Chapter 103
‘Someone he’s looking for?’
Being the first time she’d heard of this, Kirine focused intently on Ares’s words. But Ares made a bitter expression before shaking his head.
“Sorry, I’ll tell you next time.”
His sigh sounded pained, as if it had become too difficult to continue speaking. Though Kirine wanted to tell him it was okay to talk about it, she quietly kept her mouth shut.
While she wanted to know what Ares wanted to say, she didn’t want to force it out of him. All she could do was wait until he was ready to speak on his own. But how long would she have to stay silent? Feeling frustrated, Kirine deliberately swallowed her sigh.
***
After that day, Ares quickly returned to training. When Kirine worried whether it was okay for him to return so soon after having his bandages removed, Ares reassured her that it was fine.
Fortunately, he was able to focus on training immediately and didn’t get injured again, but Kirine still felt uneasy.
Finally, unable to wait any longer, Kirine went to see Reilly first.
“So what did Ares say?”
Though Reilly had greeted Kirine warmly at first, her expression turned indifferent the moment she realized Ares was the purpose of the visit.
Kirine responded as if she had been waiting for this question.
“He said there’s someone he’s looking for.”
“Him?”
Reilly’s response suggested this was the first she’d heard of it.
“Do you know anything about this, unni?”
“Well… wouldn’t you know better than me?”
“Me?”
“Yes, you spend more time with him these days.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Since Reilly wasn’t wrong, Kirine let out a tired sigh while running her hand over her face.
“You don’t have any guesses?”
“How would I? It’s not like that guy and I talk much.”
“…”
Kirine couldn’t hide her disappointment, having hoped that Reilly, being Ares’s sister, might know something.
Just as she was letting out heavy sighs, resigned to more waiting—
“Ah…”
Reilly suddenly made a small sound as if something had occurred to her.
Kirine’s head shot up immediately.
“Did you remember something?”
“…”
“You did, didn’t you?”
“No, well…”
When their eyes met, Reilly awkwardly avoided her gaze.
“What is it?”
After Kirine’s continued prodding, Reilly reluctantly began to speak.
“I’m not sure if I should be the one to tell you this…”
“I’ll keep it secret.”
“Still, I don’t think it’s my place to—”
“Unni.”
“…”
“Please, unni? Please?”
Unable to resist Kirine’s pleading expression with her ruby eyes sparkling like jewels, Reilly finally spoke.
“I’m not sure if it’s the same person I’m thinking of.”
“Tell me anyway.”
As Kirine nodded encouragingly, Reilly began speaking with a sigh in her voice.
“When something bad happened to Ares as a child, there was someone who helped him. I think that might be who he’s looking for.”
Surprised by this unexpected revelation, Kirine tilted her head.
“Why is he looking for them?”
“Well, maybe he wants to repay their kindness?”
After responding indifferently, Reilly suddenly lifted her head with a determined expression.
“Anyway, you should hear the details from Ares. The more I think about it, this really isn’t something I should be telling you.”
Kirine’s eyes widened at this unusually stern attitude from the typically easygoing Reilly, then broke into a small smile.
“Alright. Thank you for telling me even this much.”
“As long as you understand.”
***
After her conversation with Reilly, Kirine began to feel more at ease.
Though waiting for Ares to speak on his own was still difficult, it wasn’t as frustrating as before. Talking to someone about it had apparently been the right answer.
As Kirine gradually found her peace, Ares carefully asked:
“Are you feeling better now?”
“Hm?”
Seeing his clearly worried expression, Kirine tilted her head before quietly nodding.
“Yes, I’m fine. Why?”
“No, it’s just that you’ve looked down these past few days.”
He seemed to be referring to when she had been depressed after hearing about Aria’s death.
“Ah, I won’t be able to meet you tomorrow. I have somewhere to go.”
“Where are you going?”
Seeing his eyes light up with curiosity, Kirine looked at him silently for a moment before shrugging.
“It’s a secret.”
“What?”
Though she had agreed to wait until Ares was ready to talk, she honestly still felt hurt. Perhaps because of that, she felt reluctant to tell him the truth and instead gave a vague answer.
“Anyway, just know we can’t meet tomorrow.”
“Why are you being like this?”
“I told you, it’s a secret.”
While she felt somewhat guilty about making this unilateral announcement to Ares, she needed to go back to that place to sort out her feelings, even a little. Though visiting wouldn’t bring the deceased Aria back to life, she felt it might help her find some peace of mind. Having specifically taken time off, she really wanted to make this trip.
But since it was difficult to explain all these circumstances, Kirine continued making excuses about having business to attend to. Though Ares seemed displeased with these explanations, there was nothing to be done about it.
“Fine.”
Seeing that Kirine had no intention of explaining further, Ares reluctantly nodded.
“I’ll be going somewhere too.”
“Where are you going?”
When Kirine looked at him questioningly, Ares stared at her silently before responding casually.
“Secret.”
“What?”
“I’m keeping it a secret too.”
“…”
Completely unprepared for him to respond in kind, Kirine stared at him in disbelief, but Ares just tilted his head.
How could he be so shameless and annoying?
Though she wanted to say something, Kirine just clicked her tongue internally.
While promising herself she would get revenge someday.
***
‘So I end up coming back here after all.’
Returning to the place where she had once lived independently, earning her own living, Kirine walked around feeling nostalgic. Some shops remained exactly as she remembered them, while others were completely new to her.
‘I used to live here back then.’
At that time, she had lived by earning money bit by bit, driven by the singular desire to escape this insufferable place.
‘I wonder if that place is still the same.’
As Kirine looked around the market, she remembered her purpose for coming here.
It was the white mansion where she had first met Aria.
Since it had collapsed terribly after the fire spread that day, she thought it might still be in ruins.
‘Aria…’
Just thinking of that name made her heart feel heavy and sink.
After parting that day, she had hoped and expected that she would be able to meet Aria again someday, but now she was dead.
It still felt unbelievable and devastating. It seemed as though Aria must still be alive somewhere.
“Haah…”
Finally unable to overcome her complicated emotions, she let out a deep sigh. But once her emotions had settled, they didn’t resurface.
‘There were things I really wanted to say when we met.’
She had wanted to see Aria’s surprised expression upon learning she was actually a woman, to hear that she was doing well, and to ask how Aria herself was doing. At the same time, she had wanted to see how the already beautiful young Aria had grown into an even more elegant adult.
Carrying these thoughts, she went to the white mansion, but—
“Why are you here?”
She couldn’t understand why she was running into Ares here, of all places.
The confusion wasn’t one-sided; Ares also looked bewildered.
At that moment, someone else’s image overlapped with Ares’s appearance.
“Could it be…”
It was Aria.
