“Ha! I see your personality’s still the same.”

Lian wore a faint smile, but he didn’t seem to be in a good mood. Hailla couldn’t bring herself to try to improve the situation. She just mumbled under her breath and let out a quiet sigh. Whenever she was caught between the two of them, she always felt like a timid little animal trapped between two fierce beasts.

“So, who is it?”

“Huh?”

“The one who went missing.”

Hailla paused for a moment before answering. She didn’t usually talk about things like this with her sister. Matters involving death were the kind of thing she tended to keep to herself. Like many families with a sick relative, they avoided speaking of death altogether.

“The fruit seller’s second son.”

“The last time anyone saw them was when they went up the mountain.”

Lian, unusually kind, even added an explanation.

“He’s probably dead.”

“Ah, unni!”

“What? It’s not uncommon. People fall and die in the mountains all the time.”

Rethe spoke offhandedly, then furrowed her brows. Something seemed to be bothering her. Hailla turned her head slightly, intending to use a subtle glance to urge Lian to leave. She nodded slightly to indicate that he should go, but Lian only shrugged and stayed where he was. Stubborn as ever.

“Isn’t he someone you know?”

Her sister had a surprisingly good memory. Hailla recalled mentioning him casually not too long ago.

‘I just let him go. Lian’s not as reckless as he used to be.’

Hailla had occasionally offered compliments like that in an attempt to soften her sister’s bias against Lian. But now, it had come back to bite her. Just her luck. Hailla cast a nervous glance at Lian, who was still there. She wished more than anything that he would just leave.

“Did that bastard kill him?”

“Unni!”

Rethe didn’t even look at her sister. Instead, she stared straight at Lian, her voice dripping with disdain. The scorn in her eyes was sharper than necessary. It was always like this when the two of them met. A heavy mix of tension and melancholy filled the room.

“Highly unlikely.”

That was all Lian said. This time, it seemed he was going to let it pass quietly. Hailla felt a sense of relief spread through her chest.

“If he had the skill to kill someone cleanly, he would have buried you first.”

“Hey!”

Hailla was the only one who seemed worked up. The two people who had exchanged such venomous remarks seemed entirely unbothered. Rethe waved her hand dismissively, as if annoyed by the noise, then gave a cold command.

“You can leave now. Both of you.”

Then, pointing to the apple rolling on the floor, she added.

“Take your trash with you.”

Finally, she pointed at Lian. Hailla quickly picked up the apple and started tidying up. She was immensely relieved that her sister hadn’t thrown anything this time.

Feeling grateful that things had de-escalated, at least for now, she checked her sister’s bedding one last time. As she was about to turn and leave, saying goodnight softly, Rethe’s voice called out behind her.

“And tomorrow, bring me some Tabael.”

It was clear that Rethe was still very angry.

***

The forest was rough and rugged. It was said to be a rarely travelled path. As they ventured deeper into the untouched mountains, Hailla glanced back at Lian, looking worried again.

“I’m really fine.”

It was her way of telling him to turn back. She didn’t need his help. She had already spent several days wandering the mountains in search of Tabael. Rethe’s irritation had become worse and worse, and today, Hailla had once again packed a small bag and set off alone. But then Lian cheerfully tagged along.

He said it was his day off and that he just wanted some fresh air. What a transparent excuse!

“I’m fine too.”

Lian walked ahead of her. The dry leaves under his feet crunched loudly with every step. Knowing how he usually behaved, Hailla figured there was no point in trying to stop him. She decided to search the mountain with him, planning to make him a delicious dinner that evening.

She rubbed the sore back of her neck and looked carefully up at the trees again. She was determined to find the fruit today and take it back to Rethe. It might have been out of spite, but the fruit was still rare and nourishing, so it would be good for her health. Hailla dearly cherished her sister and always thought this way.

But as time passed, there was still no sign of the Tabael fruit. The sun, which had been high in the sky, was now nearing the horizon. Her sister would certainly nag her again today. Despite all the help Lian had given, they would be returning empty-handed. She began to feel disheartened, her lips unconsciously pouting.

Lian let out a small sigh and asked.

“Do you really need to go this far to get it?”

“My sister said she wanted to eat it.”

Tabael wasn’t an easy fruit to find. Although it grew all year round, it required very specific conditions, which made it rare. Most of the supply went to noble households, so ordinary people like Hailla had no choice but to search for it deep in the mountains. That was how petty Rethe’s demand had been. Lian walked beside Hailla, quietly observing the rare sight of her looking so downcast.

