Sorry 18

Chapter 18

    ***

    Euris tugged at his collar, and Chaint bent his head without resistance.

    Lips met first, then hands gripped her waist firmly. In an instant, their hot lips were entwined, drawing a sharp gasp.

    As he took in the tear-soaked kiss, he pulled away slightly. He carefully cupped her cheeks and brought their foreheads together.

    Euris opened her closed eyes and looked at the face in front of her.

    He, too, was crying. A sad, overwhelming smile was hidden behind damp, brown lashes.

    There was something indescribable about looking at that face. It was almost as if he, too, had returned from the previous life.

    Chaint studied Euris’s face for a moment, then pulled her chin up to meet his lips. The kiss that followed was a little softer, the wetness of his mouth seeming to make her entire body sag.

    Euris wrapped her arms around his neck, and he cupped her cheeks, still holding her close.

    Soon her back was against the wooden beam as she stumbled backward with increasing force. Fearing she might hurt herself, he put his hand on her back.

    The way he kissed her was exactly as Euris remembered. Only it seemed to be a little more demanding than before. She could taste the saltiness in her mouth as the sensation made her tear up uncontrollably.

    "I love you too."

    Chaint replied belatedly, his voice wet with tears.

    ‘Why are you crying?’

    Euris wanted to ask, wanted to know everything he was feeling.

    'You don't know anything. You don't know how desperately you loved me, what we've been through, what a bad wife I've been.'

    She wanted him to blame her, but he couldn't remember. This memory, which only she knew, made her feel as if the more he was with her, the more alone she would be.

    But none of that mattered to her anymore.

    All that mattered was that he was alive.

    ***

    Fall passed and winter came.

    The couple burned like young lovers just beginning their relationship.

    Chaint acted as if he was eager to show Euris the world.

    Thanks to him, she, who didn't like to get out and about, was discovering her own fun.

    The wedding was set for the following spring, half a year later. She seemed a little uneasy, unlike the last time, but she didn't think too much of it.

    She had already been tamed by his touch and was content with a life of similar comfort.

    Euris had been going through the many books on the Lepallon Empire, trying to organize the major events of the past. But information was scarce.

    Once Chaint began to see the imperial administration in earnest, he might have information that could help prevent the war.

    ‘If we stay the course.’

    She thought hopefully.

    If she could just stay the course, she could stop the war. She felt hopeful that in this life, she would be able to enjoy the happiness she had been given.

    ‘Maybe I'll be given a chance to correct the mistakes of my last life and save those who loved me.’

    ....But the seeds of misery were always lurking in unexpected places.

    It was a very ordinary day, no different from any other day.

    It was early in the morning, more time had passed since the fall of their engagement, and the weather was now in the middle of winter.

    The snow had fallen lightly overnight, transforming the neighborhood into a beautiful landscape. The morning light streaming through the window was unusually bright, so Euris woke up early.

    Ever since she was a little girl, she'd always loved snow, and when she looked out the window, she couldn't help but marvel. Like a gift, the world had turned white overnight.

    Early risers had been clearing the streets of snow since early morning. Euris wrapped herself in a thick shawl and headed outside.

    ‘I'll be happy to see this with Chaint.’

    He had been busy lately, and the two hadn't seen each other in quite some time, for such fiery lovers. Thinking of him, Euris said to herself, 'You have to understand when he's busy,' and opened the front door.

    The light from the sun reflected off the white snow, blinding her vision, and a deliveryman stood grumbling at the entrance to the mansion in the distance.

    The snow was beautiful, but not to the couriers, who delivered letters and packages every day.

    This wasn't the courier she was used to seeing, but a young boy she’d never seen before, grumbling and tinkering with his bicycle buried in the snow.

    Euris wrapped her shawl more tightly around her against the cold, and with good intentions, approached him to help. She bent down and greeted him.

    "I haven't seen you before, have they changed couriers?"

    "Hello, my lady. The usual delivery man is ill, so I'm just filling in for today."

    "Oh, I see."

    Euris smiled in response, and the boy seemed to study her face carefully before he continued.

    "You must be…. Lady Euris of the Count of Either, right? I've quite a few letters for you, but wait, this damn bike broke down and I can't............."

    The scarlet-haired, freckled boy smirked, showing his false teeth. He had an innocent look on his face.

    "A lot of mail addressed to me?"

    "Yes. You have a lot of letters addressed to you, but for some reason your regular delivery man has been delivering all but this one."

    As he finished speaking, the boy dusted off his snow-covered gloves, opened the box containing the mail, and pulled out a letter. In an instant, Euris’ arms were full of envelopes, all the same size and as white as snow.

    As she stared at them, the boy gave her a nod as his bike was all fixed up, then dutifully disappeared down the street.

    Euris stared after him in disbelief until his figure became a dot and disappeared.

    The pile of letters bore only one name, written in neat, familiar handwriting.

    "Kylan Hebron."

    What the hell is this......?

    She stared at the white envelopes in her arms in confusion.

    ‘I can't believe all these letters never arrived.’

    Puzzled, she hurried back into her room. Part of her wanted to open them right away, but it was too cold outside.

    As soon as she entered her room, she sat down at her desk and arranged the letters by date. It seemed like at least once a week, if not more, since the fall.

    She opened the oldest one first. Inside were neatly arranged letters in a familiar handwriting.

    {Dear Euris.

    First of all, I'm sorry for writing to you like this, but there's something I need to tell you. Yuris, I know you're not the kind of person who would do this for no reason. Whenever you're ready, just tell me. 

    Kylan Hebron.}

    The first letter was unremarkable. She continued to open them all, one by one. The content was mostly the same, but as of late, both his handwriting and the emotion in his words had become more desperate.

    {Dear Euris.

    There is something I must tell you.

    I need to ask you something. It's important. For the sake of our 20-year friendship, can't you at least write me back? Please. I'll wait for your reply.

    Kylan Hebron.}

    The last letter, from a week ago, she wrapped up the torn white paper and set it down neatly. Despite her neat appearance, her mind was racing.

    Euris closed her eyes and thought back to her previous life.

    'So many things to say, so many important things to ask. He didn't do this in my previous life. What's changing? And why weren't these letters delivered?.......'

    Her temples burned. She looked out the window and saw the world covered in white snow. She pulled the curtains closed.

    ***

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