Ch.368368. Memories Flowing Upstream (2)

A person so incredibly kind. Renias’s eyes showed no sign of leaving his figure.

He draped a coat over her, and when he asked if she’d like to take a walk since the meal could wait, she naturally nodded in agreement.

It was actually an absurd suggestion. He had openly skipped lunch, just finished giving a lecture, and was still going without food until now—her first thought should have been that he needed to eat something.

Strangely, that concern had completely vanished. Now that she was actually with him, her heart was racing so much that she couldn’t think straight.

“Ah.”

Their hands touched. It wasn’t an accidental brush—Junon had reached out to hold her hand first.

But Renias, who had been extremely tense, flinched and ended up pulling her hand away from Junon’s.

Really, why had she done that?

It was true she’d flinched because she was afraid of being caught staring so intently. It was also true that her heart was pounding, making her incredibly nervous. But there had been no need to pull her hand away.

“Oh, I was just… a bit surprised…”

And now she was making excuses about being startled, making things even worse.

She was surprised, yes, but it was because she felt guilty about her own behavior, not because she objected to him holding her hand.

‘Reni, you’re really nervous.’

This wasn’t like her usual self. How often recently had she been so jumpy that she’d tremble just from a simple touch of hands? It was understandable. After what had happened.

Junon wanted to remain calm and create an environment where Renias wouldn’t feel pressured.

“That happens sometimes, no big deal.”

Renias flinched again when she saw his hand retreating back into his pocket with those understanding words. Worried he might think she disliked holding hands, her arm moved instinctively.

“I was just a bit surprised. It’s not that I don’t like it, so I’m going to hold your hand again.”

Then she interlaced their fingers as if she would never let go. Just like she used to.

Junon responded with his usual consistency. He agreed and held her hand in return, showing no signs of being upset. Instead, he adjusted her coat that had become disheveled, transforming her bubbling worry into a force that made her heart race.

With fingers interlaced and his coat draped around her, their walk finally began. The vivid image of how they used to be was coming to life, unchanged in every detail.

“Remember this place? We came here before.”

“Hmm? W-wait a minute?!”

Renias was quite flustered. She had been secretly stealing glances at Junon when the question came out of nowhere.

She had to answer somehow. A place they had visited before, and since he said “we,” it must have been somewhere they went together, just the two of them.

Even so, Renias wasn’t prepared for the sudden question, and with her mind so jumbled, it took time to search through her memories, making it difficult to come up with an immediate answer.

Therefore, a wrong answer was inevitable.

“A place where I went for a w-walk with oppa?”

“Bzzt. Wrong answer.”

“Heeng.”

“Remember when I pulled you aside because I was worried about the crowds?”

“Ah!”

Finally, Renias caught on.

“I knew it! This was the entrance route!”

The Real Winter Parade.

It was the place where they first set foot on that day when Junon had brought her a peaceful winter.

“That’s right. It was the first Real Winter Parade for both of us. We wandered around for quite a while because neither of us knew how to navigate the place.”

“Yes, yes! And then you said we should ask that guide over there!”

As Junon confirmed, Renias began to recall that time more vividly.

The crowds swarming before her eyes. The population that had gathered for the successful Real Winter Parade was so dense that one could become lost in the blink of an eye.

In fact, she could have been swept away by the crowd and become lost, but at that moment, her arm was suddenly pulled, and she unexpectedly found herself in an embrace. Remembering that moment brought a slight blush to Renias’s cheeks.

They had asked the guide where to start. When asked if it was their first time, they both nodded.

They heard stories about the history of the Real Winter Parade and even a superstitious tale about how wishes would be granted if the snow melted from people’s enthusiasm.

As one memory surfaced, another followed. They had walked along this path to collect stamps as proof that they had successfully released their energy.

“Shall we walk slowly?”

“Yes!”

Now that she understood he hadn’t brought her to this place without reason, Renias was no longer tense or anxious. She was walking while holding Junon’s hand, reminiscing about the memories they had shared.

The walking path was quite long.

From the dalgona stall where the rich scent of boiling sugar water spread, to the game area where men had to hold their female partners while navigating increasingly narrow spaces.

Here and there. Every few steps, they would come across places where they had collected stamps one by one. She vividly recalled the games they had played after filling their stamp cards, receiving various souvenirs and prizes.

It felt as if this moment had returned to that time. As they pointed with their fingers, struck the same poses, and laughed about the games they had played, it seemed as if the boundary of time itself had disappeared.

As the dark clouds of anxiety gradually faded from a corner of her heart, Renias finally found herself able to meet Junon’s eyes and look directly into his pupils.

Now she understood the truth.

‘I see. Nothing. From the beginning, nothing…’

Nothing had changed.

As she traced back to the past while standing in the present location, she became certain.

Whether viewed from the past or the present, Junon completely overlapped.

Draping his coat over her when he thought she might be cold. Deliberately changing the subject to ease her burden when she seemed embarrassed. Readily offering his shoulder, embrace, or even his back when times were tough.

Yes, he hadn’t changed. He still extended the same kind and caring hand as always, remaining consistent even though his name had spread widely and he received honorable titles that surrounded him with people.

This consistency gave her certainty.

His eyes were always clearly directed at one person, just as they had always been. His pupils contained only one person, unchanging from before until now.

Why hadn’t she noticed it until now? His eyes had been directed only at her all along. He was a gentleman who wouldn’t be tempted by power, wealth, appearance, or family background.

She had completely forgotten such an obvious, unchanging fact until now. That it didn’t matter if she had any special charm.

“Uuu…”

Unable to contain her embarrassment, Renias hurriedly covered her face with her free hand.

