6. The End of a Short Summer (Part 3)

“Ah, mm.”

Sweat that had precariously gathered at the tips of Cecilia’s n*pples dripped onto Ethan’s abdomen. Ethan gripped Cecilia’s hips tightly, helping her move up and down. Occasionally, he thrust his hips upward with force, eliciting sharp moans from Cecilia.

“Ahh!”

“Hah…”

The two, their bodies entwined more roughly than usual, were unusually silent. It was because they both sensed the end was near. There were many things they wanted to say, many things they needed to say, but none of them were easy to voice.

“Come closer.”

Instead, they pulled each other’s necks closer, kissed, and endlessly stroked each other’s sweat-drenched hair. The conversation of their bodies was always more honest than words, perfectly replacing the unspoken words they couldn’t find.

Cecilia leaned down and pressed her lips over Ethan’s. When she extended her tongue, he eagerly captured the tip of hers, sucking on it. As he swallowed her saliva with audible gulps, his hand continuously stroked the back of her head.

The world spun, and Cecilia’s back sank into the soft bed. Ethan, still kissing her, slid deeply between her legs. His hips moved fluidly, drawing waves of pleasure from her. When the blunt tip struck her cervix, Cecilia gasped and arched her back.

“Mm… haah…”

Ethan lifted Cecilia’s legs onto his shoulders. Her body folded in half, allowing him to penetrate even deeper. He relentlessly thrust and ground against the spot where she felt the most pleasure. As the repeated stimulation targeted the same place, her soaked inner walls clenched tightly around him, as if to squeeze him.

“Ugh!”

Ethan gritted his teeth and threw his head back. The overwhelming stimulation forced a suppressed groan from his throat. He growled lowly as he moved his hips in short, rapid bursts. Her contracting walls, spasming uncontrollably from her climax, massaged him, urging him to release.

“Ah, Cecil…”

“Aah! Haaah!”

At the moment of release, Cecilia trembled violently, crying out hoarsely. Waves of orgasms, big and small, rippled through her. The pleasure melted her mind, accompanied by a sensation akin to an urgent need to release.

Psshh.

A clear liquid sprayed from Cecilia’s urethra, soaking Ethan’s lower abdomen. It was a fluid without viscosity or any distinct smell. Ethan lowered his gaze, staring at the liquid dripping from his p*bic hair onto the sheets. His eyes sparked with intensity.

“Haah…”

“You’re truly…”

Though Ethan had just cl*maxed, his member twitched and quickly regained its vigor. Spreading Cecilia’s thighs apart, he plunged back into her. Her entrance, softened from their prolonged lovemaking, easily welcomed him once more.

“Ah!”

Ethan pressed his body flush against Cecilia’s. Her soft br*asts were crushed against his chest, and their groins met completely. He hugged her small frame tightly, moving his hips gently to stroke her insides.

Her melted walls enveloped him tenderly like cream. It was hot, tight, and wet. He groaned softly, savoring every sensation she offered. It was a memory he never wanted to forget, even in death.

“You feel so good, Cecil.”

“Ethan…”

Perhaps it was the overwhelming sensations that made Cecilia’s eyes brim with tears. She clung to Ethan’s back with all her strength, burying her face in the crook of his neck. His familiar scent filled her lungs completely.

At that moment, hot tears burst from Cecilia’s eyes. She had cried during s*x before, unable to withstand the pleasure. But the tears she shed now were different in nature.

She bit her lip, trying to hold back her emotions. Blood beaded on her lower lip, but she couldn’t stop the tears that had already begun to flow. Her shoulders shook faintly.

Ethan’s movements slowed to a stop. He withdrew and met Cecilia’s tear-filled eyes.

“…Cecilia.”

When their eyes met, Cecilia’s sobs grew louder. Shaking her head slowly, she spoke.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Her tear-muffled voice scattered over his sturdy shoulders. There were so many things she wanted to say to him. She had spent countless nights carefully choosing the right words for him. Yet, all she could manage to say now was an apology.

“I’m sorry. Truly…”

Ethan remained silent for a long time. He simply tightened his arms around her.

Hadn’t he prepared a farewell as well? He likely carried words far longer and more affectionate than hers. But in the face of this sudden, tearful goodbye, both of them forgot everything they had prepared to say.

After holding Cecilia tightly for a long time, Ethan finally spoke.

