The Abandoned and Terminally Ill Lady Married a Monster - Chapter 85

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Chapter 85

“No. I won’t.”

Kin blithely ignored my breathlessly firm refusal. “I’ll give you ten seconds. If you reach that rock first, you win. If I catch you before then, I win.”

“I said I won’t do it.”

“Loser grants the winner a wish.”

“I. Said. No.”

“Ten, nine, eight…”

Wait, hold on! How can you just start like that?

I tried to hold my ground, but Kin’s teasing smile and relentless countdown made my toes tingle with nervous anticipation. Ugh, fine! I shoved Kin’s shoulder lightly and, huffing, cautiously started to run.

I’ll win since I’m doing it anyway. I had to win that wish, or whatever it was. It was childish, but something like this might be useful when I eventually needed to distance myself from him.

Why is that rock so far away?! Unaccustomed to running, I was already out of breath. I heard footsteps behind me. Ugh, don’t come! Don’t come, you idiot!

***

“Oh my.” Minerva looked down at the couple racing along the beach. “How sweet.”

The girl, radiating happiness since they’d boarded the carriage, had explored the flower fields with wide-eyed curiosity. Minerva had offered to make her a flower ring, but the girl had demurred, saying she didn’t want to pick the flowers.

Padding softly like a flower fairy, the young lady had then spotted the ocean and stared, mesmerized. Minerva felt a surge of maternal pride as the girl lost herself in the vastness of the sea. For that moment, the girl seemed truly carefree.

“[We used to be like that],” a voice echoed in Minerva’s mind.

“Brings back memories,” she murmured.

“[You were thinking that too? Me too! We’re on the same wavelength, hee hee. Oh, and when you caught me, you’d practically throw me down. Hahaha. You’d bury me in the sand, leaving only my head sticking out, saying you’d kill me if I ever played such childish games again. Good times.]”

A smile played on Dale’s lips, his face alight with genuine fondness as he reminisced. Unable to hear Dale’s words, Minerva continued to watch Ailee and her son.

A smile graced Ailee’s lips as she ran along the shore. Even her smile is refreshing. Her usually pale complexion glowed with a healthy flush, kissed by the sun.

She finally looks like she’s living. The sight brought Minerva a sense of peace. She hoped the girl would continue to smile so brightly. Though they hadn’t known each other long, Minerva felt a fondness for her, a maternal protectiveness. Her husband, were he beside her, would surely feel the same.

“How long did you say the painting would take, including the finishing touches?” she asked the artist sketching nearby, whose gaze followed Ailee and Kin with an almost zealous intensity.

“About ten days, madam.”

“[These artists nowadays can’t paint worth a damn],” Dale’s voice grumbled in her mind.

Though she couldn’t hear him, Minerva agreed. The sketch doesn’t do them justice. She clicked her tongue in disapproval.

Now, about the family portrait… when should we have that done? Pondering the logistics of their family portrait, Minerva basked in the idyllic spring day.

***

I was almost there, just a few more strides and I would reach the rock. But then, a presence loomed beside me, and Kin’s face suddenly blocked my path. I braced for him to grab me, but he didn’t. He just stood there, grinning foolishly.

My momentum stalled. I even started to back away, trying to avoid being caught, but Kin remained rooted to the spot, not advancing. Instead, he just chuckled and began to backpedal himself, until his back was against the rock. He spread his arms, as if inviting me closer.

To win, I had to touch the rock. To do that, I had to get past or around Kin. But with his large frame blocking the way, it felt more like I was running towards him, not the rock.

“You haven’t been caught yet. You have to win. Come on.”

What kind of contradictory nonsense was that, telling me to win while simultaneously urging me towards him?

Forgetting that my mother- and father-in-law were watching from above, I glared at Kin. I could just admit defeat, but the words wouldn’t come. A strange competitiveness welled up inside me. I wasn’t usually this competitive, but maybe, just maybe, I wanted to play along with Kin’s little game of lovers.

Instead of running straight towards him, I angled away, trying to circle around. Kin’s head swiveled, following my every move.

I cautiously circled him, trying to slip behind him and reach the other side of the rock. Kin’s gaze tracked me, but his body remained still.

I wasn’t sure if he was letting me win or just toying with me. Either way, his stillness was my opportunity.

One, two…

Three!

I took off, sprinting as soon as I finished the count.

“Damn it…”

“Gotcha.”

I was caught with embarrassing ease. Kin, having effortlessly vaulted over the rock, scooped me into his arms. I squirmed, insisting I had touched the rock first. Even with my arm outstretched, I probably wouldn’t have reached it from this distance, but that didn’t matter. Insisting I was right was all that mattered.

“I touched the rock first!”

“Hmm, is that so?” Kin asked with a playful lilt. I nodded vigorously, struggling to free myself from his embrace. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he made a proposition.