ASDM 20

Chapter 20

It all started innocently—with a simple story about an airplane.

In a quiet corner of the orphanage yard, Asha sat Levi down and explained it to him in detail, even drawing with a fallen twig on the ground.

A mode of transportation that flies in the sky. One that could carry many people.

Levi found it fascinating.

Even for someone like him who had trouble feeling stimulated by most things, it was like hearing a tale from another world. Even though it was just a fictional concept.

Maybe it was Asha’s vivid imagination, or just her lively storytelling, but the airplane she described felt incredibly real.

Chattering away with animated gestures, Asha had Levi’s full attention as she naturally moved on to her next drawing.

That… should’ve been when he ran.

Anyway, what she sketched on the ground after erasing the airplane was two stick figures with round heads.

They were holding hands, smiling brightly. It wasn’t a bad drawing, really.

Levi, scratching the corner of his mouth at the ticklish sight, soon realized something.

The airplane had just been bait.

“…So, marriage, you see, is a really great thing. It’s hard to put into words, but it’s just… really, really good.”

The topic had shifted again like a flowing stream.

Just a moment ago she’d said that the more we play, the more we contribute to world peace.

Now, she was carefully adding a wedding dress and tuxedo to the two stick figures.

Levi, listening half-heartedly with a vacant stare, suddenly reached out without much thought.

Flinch!

Asha, who had been cheerfully babbling, froze. Levi’s hand was suddenly reaching toward her head.

Carefully avoiding her soft, silvery hair, Levi plucked off a leaf.

“It was stuck.”

“Oh—ah! Thank you!”

Asha smiled innocently, as if she hadn’t just been startled. But who knows if that smile was genuine.

Levi turned his gaze away and thought.

‘…I shouldn’t have.’

He shouldn’t have treated her so carelessly.

In his eleven years of life, filled with many firsts, this was his first regret.

Ahem, mic check. This is the maid’s break room.

Now begins a heart-touching performance for one person only.

“Bibi, listen.”

“Not this again…”

“I say spring, you say is here.”

“Leave before I say something worse.”

“Spring! Is! Here! SPRING IS HERE!”

“Seriously, are you insane?”

“In! Our! Hearts! Too! Scream—!”

Punch!

Bibi, finally fed up with my antics, gifted me with a large, glorious bump on my head—but I’ll let it slide.

Because today, I am feeling generous!

“Now why are you running around in a blanket when it’s already warm out?”

“Hehehe.”

I grinned weirdly, making a smug face like I was about to explain the importance of this blanket. Bibi cringed in disgust.

Honestly, the sweat on my back was kind of gross, but seeing her face made everything feel fresh again.

Chuckling, I fluttered the blanket around like a cape, then slipped away with perfect timing.

“Oh no, look at the time! I’m off!”

“What are you scheming now…?”

“A date!”

I threw her a wink and a finger gun before dashing off.

I think I heard Bibi bubbling with rage behind me, but who cares?

“Can… Levi!”

Finally, I get to go on a proper daytime date with my tin can!

As long as someone made eye contact with me once, escaping the next meeting was basically impossible.

Want to know my secret? Just shout, “Let’s meet here tomorrow at this time!” right before parting, then run away.

Levi, caught in this “Your refusal is refused!” trick, stood waiting in the distance.

He had started showing his feelings through little gestures—like carrying a blanket—and acted less robotic in front of me.

He was more sensible than I expected and showed the occasional awkward, childlike side.

“You waited, right? Let’s go hang out!”

So if I could just get over the faint fear engraved deep in my chest, getting close—or even pushing a bit—wasn’t that hard.

I ran up and grabbed Levi’s hand, pulling him toward the hill behind the orphanage.

As expected, he didn’t resist and just quietly followed along.

So cute. Seriously, in moments like this, I totally forget he might be a psychopath.

‘He won’t suddenly snap or anything… right?’

I glanced back. Our eyes met.

I smiled brightly, and his gaze slightly averted.

His soft black hair swayed, and I thought I saw a hint of pink in his ears.

Hm. Well.

Somehow, I felt I didn’t need to worry.

“Levi, you haven’t been to the hill much, have you? I knew it! Just follow me!”

Looking like I owned the place, I led him up the slope.

Once we reached midway up, the wolves—who had been circling me instead of pouncing—suddenly darted ahead.

We followed them into a clearing, wide and open.

“Ta-da! This is my secret base!”

Unlike other areas, the undergrowth here wasn’t too thick, making it perfect for running around. I’d found it by chance and started hanging out here with the wolves.

I puffed up with pride.

“It’s usually just me and the wolves, but I’m inviting you too, Levi.”

“…”

“Aw, are you honored? You’re welcome.”