“Hey!”

After a little while longer, an excited voice rang out. A few fruits had grown on a tree whose bark was stripped in several places. It was Tabael. Its angular, six-sided shape matched those in the books she had read. Thrilled, Hailla ran towards it with quick, eager steps. She was a grown woman acting like an overjoyed teenager.

“I’ll climb up and pick them really quickly!”

“Up there?”

That might have been an easy feat for Lian, but for this small, round girl, the climb looked impossibly high. If she fell, she wouldn’t just get a few scrapes — she would surely break something, and getting back down the mountain would be problematic.

If something were to happen to her up there, would Hailla still be able to avoid blaming Rethe?

Lian found himself wondering. It was like a twisted kind of experiment. He imagined her injured and helpless, tearfully asking him for help. The thought twisted in his gut, leaving behind a strange sense of satisfaction.

—

“Yah!”

While Lian was lost in his daydream, Hailla had climbed quite high and was waving down to him. It was dizzyingly high. Yet she moved with surprising ease, managing to reach the fruit. However, the stem was tougher than expected, and she struggled to detach the fruit. She shook the fruit furiously. After a dozen hard tugs, the fruit finally snapped free with a loud crack. Then a bad sound reached Lian’s ears.

Snap.

Along with the fruit, the thick branch she had been holding onto broke off too. Even Lian, who had secretly anticipated this outcome, flinched in surprise. Without thinking, he moved to catch her as she fell. It all happened in an instant. He hadn’t considered the potential consequences. As her small body fell from the sky and collided with his, the added weight sent him toppling backwards with force.

“Ahhh!”

“Ugh!”

A dull thud sounded, mingling with their cries. Acting on instinct, Lian clenched his eyes shut and groaned quietly.

“Lian?”

Hailla fumbled around the body that had caught her. Warm. A living body. As her eyes slowly opened and met Lian’s, she realised what had happened.

“Blood…”

It looked like he had landed heavily and cut himself on something sharp; blood was dripping from his arms and legs. Lian stared blankly at Hailla’s trembling hands as she touched the blood. He waved her away, as if telling her to move.

But Hailla, as if possessed, trembled and began searching his body with her hands, as if confirming something. Her small, soft hands moved over every part of his body. Flustered, Lian couldn’t speak; he just stared at her until her hand brushed his thigh, making him tense up.

“First, let’s—”

“Ah, the blood… the blood…”

Lian tried to calm the situation down, but Hailla was panicking and could only choke back tears. He realised something was wrong when she couldn’t take her eyes off his wounds, tears beginning to fall.

“Get a hold of yourself.”

Like someone drowning, Hailla struggled to breathe. Lian sat up, put his hand on her shoulder and made her look at him. Gently stroking her cheek, he told her to breathe slowly in a clear, steady voice. Her eyes blinked rapidly in response.

“I’m okay.”

“Okay…”

By the time she had finally pulled herself together, the sun had set. Dusk made the mountain dark and dangerous. Lian examined the pain in his leg. It wasn’t bad enough to stop him from descending the mountain, though. Then, his thoughts shifted.

Could this be an opportunity?

He had always imagined spending a whole day with Hailla. Getting stranded in the mountains following an ‘unexpected accident’ while searching for Tabael had been part of his plan. This opportunity had just come a little sooner than expected.

His associate would also interpret their failure to return as the agreed signal to act. Lian had made up his mind: they wouldn’t be going back down the mountain today.

“Can you stand? Can you walk?”

“It’s a bit tough.”

“Then climb on my back!”

Hailla stood up, crouched down, and offered him her back. She sounded so sincere and determined when she told him to get on that Lian had to suppress a laugh.

She was limping herself, yet here she was, trying to carry someone. Lian inwardly clicked his tongue, finding her effort amusing. He slowly stood up and walked behind her. He could see her gulping nervously as she prepared for his weight. Feeling a flicker of pity—

“Wah!”

With a loud thud, Lian collapsed onto her back. Burdened by a man much bigger and heavier than her, Hailla could barely hold on to her senses as she tried to support his legs and steady him. Her efforts were admirable, but…

“Ahh! Nghhh!”

Odd sounds kept escaping her lips. Watching her struggle, Lian wrapped his arms around her slender neck and rested his face against her head. He let out a soft laugh, but she was so focused on carrying him that she didn’t notice.