* * *
Sia let out a deep sigh and muttered as if lamenting.
“You’re an adult, and you don’t even know that?”
“Just because I’m an adult doesn’t mean I know everything. And besides… it’s a bit of a stretch to call me an adult. I still feel like I’m fifteen.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you saying you’re immature?”
“It’s a little different from that.”
“You never talk about yourself.”
“Because it’s not a good story.”
“Hah, and yet you always listen to my bad stories.”
“You’re a kid, and I’m an adult.”
“Just a second ago, you said you still feel like you’re fifteen!”
“You really… never let anything slide, do you?”
Vivi let out a breathy chuckle, as if genuinely impressed that Sia never backed down.
But Sia only scoffed in response.
Seeing that Sia had no intention of backing off, Vivi fell silent for a moment before whispering in a gentle, coaxing tone.
“Alright. It’s not fair if I’m the only one keeping secrets. So… when I’m ready, I’ll tell you.”
Vivi wondered if it was really something that required mental preparation.
But instead of questioning it, he simply nodded, even though he knew Sia wouldn’t see it.
“It’s a promise. We have to pinky swear.”
“Alright. I promise.”
“If you break it, I’ll chase you to the ends of the earth and make you tell me.” Sia left behind an impish threat, making Vivi chuckle.
Then, out of nowhere, Vivi asked,
“Sia, are you feeling sleepy right now?”
“…How did you know?”
“Hm, good question. How did I know…?”
He swallowed the real answer—that it was obvious because Sia was being even more restless than usual.
If he said that, Sia would immediately jump up in protest, demanding when he ever did such a thing.
Instead, Vivi, reminiscing about his own childhood, softly hummed a lullaby in an attempt to soothe the excitable boy.
“What’s with the sudden lullaby?”
“If you don’t like it, I’ll stop.”
“…Keep going.”
Resting his chin on his knees, Sia muttered with a sulky expression.
Vivi admitted that the only lullaby he knew was the one his old nanny used to sing, so he just kept repeating the same song.
If it had been anyone else, Sia would have complained about hearing the same thing over and over.
But now, he listened quietly to Vivi’s soft humming.
After about the fifth repetition, Sia finally dozed off, still sitting upright.
The gentle breeze played with his pale cheeks, and sunlight filtered through the trees, brushing against his skin.
The slightly hoarse lullaby guided the boy into a peaceful dream.
The space, usually dark and eerily silent, was now filled with the soft sound of his steady breathing.
Vivi continued humming, even after Sia had fallen asleep.
By the time Sia woke up, their break was almost over, and the world around them had grown quiet again.
“I’m going now.”
Even though he knew Vivi wouldn’t answer, Sia murmured his farewell, glanced around briefly, and then made his way back to the castle.
The next day, Sia sought out Vivi again.
As always, the servants cast sharp glances his way.
The younger ones went further, deliberately tripping him or forcing him to pick up sharp shards of glass.
Ironically, the ones who treated him the worst were always the ones with good reputations.
Sia knew he was an undeniable weakling, and that made it easy for people to be cruel to him.
They all claimed to be good people, but if they were only cruel to him, could they still be called good?
It was a difficult question.
Absentmindedly rubbing his bandaged fingers, Sia spoke in a slightly hoarse voice.
“So, you’re telling me your voice got hoarse because you kept singing while I was asleep?”
And yet, no matter what anyone else said, Vivi was undeniably good to him.
There was something strangely endearing about this foolish man who had sung himself hoarse just to comfort him.
“…Thanks, but don’t do that again. Your throat’s already bad as it is.”
Lately, Vivi had been speaking more than before, but long conversations still seemed to take a toll on him.
Sometimes, it felt like he simply forgot how to talk, only to remember again.
When they first met, Vivi could barely speak for long.
But now, he spoke as if he had always been able to.
The more Sia got to know him, the more mysterious he became.
Imagining the look on Vivi’s face as he reluctantly agreed, Sia absentmindedly tugged at the hem of his shirt.
