The sky slowly turned a dreamy shade of purple.
The small village gradually sank into silence.
After a long, exhausting day, everyone had returned to their homes. A gentle night breeze passed through the grass, creating soft rustling sounds.
In front of the mayor's house, Heguel sat beneath the flickering light of an oil lamp, laughing and chatting with a few elderly villagers.
Inside the house, Cashew quietly peeked outside, carefully checking to see if anyone was still around.
After making sure no one was paying attention, she turned back and whispered.
"Alright, Almond. You can come out now."
Almond cautiously stepped outside, quietly walking behind Cashew.
But because he was too tall, he immediately bumped his head against the doorframe.
Cashew turned around in concern.
"Almond, are you okay?"
Almond rubbed his head and shook it slightly.
"I'm fine… let's go."
Cashew held the oil lamp in her hand and walked ahead, lighting the path. Almond followed behind her.
"Let's go up the hill, Almond. No one will notice us there."
Cashew said this while walking along the narrow path on the hillside, glancing back at him.
Almond simply nodded and continued following her.
Cashew's small figure moved ahead of him. Almond suddenly felt shy. He didn't dare look directly at her and instead quietly walked behind her, occasionally looking away.
After walking for a while, Almond suddenly spoke.
"Wait, Cashew. Just a moment."
Cashew turned around.
"What is it? Did a mosquito bite you?"
Behind her, Almond bent down and lifted several large stones from the side of the road, placing them across the path.
"If I do this, the road will be harder to pass… and no one will want to come up the hill."
Cashew stood there, holding the lamp up to give Almond light while he worked.
After a while, the narrow path was completely blocked by stones. Almond let out a relieved sigh, then continued walking with Cashew.
When they reached the top of the hill, Cashew stepped up first while Almond slowly climbed up behind her.
In the middle of the hill stood a large tree. Beneath its canopy were two old stone gravestones, surrounded by withered leaves scattered across the ground.
Cashew placed the oil lamp beside them and sat down next to the graves.
Almond had just climbed up and stopped when he saw this scene. He looked a little uneasy.
"Cashew… whose graves are those?"
Cashew gently brushed away the dry leaves and dust covering the gravestones before lifting her head.
"These are… my parents' graves."
She sat quietly and looked down at the village below. At this hour, the village had completely sunk into darkness, as if swallowed by the night.
"I usually come here in the morning to visit them… and to look at the village."
Cashew turned to Almond.
"But at this time… it feels different."
She stood up, brushed the dust off her dress, then turned toward Almond.
"But… how are we supposed to build a house for you now?"
Almond shook his head.
"I don't need a house. I just need somewhere to sleep."
After saying that, Almond walked behind the tree and began gathering the dry leaves into a pile.
Cashew stood there watching him with a confused expression.
"What are you doing, Almond?"
After a while, Almond had gathered a large pile of leaves and sat down on it.
"This will be my bed. Leaves are good for keeping warm."
Cashew stared at the pile of leaves for a moment, then shivered.
"Almond… aren't you afraid of bugs?"
Almond shook his head and lay down, pulling the leaves over himself.
"No. Bugs are nothing compared to the things out there."
He covered his entire body with leaves, leaving only his head exposed.
"You should go home now, Cashew. It's dangerous at night."
Cashew nodded.
"Alright… then I'm heading back."
Almond closed his eyes, preparing to sleep. He let out a quiet sigh and fell silent. But suddenly, he opened his eyes again and looked up at the sky, as if thinking about something.
After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"Why are you still here, Cashew?"
Cashew was sitting beside and watching him.
She blinked a few times before speaking.
"If I take this lamp with me… will Almond be scared of the dark?"
Almond sat up, a few leaves still stuck in his hair and clothes. He shook his head.
"You should go. I'm not afraid of the dark."
Cashew continued looking at him for a moment.
"Really?"
Almond nodded.
"Really. If you leave the lamp here, you won't be able to see the road back."
Hearing that, Cashew finally stood up.
But when Almond lay down again to go back to sleep, the lamp's light was still there.
He turned his head.
Cashew was still standing there, blinking repeatedly while watching him.
"Why are you still here?"
Cashew replied,
"I just wanted to see if Almond was really not afraid of the dark."
After saying that, she turned around and began walking down the hill.
But after taking a few steps, she turned back again.
"If Almond gets scared of the dark… come to my house, okay? I'll lend you a lamp."
Almond nodded.
"Alright. Be careful on your way back… don't fall."
Cashew nodded too.
"Then sleep carefully, Almond."
Almond blinked.
"Sleep… carefully?"
He looked confused for a moment but didn't think much more about it. He lay down and covered himself with the leaves again.
From the hilltop, Almond watched Cashew's figure slowly walking down the slope.
But the moment her silhouette disappeared beyond the hillside—
The oil lamp suddenly flew up into the air.
Clack!
And at the same time, there was the sound of Cashew falling.
Almond immediately sat up.
"What happened?! Are you okay, Cashew?!"
Cashew's voice came from below the hill.
"I'm fine! Almond, just go back to sleep!"
Almond sat there quietly, listening.
He heard Cashew picking up the lamp again, followed by the sound of her footsteps continuing down the path.
The sound of her steps, along with the faint swaying of the lamp, slowly faded away.
Until everything fell silent.
Only Almond's breathing remained, along with the rustling of leaves in the wind.
Only then did Almond lie down again.
He stretched his arms out and lay on his back, looking up at the sky.
The sky was filled with stars, with the moon hanging far away, like a gigantic black curtain embracing the entire world.
Almond raised his hand, as if trying to touch the stars.
A faint sadness shimmered in his eyes.
To him, the stars seemed to be moving.
They slowly connected together, forming the shape of a girl.
The shape of Cashew.
She smiled.
And her familiar voice echoed softly.
"Almond… do you want some bread?"
Almond suddenly jolted upright.
He looked around.
But there was no one there—only the quiet hill and the large tree gently swaying in the wind.
Almond looked back up at the sky.
The stars had returned to normal.
Cashew's figure had disappeared.
He stared at them for a while before slowly closing his eyes and turning onto his side.
"...If she comes here again tomorrow…"
Almond whispered softly.
"I think I'll be happy."