NOVEL NEXT chapter 8
8. Please stay by my side, not him
Episode 8. Stay by my side, not him
“It was just like that.”
A muffled voice echoed through the dark room.
It was like a voice shaking precariously in a fog.
Tail hesitated.
It was the first time the child opened his mouth.
‘I see progress.’
It was just a word, but what the child said meant so much.
It means to try to communicate with that person even a little bit.
And it means allowing a little bit of scope with other people.
Tale laughed happily.
“Eat something sweet and you’ll feel better.”
Tayl took out a red bean bun, wrapped it in tissue paper, and placed it in front of the basket.
Tayl smiled broadly in a strangely excited mood.
“Because the young lady deserves it.”
Somehow, it seemed like a miracle would happen again.
However, Cecilia did not respond.
It was as if she had gone back.
But Tail did not give up.
‘But today I heard a voice, so it’s okay.’
It’s hard once. Two or three times is easy.
Tale stood up and said.
“I’m leaving for today.”
Tale sent his usual greeting as he slowly left.
“Have a nice dream. Miss.”
Tak.
The door is closed.
The room was as quiet as before Tails arrived.
Cecilia, covered in a blanket in a dark room, moved her body.
Two bony, white legs descended from under the bed.
She felt the unfamiliar texture of the flat ground on the soles of her feet.
Cecilia, wiggling her feet, slowly raised herself.
And she walked step by step, step by step, and she approached the door of the tent.
She and she stood tall in front of the shoe rack.
There was a red bean bun wrapped in tissue paper on the floor.
Cecilia lowered her arm and picked up the bean bread that had fallen alone.
“Because Cecil deserves to be happy.”
These were the words her one and only brother told her, who was always timid and lonely.
She loved the magic words.
She thought that hearing that would really make her happy.
‘But I never thought I’d hear that again.’
Cecilia took a bite of red bean bread.
The sweet aroma of red beans spread throughout her mouth.
Cecilia stopped and took another bite of red bean bread.
It was a sweet taste that her now absent brother would like.
***
Tale really visited Cecilia every single day.
Even if it rains or a severe typhoon comes.
Even if the day is steamy or busy.
For three months, Tails went to Cecilia’s tent without missing once.
Is it because I see it every day?
Three months, in that not short period of time, Cecilia has undergone many changes.
The room was still dark and Cecilia couldn’t see people properly, but she was no longer kicked out even if she entered the tent.
She went further, though not for long and she was able to sit nearby.
Because you can even have a short conversation there.
It was a truly miraculous change.
It was a really different look from when he was kicked out for the first time and didn’t say anything.
Today, as usual, Tails sat down on the sofa after stamping for work.
Then he spoke to Cecilia, who was sitting on the edge of the sofa, almost falling off.
“Cecilia, how was your day?”
Cecilia, who had maintained her silence, opened her mouth with a fidget.
“… So so.”
A small, powerless voice.
Tayl smiled as if satisfied with that voice, and held out the basket of red bean buns he had brought.
“This is freshly made red bean bread. Would you like some?”
This answer came sooner than expected.
“Yes.”
At the same time, a skinny white hand reached out from the darkness and took a red bean bun from the red bean bun basket.
Tail slightly frowned on his arm that was so thin that he could have suspected it was Kia.
‘I still haven’t gained weight.’
Well, even now, I don’t eat anything other than the red bean bread he gives me.
Perhaps eating red bean bread could be a blessing out of misfortune.
Tale looked at Cecilia with eyes accustomed to the pitch-black darkness.
It was really cute to see Cecilia eating red bean buns so full that her cheeks swelled in her mouth.
Tail smiled involuntarily at the sight of Cecilia grabbing red bean bread with her hands and eating it.
If there was a visitor like my daughter, wouldn’t it be like this?
At that thought, Tail reached up and stroked Cecilia’s hair without realizing it.
Stand tall.
Cecilia, who was eating red bean bread, hesitated.
It was as if he had literally been frozen by the sudden touch.
‘Oh! This.’
Tale screamed inwardly.
It was an extremely wary child entering her own territory.
But suddenly the other person touches your body?
