wasn’t sure when, but Kyden was also looking at her.
With each firework explosion, his eyes sparkled like jewels. It was moving to realize she was sharing this beautiful sight with him. Roel beamed like a blooming flower.
“…I’m so happy.”
She felt so happy that she could die right then and there. The time spent with him, the beautiful view, and the overwhelming sense of happiness enveloped her. She had never imagined such a joyful moment would come her way.
She had believed that misfortune was her destiny.
She thought the hellish days would last forever, struggling in the painful cycle of life, slowly sinking into despair.
But that wasn’t the case. The dark night had passed, and a bright day had arrived.
She was glad she endured the hellish life with tenacity. She was relieved she survived those moments when she wished to die. Just being alive felt like a blessing.
If she had died without knowing she could be this happy, it would have felt truly unfair. Today, she discovered that life could be beautiful.
“Thank you. It’s all thanks to Kyden…”
Kyden stared at her with a dazed expression with his mouth open. He felt he should say something, but he was so captivated by her gaze that his thoughts came to a standstill. It felt as if time had frozen.
Roel’s laughter, free from past hardships, was indescribably beautiful. At that moment, Kyden recalled their memories together.
In the cold winter, the surprised gift of Roel curled up in the cabin’s storage. The timid Roel, peeking around cautiously as she approached the warmth of the fireplace.
The obsessive-compulsive Roel who cleaned the cabin while he was away. The sewing addict who would pounce on any torn clothing. The Roel who pretended to be annoyed but clung to him every night.
The lying Roel who claimed it was all a joke after running away. The little pup Roel who would rush to him when he returned. The squirrel Roel who secretly ate the sweet treats he brought back.
The strong-willed Roel who sent her cousin, who was attempting to assault her, to oblivion. And then, the runaway Roel who truly disappeared.
He had thought she couldn’t do without him, yet here she was, thriving in the capital.
Memories of Roel began to surface one by one. And the image that would likely remain in his heart the longest was the one of her now—
Roel, happily smiling at him.
“…Me too.”
He finally managed to respond after a long pause, his voice barely above a whisper.
With a tense expression, he put his hands in his pockets and swallowed hard. He had never felt this nervous before in his life. Even in battles where he had risked his life, he hadn’t felt this way.
As he inhaled unevenly, he was about to open his mouth when Roel suddenly exclaimed,
“Kyden, it’s not much, but here’s a gift for you! I’ll get you something better later!”
Roel held out a small ornament.
“Ah, thank you.”
“And this too! It’s a handkerchief.”
Roel proudly revealed the handkerchief, her face beaming with delight as she presented it to him.
“A handkerchief too? I’ll use it well… I also…”
“In fact, I have a scarf!”
“Oh… there’s more?”
“It’s too warm to wear right now since the weather has warmed up, but it’s still pretty, right?”
“Yeah. It’s beautiful.”
Kyden accepted the gifts without smiling or frowning.
“Shall we go out? The night lights are bright, and it would be nice to walk around.”
“…Yeah.”
He felt he had missed the best moment. Kyden berated himself for being foolish, pressing between his brows in frustration.
