Translator: Nox

Chapter 169

It had been over a year, but it was as vivid as if it were yesterday. The sudden shower in the woods, Ian had covered her head with his jacket and they had run together along this path to the chestnut forest.

‘His jacket was big enough to cover my hips. He held me tight. Even in that urgent situation, my heart felt like it was going to burst. I was so thrilled to be so close to him.’

She had thought it was a one-sided love back then, but looking back, he had already loved her. His jacket, his arms around her, it was all love.

Laura passed through the fence. The fence she had struggled to cross before was now wide open for her.

After passing two springs, the chestnut forest appeared. Laura's steps stopped on their own.

The forest, which should have been as dark as night due to the dense leaves covering the sky, was as bright as a dance stage under a chandelier.

It was because lamps were strung along the trees lining both sides of the path.

Her nose tingled.

‘Ian.’

He had dug up the ground, laid bricks, and hung lamps on each tree. For her. Because his wife, who would walk here, might have sore feet and be afraid of the dark.

Laura slowly walked into the forest. Thanks to the lamplight, she could see not only her feet but also thirty steps ahead.

‘I think I know where it is. The cabin where we took shelter from the rain. It must be there.’

Laura was sure.

‘It was a meaningful place. We sat side by side, listening to the rain, and talked about this and that. Come to think of it, that's when he gave me the shawl.’

Laura smiled faintly. To think she still had the shawl he gave her back then. And cherished it so much. Laura couldn't help but find her husband adorable.

‘To think of that place for our anniversary. You must have put a lot of thought into it.’

Laura recalled the cabin in her memory. A small two-story house with a triangular, pointed roof and a rough surface like stacked wood. Despite being abandoned for a long time, not a single floor had sunk, and there were no leaks.

But looking back, it was fortunate that the rain stopped quickly and they only stayed for a short time. The interior was like an abandoned house, with mold covering all the walls, and the door was dangling because the hinges had fallen off. There was no intact glass, so cold air came in through every window, and there was so much dust that her throat hurt until the next day, even though she hadn't stayed for an hour.

‘Could it be that he's planning to have dinner there today...? If I eat anything there, mold will grow all over my body.’

Laura shook her head.

‘There's no way someone as neat as him would suggest having dinner in such a house.’

In the distance, the end of the path came into view. Laura's heart fluttered with anticipation of meeting her husband and longing for the place of memories, and she quickened her pace.

"Oh my?"

Laura's eyes, reaching the end of the forest, widened as much as a teacup saucer.

The cabin from her memory was in front of her. But, it was a little... no, a lot different from her memory.

The broken windows had been completely repaired, even the frames replaced. A cozy porch had been installed at the entrance where only the door had been dangling, and two pretty rocking chairs were placed side by side inside. The second floor, which had only a few windows, had a new wide veranda and wooden railing supported by the porch.

Laura looked around the house. Colorful pansies were blooming profusely in front of the house. Yellow. Purple. White. Red.

Laura clapped her hands together and burst into laughter. It looked like a house had suddenly sprouted in the middle of a pansy field.

She moved her feet through the pansies to take a walk around the house.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The sound of something being struck penetrated Laura's ears as she reached the back of the house. There was a window and an entrance on the side where the sound was coming from. Laura headed for the window. The glass was slightly fogged, making it look hazy and opaque. She pressed her face close to the window, almost touching it with her nose, and looked inside.

Warm light was pouring out from beyond the window with flower-patterned curtains. She saw the silhouette of a tall man standing next to the stove. He was hitting something, thump, thump. The man occasionally poked the stove with a poker, stirred something, squatted in the corner to rummage through something, and then returned to his original spot and hit something again, thump, thump.

Even just from the man's silhouette, she knew who it was. She knocked on the window, tap, tap.

The man's movements stopped abruptly. He turned his head to the window and hurriedly opened the entrance door.

"Laura!"

Ian appeared with a flustered face.

He was different from usual. He was wearing only a shirt on top, comfortable brown Serge fiber pants, and work boots on the bottom.

Even more surprising was the fact that he, Ian Dalton, the head of Whitefield, was wearing an apron. Laura froze like an icicle rising from the floor.

Ian wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

"Why did you come in this way? I left the front door open."

"...Ian, what on earth is this...?"

"I'll explain later. Come in through the front door. This side is messy."

Ian quickly closed the door. Like a lazy housewife who didn't want to be caught with a messy house. But it was too late. Laura had already seen the space he was in over his shoulder.

