“You were in the third year of high school, and it was the winter holidays when we walked together like this as well. At that time, the snow landed on your eyes, and you cried. You even held my hand and asked me to blow it away for you.”
Bertha remembered it too. These memories were the few moments in the first half of her life when she felt alive.
However, she remained quiet, and Samuel knew why she was acting this way. She was still angry at him for leaving without a
word
“I didn’t lie to you on purpose. At that time, my dad bought me a painting at an art exhibition because I liked it. But someone else wanted it and broke in to steal it. First, he forced himself on my mother before killing her, and he also dismembered my
father…
As he spoke about this event that he had pushed to the far comers of his mind, he started trembling. Even his voice quivered.
Bertha sensed that something was wrong, and she patted him on the back gently.
“After that, whenever I pick up a pen to draw, I’m reminded of what happened. I’m the one who killed my parents, and I lost my
courage to continue drawing.”
Bertha looked at him regretfully and did not know how to comfort him.
“Bertha, I mean it when I said that I didn’t lie to you on purpose.
“After I recovered from my depression, I went back to look for you, but your parents said that you died. I refused to believe it and
continued searching for you. When I finally located your studio, your ex–colleagues refused to give me any information about
you. They said that you died in the fire.
“Over the years, I’ve been paying attention to signs of your work online. My final wish is for you to live a good life.”
Bertha could not bear listening to Samuel anymore, and she hugged him. After more than a decade, she finally experienced the
familiar warmth of his embrace again. She stared at him with teary eyes. “If… you had told me all this sooner… we wouldn’t have
missed out on each other.”
She hugged Samuel again as a fulfillment of a promise to her past self. But she told him that she was already wounded by love and
no longer wanted to talk about it. Hence, she dragged her luggage bag behind her and headed to the airport. Even though she pushed him away, she could not ignore the feelings in her heart. Occasionally, she would turn around to look at Samuel. But when he did not chase after her even after she crossed the security check gate, she ducked her head in disappointment.
However, just when she found her seat, she heard a familiar voice beside her.
1/2
“Since we missed out on each other in the past, I’ll hold on to your hand tightly this time.”
She turned around and saw Samuel smiling at her with a gentle gaze.
