About thirty minutes in, the atmosphere started to heat up, and sure enough, the drinks began to flow.
I kept stopping the farmers from pressing my senior to drink.
What are they doing, bothering a student like this? They’re good people, but sometimes they just go overboard.
Before things turned into a full-blown drinking party, I took my senior outside.
Even though it was summer, stepping out into the street felt a little chilly compared to the heated atmosphere inside.
“Ah.”
It was eight o’clock.
I checked my watch and reflexively looked up at the sky. As expected, it was being dyed in the colors of a beautiful sunset.
The sun was sinking, the clouds glowing red. The white buildings caught the sunlight, turning a deep crimson.
I really loved watching sunsets from outside, so I was glad to have timed it perfectly.
“Senior, look over there…”
I turned my head to the side and spoke, but froze mid-motion.
My senior was already staring up at the sky. His golden eyes reflected the same glow as the sunset.
For a brief moment, the silver strands of his hair flickered red in the sunlight. I blinked, following the light.
Soon, his hair again caught the colors of the sunset. At times, it even seemed to shimmer with a dazzling gold.
Beautiful.
As if spellbound, I didn’t notice the place I was standing, the time, or even the temperature.
I stood there with a dazed expression, watching him until the sun had fully set.
“You’re later than I expected.”
“I hadn’t been in the city for a while, so I got a bit carried away.”
I gave my father an awkward smile.
Seeing that the staff had returned before me, I felt slightly embarrassed.
“You must be tired. Go on in and rest.”
“Mm.”
I started to follow his advice, then stopped and turned back.
“Senior, today was really fun. Thank you for going out with me.”
He gave a faint, gentle smile and replied,
“I enjoyed it too. Thanks for taking me along.”
“Hmm.”
Having cleaned up, I flopped onto my bed.
I replayed the day in my mind: my senior eating cotton candy, reading a book, and watching the sunset with him. Everything had been so beautiful.
My body relaxed and my eyes half-closed, when I noticed a book placed beside my bed.
A now-familiar book with a red cover, unnamed.
“Oh my, miss. You’re getting the bed all wet.”
Rita came running, towel in hand. I silently reached for the book cover and asked in a low voice,
“…Rita, did you pick this up?”
“Ah, yes. It seemed important, and it was under the bed. I cleaned off the dust too.”
“…Thank you.”
Rita tilted her head at my strained, thin voice and replied,
“It’s nothing. It’s my job.”
Yes. No wandering thoughts. After all, this is just a fleeting dream.
By next semester, it will vanish like a mirage.
I held the book tightly in both hands and bit my lip.
Time passed, and now only a day remained before my senior left.
In the meantime, there hadn’t been many chances to meet him. Even at meals, we exchanged only formal greetings.
My slightly different behavior seemed to puzzle him, but he didn’t press the matter.
“It’ll loosen soon.”
Rita peeked up from doodling on the bandage wrapped around my arm.
“This will help it heal faster. You’ve been a bit down lately, haven’t you? It’s because you can’t use your arm, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
I nodded slowly with the creaky motion of my arm.
Rita patted my shoulder with a pitying expression.
“I’ll get the others to write too. Stay here, miss.”
Soon, every servant—from Rita to the coachman, Thompson—had scribbled messages all over my bandage.
I was walking down the corridor, looking at my arm wrapped in words.
“Ah, senior.”
I bumped into him exactly as he returned from the study.
“Did you enjoy lunch?”
I tried to greet him lightly, but he was carefully looking at the writing-covered bandage.
“Oh, they said this helps it heal faster.”
I smiled awkwardly and raised my arm.
Somehow, my senior, Noah, pulled out a pen and asked carefully,
“Can I do one too?”
“Ah? Yes, of course.”
I willingly offered him my arm and looked away.
The only sound was the scratch of the pen on the bandage.
“Try not to move until it heals.”
“I will.”
His voice carried concern, which made me a little grateful.
Once he finished, I looked at my arm and saw his neat, elegant handwriting, like that of a master.
Get well soon.
I lowered my arm carefully, careful not to smudge the still-wet ink.
Today, my senior was returning to the Magus Tower.
It had only been a week, but so much had happened.
Now that he was leaving, I felt a tinge of regret and emptiness.
“Here’s your luggage.”
I handed the bag Rita gave me to him, and he quickly snatched it from my hands.
“Be careful. You’re hurt.”
I didn’t argue, just stayed still.
“Don’t move.”
He gave a faint sigh, looking at my bandaged arm one last time.
“Please.”
“Yes, sir.”
I lowered my gaze and nodded.
Every time he saw my arm, he seemed to feel too guilty, and I had begun to feel sorry myself.
Finally, satisfied, he slightly relaxed and lightly ruffled my hair.
“See you at the academy.”
The carriage door closed, the horses trotting off.
I fiddled with my bangs, feeling strange, as the carriage faded into the distance with a clatter.
When I returned to the study to put the book back, I froze.
No one was there. Apart from the curtains fluttering in the wind, no sound or movement stirred. Even the sound of pages turning, so familiar during his stay, was gone.
The stillness felt strangely poignant.
I put the book in its place and closed the window to block the wind.
As I straightened the curtains and turned around, I noticed a book lying open on the windowsill.
I was about to close it when I saw something tucked between the pages.
“Oh.”
It was a bookmark. No name, but I knew exactly whose it was.
This was the book Noah had been reading last, and the bookmark looked unmistakably like his.
The simple, card-like bookmark faintly smelled of him.
My face heated up, and I bowed my head deeply.
