Fish Don't Know About Water - Chapter 41

I stood there, staring at the sea engraved on the coin. The small utility room was quiet, and beyond the wide-open window, the sound of insects startled by the rain could be heard. The loud chatter and laughter of the party guests hummed like the noise of a broken radio beyond the door.
Yet Viett’s expression seemed more relaxed than before. In contrast, I felt uneasy. Guilt for completely misunderstanding him made my expression turn into a frown, which quickly turned into a grin.
Imagining him, not enjoying himself at all, throwing darts among the officers, desperately trying to win a coin with the sea on it, made me laugh.

— So, is that our honeymoon?

I asked with a laugh in my voice, and he slowly opened his eyes, looking puzzled.

— …Am I going too?

— Of course. Do you expect me to go alone to such a far place?

I smiled brightly at him. He stared at me blankly, then lowered his gaze, rubbing his earlobe. He muttered something under his breath, but it was hard to hear over the sound of the insects.
Princess Rosemary was right. Christmases and New Year’s Days to spend together. And the sea we will visit together. Thinking about such days makes me feel like it’s okay to live. Such illusions grow and consume me.

— Do you like parties?

I snapped out of my thoughts at Viett’s question. He had lifted his head from the wall and was looking at me closely.

— Not really. What about you?

— I…

After a long pause, he mumbled.

— I like them.

— You just said you hate crowded places.

— I said I hate crowded places, not parties… Wait.

Viett looked down at me with a complicated expression, then suddenly bent down, bringing his face close to my neck. I was so startled by the sudden closeness that I froze.

— Wh-What are you doing?

— Hold on.

He grabbed my arms to keep me from stepping back and took a deep breath. His cold nose gently touched my tense skin, and his warm breath followed. It felt like goosebumps were rising.
It tickled. As I squirmed in discomfort, he slowly lifted his head, frowning.

— Did you drink the local cider?

— Cider?

— Costonia’s specialty apple wine. Unlike other regions, it has an incredibly high alcohol content.

He released my arms and sighed. Incredibly high alcohol content? (So that’s why Princess Rosemary got so tipsy after just a few glasses!)

— I thought it was strange that everyone was staggering after just a few glasses of apple wine. How many did you have?

His sharp blue eyes gleamed. There was no room for lying. His expression turned stern, sensing that I might exaggerate the amount as a joke.

— Um, one glass?

— Your cheeks are already red.

He reached out and grabbed my cheeks. He pressed them a couple of times with his fingers.

— Let go! (Let go!)

I mumbled, my lips puckered like a duck’s, but it was impossible to escape his grasp.

It didn’t even feel like he was using much force, but it was hard to break free. It didn’t hurt, but his intense gaze made me feel embarrassed. (I’m not a child!)

— You look just like a pufferfish.

He stared at my face and murmured quietly. Taking advantage of his loosened grip, I pulled my head back as hard as I could.

— Of all the fish, why a pufferfish?!

He has no sense of romance. I rubbed my cheeks and glared at him resentfully. He looked slightly flustered, his eyebrows twitching.

— Why? Pufferfish are cute.

His aesthetic sense seemed a bit peculiar. Or maybe there were various types of pufferfish I didn’t know about?
I recalled the pufferfish I had seen in an animal encyclopedia. The image of its bumpy, ugly face made me feel unpleasant again. (If he really thinks I look like that, I won’t let it slide.)

— Have you ever seen one? I’ve only seen pufferfish in books.

— I briefly kept a pet spiny pufferfish when I was young. It was like a soft rubber ball and quite cute…

Hearing the words ‘soft’ and ‘cute’ slightly lifted my spirits. I smiled, lifting the corners of my mouth.

— So? It was soft and cute, and then what?

— …

Viett’s expression grew complicated. The faint smile on his lips slowly hardened. He looked down at me with somber eyes and then abruptly turned his head.

— I take back what I said about you being like a pufferfish.

I wasn’t sure whether to be pleased or disappointed. I looked at him curiously as his mood suddenly darkened. Just moments ago, he had been enveloped in a warm aura, but now he seemed to be sinking back into a gloomy shadow. He seemed to be someone whose mood swung up and down as much as mine! (Just like me!)

— Everyone, please pay attention!

At that moment, the doctor’s voice came from beyond the tightly closed door.

— It looks like they’re about to start the speech. Let’s go out quickly.

I hurriedly pulled Viett up. Grabbing his arm, I led him out of the utility room.
The doctor was clapping his hands, drawing the crowd’s attention. The people, who had been noisily chatting and drinking, all turned to look at him.

— We will now begin the speech. Miss. And Officer. Please have a seat here.

The doctor gestured for Viett and me to sit on a sofa surrounded by flowers. We made our way through the flowers and people to sit on the sofa side by side.
Around us sat Viscount XX, Princess Rosemary, my friend XX, the captain, the Minister of Magic, Prince Minute, several high-ranking officers, and Viett’s adjutant.
Viett quietly looked straight ahead and gently took my hand. I was momentarily flustered but, as the main characters of the reception, I held his hand back. I even interlaced our fingers for more courage. This time, Viett flinched in surprise.
The doctor smiled at me and then called out to Prince Minute.

— Then, please.

Prince Minute, who had been chatting with the nurses, cleared his throat and stood up. I looked at him in confusion and whispered in Viett’s ear.

— This is strange. I distinctly asked Viscount XX to give the speech.

— …My brother must have insisted on it suddenly.

Viett shook his head in disbelief. I stared at Prince Minute with astonishment. Why did he act on his own without even asking the bride and groom?

— Introducing…

The doctor gestured politely to the prince who had walked to the fireplace.

— The brother of today’s main character, Officer XX…

— I’ll give the speech!

At that moment, Princess Rosemary jumped up and raised her hand high.
Prince Minute had pushed aside the originally scheduled Viscount XX, and now Princess Rosemary was pushing aside the prince. Prince Minute looked at her in disbelief.

— Hey, Rose. You weren’t even supposed to be a bridesmaid or anything…

— Quiet! You were late, so you couldn’t be the best man either!

She shouted, silencing Prince Minute, and staggered forward with a glass in each hand. She raised one glass high above her head.

— Everyone, raise your glasses. High to the sky.

Following her command, everyone raised their glasses high. I excitedly raised my glass above my head.
Viett, after some prodding from me, reluctantly raised his glass to eye level. Princess Rosemary looked around the room with satisfaction and thrust her glass forward.

— Before we officially start the party, let us all toast to the fallen warriors who sacrificed their lives at the Battle of Vermandid.

After a brief moment of silence, we all drank our apple wine together. Princess Rosemary, having downed her drink in one gulp, raised the glass in her other hand.

— And I propose another toast. To the man with the grumpiest face but who is lucky enough to have the most adorable bride, Prince Vivi… I mean, the handsome Officer XX!

The princess shouted Viett’s alias loudly and then looked at me with kind eyes.

— And to the beautiful Hughey Gallant!

— Why mention a movie star’s name here?

Someone interjected, and Princess Rosemary grinned mischievously.

— Doesn’t she look like him?

She playfully tilted her glass towards me.

— Life is unpredictable. Sometimes a bouncy ping-pong ball can melt the hardest ice. And sometimes the cold ice can catch the ping-pong ball that bounces aimlessly and never let go… The two can meet in the middle of a battlefield and finally become one, right?

— …Did you understand that?

Viett leaned over and whispered in my ear. I shook my head silently. Maybe it was because she was quite drunk, but the princess seemed to be rambling even more than I was. (But she must mean I’m the ice, right?)