No. How could one hand cover her entire face? She wanted to cover it even if it meant releasing their interlocked fingers to avoid meeting his eyes.

But paradoxically, she gripped their interlaced hands even tighter.

“Reni?”

It wasn’t because she didn’t want to convey movement to Junon by releasing their interlocked hands. It wasn’t to conceal her embarrassed face with another action.

It was simply because she was determined not to let go of that hand right now.

“Actually, I—”

I didn’t like that you became so famous, oppa. I did want people to acknowledge you, but seeing you surrounded by others like this made me feel bad.

So last time, even though I had no intention of eating, I took you away. I didn’t like that my only sanctuary, known only to me, was becoming known to everyone, and my place was gradually disappearing.

As time passed, you became more famous. And each time, I became more desperate.

I know it’s a bad thought, but I sometimes wished we could go back to when you were someone only I knew.

Really, that should never happen.

“As days went by, I started feeling like I had to be someone special to you. So… I looked up books, and went to see other people…”

Her honest feelings were conveyed from her lips. Renias revealed that whenever she saw her boyfriend surrounded by other women, she would become anxious, feel unnecessarily urgent, and because she couldn’t stand seeing it, she tried to stick to him like glue to appeal as someone special.

There is no inconsistency in this cause and effect. There is certainly no contradiction. It’s all true and comes from Renias’s heart.

Renias slowly met Junon’s eyes, then burrowed into his embrace, wrapping one arm around him as she revealed her true feelings.

“But now that oppa brought me here and I realized nothing has changed, I finally understand. Why I ever worried about such unnecessary things…”

Renias honestly confessed that she felt embarrassed for showing jealousy and possessiveness toward a man who consistently looked only at her.

‘…I already knew this, but still. I’m glad.’

Junon was already aware of Renias’s feelings, having received them directly from Tembris.

Renias, who had always hidden, avoided, and suffered while pretending to be fine, may have briefly returned to how she used to be. Back to being the lonely hero’s daughter who only smiled as if everything was fine, never revealing her true self.

That’s why he could feel more relieved now. This time, she had conveyed her inner feelings directly, expressed them openly, and overcome them herself.

Feeling proud of her, he gently patted her head and tapped her back as a reward.

“If you were surrounded by other men, I would have rushed over too.”

“…Really?”

“Of course. You’re the most beautiful woman in the world and my girlfriend. If anyone tried to touch you, I would have lost it immediately.”

His chest felt a little warmer. Had Renias’s body temperature risen slightly?

He hoped this change in temperature was a sign that her mood had improved.

However, at that moment, another signal sounded.

Growl—

“…”

“…”

A stomach clock activated. It was the body’s signal requesting nutrients at this late hour.

But… if there was a problem, it was that the owner of this resounding stomach clock was not, unfortunately, the professor who had gone hungry all day. Not only had Junon skipped meals, but she too had gone without food while searching through the Tembris annex for special charm.

‘…What should I do about this?’

While the person involved would be embarrassed, the witness was even more flustered given the atmosphere. To intensify her shame at a moment when he should be comforting her—his mind went blank from the position of needing to console her.

Then, suddenly, he realized this might not be entirely bad.

“Reni. Did you bring the picnic mat today too?”

“Picnic mat? Why suddenly… Eh?!”

Before she could finish speaking, Junon snatched the lunchbox and mat that Renias had been holding. He spread the mat neatly on the ground, took a seat, and began dividing the layered lunchbox.

When he even picked up the utensils, Renias was horrified and tried to stop him.

“Oppa, no… it’s all cold! I’ll make something new when we get home, so right now…!”

“Hmm. It’s delicious.”

Regardless of her protests, a bite had already entered Junon’s mouth. He continued to eat the clearly cold lunchbox without concern.

“Cold or not, what does it matter? You made it, Reni.”

“But…”

“Sit down quickly. By coincidence, this is where we ate together during the festival too.”

With his invitation to sit down quickly and a gentle tug on her arm, she reluctantly sat down.

Then, in front of her surprised face, he held out some food.

According to the original schedule, they would have shared lunch together, with Renias smiling brightly and telling a sweating Junon to open his mouth wide, but now the situation was reversed.

Nevertheless, it made for quite a nice picture.

“What? It really is cold.”

“Nothing you’ve made has ever tasted bad. If it’s this delicious even when cold, that says it all.”

“It’s not that good. Oppa, you’re being too generous.”

“It’s true. Try another bite yourself.”

Now they had no hesitation in feeding each other.

With her true feelings conveyed without any filter, only the sound of laughter continued on the picnic mat.

On this day when all plans had gone awry, the lunchbox was once again emptied completely.

The only difference was that this time the food wasn’t steaming hot but cold, and it was opened at a much later hour.

***

It had been several dozen minutes since the lunchbox lid was closed with a clatter.

The two people who had continued their walk to aid digestion had now circled back to the final section of the festival route.

“It’s over. Now… it’s time to go back?”

The mention of returning time brought a rush of regret. Renias’s expression also softened, perhaps recalling the time when the festival ended and they had to part ways.

Of course, the feeling wasn’t as wistful as when they had to separate to their respective homes back then, but there was still a lingering sentiment since this walk had been enjoyable.

But the walk wasn’t over yet.

“No, there’s still one place left to visit.”

“Still?”

Having seen all the areas, she wondered if there was something they had forgotten or missed.

No, that couldn’t be. Even as she racked her brain trying to think of where else they might go, she was certain there were no places left.

Nevertheless, Junon held Renias’s hand firmly and led her on.

“There’s one place I want to go.”