Chapter 10.11

Lisael quietly closed her eyes. When she was alone like this, whether she wanted to or not, Miguel would soon appear. Looking back now, she realized he had always sought her out. It was only much later that she understood that being able to meet and play every day without setting a specific time was all thanks to Miguel. Thinking of young Miguel, who must have searched the entire village to find her on this hill, she couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

Lisael, who had suddenly burst into laughter, opened her eyes and instinctively glanced to the side, still smiling. Naturally, her view was filled with the long, empty slope.

‘I should stay until the sun completely sets.’

Lisael pulled her knees close and gazed at the sunset, which was now almost set and no longer hurt her eyes. She wanted to repaint her last memory of this place. There were countless memories on this hill that she wanted to revisit from time to time. Slowly, she would erase the bad memories from the village one by one. She had plenty of time left in the village to do so.

She would soon visit the forest, which no longer resembled its former self.

‘Father, Mother, and Miguel should all go to the park together.’

Though spring had arrived, the transition period made it chilly as the sun set. Lisael, who had planned to watch the sunset, felt a shiver and rubbed her arms.

“I didn’t expect to come all the way here when I left home.”

Muttering to herself, Lisael rested her chin on her knees when she suddenly heard footsteps mingling with the quiet surroundings. The sound of footsteps crunching on the dirt path made her quickly turn her head.

“You really are here.”

It was Miguel. Despite coming alone without a carriage or attendants, Miguel seemed quite surprised.

“Miguel.”

Lisael was just as bewildered by the seemingly unbelievable situation. She didn’t even think to ask him when he had arrived.

“What brings you here?”

Instead, Miguel kept asking what she wanted to say. He approached her side in one step and, as if by habit, settled next to her. Unlike when they were children, he had become a mature gentleman willing to offer her his jacket.

“What about you…?”

“The meeting ended earlier than expected… I was going to go home but thought of this place and came here.”

Of all days, today?

“I also thought of this place and came. I wanted to see the sunset.”

Lisael replied, unable to hide her curiosity.

“There’s no better place around here to see the sunset.”

Miguel nodded in agreement, as if he thought it was a reasonable decision. As Lisael watched him intently, she suddenly threw a question at him as if seeking an answer from his face.

“Did my coming to town today remind you of that day…?”

As if it were a forbidden word, Lisael abruptly cut herself off. Thus, Miguel could immediately understand what she had left unsaid. His face briefly showed a hint of discomfort.

They say couples grow alike, but how could their thoughts be so identical? He must have come to the hill for the same reason she did: to erase the bad memories that had overtaken this meaningful place like a plague.

If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to do it together? Strictly speaking, the memories they wanted to erase were created by both of them, not just one.

Lisael, who had been briefly flustered, organized her thoughts in that way.

“This is my first time here since then.”

When Lisael casually mentioned the forbidden word again, Miguel’s large frame flinched as if pricked by a needle.

“Not me. I kept coming even after that.”

Now it was Lisael’s turn to be surprised. She had naturally assumed he hadn’t been here since then. After all, wasn’t this the place where everything had fallen apart in just a moment?

“I kept coming, hoping you might show up… but it was a foolish hope.”

Watching Miguel awkwardly laugh at the sky, Lisael couldn’t bring herself to laugh along. If she had known during that time when she was filled with resentment, she might have scoffed at his lack of pride, but now, learning about what had happened years ago, her heart was unexpectedly pricked.

“I didn’t know. I really didn’t even think about it.”

“That was my selfishness too. If I had truly considered your feelings then, I would have quickly realized you would never come. Maybe I just didn’t want to admit it. That our connection had been so abruptly severed.”

As they exchanged unknown truths, the sun disappeared behind the mountain ridge across the way. The sky, now devoid of light, prepared for dusk with a purple hue. This was the first time they had stayed on the hill so late.

“It’s my first time staying here until evening.”

Miguel voiced the same thought.

“We were young then, had to return home before it got too late.”

“There’s no need for that now.”

“We can go back together.”

As if exchanging banter, the two met each other’s gaze in the air and laughed lightly again. They didn’t know why just seeing each other made them laugh.

“Thank you.”

As their smiles faded, Lisael murmured softly. Her golden eyes, reflecting the sunlight, sparkled in the darkening surroundings.

“……”

Miguel’s curious gaze lingered on her at the abrupt and simple gratitude. It was as if he was urging her to continue.

“Just… Putting aside all other circumstances and reasons, it’s all thanks to you that I could confirm my feelings.”

This vague explanation was the best Lisael could offer. She just hoped Miguel would understand everything from this.

From reaching out first to become friends, to not giving up on their bond despite her resentment and hatred, to abandoning everything for the territory—all of it contained his earnest efforts.

“No need to thank me. I had my reasons too.”

“Huh?”

“I wanted to marry you, and I did, so that’s enough.”

Lisael sighed at Miguel’s straightforward and unexpected response. His unnecessary honesty made it hard for any sentimental atmosphere to last.

“I meant everything since we were kids.”

“Yes, since then.”

‘From then on, I tried so hard to get close….’

Thanks to Lisael, Miguel found himself reminiscing about faded memories. From a young age, he was second to none in being prickly and sensitive, often doing things he never used to do.

To pretend their meetings were coincidental, he frequently wandered around the village. Even as a peer, he couldn’t understand why she always seemed to be in the woods or the muddy corners of the village instead of staying in a clean place.

It was probably around the time Benjamin left and only the two of them remained that Lisael began frequently visiting this hill.

‘After that, I didn’t have to search the village as much….’

As Miguel indulged in his memories, a weight that made him sway lightly rested on his shoulder.

“You never lose an argument, do you?”

Her dark hair draped over his arm. Her warmth, perhaps because they were outside, felt especially comforting.

“Let’s come here more often now. Much more than we did when we were kids.”

No significant response came from above his shoulder. But Miguel could vaguely sense that Lisael was smiling now.

“So that when we think of this place, we’ll remember us now. I want to create more memories for the future.”

His shoulder shifted slightly. Her small head nodded a couple of times.

They had plenty of time ahead. As the years passed, and as being by each other’s side became so natural that they might even find it tiresome someday, sharing those years would fill their memories with far more than their childhood ever did.

The thought of having you in my tomorrow, the day after, and the days beyond makes my life unbearably exciting.

Every day as lovers, not just as childhood friends, will become pages that create their memoir. In this village they love, forever.

END