Time flowed slowly.

Janet’s emotions that used to come sporadically were now felt by Rihanel at every moment.

Rihanel’s own inherent emotions gradually faded.

Janet’s emotions were soon Rihanel’s emotions.

Though he couldn’t see his own expression directly, he often thought it probably resembled Janet’s face.

When they reunited at the soccer stadium, Janet truly welcomed Rihanel. Even though he acted indifferently unlike when they were young, Janet consistently treasured him.

Rather, when she learned that Rihanel had forgotten all about that day’s events, she was even relieved and felt glad.

She had suffered so much from that memory, yet without any resentment she hoped he wouldn’t know in the future either.

Janet Wilton was that kind of person.

So she took responsibility for everything alone and headed to Adif.

Fear, terror, sense of loss, resignation…… Janet who was exposed defensively to the harsh and barbaric environment spent five years with such emotions.

Rihanel could understand painfully why she who had been the type to say everything she wanted to say couldn’t say anything and shrank among people after her release.

At least it was fortunate that she sometimes felt joy and liberation when with her roommates. Without them, she, and he, wouldn’t have been able to endure.

And……

Though most of Rihanel’s other emotions had faded, not everything had disappeared.

One of them was terrible isolation.

‘Aren’t you cold? Cover yourself with a blanket. You’ll catch a cold.’

‘How does that taste? Ah, not good I guess.’

‘D*mn, if you’re going to monitor this closely anyway, why the h*ll do you put on these shackles.’

Rihanel continued to speak to Janet.

He vividly remembered the moment a few years ago when his voice reached her. His words continued with the thought that if he kept talking, maybe she would hear him again someday.

Anxiety that he shouldn’t stop talking also welled up. If he didn’t do this, even he might forget his own existence.

However, as time passed, naturally the frequency of him opening his mouth decreased. Resignation that she wouldn’t answer this time either gradually grew.

At least when he did open his mouth, he said such things.

‘I’m sorry, Janet.’

‘I was wrong. I should have come here instead of you.’

‘……I’m sorry.’

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Such words stuck to his mouth. Even that didn’t reach Janet, so Rihanel sometimes just wanted to die.

His mind seemed to have gone wrong. Now he wondered if he was even alive. Maybe he was already dead and receiving punishment in h*ll for his many wrongs.

Another emotion that kept such him alive was…… anger.

When he saw Agel at the detention center, he didn’t think that b*stard was that b*stard. Not only was his appearance completely different from what he had briefly seen in Janet’s memory before, but he hadn’t really looked at his face properly at the detention center either.

However, hearing that d*mn annoying way of speaking here made him certain. That this d*mn b*stard had been there too. If he had known then, he would have somehow beaten him half to death at the detention center.

And the target that made him feel even greater anger than Agel was none other than himself.

Hating her, deceiving her, hurting her for the petty reason of wanting to see memories…… There was no greater villain in Janet Wilton’s life.

Thus when Janet fled from the Reynes mansion. When she threw herself into the water and truly escaped from his embrace.

Rihanel thought once again. That pushing her away was the right thing to do. That indeed there was no way Janet could forgive him.

That his judgment wasn’t wrong. Even as his whole body ached numbly, he thought such things.

However, the emotions Janet felt after that were different from what he had expected and concluded.

She still felt pity for Rihanel even while leaving him.

She suddenly thought of him while living. Just as Rihanel had done with Janet, Janet couldn’t help it because Rihanel was also the person who had the greatest influence on her life.

When they reunited, she set up an instinctive guard again while being curious about the past.

While being together like that, the solid wall built high began to crack little by little.

The festering wound hidden inside was revealed. The sorrow that had been buried while pretending to be calm escaped outside.

Janet vomited out emotions that surged like waves.

The Rihanel of that time watching that scene felt pain and fear. Knowing that her pain was because of him, he focused only on that pain.

In doing so, he didn’t realize that those waves were gradually breaking down her walls. So he doubted her resolution and determination.

But not now. Not now when he felt Janet’s emotions with his whole body.

