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Chapter 08
In the evening as the sun set, the small cabin glowed with warm yellow light, and the entire family sat together quietly.
On the table was a beautiful cake, decorated in layers of cream in various colors to suit Rosha’s taste, with candles numbering exactly her age.
It was supposed to be a happy day, yet Rosha felt nothing but unhappiness.
“Happy birthday to our beloved daughters, Rosha and Lily!”
Dane shouted loudly and set off fireworks on purpose. Their mother, glancing around nervously, quickly cut the cake and served it to Rosha first.
“Happy birthday, Rosha. And to the youngest, Lily, happy birthday too!”
The family watched Rosha closely, aware of her sour mood. Still, nothing seemed to improve her spirits. Finally, her father whispered quietly into her ear, so Lily wouldn’t hear.
“Lily only has three presents, but you get four. Keep it a secret from her, okay?”
Would it have been so wrong to throw a separate party just for her, giving her one extra gift? Every year, they celebrated their birthdays together simply because the sisters were one day apart, and it annoyed Rosha deeply.
She had never asked for a sibling in the first place.
Once a year, there was only one day when she could truly be happy—her birthday. Yet even that day, she could not be the center of attention.
“Unni! Unni!”
Rosha turned at the tug on her sleeve and saw Lily looking up at her with a bright, innocent smile.
“What is it?”
Rosha replied curtly, but Lily, still too young to notice her sister’s sour mood, remained cheerful.
Instead, almost foolishly, Lily grinned and placed something in Rosha’s palm.
“This is a gift from Lily!”
It was a bracelet made from woven dandelions.
“Happy birthday, unni!”
For some reason, the moment Rosha received it, her irritation doubled.
Among the family, she felt like she was the only one being mean. She was embarrassed for not having prepared a gift for her sister, and resentful that Lily’s innocent gesture made her seem like a bad person in front of the family.
Rosha did something she should never have done.
She threw the flower bracelet to the floor.
“Rosha!”
“What on earth are you doing?!”
Her parents raised their voices in alarm. Yet Rosha ignored them, passing the sobbing Lily as she climbed the stairs to her room. Her father became angry, and her mother grabbed her wrist.
“Rosha, apologize to Lily. It was wrong to throw your sister’s gift.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Why do you always have a problem with everything?”
“You and father always favor Lily over me!”
“Is that such a big complaint?”
“Well…”
Rosha paused, ready to pour out her resentment. Something felt off.
Every time Rosha had accused her parents of favoring Lily over her, they always denied it immediately. They had never once responded in a way that seemed to confirm her feelings, even out of anger.
Rosha sensed the strangeness just as the grip on her wrist tightened.
“You survived on your own, yet…”
“Ugh…!”
When Rosha looked up, her mother’s neck was twisted to the side as if broken by someone.
“Rosha, Rosha…”
Her father held a head severed in two, her father’s own face in his hands, speaking.
“Are you happy to have survived alone?”
“Ah…ah…”
It wasn’t only her father.
“If I had gone to find Polly that day, it wouldn’t have been me who died, it would have been you!”
Dane bled from his abdomen, shouting in fury.
“…Unni.”
And when Rosha turned her gaze to Lily one last time, the world was completely drenched in black.
In the darkness, only Rosha and Lily remained.
“When will you come find me?”
“…Lily.”
“Unni, I’m so scared…”
“…”
“Bad people keep hurting me. I’m in pain, I’m hungry, I’m cold, I’m lonely…”
“Lily, Lily…!”
Lily slowly drifted away. Rosha ran toward her, but could not catch her as she vanished into the distance.
“Wait! Don’t go, Lily!”
As Lily became a white light far away in the darkness, she left Rosha with her final words:
“Don’t forget me―.”
“Haaagh!”
Rosha woke from her dream, drenched in sweat. Placing her hand over her pounding heart, she sat up.
It had been a nightmare long overdue.
Whenever she became lazy in searching for Lily, or stopped thinking of her family, this dream would return.
Kieeng, kkying!
Rosha stood and embraced the small wolf pup approaching her by the pillow. Feeling its warmth made her feel a little better.
“Don’t forget me―.”
