Day 7
Cashew sat on the chair Almond had made, gently patting its surface before tucking herself slightly inward.
"Do you want to sit with me, Almond?"
Almond only shook his head, remaining seated on the ground.
The two of them looked down at the village in the distance.
Cashew spoke softly,
"This morning, the mayor asked why I keep coming up the hill so often…"
She smiled lightly.
"But I just told him I wanted to enjoy the scenery. Nothing suspicious."
She turned to look at Almond.
He stayed silent, his gaze fixed on the village.
After a while, he asked in a lowered voice,
"…When they find out that you've been meeting me…"
He lowered his head.
"Will they force you to go back?"
Cashew stood up and walked over to him.
"Almond isn't scary like they think."
She spoke gently.
"So why would they force me to go back?"
Almond quickly turned his face away.
After a moment, he whispered,
"…Thank you, Cashew."
Cashew blinked, not hearing clearly, and stepped closer.
"Hm? What is it? Are you hungry again?"
Day 11
Almond sprinkled charcoal over the lid of the pot while endlessly talking about all sorts of things.
He pointed to a scar on his shoulder.
"This one… I got cut that day."
Then more scars.
"This one was a stab… and this one…"
He kept going.
Cashew sat on the wooden chair, resting her chin on her hand, smiling as she listened.
"And this one…"
Almond pointed to his ear.
"My mother pinched it when I was little. It even bled."
Cashew let out a soft laugh.
After a while, the cookies were done.
Like always, they came out burnt and misshapen.
But Cashew still picked one up, put it in her mouth, and ate it as if it were delicious.
Day 15
Winter gradually arrived, and the air grew colder.
Cashew wore a red coat over a black dress, along with a warm hat.
When she reached the hill, she saw Almond sitting by the fire, shivering slightly.
She walked over, her hands still hidden behind her back.
"Is it cold… sleeping outside like this?"
Almond nodded lightly.
Cashew took out a soft white sleeping bag.
"From now on, you won't be cold anymore."
She placed it down, then took out a pink sweater.
"And this too."
Almond's eyes lit up. He sniffed once, then quickly put the sweater on.
Cashew smiled.
"I made that myself. Is it warm?"
Almond nodded.
"It's very warm… thank you, Cashew."
Day 20
Almond was wearing the pink sweater.
In his hands was a plate full of cookies.
He offered it to Cashew.
She picked one up. It was round, well-shaped, and gave off a gentle aroma.
Cashew took a bite.
"So good… you're amazing, Almond."
Almond blushed, scratching his head as he turned away.
His face was covered in flour and soot,
but the sweater remained clean.
"I've… been trying since this morning…"
Day 24
Under the large tree, beside Cashew's parents' grave, flowers had bloomed again.
They were full of colors—red, orange, pink, purple… radiating a strange beauty in the cold winter.
Cashew sat down, unable to take her eyes off them.
"They're so beautiful… even in this cold."
Almond was looking away when suddenly a flower was placed in his hair.
He turned around.
Cashew stood there, having just tucked the flower into his hair, then laughed.
"You're so cute. You look like a flower yourself, Almond."
Almond immediately blushed and stood up.
As Cashew continued laughing, another flower was placed onto her straw hat.
She froze.
Almond had quietly done the same, then turned away and whispered,
"There's… another flower here… that's even cuter."
Cashew tilted her head.
"Which one? They all look the same to me."
Almond waved his hands quickly.
"N–nothing…"
Cashew only smiled, then picked a few flowers and placed them on her parents' grave.
"You won't be forgotten."
Day 29
Cashew sat beside Almond on the ground.
They leaned gently against each other, looking down at the village.
"It's been a while…"
Cashew said softly.
"Maybe people aren't afraid of you anymore."
She slowly reached out and touched his hand.
Almond didn't pull away.
"I want to bring you into the village… I want everyone to see that you're a good person."
Almond stayed silent.
After a moment, he asked quietly,
"What would happen if… I ruined your cookies every day?"
Cashew answered immediately, her voice gentle,
"Then I would eat all of them."
Almond froze.
A cold breeze passed by, making the grass and trees rustle softly.
He lowered his head, tightening his hand slightly.
After a while, he asked again,
"Then… what would happen if people saw you and me… walking together?"
Cashew didn't answer right away.
She tilted her head slightly, resting it on his shoulder.
"I don't know."
The wind blew gently, carrying the chill of the evening.
"But I want to try."
They sat there in silence,
watching the sky slowly turn orange at sunset, surrounded by countless blooming flowers across the hill.
The sun gradually sank below the horizon.
Cashew left the hill, walking slowly along the familiar path.
She looked up at the sky.
The sunset stretched across the horizon, painting everything in a soft orange glow.
Cashew slowly raised her hand,
as if trying to reach that distant sky.
"Tomorrow… I want to go into the village with Almond."
On the hilltop, Almond still sat there.
He looked up at the same sky, slowly raising his hand,
as if reaching for the same place as Cashew.
"Tomorrow… I want to be with her."
The same sky.
The same distance.
But neither of them could reach it.
Cashew continued walking down the hill.
The light gradually faded, and the path ahead sank into a quiet darkness.
As she passed by a large rock—
she didn't realize—
someone was standing behind it.
"I've found you… little lamb."
John leaned against the rock, his eyes silently following Cashew's fading figure.
"Tomorrow… you won't be able to escape me anymore."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
After a moment,
he lifted his gaze toward the hilltop—
where Almond still remained.
The wind blew, making the grass and flowers sway softly.
John let out a quiet laugh.
"And you… tomorrow, you'll suffer so much you won't want to go on living."
His voice was low, almost dissolving into the air.
He turned away,
and his figure slowly disappeared into the falling night.