A Warm Night

I finally said it.

That I had waited for you, and that you had found me again.

The moment I spoke those words, Sylvia felt every blood vessel in her body start to vigorously exercise, warming her to the depths of her heart.

Kyle felt the same way.

He had foreseen it ever since he met Lethe and heard the truth from her, but hearing those words directly from Sylvia, the person involved, made him feel like something was welling up from deep within his chest.

For a moment, it felt like even his brain had stopped functioning.

He had no idea what to say to her at this moment.

,At first, I thought it was a miracle. When I went back to the past, when Kyle found me first. But the real miracle wasn’t that. You didn’t forget me. You are the Kyle I knew. That was the biggest miracle for me.”

,…Even though I gave you an indelible wound?”

As if wishing this question would be buried in the wind, Kyle’s answer was unusually cautious and timid, unlike his usual self.

It wasn’t simply because he was afraid that his sin would be revealed again.

He was just sorry and afraid to remind her of the pain he had inflicted on her.

Nevertheless, he had to ask.

To correct the sins of the past. That was the reason he came to the past.

,That’s right. But even that is something I chose.”

,Choice, you say?”

At that, Sylvia turned her body around in place again, replying in a light tone.

It was such an insignificant tone, as if she were saying what was for dinner last night, but Kyle’s eyes widened without end when he heard the words contained within.

Choice?

What on earth does that mean?

,Actually, I predicted it to some extent. That Kyle would betray me. No, to be exact, that Kyle didn’t give me his heart. Even before going to the meeting place that day, I thought something big would happen.”

,Knowing that, why…?”

,Well, it’s a simple principle. Didn’t I say it before?”

To his question filled with doubt and bewilderment, Sylvia blinked her eyes innocently.

,Kyle was the biggest light to me. Since I have no regrets in my life anyway, I thought it would be nice if you were the one to do me harm. That’s what I thought.”

,Ah….”

But the words that came out of her mouth were so heavy, unlike her expression, that Kyle inadvertently sighed.

‘From the beginning, she was thinking of dying by my hand?’

Only then did Kyle roughly guess the reason why Sylvia’s attitude was unusually brighter than usual that day, until they met their end.

She was always talkative and liked to chatter alone.

But that day, it was as if she wouldn’t have any more opportunities to chatter in the future, so she was unusually noisy and suspiciously bright, as if she was pouring out all the words she hadn’t been able to say until now and the words she would have to say in the future.

As if enjoying a last drink with a friend before parting.

,But in the end, I regretted it. Not because I died, but because I resented myself for not stopping you from going down a bad path.”

,…Not resentful of me?”

,Hehe, that’s something I chose. Of course, it would have been best if I could have won Kyle’s heart, but that’s because of my lack of virtue.”

Sylvia gave a bitter smile, crossing her fingers.

Seeing that, the last scene flashed through Kyle’s mind.

– Kyle, I…

Her figure, covered in blood and desperately reaching out her hand.

The unspoken words that followed after that.

It still remained like a lump in his chest, as if it was pressing down on his stomach.

,So I wanted to convey my heart at least at the end, but it didn’t work out well. I wanted to tell you, ‘I don’t resent you.'”

,……”

Soon, when the truth of the unspoken words that had not been connected at that time was revealed through Sylvia, Kyle wore a blank expression as if he had been hit on the back of the head.

‘So that’s what it was.’

Really, even in that horrific reality, even in that ending where it wouldn’t be strange to resent God and a man even in death.

You were only thinking of me, writing a page to decorate the end of your life?

Realizing that fact, Kyle had to desperately hold back the hot something that kept surging from within, gradually trying to flow out through his eyes.

The person who should shed tears is her, not him.

Even tears are not allowed to a sinner.

A perpetrator shedding tears instead of a victim, what kind of paradoxical situation is that in the world?

,Sylvia.”

,Yes, Kyle.”

,Although I may not be able to be forgiven for all my mistakes. But even so, there is something I must say to you.”

With heavy lips, Kyle first approached Sylvia and looked down at her.

And then, he looked at her clearly enough to clearly distinguish what was contained in each other’s eyes.

In fact, Kyle had rarely looked her in the eye when he had something to say to her before.

Still, when he had to convey a somewhat important story, he somehow looked at her, but rather than looking at her eyes, he only pretended to face her by looking at her philtrum or lips.

Because he didn’t have the courage to look at her, because he thought he wasn’t qualified to meet her eyes.

But Sylvia realized that at this moment, he was definitely looking her in the eye.

She was so happy about that fact that a smile naturally formed on her face.

,I’m sorry.”

,For what?”

,Everything. For not showing you the store you asked me to take you to, for always answering your words unpleasantly, for not telling you the flower language of the flower you wanted to know, and for betraying you in the end.”

,Heuung….”

Kyle was doing what was like a lifelong wish for him, but somehow Sylvia’s eyes were quite playful.

