FRIEDRICH'S POV
We reached the mansion.
I walked straight into my room and locked the bathroom door behind me.
I stood beneath the shower, letting the water fall over me. I closed my eyes.
And suddenly, I was back there.
That church.
Emilia's parents sitting behind her.
The priest standing before us.
PRIEST: “Do you take Emilia Falkenberg as your lawful wife?”
I remembered looking at her.
Then I had answered quietly—
FRIEDRICH: “Yes.”
The priest smiled.
PRIEST: “You may kiss the bride now.”
I had refused.
I opened my eyes.
The memory disappeared.
After a few minutes, I stepped out, wrapped a towel around myself, and changed into fresh clothes.
A knock came at the door.
SERVANT: “Sir, dinner is ready.”
FRIEDRICH: “I don't want dinner.”
The servant left.
I was about to close the door when someone opened it from the other side.
Arshia.
I stared at her.
FRIEDRICH: “IF THAT GIRL WAS YOU, THEN YOU MIGHT BE VERY WELL AWARE OF THIS—I HATE PEOPLE ENTERING MY ROOM. I DON'T WANT ANYONE IN HERE.”
She narrowed her eyes.
ARSHIA: “Really? Have you forgotten the day you let me in? You said I was allowed to come in. You forgot?”
I froze.
For a moment, I simply stared at her.
Something about those words pulled a memory from somewhere I had buried years ago.
I stepped forward and held her by the arms, perhaps more tightly than I intended.
FRIEDRICH: “DO YOU THINK I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU OR SOMETHING ELSE? JUST GET OUT. AND DON'T CREATE THIS MISUNDERSTANDING IN YOUR DUMB BRAIN. BEING DUMB ISN'T CUTE.”
I released her and walked back inside.
Then I shut the door.
I sat on the bed, switched off the lights and lay down.
I closed my eyes.
And another memory began.
YEARS AGO
EMILIA'S POV
I remembered the day I had bandaged Friedrich's injured hand.
Karl and Aaron had been standing upstairs, watching us in complete shock.
Friedrich had allowed me to touch his injured hand.
He hadn't pushed me away.
He hadn't asked who I was.
He hadn't asked where I came from.
Nothing.
For some reason, that hurt a little.
I was a guest in their home, and he hadn't shown even the slightest interest.
I stood up and walked toward Aaron's room.
Just as I was about to open the door, Aaron stopped me.
AARON: “What do you want?”
EMILIA: “Aren't I supposed to sleep in your room?”
Aaron stared at me.
AARON: “Uh... no. Come with me. I'll show you the guest room.”
I followed him.
He took me to the guest room where my things had already been placed.
Then he left.
I sat on the bed.
EMILIA: “Isn't that Karl... and what was his name again?”
I thought for a second.
EMILIA: “Uh... yeah. Friedrich.”
I sighed.
EMILIA: “They're both really rude. Karl is worse, but Friedrich is still better. He just behaves so... nonchalantly.”
After a while, I decided to go to the kitchen.
I wanted some snacks because I was planning to watch a movie.
FRIEDRICH'S POV
I had finished bathing and was in the kitchen, eating breakfast while trying to clean the remaining stains from my clothes.
Then she entered.
EMILIA.
She sat on the chair opposite me.
She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could—
SERVANT: “Madam, would you like anything?”
EMILIA: “Uhmm... yes. I was about to watch a movie, so I came to look for some snacks.”
SERVANT: “Of course, madam. I'll send them to your room.”
EMILIA: “Okay, thanks.”
She turned toward me.
EMILIA: “So... I was saying. Are you free, Friedrich?”
I didn't answer.
I simply looked up.
Our eyes met.
She suddenly became nervous.
She coughed.
I pushed a glass of water toward her.
It hadn't touched my lips.
She took a small sip.
EMILIA: “Ahem... I was asking if you'll join me for a movie.”
Two minutes passed.
She tried again.
EMILIA: “Will you?”
I looked at her.
FRIEDRICH: “NO. I don't have time to waste on these types of things.”
She lowered her eyes.
EMILIA: “Okay...”
Then she looked back at me.
EMILIA: “How are your wounds now? Do they still hurt?”
I leaned back.
FRIEDRICH: “Of course they do. After all, it's only been one hour and twenty-three minutes since you gave me first aid.”
Her expression changed instantly.
