The three were headed to a famous resort in the Empire, a full day’s train ride from the village. It was especially popular when the weather turned hot after a typhoon passed. Normally, it was difficult to secure train tickets and accommodations during this season, but Lime had somehow managed to arrange everything—including, of course, the unwanted addition that’s Alois.

Arriving at the resort a day before Olivia’s birthday, the three hurried somewhere at Lime’s insistence before even reaching their lodging. Since it was early at dawn when few people were out, everywhere was quiet, and the cool breeze made it perfect for a stroll. Soon, the first gift Lime wanted to show Olivia unfolded before her eyes.

“Wooow.”

An exclamation of wonder flowed naturally from her half-open mouth. Olivia took off her shoes and ran toward the sea where water splashed gently. The sensation of sand crumbling like fine powder beneath her feet was so soft that she almost felt sorry for stepping on it.

A beautiful sea she had never seen before in her life spread out before her eyes.

The shallow sea meeting the pristine sandy beach was so clear and transparent that the ground was visible. Tiny, fairy-like fish swam, brushing past between her legs, and flowers growing underwater swayed gently with the waves.

Having waded in until the seawater reached her knees, Olivia hunched her shoulders as a breeze blew in from the far end of the sea. Alois, who lightly caught her hat that was about to fly away with the wind and placed it back on her head, stood beside her gazing at the distant horizon.

“The ‘Blooming Sea.'”

“Have you been here before, Alois?”

“Not for pleasure, but this isn’t my first time. It’s changed so much since then that I almost wouldn’t recognize it if not for this.”

At his mention of “this,” Olivia looked around curiously. Lime, not to be outdone by Alois who was trying to steal the show, quickly approached and covered Olivia’s eyes, turning her body toward the horizon.

“Don’t close your eyes, look into the distance, okay?”

Once again, a wind blew in from the end of the sea. Lime lowered his hands that had been covering her eyes, and Olivia, obediently looking at the horizon as instructed, widened her eyes in amazement.

The waves pushed by the wind rippled like enormous flower petals. It looked as if a huge flower was slowly blooming on the water’s surface from the horizon. The foam sparkled with a mysterious pink hue whenever sunlight hit it, making it truly appear as if a massive pink flower had bloomed on the sea. The giant petal-like waves from the horizon rolled all the way to Olivia’s feet.

“It’s beautiful……”

The tickling waves brushing against the back of her hand warmed her heart. When held in her palm, it was just ordinary water, but looking up at the distance revealed the world’s largest flower.

“The color of the foam changes every hour, and only now can you see it as a pink flower.”

At Lime’s words, Olivia noticed her own pink hair tied down on both sides. So that’s why he had insisted they come at such an early hour. It would have been moving enough to just show her a giant flower, but Lime’s thoughtfulness in considering even such details made her grateful, and she impulsively hugged his waist.

“Thank you. This is my first time seeing the sea, and such a huge flower.”

“When I was sick and couldn’t go outside as a child, you always made bouquets and brought them to me. That’s why I’ve always wanted to gift you the world’s largest flower someday.”

Having prepared and shown her something impressive, Lime felt shy about expressing his honest feelings, so he deliberately whispered to her while she was hugging him, a moment when they didn’t have to make eye contact.

When he was young, he was much smaller and sickly compared to Olivia, and was bullied by other children. Whenever he would sniffle miserably in bed, Olivia would dash outside and roam the forest, gathering all kinds of beautiful wildflowers to make bouquets for him.

His childhood was mostly confined to a small room on a bed with little to see, but every scene of his memories was filled with the fragrant scent of flowers Olivia had brought, so recalling the past was not sad at all. Hugging Lime, Olivia rested her head against his chest and gazed in rapture at the flower blooming again in the distance.

Seeing Olivia’s emotional response to the very first gift he had prepared, Lime felt deeply satisfied. While patting her back, he glanced at Alois’s expression. Though it would have been best to come alone with Olivia, since the three of them had come together, he also wanted to show Alois how much he cared for her. And perhaps childishly, he had hoped that just for this moment, Alois might envy him. Having constantly felt defeated at the mansion, Lime was certain that this time, he had won.