“Cecilia. The reason we can’t be together any longer…”

“…”

“…is not your fault, nor mine.”

Ethan’s hand gently stroked Cecilia’s back.

“It’s simply because the summer has ended.”

Thick tears fell from Cecilia’s eyes. She bit down on her molars, trying to stifle her sobs. But she couldn’t hide the sound of her shaky breaths.

Ethan patted her back gently, waiting for her sobs to subside. Once she had calmed down a little, he continued in a tender voice.

“Cecil, I don’t resent you. Not even a little.”

“…”

“And I know you won’t resent me either. Resentment would only make this more painful.”

Ethan’s lips curved into a faint, helpless smile. He pressed a firm kiss to the top of Cecilia’s head before pulling back slightly.

“So… I hope you won’t blame yourself either. If you need someone to blame, blame the summer. And if that’s not enough, you can blame me. After all, I was the one who insisted.”

How can you be so kind, even to the very end? 

I’ve always been someone who could easily find reasons to dislike others, yet why can’t I find even the smallest fault in you?

As Cecilia bit her lip, fresh blood welled up on the wound. But in this moment, her heart hurt far more than her lip, so she didn’t notice the pain.

She had known it would be painful to let Ethan go. She had anticipated the guilt over his feelings would linger and weigh heavy on her heart. She had expected to feel his absence keenly and to be haunted by memories of him.

But the emotions she experienced in this moment of parting were far from what she had imagined. They were unfamiliar and strange. She struggled to define them.

Can this even be called sadness?

It feels more like pain, like anguish. It’s as if someone has punched me hard in the chest. Is this even an emotion? Is guilt supposed to hurt this much?

Even as Cecilia was consumed by confusion, her tears continued to flow uncontrollably. It was as if her tear ducts had broken. As she trembled, Ethan tightened his embrace around her.

Ethan spoke.

“I hope you live happily. Eat your meals properly, sleep well… Don’t overwork yourself. Be as kind to yourself as you are to Merilyn and Vivi. Don’t carry everything on your own…”

His words turned into a gentle scolding, growing longer without him realizing it. He had come to know Cecilia so well during their time together.

Cecilia was someone mature and responsible, yet clumsy when it came to taking care of herself. She thought of herself as cold and composed, but in truth, she was warmer than anyone else. She had a habit of pushing herself to her limits. Her heart was tender, easily wounded, yet she often didn’t even realize she had been hurt.

That was the kind of person Cecilia was. And so, Ethan had no choice but to love her. He pulled her slender frame closer into his arms and let out a quiet sigh.

“Someday… you will meet a good friend who won’t burden you with painful worries. I hope that person will make you smile all day long.”

Ethan’s gaze darkened. Just imagining Cecilia smiling at someone else and opening her arms to them felt as if his heart was turning into a pile of ashes, crumbling into dust. He barely managed to suppress the surging greed and obsession that kept rearing their heads as he continued.

“When summer comes, please think of me for just a moment. I will dedicate my summer entirely to you.”

That was the extent of the desire Ethan allowed himself—to leave his scent in her summer.

After sobbing for a long time, Cecilia pulled away from him slightly. With tear-filled eyes, she looked at Ethan and asked, 

“Will that… really be enough for you?”

Ethan slowly shook his head.

“I don’t know. But there is one thing I’m certain of.”

“Something you’re certain of…?”

“Cecil, just knowing that someone like you exists in this world will allow me to live a fuller life than before.”

Ethan carefully wiped the tears from Cecilia’s eyes with his thumb. Gazing into her blue eyes, he softly caressed her face over and over. His large hand had been trembling slightly for a while.

“When I see a dazzling sea, I will think of your eyes. When I see a sunset, I will miss the hill we climbed together.”

“…”

“When I wake from a light sleep in the middle of the night, I will wonder if you’re sleeping well. I will pray to God for your restful slumber. And if I dream of you, my mood will surely be bright for the entire day.”

Ethan’s eyes curved gently, and a single tear that had pooled in the corner of his eye rolled down his cheek.

“You have given me the gift of longing. I will live through countless seasons to come, sustained by the memory of longing for Belfort, a place I had no ties to; for a summer that was merely a passing season; and for you, whose name I didn’t even know properly at first.”

The two of them silently wept as they gazed at each other’s faces. After a long silence, Ethan offered his final farewell to Cecilia.

“Cecilia Godwin. I was happy to have loved you.”