She stared at me.
What the hell?
Was he actually counting the time since we last interacted?
I noticed her fingers tightening against her leg beneath the table.
FRIEDRICH: “DON'T HURT YOURSELF, EMILA.”
She immediately looked down.
It was a glass table.
Everything was visible.
Her face turned red.
EMILIA: “What? I just... I didn't even notice.”
I stood.
FRIEDRICH: “Should I take you to the doctor?”
She quickly came beside me and held my arm.
I looked down at her hand.
Then at her.
FRIEDRICH: “I'm sure Aaron must have told you to stay away from me. Or that I hate being touched by anyone. Didn't he?”
She slowly released my arm.
EMILIA: “Yes... but you're the only one I can talk to. You're somewhere near my age.”
I said nothing.
EMILIA: “My parents will come tomorrow. Until then, I'm here.”
FRIEDRICH: “What am I supposed to do with this useless information?”
I walked away.
She remained there, embarrassed.
I could almost imagine what every servant watching us must have been thinking.
LATER
I sat alone in my room when my best friend Stefan called.
FRIEDRICH: “Hello, Stefan.”
STEFAN: “Yo! So, are you coming to the mall at seven tonight?”
FRIEDRICH: “Yeah. See you there.”
I ended the call.
Then I looked at my hand.
The exact place where she had held me.
I frowned.
She's... kind of cute.
A tiny smile appeared before I could stop it.
Does she actually care?
Can someone really care about me?
Then—
The voices came back.
My mother's voice.
ELENA: “Have I given birth to a human or a monster? It would have been better if you were never born!”
My father's voice.
HENDRICH: “It's the sixth time I'm taking you out of jail! Are you serious? Do you want me to end up there too?”
Aaron's voice.
AARON: “Money means power, but it doesn't give you the right to deny the rights of others.”
And Karl's voice.
KARL: “You'll never be a good brother. You know nothing about family relations... despite having a family.”
I opened my eyes.
Silence.
I looked toward the monitor.
Yes.
I had been watching EMILIA through the mansion's security cameras since she arrived.
She had fallen asleep while watching her movie.
I left my room.
I entered the guest room and turned off the television.
Then I carefully pulled a blanket over her.
For a moment, I simply stood there.
She looked peaceful.
I noticed that her lips looked dry, probably from exhaustion.
I pulled the curtains closed so the morning light wouldn't disturb her.
Then I left.
Karl and Aaron were standing in the corridor.
They looked at me.
KARL: “What were you doing inside?”
I kept walking.
Aaron caught my arm.
AARON: “I asked you something.”
I pulled my arm free.
FRIEDRICH: “NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.”
And I walked away.
LATER THAT DAY
Stefan called again.
STEFAN: “Hey, Friedrich. I'll come to pick you up in thirty minutes, okay? We'll reach the mall by seven.”
FRIEDRICH: “Yeah.”
Then I remembered Arshia's words.
I'm only here until tomorrow. My parents are coming.
STEFAN: “Hello? Are you there?”
I stayed silent for a moment.
FRIEDRICH: “Um... yeah. Actually, I won't be able to come. I have some work.”
STEFAN: “Okay.”
The call ended.
I looked toward the corridor.
Then I muttered—
FRIEDRICH: “She's just a child.”
I stepped outside.
And there she was.
EMILA.
She was standing in the corridor, barely awake.
I noticed her clothes.
The same yellow dress she had been wearing earlier.
There were still stains from the incident when I had returned home.
I walked toward her and gently caught her wrist.
FRIEDRICH: “Didn't you bring any clothes in that bag?”
EMILIA'S POV
I had just come out of my room.
I was exhausted and struggling to keep my eyes open.
Suddenly, someone held my wrist.
I looked up.
Friedrich.
He said something, but my sleepy brain barely understood him.
EMILIA: “Huh...?”
My eyes closed again.
I almost stumbled forward, and he immediately steadied me.
FRIEDRICH: “Are you okay?”
EMILIA: “Yeah... just tired.”
He asked again.
FRIEDRICH: “Did you bring your clothes?”
EMILIA: “Uhmm... no.”
He took me with him.
Still holding my hand, he led me toward his room.
My eyes widened.
His room.
Aaron had told me that Friedrich hated people entering his room.
And now...
I was entering it.
He closed the door.
I looked around.