The wolves, seated far away from us, grumbled amongst themselves about how shameless I was.

I ignored them and playfully shook Levi’s arm.

“It’s fine as it is, but wouldn’t it be better if it felt more like a base? Let’s decorate it together!”

“…Together?”

“Of course! It’s our base now!”

I peeked at him as I said that. As expected, he didn’t look displeased.

Mhm. The place is great, the mood is good…

Then I spotted a flower blooming by my feet.

It was dark red, flamboyant—just like Levi.

Wow. Everything was perfect, like the gods of timing were helping me.

I picked the flower and looked at Levi with a soft gaze.

Yes. The perfect setup for a romantic move.

“Look. It looks like your eyes, Levi. I don’t know what kind of flower it is, but it’s as beautiful as you—”

“Poppy.”

“Po…”

Splat!

I instantly threw the flower down and stomped on it.

Crush it before it spreads seeds!

By the time I came to my senses, the mood had already sunk beyond saving.

Damn it. Why’d he have to look so sweet and act so un-sweet?

I smiled brightly and quickly changed the topic while hiding the trampled drug flower.

“Wow, you really know a lot of flower names!”

“Not really.”

“Come on, you do! What about the white flowers on that tree?”

“Peony.”

Whoa. That was quick.

I clapped, genuinely impressed—not just to lighten the mood.

“Awesome! Do you even know the meanings too?”

“Shyness.”

Whoa.

He even knew the flower language? I was half-joking.

“Then…”

I looked around the clearing. Spring wildflowers were blooming all around.

I started pointing at them one by one, asking what each was and what their meanings were.

And Levi, like a walking dictionary, answered each one properly.

“Ooh, that’s a forsythia!”

That much, even I knew.

Grinning proudly, I picked a small yellow flower and handed it to him.

“Here. This one’s safe, so I’ll give it to you as a gift. To celebrate becoming friends.”

Levi hesitated.

Flower, gift, friend—none of it seemed familiar to him.

I waved the flower branch, urging him to take it.

“Do you know the flower language of forsythia too?”

Then, as if offhandedly, I asked, and Levi, who had carefully taken the flower, replied:

“…Hope.”

“The thing I want most is a smartphone. With that, you can do everything. I told you before, right? It’s like a phone, a computer, and a TV all in one. So, how do you make it? Hey, didn’t I say not to ask hard questions like that?”

While Levi was working busily atop a huge zelkova tree, I chattered away beneath it.

Whatever you do, building the foundation is the most important step.

Take your time, don’t rush. Make it strong, little by little.

That applied both to building a hideout and to building a relationship.

“It’s done…”

It had been nearly four days of practically living on the hill with Levi.

I looked up at the finished product with sparkling eyes.

The crowning jewel of our secret base!

“A treehouse!”

Really, what child doesn’t dream of one?

A house with square walls and a roof made of wooden planks, a ladder woven from tough vines.

Nestled in the largest, greenest zelkova tree, the treehouse looked like it came straight out of a fairytale.

“Great job, Levi! And you guys too!”

I skipped around under the treehouse and took out bottles of cold water from the picnic basket.

I handed one to Levi first, then poured out bowls of water for the wolves.

I couldn’t build or hammer anything, so my role was to cheer and support with things like this.

“My lovely wolfies, thank you so much. Aw, June and August, you’re really thirsty. Drink up. I’ll treat you all to snacks later!”

“Woof woof!”

The cute calendar-named quadruplets—from September to December—bounded around playfully. The others seemed to expect rewards too.

If the wolves hadn’t carried the materials from the mansion and helped with all sorts of things, the treehouse would’ve been impossible.

And if Levi hadn’t been there, it wouldn’t have even been imaginable.

He, who fluently named flowers, seemed capable of everything else too.

He designed the treehouse exactly how I imagined, used the tools skillfully, and climbed the tall tree with ease.

And he was only eleven.

I guess a munchkin character really is different from the rest. Compared to him, maybe I’m just a regular ol’ chicken?

While I was lost in that thought, Levi looked at me as he drank his water.

I reflexively smiled brightly, like spinal reflex.

His reaction would be one of two: either stare back blankly or snap out of it and look away.

Today, he stared.

If only he’d smile back too…

I tried to hide my impatience.

Take it slow. Don’t rush. Build it strong.

I agreed with the idea that foundation-laying is important.

But sometimes, you have to run before you can walk.

Like getting hit with algebra when you don’t even know addition yet, or being told to read an English newspaper when you still mix up your ABCs.

That’s life. It’s unfair, but you can’t help it. Time won’t wait for you.

So—

“Levi.”

I called his name.

Even though tomorrow, he’d be returning to the academy.