But that phrase would continue to haunt Rosha for some time.
She got out of bed and drew the curtains. Having woken late, it was already afternoon.
It was the start of what should have been a happy birthday.
Yet Rosha began the day in a slightly melancholic mood.
Thanks to Giselle, who had chosen all the accessories and dresses for the party the day before, dressing up didn’t take long.
Her off-shoulder dress revealed her shoulders and flared to her ankles for ease of movement. The gradient of dark purple to light lilac flowed naturally from top to bottom, fitting her age and giving a youthful, charming impression.
Rosha braided the side hair and pulled it back, coiling her long hair into a rounded updo, adorned with fresh flowers in full bloom. Finishing with modest pearl earrings, she accepted Noah’s escort and headed to the grand hall where the party was held.
“Rosha, you’re here?”
“Happy birthday, Rosha!”
Upon entering, many Rostellier brothers approached her individually to offer congratulations.
Why were so many people fussing over her birthday…?
Embarrassed, she unconsciously frowned.
“Oh? Your ears are red again.”
At someone’s remark, everyone’s gaze fell on Rosha’s ears—including Noah, who was escorting her.
“Cute Rosha, feeling shy?”
“…Be quiet.”
“Ah, I see. You’re embarrassed.”
Noah, wearing a mischievous grin, loudly addressed the entire hall so everyone could hear.
“Everyone, don’t stare at Rosha’s flushed ears! The youngest is embarrassed, remember?”
At that moment, Rosha prayed silently.
“Before this life ends, let me hit Noah just once…”
Noah laughed for a long time, clearly entertained, before pretending to pacify her.
“Smile, it’s your birthday. Ah, and a little late, but…”
He leaned close to Rosha and whispered softly into her ear:
“Happy birthday.”
With that, Noah patted her shoulder a few times and disappeared among the brothers.
As Rosha received congratulations, the music began. Naturally, being the birthday girl, she was asked to dance the most, but she refused all requests and tried to hide in a corner. Yet Noah, insisting the birthday girl couldn’t stay hidden, dragged her out to dance with five partners.
Exhausted, Rosha drank more than five non-alcoholic cocktails in the lavishly golden hall.
As usual, her gifts from the brothers were piled up in her room, and tonight she was too tired even to open them.
“Giselle, surely all the brothers came to this party too?”
“As always, yes. Except for the one you dislike.”
Fortunately, as the night deepened, the party’s energy softened, and the brothers’ attention was no longer entirely on Rosha. She longed for fresh air.
“Umm, Giselle…”
“You’re not going to tell me you want to go back to your room already, are you?”
At Giselle’s sharp remark, Rosha rolled her eyes and pleaded softly.
“I’ll just step out to the terrace for a moment. If Noah asks where I am, just pretend you don’t know—I’ll be back quickly…”
Giselle sighed, giving a resigned nod.
“It’s your party, so you must come back soon. Got it?”
“Yes.”
With Giselle’s permission, Rosha finally stepped onto the terrace to breathe fresh air.
“Haah…”
The night breeze soothed the heat from dancing and socializing, helping her feel a little better.
Then—
Ding—ding—ding—
The chimes rang, signaling the hour.
“Lily…”
Now her birthday was over; it was Lily’s turn.
‘I wonder how Lily will spend her birthday.’
She had been celebrated by so many people… hopefully, Lily would also have a happy birthday.
Hoping this, Rosha reached toward the garden. Countless flowers rose into the air, gathering into one bouquet in her hand.
Like Lily had made a flower bracelet for her, Rosha crafted a flower necklace for Lily. She could not give it to her directly, but she pressed her face to the flowers, whispering in hope that Lily would hear her voice.
“Happy birthday, Lily.”
“Happy birthday, unni!”
Rosha sank into the memories of long-held longing.
But her alone time was abruptly interrupted.
Flap!
An attack shattered the flower necklace Rosha had made. She stared helplessly at the scattered petals on the floor, her eyes glinting with a sharp anger.
She looked toward the direction the attack came from. From the darkness, a tall figure emerged.
“…Kashin.”
A man with black hair and red eyes glared at the furious Rosha with an arrogant expression.
