Chapter 7
The room was quiet.
At the sound of his low, hoarse voice, Chersinia startled and quickly pulled her hand away. Her heart thudded wildly, as if she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t.
No, wait. I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?
All she’d done was help him sleep when he couldn’t. If anything, she deserved thanks.
That’s right. Exactly.
Chersinia nodded firmly to herself. This definitely wasn’t because she’d been startled by guilt.
Ben, still half-asleep, blinked slowly, as if trying to figure out whether this moment was a dream or reality.
“Go back to sleep.”
The brusque tone slipped out before she could stop it, an attempt to hide her embarrassment.
Only after hearing her voice did Ben seem to realize it was real. His eyes curved gently as he smiled.
Receiving such a clear, innocent smile made her feel like a villain who’d preyed on a naïve child.
“Your bangs looked uncomfortable. That’s all.”
She spoke first even though he hadn’t asked, spilling words like a sinner confessing before a priest.
“Yes. Your hands are always warm, Chersinia.”
“Huh… really?”
“The hands that pat me every night are warm too. Just like you.”
Her eyes widened at his words.
What? He knew?
She’d thought he was asleep the whole time. She felt flustered.
“I’m sorry. I pretended to sleep because I thought you wouldn’t do it if I woke up…”
“Huh?”
“Thank you. Really…”
Ben gently placed his hand over hers, which rested on the floor.
The sudden contact made her body flinch.
“Thanks to you, I was able to sleep peacefully.”
He smiled brightly, as if it were nothing more than simple gratitude.
Chersinia let out a small laugh and ruffled his hair.
“Go to sleep.”
She pulled her hand away and climbed back onto the bed, lying down. It would probably take a while for sleep to return now—but if she kept her eyes closed, she’d eventually drift off.
“Yes… you too, Chersinia…”
Listening to Ben’s faintly trembling voice, she closed her eyes.
Ben stared at the bed where Chersinia lay.
His heart was pounding wildly.
W-what is this…?
Startled by the strange sensation, he blinked.
The spot on his forehead where her hand had brushed felt burning hot, as if scorched. Slowly, he raised a hand and touched the hair she’d smoothed.
A sharp, tingling sensation ran through his fingertips.
At the same time, his cheeks flushed hot.
Startled by his racing heart, he clutched his chest, but it refused to calm down.
Much later, the sound of soft, steady breathing came from the bed, as though Chersinia had fallen asleep.
But Ben still couldn’t sleep.
If anything, his heart beat even faster in time with her breathing.
“Just trimming your bangs a little.”
“Y-yes… it’s fine.”
She’d spoken to reassure him in case he was nervous, but it only made things worse. Ben’s eyes trembled, lost and unfocused.
Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his complexion was poor—it was obvious he hadn’t slept well.
Chersinia lowered the scissors she was holding.
“Are you okay? Should we just leave it?”
“No! I’m fine. Please cut it.”
“Then stop shaking your legs. I can’t even hold the scissors.”
He’d been bouncing his legs anxiously for a while now, making it impossible to work.
Ben looked down at his legs and froze, as if only just realizing what he’d been doing.
Today, she’d decided to trim the bothersome bangs covering his eyes.
She’d seated him in the yard that morning, scissors in hand, but he’d been restless the entire time.
Watching him fidget, Chersinia grew concerned.
Is he afraid of the scissors?
Given his harsh past, it wouldn’t be strange if he had some trauma involving them.
“If you’re scared of the scissors—”
“Oh, no! Absolutely not!”
“Really?”
She eyed him skeptically.
Ben nodded vigorously.
“Yes, really. I’m sorry. Please just cut it.”
He closed his eyes tightly.
Only then did Chersinia relax and take hold of his unruly bangs.
Flinch.
Ben jerked again, as if shocked by electricity.
His pale cheeks flushed bright red in an instant.
Startled, Chersinia lowered her hand.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You don’t have a fever, do you?”
She placed her hand against his forehead.
At that, Ben flinched even harder and suddenly jumped to his feet.
“Ben, are you really okay?”
He fanned his face as if overheated, staring blankly into the air, then began pacing around the yard, unable to calm down.