Recently, he had grown taller—his sleeves were slightly short, leaving his pale wrists exposed.
Staring at them, Sia casually asked,
“So… you still aren’t ready to talk?”
“It was only brought up yesterday. Give me a little more time.”
“Just so you know, I’m not very patient.”
Anyone who spent even a little time talking to him would realize that quickly.
But instead of getting annoyed, Vivi just smiled, effortlessly smoothing over the situation.
Sia, who was never truly timid—just subdued—wasn’t the type to let that slide.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Because I like this.”
Vivi’s voice, slightly hoarse but not unpleasant, slipped into his ears.
It was an unexpected answer, but it was oddly effective in shutting Sia up.
Stunned into silence, he was suddenly aware of how endearing he must have looked, and Vivi let out a quiet laugh.
Then, proving that his throat really wasn’t in great condition, he broke into a rough cough.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Hm, yeah. I’m fine.”
“Don’t do that again. You don’t need to sing for me. It’s not like I’m some kid…”
“But you are.”
“No, I’m—”
Just as he was about to protest, Vivi smoothly cut him off, his voice flowing into his ears.
“And Sia… you don’t need to feel guilty about things like this. You’re still young. It’s only natural for adults to find children endearing.”
The matter-of-fact tone made Sia pause. Was that really true?
As he barely managed to regain his composure and mumble something about how ridiculous that sounded, Vivi laughed again.
“You’re always laughing. What’s so funny?”
Coming from someone as disillusioned as Sia, it was almost amusing.
But Sia was being sincere.
He genuinely wanted the world to end.
Before meeting Vivi, he had wished for it every night.
He had wanted to wake up and find the world gone.
Even now, though his heart had softened somewhat, his resentment toward the world hadn’t disappeared.
People kept trying to push him to the fringes of existence.
In such a life, it was easier to look at the world with cynicism than to maintain a righteous heart.
But Vivi—who was melancholic yet gentle toward him, who suggested going on walks when the weather was nice, who told him to get treated when he was hurt—was both a disaster and a blessing.
He unsettled the familiar misery Sia had grown accustomed to.
He tried to pull him out of his despair and into something kinder.
Even though Sia knew it was selfish, he couldn’t help but smile.
He wanted Vivi to have something good happen to him, something he could share with joy.
As Sia wrestled with whether this change was truly a blessing, a drop of liquid landed on the bridge of his nose.
Startled, he rubbed it away with the back of his hand and glanced up.
The sky had darkened at some point.
Droplets of rain were beginning to fall, one by one.
Still waiting for Vivi’s answer to his earlier question, Sia murmured,
“Vivi… it’s raining.”
“Go back to the castle before it starts raining, Sia. What if you catch a cold?”
“I don’t want to… I want to stay with you a little longer.”
“There’s nothing to do here, though.”
“But you’re here. This place, with just you, is much better than a space filled with people who hate me. I don’t want to go back. I’ll stay here. If it starts pouring, I’ll head back then.”
Before Vivi could say anything, Sia spoke first.
Judging by his tone, it didn’t seem like telling him to return now would make any difference.
Vivi sighed, giving up after confirming from Sia that it wasn’t going to rain much.
“Raising a kid isn’t easy.”
Just as Sia was about to retort instinctively—”When have you ever raised me?”—Vivi deftly changed the subject.
Sia got so caught up answering Vivi’s question about his day that he completely forgot his comeback.
Realizing this, Vivi stifled a quiet laugh.
No matter how sharp-tongued he was, no matter how stubbornly he refused to lose to others, to the point of taking a hit rather than backing down… in the end, he was still just a kid.
A little bit of attention, and he’d forget what he originally wanted to say and start chattering away.
Vivi, who secretly found Sia’s occasional childlike moments endearing, let out a small laugh.
Hearing that laugh, Sia tilted his head in curiosity.
“What is it?” he asked. Vivi replied, “Nothing. Keep talking.”
And so, Sia continued his rambling for a long while after that.
* * *
