Chapter 4: Love is a flower that you must let grow

I started my morning with the same daily routine: waking up, taking a shower, and having breakfast together. Usually, after breakfast, I would study reading and arithmetic with my mother or father.

But today was different. After breakfast, Mother went to help with the festival preparations. Meanwhile, Father still hadn't returned from yesterday, so I didn't have any activities I wanted to do. I wished I could do something other than reading books. There are only four books in this house, and I've read them repeatedly.

Tck... Tck... Tck...

A sound of knocking on the door broke my daydream. It seemed like someone had come to my house. What was their purpose coming so early in the morning?

Rather than letting my curiosity build up, I immediately stood up from the wooden chair I was sitting on. I walked towards the repeatedly knocking door, sunlight streaming through the gaps in the door.

"I'm coming,"

As I turned the doorknob, the springs and small levers made a grinding sound. Then I opened the door, and the fresh morning air blew towards me.

"Ceryn?" I whispered, realizing it was Ceryn knocking on my door.

"Sinhart! Sinhart! I need your help," Ceryn exclaimed, pulling my hand out of the house.

"Wait a minute... what help are you talking about?" I asked.

"I'll tell you when we get there,"

Finally, I was forced to comply with Ceryn's request. I was used to Ceryn dragging me suddenly like this because she was my first friend. Before leaving, I locked the house and then stored the key where Mother usually told me to. I didn't know where she was taking me. I could only follow her while guessing.

The atmosphere on the village streets was slightly different than usual, adorned with various colored fabrics hanging on fences and trees. Until we both passed the church, I could guess Ceryn's destination. Because after passing the church, the village road would branch off, leading to various places, one of which was the flower field.

"Are we heading to the flower field, Ceryn?" I asked curiously, gently kicking a stone in my path. "Y-yes... actually, I just wanted to be with you,"

So Ceryn lied about the help? Wanting to be with me... I don't understand what she wants.

"Is there anything... at the flower field that needs my help?" I asked, making sure.

"There's nothing, but if I'm alone... it feels boring. That's why I invited you," Ceryn replied. "If I'm with you, it always feels fun, from the first time we met—it's still the same now."

Hearing Ceryn say that... made me understand her intentions this morning a little. She wanted to be with me longer. She is the only one I understand and who understands me, and when I'm with her... it's always fun. Sometimes I also feel the same way when I'm alone, when I'm reading a book, and when I'm looking at flowers. The person I always want to meet and talk about new things with is... Ceryn, because when I'm with her, I feel a strange sensation in my chest.

The same feeling... when I'm with Mother, yes...

"We've arrived, Sinhart," Ceryn said, as the flower field began to be visible from afar. The surrounding path was starting to be filled with colorful flowers. The sound of the wind rustling as it passed through the flowers made this place feel like it had its own atmosphere.

Flower Field

As we got closer, Ceryn ran ahead towards the big tree in the middle. I immediately rushed to follow her. When she ran, I could hear her laughing. No matter what happens, if the two of us visit here, everything will feel pleasant.

So this is it, there will always be good things when I'm with her. I want to be with her for the rest of my life... if possible.

"Ugh... so tired," Ceryn said, sitting down under the tree while catching her breath. "But that was fun, running in the middle of the flowers."

"Yes, it was fun," I replied, then sitting down beside her.

The wind blew past the two of us, accompanied by the sound of rustling leaves above us. This atmosphere made Ceryn and me more comfortable sitting under this tree.

"This tree— it's cooling, isn't it," I said, looking upwards.

I was too focused on the sound of the leaves that I didn't realize Ceryn had already moved from beside me. I immediately stood up to look for her who had disappeared. On the other side of this big tree, Ceryn was digging the soil around a flower. It was the flower she always took care of. What did she want to do?

I knelt beside her, "What are you doing, Ceryn? Won't the flower wilt and die if you do that," I asked, making her stop digging for a moment.

"I want to move this flower to a pot here," Ceryn said, showing a small pot beside her.

"I heard that this festival will require a lot of flowers, so I want to save this flower,"

"I see, is there anything I can help with?" I asked.

"No, it's better if you just watch, Sinhart," Ceryn replied, then she dug the soil around the white flower with a small shovel.

She dug in a circular direction, very carefully. The roots of the flower were visible because Ceryn dug quite deep. After that, she inserted the shovel under the flower's roots, then lifted it with the shovel to the side of the pot. Afterwards, she filled the pot with soil with her hands, then placed the flower in the center of the pot.

Then Ceryn took more soil. She put the soil around the base of the flower. I could see the soil was now flat in the middle, then she pressed the soil with her hands.

"How is it, isn't it pretty!" Ceryn suddenly exclaimed, lifting the pot she had just filled with the flower until it covered her face.

"Y-yes,"

"By the way, the name of this flower is... Anemone," Ceryn said, gently stroking one of the petals.

Anemone?

"It's a nice name, isn't it? I learned it from a library book when I visited the city."

"What's wrong, Sinhart? You look so lost in thought," Ceryn asked, leaning her face towards me.

"N-no, I was just thinking that you read books too," I replied.

"Ha! So you mean I look like someone who would never touch a book? Of course... I will read any book about flowers," Ceryn exclaimed.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. You usually aren't interested in books," I said, trying to calm Ceryn down.

"In that case... you also have to like this flower," Ceryn said, making me confused about why she was telling me to like a flower I already liked.

"What do you mean? I already like that flower," I replied.

"I-is that so then," Ceryn said, turning her face away.

Suddenly— Ceryn stood up. For some reason, she didn't look at me after saying that.

"W-well then, accompany me again. I want to put this flower in my house," Ceryn said, then walked ahead without waiting for me.

I didn't understand why she acted so suddenly. Was she mad at me? I didn't quite understand. All I could do was grab the small shovel Ceryn had left behind and follow her from behind without asking.

Ceryn wasn't walking too fast. She might be waiting for me. Maybe I just misunderstood. This is my bad side; I can never realize other people's feelings. Too quick to think this and that. Maybe Ceryn acted like that because of something else I didn't understand.

It's not because she's angry; besides, she rare

ly gets angry at other people. Maybe she will only really get angry when the flower she cares for is damaged. That's right, I only misunderstood her feelings for me.

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Thank you for reading this :3