But when he witnessed Alois looking at Olivia’s profile, Lime momentarily lost his breath. Among the many expressions of Alois he had imagined in his mind, he had never envisioned such a face.

Alois was looking at Olivia as she gazed at the horizon with shining eyes like someone seeing the sun for the first time. Like a human whose soul had been captured, unable to turn away despite being dazzled. Not a trace of jealousy or anger could be felt.

Do you know what expression you’re making right now?

Lime prayed a petty wish that Alois would never realize what kind of look he was giving Olivia right now.

Sitting under a sunshade on the beach, Alois gazed intently at Olivia building a sandcastle nearby. It was an activity that would interest only children, but for Olivia, who had seen the sea for the first time today, this too was a new experience. Unlike ordinary sand, the sensation of it flowing like fine flour was so strange that she burst into laughter just from touching it.

He couldn’t forget Olivia’s eyes as she watched the blooming flower. The sparkling light danced within her pupils. At that moment, he realized that Olivia’s world had expanded a little more today. And watching her filled him with emotion reminded him of a moment from his own forgotten past.

Surely, he too once had moments when his world gradually expanded and everything seemed beautiful due to the impact of experiencing things for the first time. Perhaps it was the time when he was most fearless and brave. Because Alois already knew the joy of those moments when his knowledge shattered and his experiences grew inch by inch, he stared at Olivia’s sunlight-filled eyes for a long time, entranced.

So despite his personal irritation, he had to acknowledge that Lime genuinely treasured Olivia. Lime, who had said he had many places he wanted to show her and take her to, would, as he claimed, lead her to a wider and more diverse world like today if he remained by her side.

‘Unlike me, who only knows how to confine her.’

The smile that had been on his lips while looking at her slowly disappeared. The heart that had swelled together with her brilliant soul also cooled down. Pathetically, he was a person who hesitated to go beyond the boundaries he himself had created unless she extended her hand.

Even being able to sit on this beach now was only possible because she was by his side. Though he might excuse it as coming out to monitor her, if Olivia hadn’t said she would protect him as many times as needed if his heat cycle came, Alois knew all too well that he would have chosen to lock her more thoroughly in his prison rather than choosing to go outside together.

So, watching Olivia meeting the sea for the first time, Alois also thought for the first time—not about himself with Olivia by his side, but about Olivia being by his side.

“Can I play with you?”

As time passed, more travelers came to the sea. Early morning and evening when the sun began to set were the peak times before it got too hot, so there were quite a few children roaming the beach holding their parents’ hands despite the early hour.

One of the children approached Olivia and Lime, who were building a sand castle with artistic passion, seemingly finding them interesting. Olivia spent an enjoyable time with the child, making sand castles together, destroying them, and then creating new sand figurines repeatedly. With a playful smile, she moved her hands suspiciously. Crouching down to hide from others, she made something small and concealed it behind her back as she approached Alois.

“Are you feeling hot?”

“I’m fine. I just hate the crowds.”

“Then would you mind holding out your hand?”

Under the shade, Alois’s skin looked particularly pale. Among all the travelers, he was dressed in the cleanest and most unwrinkled clothes. He held out his hand.

“Ta-da!”

What Olivia placed on his palm was a tiny snowman-shaped figurine made of packed sand and water.

“It’s a snowman! Or should I call it a sand-snowman? Since there’s no snow, maybe a sand-person?”

Not having thought of the exact term, she muttered for a while before shrugging her shoulders as if it didn’t matter.

“This sand is really amazing. When mixed with water, it feels just like snow. It clumps together and hardens. But isn’t it fascinating how it quickly turns powdery like flour again once the moisture evaporates?”

“Is that why you’re giving me this gift?”

“It’s to thank you for coming out with me. Seeing that huge flower, discovering this fascinating sand—having you here with me right now makes everything twice as enjoyable.”