Worried, Chersinia grabbed his shoulders to stop him.
“Ack!”
Ben cried out in surprise and collapsed onto the ground.
“What’s wrong with you? Are you sick?”
She crouched down to meet his eye level.
Ben hugged his knees tightly, curling in on himself.
His ears were bright red.
When she tried to meet his eyes to check his condition, he buried his face deeper into his knees.
“Are you going to tell me or not?”
She’d asked if he was okay so many times now that her patience was wearing thin.
Sensing the chill in her voice, Ben slowly lifted his head.
Chersinia looked into his wandering eyes.
He didn’t look like he was in pain anywhere.
His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but no sound came out.
She narrowed her eyes at him.
Ben’s shoulders trembled.
Realizing she might truly get angry, he finally spoke.
“My… my heart keeps—”
“Your heart? Does it hurt?”
At the word heart, Chersinia paled.
If it was his heart, that was serious. She was already wondering if she should take him to a clinic when Ben shook his head.
“No… it’s just beating too fast…”
“Too fast? Why?”
Both of them looked equally confused.
Silence fell between them.
A cool morning breeze swept through the yard.
Though it was summer, the cabin in the forest caught a surprisingly chilly wind.
Ben inhaled deeply and exhaled again and again, his curled body rising and falling.
Chersinia watched him quietly as he tried to calm himself.
Gradually, the flush on his cheeks faded back to normal.
Only his ears remained red.
Could he have something like myocarditis…?
Maybe his body had been overworked for too long.
If he was like this already at such a young age, he’d suffer later in life.
She was worrying about things that made little sense.
“I’m really fine now. Please cut it this time.”
Ben stood up and sat back down on the chair.
Chersinia watched him closely, checking if he truly was okay.
“Please take good care of my hair.”
He smiled brightly and closed his eyes.
Sunlight fell across his face, making his clear skin glow.
He really did seem calmer now.
Chersinia stood and approached him.
“I’m really cutting it now.”
“Yes. Please.”
She carefully gathered his bangs, wary of making him flinch again.
This time, perhaps fully prepared, Ben didn’t react.
She opened the scissors.
Snip, snip.
Black strands fell softly to the ground.
As the hair covering his eyes was cut away, his hidden eyebrows were revealed.
Cut it wrong and he’d look ridiculous, so she concentrated hard, trimming carefully.
His bangs now reached just above his eyebrows.
His long, neat eyelashes stood out clearly beneath his lids.
They looked soft, like fine silk threads.
He’s really handsome.
With his hair trimmed, his features stood out much more.
His face was still thin, giving him a fragile, sickly beauty.
Once he regained his health, he’d surely become even more striking.
It was a shame she wouldn’t be there to see it.
“Is it done, Chersinia?”
She snapped back to her senses at Ben’s voice, having been lost in admiration.
“Oh—uh—just a second.”
She stepped back a couple of paces to check the symmetry.
For a first attempt, it was a success.
She brushed the loose hairs from his face with her sleeve.
“Done. Take a look.”
She handed him the mirror.
“Looks okay, right?”
She asked, clearly pleased with the result.
Ben didn’t even look at the mirror. He just smiled back at her.
“Yes. It’s pretty.”
His eyes curved into a soft arc.
That sudden smile made her heart ache.
There had to be some kind of magic in that disarming smile—otherwise, her heart wouldn’t feel like this.
But why was he calling it pretty without even looking?
“You have to look in the mirror.”
She lifted his hand holding the mirror.
Unable to resist her insistence, Ben finally looked at his reflection.
He touched his shorter bangs, still feeling awkward.
“You don’t like it?”
“No. It’s just… the hair you were holding is still warm.”
As soon as he said that, Ben bowed his head.
His face flushed bright red again.
Chersinia felt a sharp, tingling ache spread through her chest.
The situation was so confusing it left her flustered.
Was it really Ben who had heart problems—or was it her? She couldn’t understand why her perfectly fine heart was acting like this.
“W-we should eat.”
She wanted to escape this ticklish atmosphere.
Chersinia quickly turned toward the house.
“I’ll help too!”
She heard hurried footsteps chasing after her from behind.
