They quickly threw out other conversation topics. There were still many more stories they wanted to hear piled up.

“Then which place was the best during your honeymoon?”

“What was the most delicious food in Gelas?”

As Janet answered the flood of questions about her honeymoon and shared stories, several hours had passed before they knew it.

Janet, who checked the clock, stood up from her seat.

“Oh right, you said you had an appointment this afternoon? Who are you going to meet?”

At Letsy’s question, Janet showed a faint smile.

She spoke with a voice full of anticipation.

“A very important person has returned. You see……”

***

At the entrance of the square connected from Beloa Street in the capital.

Janet’s face, which had been constantly craning her neck and looking around, suddenly brightened.

A woman was walking from over there. The woman wearing a well-fitting purple skirt had a face that was all too familiar, but in an outfit she had never seen before.

“Mellin!”

At Janet’s shout, Mellin looked toward her. The two women’s eyes met.

“Janet!”

Mellin smiled so brightly that her face seemed crumpled.

Janet ran to Mellin and hugged her tightly. Then she grabbed both of Mellin’s hands and jumped up and down like a child.

It was a sight never normally seen, but seeing Mellin made her act this way without realizing it.

“Goodness, why are you acting like a puppy!”

“I really missed you, Mellin.”

“You came to visit just a few months ago, didn’t you? To Reynes Prison.”

“But this is the first time we’re outside. I’m so excited.”

Mellin was the woman who had shared the same cell with Janet during the five years she spent her life in Adif Prison. Without her, Janet was certain she wouldn’t have been able to endure that time.

Mellin, who had been transferred to Reynes Prison, completed her 12-year sentence and was released recently.

Janet wanted to go meet Mellin on her release date, but Mellin had refused.

Because she had family coming to pick her up.

“I’m staying at my sister’s house. My youngest nephew recently got married, so she says it’s lonely living alone.”

“Mellin’s sister, I can’t imagine it. Among us, Mellin was the oldest sister.”

“Are you making fun of me for being old right now?”

“That’s right.”

“Have I ever seen such an impudent girl! Is it that d*mn bastard’s influence?”

“My foul mouth is your influence at the least.”

“D*mn, I taught you wrong.”

Janet burst into laughter. The two went into a cafe together and shared their recent news.

Mellin said she had started doing odd jobs through her sister’s introduction. She explained in detail how shitty but precious that work was, giving reasons for each point.

Everything else was family stories. Stories about her sister, who was more hot-tempered than herself, and her three nephews.

Mellin also had family. That fact felt newly comforting to Janet.

Because she knew better than anyone how exhausting each day in Adif had been.

Because she knew how much comfort it would bring to know that someone had been waiting for her all this time.

“Oh, but Delrosa is also getting out soon, and she has no family to pick her up. So……”

“Then I’ll go!”

“Haha, why are you so energetic? Let’s go together, then.”

Among those who had spent time together, some had no family. But that didn’t mean there was no one waiting.

Because Janet was there, and Mellin was there.

They had already become family by being together in prison. So when they opened the prison doors and stepped out, there were enough people to welcome them warmly.

“So, is that d*mn bastard treating you well? How’s married life? Just looking at your grinning face, it seems like you’re floating in the sky with your feet not even touching the ground.”

“It’s, it’s not that much.”

“You look good, so it’s nice to see. There are so many crazy bastards in the world. From what I can see, you and your husband will be happy for life.”

“Thank you, Mellin. I really think that might be possible.”

“There’s so much to be thankful for! Ugh, it’s too sweet, I can’t stand it. Tell me at least one complaint. I’ll neutralize it with that.”

“A complaint?”

There were no complaints about Rihanel. But there was a current worry she had.

“Looking at other couples, they usually use pet names.”

“Ugh. Pet names?”

“Yes. Even if not pet names, instead of names they call each other honey, dear—titles that only one person can use. But no matter how much I think about it, using pet names feels awkward and difficult……”

“That’s your worry? Just call him by his name.”

“Don’t married couples need more special titles? Something with meaning just for us.”

“Where does such a thing exist? What you call him is the pet name. When you call his name, that’s the pet name.”

Mellin raised her eyebrows with a face that said she didn’t understand. It was a fierce expression, but Janet knew she wasn’t angry.

“But a name is something anyone can call.”

“Janet! Do you feel the same when I call you ‘Janet’ and when your husband calls you ‘Janet’?”

“……”

Janet fell into thought after hearing Mellin’s words.

Janet, Janet, Janet.

She mulled over the moments when Rihanel had called her.

Just recalling it made her heart flutter for no reason. When he called her name, somehow even though it was a name she had heard all her life, it often seemed like an unfamiliar word.

“……It’s different.”

“Then you’ve already decided! Geez, I asked you to tell me a complaint to neutralize things, but you were telling me honey-coated stories.”

“You’re right. Thanks to you, I found the answer. Thank you, Mellin.”

When Janet innocently thanked her, Mellin couldn’t help but chuckle.

The two continued talking for a long time after that.

They talked about the joyful and warm things that would fill their lives from now on.

***

The night air was pleasantly cool. Holding Janet’s hand and walking through the rose garden of the Reynes estate, Rihanel asked gently.

“Did you have a good meeting with Mellin today?”

“Yes. It was so enjoyable. Delrosa is getting out soon, so we decided to go pick her up together.”

“That’s a good idea.”

Rihanel nodded happily.

Actually, having wandered through Janet’s memories and spent five years with Mellin and Delrosa, Rihanel naturally felt close to them.

However, from their perspective, he would be a stranger, so he didn’t offer to go with them.

It was enough to see Janet this happy.

“And there’s a cat that comes to where Mellin works……”

Janet chattered away, moving her small mouth constantly as she told stories she had heard from Mellin.

Rihanel concentrated on her stories and nodded. Her clear voice was pleasant to hear.

Their walk continued for quite a while.

They held hands in silence, then exchanged opinions on topics that came to mind, then sat side by side on the ground to look at the roses positioned at the same level as their eyes.

As if they had made some new discovery, their eyes sparkled and they even debated whether roses seen from above or from the side were more beautiful.

Even when dirt got on their clothes, they were just happy.

Since their first meeting had involved dirty clothes, such things were nothing to worry about for them.

“Rihanel.”

While walking again, Janet softly called his name.

“Yes, Janet.”

Rihanel answered affectionately.

Because it sounded good, Janet called his name once more.

“Rihanel.”

“Janet.”

“Rihanel, Rihanel.”

“Yes, Janet.”

Rihanel continued to answer Janet’s calls without asking why she kept calling him. Janet pursed her lips and smiled softly.

As expected, this was the most comfortable.

When she spoke it aloud, it was the title that let Janet herself know her own feelings best. Things like how she thought of him, how much she liked him.

It was also the title that could best express these overflowing emotions.

Then Rihanel asked.

“Do you know? When you call my name, your voice gets just a little higher than usual.”

“……I didn’t know.”

“It sounds good. It makes my name seem really special.”

Even her voice changed. Though she wasn’t conscious of it, she had apparently already been using his name as a pet name.

She didn’t need to create a pet name with unique and wonderful meaning.

What they call each other didn’t matter.

If she could express this overflowing affection just by calling the other person.

“Rihanel, shall we stop by the greenhouse too?”

“Good, Janet.”

Janet took light steps.

Rihanel moved his feet to match her pace.

Deep into the night, the walk of the two people standing side by side didn’t end easily.

『To You Who Despise Me』 Side Story, End