Chapter 15
15
*
The house where Scarlett had grown up was still beautiful even after it was taken away. It was all thanks to her uncle, who was managing it while lavishly spending her brother and his wife's money.
As Scarlett entered the attic, the only place where his management didn't reach, Isaac smiled.
"Looks like it worked out well."
"How did you know?"
"Your footsteps told me."
At his words, Scarlett smiled bashfully and sat on the bed. She said cheerfully,
"Yeah, it worked out well. See? I told you it was a misunderstanding, right?"
"So you did."
Isaac, looking more excited than Scarlett had expected, tried to get up quickly.
Because he was too eager, his body swayed, and Scarlett quickly supported him.
Isaac smiled brightly with a face that resembled his younger sister so much.
"That's a relief."
"Isaac?"
"I'm sorry."
Isaac's voice trembled because he was so relieved.
"I'm really sorry..."
"What's wrong, all of a sudden?"
Scarlett was flustered and sat Isaac back on the bed, examining his face. Isaac, too, was always pretending to be cheerful in front of Scarlett.
Scarlett, who looked closely at his cheek, which she couldn't see well because it was late, asked in surprise.
"What happened to your face? Did you fall?"
"Ah, yeah."
Isaac said with a gentle smile.
"I went outside."
"How dangerous... Were you frustrated because I couldn't take a walk with you today?"
"Scarlett."
Suddenly, his voice became serious, and Scarlett paused as Isaac continued.
"I need to... do something to earn money now."
"What? No. It's dangerous. And I told you, when you can see again, then..."
"I think we've been scammed."
Scarlett was speechless at Isaac's kind but cold words.
Isaac carefully reached out and stroked her hair, saying,
"I'm sorry. I guess there's no medicine in the world that will make my eyes see again."
"...Don't say that. You'll see."
Isaac knew that Scarlett's voice was trembling, but he couldn't help it.
He couldn't let his sister continue to sacrifice herself for him. He didn't want that false hope to keep eating away at her. Now, he just didn't want Scarlett to get hurt. Not her body, not her heart.
Isaac smiled brightly with a kind face.
"I think I can do some physical work. Mr. Boller said I could try being a ferryman at Seventh Street Lake. You know? Pulling the rope to move the raft."
Mr. Boller was the caregiver Scarlett had hired for Isaac. The good-natured man had been with Isaac since Scarlett's wedding, three years ago. Scarlett was grateful for Mr. Boller's kindness, but the thought of her brother working made her heart ache.
Isaac mimicked pulling a rope and continued,
"I'm going to do that. They even train you to go there with a retired military dog. He's a good man."
"Crimson family members have to make clocks."
"You can continue that."
When Scarlett finally lowered her head and started to cry, Isaac deliberately laughed louder and said,
"Scarlett, I'm so happy that you're my sister. I wish there was a time when I could be happy that I'm your brother, even for a moment. That's why."
Scarlett cried like that for a long time before hugging Isaac tightly. Only then did she nod. It was still hard for her to escape from the dream.
*
The next day at dawn, Scarlett woke up early to return home. She planned to go back before she ran into her uncle's family.
Whenever Scarlett came home, Isaac would always make her sleep in the bed and he would sleep on the floor. At first, Scarlett refused vehemently, but now she went up to the bed and slept, as he seemed healthy enough.
She poked Isaac to make sure he was asleep and applied medicine to his eyes.
"I'm sorry, I can't give up."
Saying that, she carefully brushed Isaac's hair back and got up. Putting on her headscarf again, she left the house and took the Tram to the clock shop.
Seventh Street was close to the Crimson family. It was a place Scarlett had chosen after much deliberation, as she couldn't live far away from Isaac.
Her wristwatch had an alarm function, and at five in the morning, it rang with the sound of clear glass clinking. The alarm rang just after she stepped inside.
Scarlett relit the fireplace, put the grill on, and took out the moka pot. While waiting for the coffee grounds and water to brew, she also put the cold bread she had bought the day before on the grill to toast it slightly. Then she opened the butter lid, but it was hard.
"It's all frozen, all of it."
Scarlett grumbled to herself as she forcefully scooped up the butter, which fell off like shavings, and put it on the toasted bread. Then she poured the finished coffee into a cup and started eating it with the bread. Suddenly, tears fell, and she wiped her eyes with her palm.
"I can't live like this."
She muttered.
Isaac's kind voice, saying that he thought they had been scammed, was unforgettable.
Lost in thought, Scarlett didn't hear the call, and she was startled by a tap on the window. A girl delivering newspapers was waving her hand below.
Scarlett leaned out and shouted,
"Sorry, Julie! I didn't hear you because I was daydreaming!"
"It's okay!"
The newspaper delivery girl skillfully threw the newspaper into the window.
"Today's newspaper is interesting, Miss Scarlett!"
"Thank you! I'll read it right away!"
Shouting loudly and breathing in the cold winter air made her feel much better.
She started reading the newspaper with her meal. Today's newspaper featured a prominent article about two famous singers' feelings about going public with their relationship.
Scarlett read their feelings word by word.
Other people's love was always nice to see. Moreover, it was even better to see it come to fruition.
To her, love was precious and extreme. She thought that you had to be willing to die for it to be love. So, while she loved Viktor Dampfelt, she could die for him at any time.
Perhaps Viktor was disgusted by her love, Scarlett occasionally thought.
He might have thought it was disgusting. She had been giving him gifts he didn't want. Maybe she felt like an obsessive fan that singers often talk about in interviews. Either way, thinking about it, Viktor seemed more and more like the victim.
As she flipped through the newspaper, she saw a small article stating that the execution of the Delpio Priest, who had killed three believers so far, had been decided.
Scarlett shuddered at what would have happened if her husband hadn't been Viktor, if she hadn't promised to come and find him in a hundred days.
She came to her senses and brought the teapot again, starting to brew tea this time. She couldn't work if her hands were frozen, as she had to handle small parts. She made the room as warm as possible and still warmed her hands with the warm teacup as she worked.
Then she heard someone calling from outside.
"Scarlett!"
It was Liv from next door.
Scarlett sighed and opened the window, and Liv urged,
"Come over right now! I even have your favorite cherry Danish!"
"I have to work."
"If I were you, I'd just come over instead of being stubborn like this!"
When Liv said that, lifting up the Danish basket, Scarlett nodded helplessly.
Under a tacit agreement, Andrei, who didn't call Scarlett while she was working even when he came to work, asked Scarlett as she came down to the first floor,
"Where are you going?"
"Liv keeps calling me."
"I can hear her shouting from here. She's mocking you for not making clocks during work hours and going out to play."
"Andrei, I'm the boss. You're the employee. Why do you keep trying to make me work?"
Then Andrei sighed as if to show off.
"If this shop goes bankrupt, I'll be unemployed too. Employees have the right to make their boss work."
"I also have the right to work when I want to."
"The worker's right to receive their salary regularly is greater, boss."
Andrei's right won. Paying the employee was more important than the boss's freedom.
Scarlett, with a slightly pouting face, fastened her coat buttons and said,
"...I'll be back soon."
"I'll come looking for you if you play for too long."
Leaving Andrei's nagging behind, Scarlett moved her feet.
