Chapter 6

“Miss, please come out quickly!”

A clear voice echoed through the hallway. Karina stepped out of her room, barely able to open her eyes.

Becky, trying to console Karina, who had been complaining about going out, wrapped a handkerchief around her neck.

“It’s quite cold outside. We can’t let our tired Miss catch a sore throat.”

Karina, nodding absentmindedly, suddenly tilted her chin down. The color and embroidery of the handkerchief Becky was tying caught her eye.

“This isn’t my handkerchief.”

Karina sighed and untied the handkerchief from her neck. Becky tilted her head as she took it back.

“But it was definitely in the drawer.”

“Well… there’s a bit of a story behind it. Anyway, I can’t use this.”

“Oh my, don’t tell me you received it from a gentleman? I thought the design looked a bit different.”

“What? That’s not it.”

Startled, Karina loosened her grip. Becky, hiding a sly smile, covered her mouth.

After a moment of contemplation, Karina snatched the handkerchief back from Becky. Then, she casually wrapped it around her neck again and said, 

“Let’s go quickly. Mother is waiting.”

The playful laughter behind her followed Karina as she hurriedly descended to the first floor. Laura, who was waiting at the front entrance, greeted Karina with a bright smile as she came down the stairs.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had some time for just us ladies, Karina.”

“It has, hasn’t it?”

Today was the day they were heading out for an outing that her mother had been wanting to go on for days.

After checking the luggage, they boarded the carriage, which set off immediately. Their destination was a hill located on the outskirts of the estate.

As Karina gazed at the scenery outside the window, her mood gradually improved. It was a sense of peace she hadn’t felt in a long time. For some reason, she thought today’s outing would remain a pleasant memory.

By the time her spirits had risen as high as the sky, the carriage came to a stop. Laura, her face flushed like a young girl, opened the carriage door.

“Oh, let me open it for you!”

The young coachman hurriedly ran over to open the door. As Karina stepped out of the carriage, the hill unfolded before her eyes.

Green grass stretched out endlessly. Maple trees scattered here and there shed their leaves in the wind, painting the surroundings in shades of red and yellow.

But the most eye-catching sight was the ancient tree standing in the middle of the grassy field. It was a massive tree, so thick that even ten adults standing together wouldn’t be able to encircle it. Golden ginkgo leaves fluttered beautifully around it.

“Let’s go, Karina.”

Even though they walked slowly, the distance to the tree was remarkably short.

The coachman, who had spread out a mat in a sunny spot, placed the basket down. Karina, who had been admiring the scenery, arrived a little later and looked up at the tree.

“Shall I take out the food?”

“I’ll do it, so take a break. You must be tired from driving the carriage.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m not tired at all.”

Karina picked up a few golden ginkgo leaves and held them up to the sunlight. The light streaming through the gaps created lines across one side of her face.

Laura, who handed the coachman a sandwich as a token of thanks, opened the basket. It was packed full of food for the outing. Karina asked in mock seriousness, 

“Do you think we can eat all this?”

“It’s better than having too little, isn’t it? It would’ve been nice if there were more people here, though.”

Laura sighed regretfully as she began taking out the food.

But just as Karina, helping her, took out a piece of bread layered with cheese, Laura suddenly looked somewhere and gasped, covering her mouth.

“Karina! Look over there.”

Her voice, laced with laughter, prompted Karina to immediately raise her head. Despite the vastness of the hill, her gaze didn’t wander for long.

“Isn’t that Phyllis?”

Phyllis was walking across the grassy field toward the tree.

Karina let out a sigh from deep inside. It had only been three days since the party, and even if it was a coincidence, it felt too cruel.

As she lowered the bread she had been holding, Laura spoke with a bright tone, 

“I was just joking, but he really did come.”

“…Did you invite him, Mother?”

“I mentioned it to Melissa. I asked if he might be interested in coming.”

Laura stood up and waved her hand. Even as he walked, Phyllis bowed politely in greeting.

His leisurely steps brought him closer without any way to stop it. Finally, Phyllis came to a halt in front of the mat.

“Sorry for being late, Mother.”

Laura shook her head at his non-apology. Hesitating, Karina shifted slightly to the side. Phyllis nodded once with a smile as warm as sunlight.

A cool breeze blew. A ginkgo leaf floated down and settled on the mat. Long fingers picked it up and handed it to Karina.

“It’s a gift.”

Karina couldn’t bring herself to accept it with a smiling face. Phyllis’s ever-kind demeanor felt overwhelming to her.

***

The lunch beneath the ginkgo tree was quite romantic.

If only the wind had been a little less strong, it would have been perfect. Karina brushed her hair back as she thought this.

“The wind is a bit chilly, isn’t it? I should’ve brought an extra coat.”

Laura, looking concerned, began rummaging through the basket. Karina had been about to say it was fine when she paused at the sight of an outstretched hand.