‘This is the end.’
I’m sure he’ll scream to get out of here.
‘It was going well, but I made such a mistake!’
Tail became contemplative and hurriedly removed her hand.
She just had nothing to say even if she was kicked out like this.
“Sorry. I don’t know….”
She apologized urgently, but strangely, there was no response from Cecilia.
I don’t know if she was surprised or embarrassed, but she just stood still.
Still, I couldn’t hear the word to leave, so I was still waiting, when I heard a small crawling voice.
“… You can do it.”
“Yes?”
“… You can touch her hair.”
It was a very small voice, but it was clearly heard in Tail’s ears.
At the shy words of permission, Tails smiled and put his hand on Cecilia’s head again.
Then, he gently stroked the child’s hair.
Her child’s frizzy hair brushed between her fingers.
Feeling awkward about the unfamiliar sensation in her head, Cecilia awkwardly stopped her hand holding her red bean bun.
Then she glanced at Tails, and when her eyes met, she lowered her head in amazement.
It was like a frightened squirrel, and Tail let out a laugh.
Cecilia, motionless for a moment, opened her mouth with difficulty.
“… That’s it. Get out.”
Her voice was more subdued than usual.
‘I think this is the end for today.’
Still, this was pretty good.
Tail stood up from her seat and said to Cecilia.
“I’ll come again tomorrow. Have a nice dream, lady.”
Tale carefully closed the door as he left.
Tak.
The door was completely closed and Cecilia raised her head slightly in the pitch-black darkness.
Her face was stained red.
Cecilia raised her hand with the corner of her quivering mouth and touched the top of her head.
I could feel her frizzy, lackluster hair.
For some reason, it seemed that Tail’s soft touch remained.
* * *
The next day.
As the sun started to set, at 6:00, Tail headed for Cecilia’s tent as usual.
His steps were lighter than usual.
‘What should I talk about today?’
He was very happy with Cecilia’s recent improvement.
Of course, it’s also because of how his patient is getting better.
‘Alas, if this is done well, donations will come in Cecilia Coin.’
Donations also played the biggest role.
A whopping 100,000 crowns.
100,000 Crowns!
Of course, it will be split in half with the monastery, but that’s somewhere else.
‘The more money the better.’
Tale stood in front of Cecilia’s tent, humming a song.
And the moment he raised his hand to knock.
“Tail.”
He heard a familiar voice calling out to him.
When he turned his head, the bright blond hair caught his eye first.
The next thing I saw was a deep and brightly lit wall.
There’s white skin and reddish cheeks.
Plump, red lips.
Tail recognized his opponent and smiled.
“Ah. Chloe.”
It was Chloe.
That was also Chloe, who had a sullen expression on her face as if she was upset about something.
She said softly.
“Are you going to Cecilia today too?”
Tail nodded at Chloe’s words.
“I have to go today too.”
‘How much is the incoming donation?’
When Tail answered, omitting her afterwords, Chloe’s face became subtle.
And then he muttered with his eyes shaking as if he was anxious.
“I’m going to take it away….”
Wheei-!
The wind blew as soon as Chloe opened her mouth,
“Yes? I beg your pardon?”
She asked Tails, who couldn’t hear her small voice, but Chloe didn’t answer.
It was then that Chloe, who had been fiddling with her fingers, reached out her hand as if she had made up her mind.
She lightly grabbed the collar of her tail and said with a desperate expression.
“… Don’t go.”
“Yes?”
Don’t go?
Could it be for Cecilia?
Why?
“Cecilia won’t come out anyway.”
Tayl made a puzzled expression at Chloe’s words.
This is Cecilia who has already shown many good changes.
But you’re sure she won’t come out?
Chloe pondered and said with difficulty.
“Cecilia has lost the person she cares about the most.”
“What is that….”
“I won’t come out unless he comes back.”
After saying that, Chloe shut her mouth.
Then she put on an awkward smile and muffled her words.
“No. She’s not trying to say that….”
Her eyes trembled anxiously.
Only the wind blew between Chloe and her tail.
Then Chloe opened her mouth with difficulty.
“… Stay by my side, not him.”