A hot stove and a stew pot bubbling on top of it. A plucked duck huddled on a cutting board. A pile of carrots and onions stacked in the corner. Cookies that looked freshly baked from the oven.

He was clearly cooking.

‘Oh my god. He's cooking. Cooking...’

Come to think of it, he had been spending a lot of time in the kitchen these past few days.

‘Did he learn to cook for today? Oh my god, I didn't want him to go this far...!’

Laura went to the front of the cabin as he told her to. She was still in shock, so she leaned on the cabin as she walked.

Passing through the porch and arriving in front of the house, the entrance door was slightly open as he had said. Laura went inside.

Amid the smell of beef stew and baking bread, the first thing that caught her eye was the living room with Forget-me-not patterned wallpaper. Beyond the plush sofa piled with stuffed animals was a blazing fireplace, and in front of it was a round dining table.

Laura slowly walked around the house. The floor, which had been covered in grime, was now smooth, and bunches of dried wildflowers were hanging upside down on the walls where mold had bloomed.

A clean display cabinet stood on one side. Through the glass, pottery dishes with sheep painted on them and cute porcelain dolls gleamed orange in the light of the fireplace.

The abandoned house had been transformed into a cozy and pastoral cottage.

Laura didn't dare to sit down or touch anything.

‘This is the abandoned cabin?’

Laura couldn't believe it. The cabin in her memory was a musty, dark, and dusty pit. A place that would be a more cozy nest for bats than for people. But the fireplace where they had warmed themselves, and the window they had looked out to see if the rain had stopped, were in the same place as in her memory. Laura dismissed her doubts.

‘He was busy all week cleaning and decorating this place.’

Laura approached the fireplace. A red polka-dot tablecloth was spread on the round table in front of the fireplace. On top of it, napkins folded in the shape of a boat, water glasses, forks, and knives were neatly arranged.

From the small entrance on the left side of the living room, the sound of a man's footsteps was heard.

The door opened, and Ian appeared, having taken off his apron. He was dressed in comfortable clothes that could not be seen at Whitefield Hall, where he had to maintain a perfect suit to be conscious of the servants. His hair, which he always neatly slicked back, was also loosely draped over his forehead.

He looked much more comfortable, natural, and attractive.

Ian was holding a tray in his hand.

"Don't stand, sit down."

He pulled out a chair at the table in front of the fireplace. Laura sat down.

"You must be tired from walking?"

Ian placed a small glass in front of Laura and poured liquid from a kettle. Steam rose and a cool scent spread. It was peppermint tea.

Laura looked up at him with a bewildered face.

"How did you do all this?"

Her expression seemed to please him greatly. With a smile on his face, he kissed the top of Laura's head.

"I'll explain later. The stew is getting sleepy."

He disappeared out of the living room again.

When she had drunk about half of her tea, Ian appeared. Holding a large tray.

He placed the plates in front of Laura. A rich stew with vegetable salad, mushrooms, beef, and finely chopped vegetables.

He placed the food in his place and sat opposite Laura.

"Taste it."

His tone was filled with nervousness. Laura put a napkin on her clothes and tasted the stew.

She blinked.

"It's delicious."

"Really?"

"Yes. It's seasoned just right, rich, and tender. The ingredients aren't mushy, so the texture is perfect."

Ian smiled brightly.

She continued to eat the stew. Not because she didn't want to disappoint Ian, but because it was really delicious.

Ian watched Laura with a satisfied smile.

Before she knew it, the stew was gone. Laura tilted the plate and scraped the bottom so that it wouldn't make a sound, eating every last drop.

"Shall I bring you another plate?"

Laura, who was dabbing her mouth with a napkin, nodded.

"Just half a plate."

Ian immediately got up, took the plate, and headed to the kitchen.

Laura looked across at her husband's plate. It was the same as when he had first brought it.

Ian returned and placed the plate in front of Laura.

"You eat too."

"I'm full just watching you eat."

Laura said sternly.

"If you don't eat, I won't eat either."

Only then did Ian pick up a spoon. The two of them slowly ate the stew.

"How did all this happen?"

Ian wiped his mouth with a napkin and opened his mouth.

"You told me to make a special anniversary."

"I just told you to make me happy."

"You're a special woman. To make a special woman happy, I have to prepare a special event. So, how is it? Isn't it special?"

Laura looked around the house. It was definitely special.