EMILIA: “It's been years since you've let anyone come into your room, right?”
He looked at me.
FRIEDRICH: “Yeah. You're the first person in the last seven years.”
I stared at him.
He turned toward his cupboard, took out some clothes and handed them to me.
FRIEDRICH: “Go change.”
I didn't move.
He looked at me.
FRIEDRICH: “Go. There's a washroom in the room.”
I went inside.
The sink was completely white.
There were still stains left from earlier.
I cleaned them before changing.
When I came out, Friedrich noticed the dress in my hand.
His expression changed.
He hurried toward me.
FRIEDRICH: “What happened?”
EMILIA: “I'm fine. I just cleaned the sink.”
He took a deep breath.
FRIEDRICH: “What was the need?”
He took the dress from my hand and went into the washroom.
After some time, he came back.
I followed him toward the terrace.
Then I saw it.
The view.
My eyes widened.
EMILIA: “HEYYYY! WOW!”
I shouted so loudly that Friedrich actually flinched.
The city lights stretched beneath us.
The small mountains in the distance were dotted with lights.
It was beautiful.
I grabbed his arm in excitement.
EMILIA: “I wanted to see a view like this!”
Then I suddenly realized what I was doing.
I released his arm.
He looked at me.
Then, surprisingly, he smiled faintly.
FRIEDRICH: “It's okay to be a child.”
He gently patted my head.
FRIEDRICH: “Are you happy?”
I smiled.
EMILIA: “Yes.”
He looked toward the view.
FRIEDRICH: “Do you want to see it properly?”
My eyes lit up.
EMILIA: “Yes! Of course!”
LATER
Friedrich took me downstairs.
He picked up the keys to his bike.
I stared at him.
EMILIA: “Isn't it illegal for a twelve-year-old to ride or drive?”
He laughed.
FRIEDRICH: “Yeah. It is. But that's for people who don't have power.”
I shook my head.
EMILIA: “No. I'm not going.”
I turned around.
He caught my hand.
FRIEDRICH: “Fine. We'll take the car.”
I stared at him.
EMILIA: “THAT'S ILLEGAL TOO!”
He raised an eyebrow.
I sighed.
EMILIA: “Fine. Let's go.”
We got into the car.
The moment we reached the main road, he accelerated too quickly.
I screamed.
EMILIA: “FRIEDRICH!”
He immediately slowed down and stopped.
FRIEDRICH: “What happened? Are you okay?”
I started crying.
EMILIA: “I'm... I'm really scared of fast driving.”
My breathing became uneven.
His expression changed.
FRIEDRICH: “Okay. I'm sorry. I didn't know. I'll take care of it from now on. Stop crying, okay? Let's go back.”
He gently patted my head.
We returned to the mansion.
I don't remember when I fell asleep in the car.
When we reached home, he carried me inside and placed me carefully on the bed.
THE NEXT MORNING
I woke up in a car.
My parents were driving me home.
I looked out of the window.
Suddenly, a strange sadness crossed my heart.
I whispered—
EMILIA: “Friedrich...”
He was already gone from my world again.
I closed my eyes.
FRIEDRICH'S POV
I woke up at seven in the morning.
I took a shower and came downstairs.
My parents had arrived with someone I had never seen before.
Perhaps I had never met him because I was rarely home.
Then I noticed them.
Wilhelm and Helena Falkenberg.
They had come to take Emilia home.
I looked toward the entrance.
Emilia was still wearing my clothes.
Her hair was open.
For some reason, seeing her like that made the entire room feel strangely different.
I remembered the previous night.
I had barely slept.
I had simply lain beside her for a while, making sure she was okay.
I remembered gently moving her hair away from her face.
Her hair tie was still upstairs on my desk.
I wondered if she would come back for it.
I wished she would say goodbye.
I wished I could hear her voice again.
I had never believed in God.
But that morning, for the first time, I found myself thinking—
If you really exist...
Please let me meet her again.
I want to see her again.
PRESENT — FRIEDRICH, AGE 23
My eyes opened.
I stared at the ceiling.
The memory disappeared.
I rubbed my forehead.
My head hurt.
Twenty-three years old.
And somehow, that little girl from years ago was still somewhere inside my memories.
I pulled the blanket over myself and closed my eyes again.
But this time, one thought refused to disappear.
Arshia.
Emilia.
Why did you have to come back?
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