Sylvia, who was looking down at him from top to bottom with eyes that said, ‘Let’s see what you’re going to say,’ soon let out a groan and took another step forward as soon as Kyle’s words were finished.

Then, she poked Kyle’s chest with her index finger and pouted her lips.

,Well, that’s right. It was a store I really wanted to go to, but you didn’t take me there in the end. You always talked to me in a prickly way, and whenever I went to the garden and asked about the flower language, you only repeated the words, ‘Why would I care?’ and in the end, you even strangled my neck….”

,Ah, no…. Strangling your neck wasn’t my intention….”

,What did you say?”

,…I’m sorry.”

It was unavoidable because he was being manipulated, but anyway, it was his fault that led to that situation, so Kyle bowed his head and apologized.

At that, Sylvia burst into a small laugh, ‘Put.’

Then, she carefully reached out her hand, avoiding his eyes that were not facing her because he was dropping his head.

The two people’s hands met.

,But it’s okay. Eventually, you took me to that store, praised me a lot, told me a lot of flower languages, and now you’re holding my hand like this.”

,…Sylvia.”

,So you don’t have to be sorry. Kyle. It’s not that I forgave you, but that I never resented you. I didn’t think anything was wrong. So please don’t make that face.”

Kyle thought he should take off the touch of the intertwined hands.

He shouldn’t be stained by her kindness like this, and it shouldn’t become nothing.

He didn’t deserve to hold this hand yet.

But as if she noticed that, Sylvia intertwined her fingers completely and tightly bound him, bringing her body closer.

Kyle’s head became dizzy from the soft touch and fragrant freesia scent felt on his chest.

,And just as Kyle apologized to me, I have to apologize to Kyle too. I came here to correct that.”

,A mistake…?”

Was there anything Sylvia did wrong?

Perhaps because his head wasn’t working well due to the scent from her body, Kyle had to struggle to recall her mistake while reminiscing about his memories.

But no matter how much he turned his head, he couldn’t think of anything plausible.

Then, Sylvia opened her mouth quietly, chasing after him with her eyes as he tried to avoid her gaze again.

,I like you, Kyle.”

,……!”

At that moment, Kyle’s eyes widened sharply.

She always liked to tease him.

That’s why he thought it was just a pun for a moment, but her atmosphere was quite different from usual to think so.

Even she seemed to have predicted this, shaking her head and quickly adding words.

,No, maybe you’ll try to pass even this word off as a joke. So I’ll say it more properly. I’m in love with you, Kyle.”

,Sylvia….”

He didn’t ask why, the reason.

Because he thought there would be no more rude behavior to her who had the courage to convey her heart.

However, questions that he couldn’t bring himself to utter kept lingering in his head.

,I swore that I would make you like me. Unfortunately, I couldn’t fulfill that wish, and I had to open my mouth first. Hehe, I’m a little sad about that fact…. But I can’t help it.”

Kyle shook his head inwardly at her, who was speaking with a playful smile.

No.

You said that you failed to win my heart just now and even now, but that’s not true.

I was drawn to you from the beginning.

Yes, from the moment I first witnessed those red shining eyes.

But unlike you, I am a coward, so I thought I was someone who shouldn’t approach you, so I couldn’t bring myself to say those words until now.

Even at this moment, Kyle was worried.

Is it really okay to accept this hand?

Although she said she forgave him, is it really okay to dream of happiness with her as if nothing had happened?

*Chok.*

Then, Sylvia stepped forward first.

As if she knew his worries, she took a small tiptoe and kissed Kyle as he was.

And then, as if saying that this was it, she gently took her body off and looked up at Kyle and said.

,…Maybe you won’t be able to answer these words right now. So I’ll wait, Kyle.”

,……”

,Someday, when everything is settled and the day comes when you can answer your own confused heart. Please answer me then.”

She smiled, winking one eye, saying, ‘That was the down payment,’ and tried to turn her body.

But Kyle couldn’t leave her as she was leaving.

As someone who had only relied on her kindness, he wanted to give at least a minimal response to the heart she had shown him.

*Warak.*

,K, Kyle…!?”

That’s why Kyle hugged Sylvia first from his side for the first time.

Sylvia could only utter a voice filled with embarrassment because he, who had gently pushed her away even when she hugged him first, was hugging her so tightly that her body was crushed.

Then, Kyle said.

,It’s cold.”

,Excuse me?”

,Because it’s cold. Stay like this a little longer.”

It was a truly poor excuse, but Sylvia’s expression melted away when she heard those words.

Because it felt like his inner thoughts, that he couldn’t answer her words yet, but wanted to give at least a minimal response to her heart, were conveyed to her.

,…No, it’s warm now.”

Even while shaking her head at his words, Sylvia did not leave Kyle’s arms.

It was probably the warmest night in her life.