“I still love you very much.”

“My heart isn’t fake. The words I said about being affectionate toward you, about loving you. They were all sincere.”

“Tell Rihanel. That I’ll wait like that time nine years ago. Until the end this time.”

Not a moment’s lie existed in her words.

Janet Wilton was truly different from himself. She knew how to overcome past pain. She faced emotions squarely without hiding or avoiding. She honestly acknowledged and revealed them.

Thus, she made Rihanel do the same too.

“Don’t wait.”

Rihanel blankly watched the man who said such things with his stomach pierced by glass in the running train. The arrogant man who was convinced that pushing her away was for her sake, who believed he could do so.

Yes, rationally it was right to say such things. How could I tell you to wait knowing what might happen to me? What if I die? What if I collapse and can never get up again for life?

However.

‘……No.’

Rihanel shook his head. And toward Janet who had turned pale before the collapsed man, the current Rihanel opened his mouth.

‘……Wait for me.’

He became greedy.

Because now he knew that her heart was full of sincere truth. Because he knew what worries she had, and that despite that she chose him.

Thus, he knew how foolish and pathetic he was for trying to run away using her as an excuse.

Even if it might be cowardly for someone who doesn’t know when he’ll wake up to say such things to her.

Still, Rihanel truly couldn’t let go of Janet now.

‘Wait for me, Janet. I’ll definitely wake up, so…… don’t let go of me either.’

Rihanel spoke desperately while trying to grab Janet who couldn’t be caught. He who was opening his mouth for the first time in years spat out words haphazardly without order. However, what he wanted to say was one thing.

Please don’t let go of me. That he would definitely return.

‘The idea that we can’t be together because you remember all the pain I caused you is all b*llshit. There’s no reason we can’t be together. My life doesn’t exist without you. So don’t erase me from your life either.’

While pouring out desperate words, they entered the hospital.

Janet looked at the sleeping man and lay down.

Like that, everything flickered.

‘Janet……?’

In the dark world, Rihanel was alone. He couldn’t see anything, couldn’t hear anything.

‘Janet.’

What was more frightening than the thought of being alone and isolated here was that she wasn’t here. He became afraid that the recent scene might have been the last.

Janet, Janet. Calling her name countless times, he frantically looked around.

He wanted to see Janet.

He had so much he wanted to say to her.

That was when.

Janet’s figure was visible in the distance. She was walking away from him somewhere.

‘No.’

Rihanel began running frantically. Don’t go. Don’t go, Janet. He ran like crazy while calling her.

If Janet was leaving because he told her not to wait, he wanted to take it all back. He had to.

And finally, when he caught Janet.

Bright light suddenly enveloped them.

It was blinding.

***

“All the luggage has been loaded in the carriage. Now I’ll bring the stretcher.”

“Yes, please.”

Flan and a servant went outside together, leaving only Janet and Rihanel in the hospital room.

When Rihanel didn’t wake up for a month, the doctor said it might take a long time. They couldn’t keep him here indefinitely without promise.

Finally, today they decided to move Rihanel to the ducal mansion in the capital.

The judgment was that there would be no problem if they stationed a personal physician since there was a large hospital near the ducal mansion.

“Rihanel.”

No answer came. Janet quietly looked at the man who still wouldn’t open his eyes, then shifted her gaze outside the window.

The sky visible through the curtain gap was blue. They would go outside soon anyway, but she still wanted to show it to Rihanel.

Janet approached the window and drew back the curtain.

That was when.

“It’s bright……”

Suddenly a low, small voice was heard.

Janet immediately stopped her hand.

She turned around with trembling gaze.

“Rihanel……?”

A faint question headed toward him.

Surely, surely she had just heard Rihanel’s voice. She had heard his hallucinations a few times before. But now was different.

It hadn’t been this vivid.

Please, please…… The moment she prayed inwardly and took one step.

“Mm……”

A low groan was heard again.

And the next moment.

Rihanel Reynes opened his eyes.

This happened when it had been a month since he fell asleep.