Phyllis, holding a sandwich in his mouth, placed his coat over Karina’s lap.

“There’s a blanket here… Oh my, Phyllis.”

Even the blanket Laura offered was passed along to Karina by Phyllis, who took another bite of his sandwich and shifted slightly away.

“Your clothes are thin too. What if you catch a cold?”

“I’m feeling a bit warm, actually.”

Laura, seemingly moved by Phyllis’s casual response, handed him a cup of warm milk.

Karina, who remained stiff until then, clutched the hem of her coat as if crumpling it. She was used to the way he naturally showed consideration for others, as if it was second nature. Phyllis was always like that to everyone.

‘Give it to me. I’ll do it.’

‘Thank you, Della.’

It wasn’t kindness directed at her specifically. Karina had already known this, but realizing it once again with certainty, she swallowed her bitterness.

“Karina, would you like milk or tea?”

“…Do you have black tea?”

“Of course. Just a moment.”

Unlike Karina, who had become less talkative, Laura hummed a tune as she took out a thermos filled with tea she had prepared.

‘Right. She’s enjoying herself so much.’

She couldn’t ruin the outing just because she wasn’t in a good mood. Karina forced herself to relax her expression and extended her hand.

But before she could take it, Phyllis naturally took the thermos and opened it, resetting her mood once again.

“Here. Be careful, it’s hot.”

Karina didn’t drink the tea Phyllis handed her; she just stared at it. The rippling surface reflected her unsettled feelings.

“Is your mother very busy these days?”

“She’s not feeling well. She really wanted to come along, but unfortunately, she couldn’t.”

“Oh no, how unwell is she?”

“It’s not that serious. She just seems tired lately.”

Phyllis and Laura carried on their cheerful conversation without Karina. To an outsider, it might have been hard to tell which of them was family. It was only natural, given how long they had known each other.

Karina, meanwhile, chewed her bread absentmindedly. The wind, which had seemed to weaken, blew again, making the empty spot beside her feel restless. As she unconsciously looked at the spot, she suddenly realized something had changed and turned her gaze forward.

“The wind is really strong. Should we move to another spot?”

“Should we shift a little to the side?”

As Phyllis asked this while looking at Laura, his hair blew from back to front. Karina was sitting directly across from him.

Their eyes met. Karina, who was the first to look away, put down her bread. She couldn’t enjoy the meal anymore.

“No, this spot gets the best sunlight, after all.”

Laura, as if giving up, shook her head and wrapped herself tighter in her shawl, determined to stay where they were.

The scenery was too beautiful to abandon just because of the wind. The falling leaves from the ancient tree behind them painted the air.

Even if her stomach wasn’t satisfied, her eyes were. Karina turned her head to the empty left side and brought the teacup to her lips.

“Pfft, Karina.”

“Yes?”

“Is that a new hairpin in your hair?”

Laura, who had been about to pour tea, stopped and gave her a playful look. Karina instinctively reached up to touch her head.

Her hand only brushed her hair, finding nothing, and lowered toward her ear.

“Not there…”

Before she could react, Phyllis leaned forward and reached out his hand without hesitation. Pulling her head back was useless at that point. His elegant hand plucked a leaf and held it up in front of Karina.

“Here.”

Phyllis smiled brightly as he handed her the second leaf. This time, Karina couldn’t bring herself to take it.

“Haha… Why are you two so cute?”

“I wasn’t trying to tease her.”

Laura laughed out loud, finding Karina’s sulky expression endearing, while Phyllis, sensing the atmosphere, brushed the leaf aside.

Karina gave up trying to force a smile and instead glared at Laura, who was laughing. Luckily, her awkwardness didn’t seem too obvious, and the mood grew even brighter.

“I can’t remember the last time I laughed like this. Maybe it’s because it’s been a while since the three of us were together.”

Laura, who had been laughing for a while, wiped tears from her eyes with her fingers and shrugged. By then, they had all finished their meal.

It felt as though they had passed a turning point. Karina quickly began tidying up and spoke up.

“Well, it’ll probably become a normal routine soon enough.”

“…”

“When you two get married, I mean. You’ll both be of age next year, after all.”

The sudden mention of marriage made her clamp her mouth shut. Laura, who had just finished closing the basket, tilted her head, sensing the strange atmosphere.

“Oh my, why are both of you making such faces?”

Karina, flustered, avoided looking at Phyllis.

She didn’t have the courage. She didn’t want to see the expression he might make in response to words she couldn’t answer.

“Don’t tell me you’re embarrassed? Honestly, you two seem more like children than you did when you were younger.”

Laura gave a mischievous smile, as if she wouldn’t say anything more, and continued tidying up.

Phyllis stepped in to help her, breaking the silence that had begun to stretch out.

Out of the corner of her eye, Karina caught a glimpse of the two of them. After staying quiet for a long time, she pulled the coat off her lap and stood up.

“I’m going to take a short walk.”