Chapter 1 (Part 2)

Perhaps because she moved a lot while nursing Cardin, her body felt stiff. As she absentmindedly lifted her head, she almost fell backward. It was because Cardin was staring at her intently.

“If you’re awake….”

“What’s your name?”

“Pardon?”

“At least I’d like to know the name of the person who treated me.”

She hesitated. 

Would Cardin really not remember me even after hearing my name? 

She hesitated, feeling his gaze.

He had been staring at her persistently for a while. It wasn’t the look of disdain and hatred like before. It was a gaze that seemed genuinely curious about her.

Between the calm gaze, he spoke.

“Is there a reason you can’t tell me your name?”

She felt as if she was being unnecessarily suspected. After all, Cardin didn’t know who she was. He didn’t even remember her name when he saw her.

“Brienne Hurrick.”

She even mentioned her surname. Her name, which was entangled with her father.

“Brienne Hurrick.”

Cardin savored her name as he said it. Then his eyebrows slightly furrowed. He slowly looked at her, scrutinizing her excessively.

She regretted telling him.

‘I should have used an alias.’

Anyway, Cardin wouldn’t know her name. She wasn’t a noticeable student at the academy.

Cardin was the opposite. He was one of the popular groups and received the attention of other students. Moreover, he was active and always led during academy events.

Nervously watching him, raindrops splattered on the window. The sound of a sudden downpour followed as if water was being poured all at once.

She hurriedly got up. She had dried herbs, and if they got wet in the rain, all her efforts would be in vain. She immediately went outside, gathered the herbs in her hands, and came back inside, only to meet Cardin at the door.

As she hesitated, Cardin took all the herbs from her hands. He placed the herbs on the table and turned to look at her.

“Are you okay?”

He seemed not fully recovered yet, but he was already up, which worried her. Despite her words, Cardin just stared at her without responding.

As she wondered if she had made a mistake due to his blatant gaze, she suddenly remembered speaking to him informally.

“I….”

Before she could finish, Cardin handed her a nearby blanket. She took it, wondering why he was giving it to her….

Inadvertently lowering her head, she saw her chest, without underwear, soaked in rainwater, clearly visible. The heat from last night had led her to remove even her underwear.

She quickly entered the bathroom next to the kitchen. Her heart was racing.

‘Why did I make such a mistake?’

Fortunately, there was a dress she hadn’t finished wearing before in the bathroom. She quickly put on the dress. It had a faint smell of sweat, but she had no choice.

As she was about to leave the bathroom, her hands were sweaty. Her heart was still pounding as if it were tense. It was quiet outside. She took a moment to catch her breath and grabbed the doorknob to open it.

Pretending nothing was wrong, she went out and rummaged through the wardrobe. Just as she grabbed a dress and stood up, his voice echoed.

“Brienne.”

Startled, she turned around. Cardin looked at her face for a moment before speaking.

“I left the herbs here. Are you okay?”

He gestured toward the table with his eyes. Cardin tilted his head to meet her gaze. He seemed to be waiting for her response. She blankly nodded.

Then she remembered what she was doing and rummaged through the wardrobe again. It was when she was looking for the longest shirt. She sensed movement and heard his voice close by.

“Can I speak informally?”

He had already done so. Without looking at him, she nodded. Then Cardin squatted beside her. His breath was felt right next to her, and his leisurely voice clung to her ears.

“When you first saw me, I think you spoke informally.”

Slowly turning her head, she met his green eyes.

“And just now, too.”

His eyes showed calm curiosity. Sweat formed on her forehead.

As she was about to avert her gaze, Cardin took the shirt from her hand. Their fingers brushed. As if touching something hot, she quickly stood up, but he leisurely held the shirt and looked at her.

“I’ll wear it well.”

Cardin naturally stood up and put on the shirt. She looked at him involuntarily, and their eyes met.

The quiet gaze strangely stimulated her heart.

The sound of rain was loud, but strangely, it felt as if there was a special atmosphere between Cardin and her.

His gaze slightly lowered. From her lips to the vicinity of her chest. She suddenly felt breathless. So she entered the bathroom as if to escape.

‘Why on earth….’

Why was her heart heating up like this? Because the person she had a crush on for six years was right in front of her? Because she wanted to try again? Because Cardin was just as she had thought? Because his gaze wasn’t one of hatred?

She buried her face in her hands. Along with the sultry heat, warmth surged into her face. It felt like an opportunity. As if the heavens had given her a chance because they pitied her longing self.

Or maybe it was because they felt sorry for her struggling with her father’s debt.

Whatever she thought, Cardin, who had lost his memory, was special to her. But that was it. What if Cardin regained his memory?

It was dizzying. How could she endure his gaze as if looking at a parasite? So she shouldn’t invest any more feelings here.

It was right to tell Cardin to return as soon as his wounds healed.

She barely calmed her mind and changed into a dress. When she left the bathroom, she saw Cardin placing old tin cans around the room. Just then, he turned to look at her.

“The rain leaks.”

Come to think of it, there was no place to sleep except the bed when it rained. As she hesitated, Cardin spoke.

“If it’s uncomfortable, I can sleep somewhere else.”

“There is a shed, but….”

Cardin was about to leave. She belatedly shouted.

“It leaks there too!”

Cardin stopped and looked back at her. So there was no choice. The night was already deep, and the rain was pouring down.

Besides, Cardin had a bandage on his right arm. She couldn’t let a sick person get soaked in the rain.

“Just sleep in the bed.”

It was something she said reluctantly. Cardin stood by the door, staring at her. His gaze was dark and intense.

“Are you always this kind?”

“Pardon?”

“You seem to be considering me a lot.”

“I have no choice. Besides, your arm is injured….”

She looked at the nearby bed. When she first came here, she thought it was a spacious bed for one person, but now she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

“We’d be sharing a bed.”

His voice was low. Enough to catch her attention for a moment.

“Are you okay with that?”

His intense gaze hit her roughly.

They couldn’t sleep in a place where water dripped. She had no choice but to nod.

Cardin’s gaze didn’t leave her face. It seemed like he was trying to assess something, but she couldn’t read what it was.

The air between them was heavy, making it a bit hard to breathe.

Water dripped from the tin can, and the rain was fierce outside.

Yet, why could she hear Cardin’s breathing? It felt like his unusually quiet yet warm breath was reaching her ears.

She turned her body nervously. She wiped her forehead and took out a thin blanket from the wardrobe. She went near the bed and handed Cardin the blanket.

He took the blanket and looked down for a moment. Just as he was about to lie down, his voice echoed.

“Have you ever killed someone?”