Chapter 17 —
Surprised by his unexpected reaction, Hestia quietly looked at Theo.
“Alright! I’ll make grilled fish today! Look forward to it!”
She soon beamed and playfully ruffled his soft, bluish hair.
She had expected Theo to flinch or avoid her hand—but instead, he simply bowed his head and silently accepted her touch.
While Theo was washing up, Hestia sat outside in the yard and lit a fire. She began grilling fish skewers over the flames.
“Roo really is great at catching fish.”
Not long after sending Theo to the bathroom and asking Roo for help, he had brought back a large fish like this.
“…”
As the fire crackled and the flames flickered—harsh yet fragile—Hestia found her thoughts being drawn into a deep abyss.
Memories she wanted to forget slowly crept back, and her mood plummeted in an instant.
“No! Get it together!”
A brief lapse in focus, and she was already being consumed by those dark thoughts.
She slapped her forehead with her palm—smack!—and only then did she return to reality.
The sharp sting brought her spiraling emotions back up to the surface.
“Ah? Miss Hestia! Are you okay?”
Theo, just stepping out of the bath, came running over, alarm clearly written on his wide eyes.
“You came out at the perfect time! Look! Doesn’t this look good?”
As if nothing was wrong, Hestia grinned and pointed to the golden-brown fish grilling over the fire.
“Let me take a look.”
But instead of looking at the fish, Theo walked right up to her and knelt down.
“It’s red.”
“Huh?”
He gently brushed back her bangs and frowned.
“Why did you hit your forehead?”
He looked down, lightly scolding her.
“Well… I just needed to snap out of it.”
Hestia shrugged as if it was nothing and rubbed her forehead roughly.
“Even so, please don’t do that next time. Just run, or shout.”
Theo gently grabbed her hand to stop her from rubbing.
“Or just call for me.”
He smiled softly, his lips curving gently.
Was it just the firelight? Or did Theo’s face look especially warm tonight?
“…You?”
Their eyes met under the crackling fire.
“Just having someone nearby is enough to stop bad thoughts from creeping in.”
Theo slowly turned and sat beside her.
“At times like this, you really do seem like a 14-year-old.”
Hestia chuckled and flipped the skewer.
“It’s kind of harsh you’re only believing me now.”
Theo smiled brightly, his laugh floating on the breeze like sunlight.
Startled by that bright laughter, Hestia turned to him with wide eyes.
Again.
That overlapping image with someone else.
That smile that stirred up longing.
Golden eyes that looked like starlight—or perhaps the blazing sun—and hair as dark as the night sky, tinged with deep indigo.
“…You’re pretty when you smile.”
Yes, you used to smile like that too.
It was something she had kept buried, a phrase left unsaid on their final farewell.
“Hearing that, it kind of sounds like you think I’m usually ugly. Though, to be fair, no one’s ever told me that before.”
Ah. When she blinked again, she clearly saw Theo—just Theo.
Hestia quickly shook off her lingering thoughts.
“Misunderstanding. You’re always pretty, but when you smile, you’re even prettier.”
She smiled as if it was no big deal.
“I’m even prettier when I dress up.”
“Stop it. There’s no cure for prince syndrome.”
“…”
Theo’s brow furrowed, but Hestia just laughed, clearly amused.
The thoughts from earlier had already vanished.
“Relax your face. Even luck will run away if you scowl like that.”
She reached out with her index finger and gently smoothed his furrowed brow.
Again, Theo didn’t shy away from her touch. He liked the warmth that flowed from her cool fingertips.
His guard toward her had already crumbled.
He just didn’t realize it yet…
Theo, regaining his senses, turned his gaze to the deliciously grilled fish.
“By the way, when did you catch the fish?”
“My friend brought it earlier.”
She hadn’t said the friend was human, so it was fine.
Hestia answered proudly.
“Could it have been that Rai—ah. Never mind.”
But at her words, Theo’s brow, which had relaxed, furrowed again. He ran a hand roughly through his hair and exhaled sharply.
“What? What is it? Why’d you stop talking halfway? Now I’m curious.”
Hestia tilted her head at Theo’s sudden weird behavior.
Did he figure out who Roo was? Or… did he see something with Mr. El?
The sudden tension made Hestia carefully study his face.
“In that short time…”
Theo slowly raised his bowed head and looked straight into her brown eyes.
His golden gaze glimmered, capturing her entirely.
“…”
Hestia couldn’t escape that intense stare.
Caught in the rich, golden glow, she even forgot her nerves and just swallowed dryly.
Theo’s expression was hard to read.
He looked like an innocent child.
Like someone confused by his own emotions.
Like someone hesitating at the edge of a trap.
Or maybe like someone excited by a fluttering feeling.
A mixture of emotions collided across his face.
Theo tightly pressed his lips together as if struggling with something.
“…In that short time, I think I’ve grown attached to you.”
Then, he seemed to find his own answer.
His lips curved into a faint smile. No more hesitation shimmered in his golden eyes.
“…”
Hestia smiled faintly too.
Watching this boy slowly find his own answers and grow—it was just so lovely and endearing.
Crackle—!
The fire’s song broke the silence between them.
“Oh no, it’s going to burn.”
Hestia quickly turned away and pulled the skewers off the fire.
She picked the biggest, best-cooked one.
“Here. Try it.”
As if it were natural now, she handed it to Theo first.
“See? You’re actually such a caring person.”
Theo teased lightly and took the skewer with a smile.
“…Ah.”
Hestia froze for a moment, letting out a quiet breath.
It felt like she had been caught—like someone had seen right through her weak side, one she’d always denied.
Maybe… yes. It felt like she was finally facing a version of herself she had always turned away from.
Rather than the self she thought would be broken by betrayal and despair, the one she met was smiling—like it had always been there.
Not a version that was curled up in fear of being hurt again.
Just one she had chosen to ignore because she didn’t want to be hurt alone.
And this—
“…Thank you.”
—was something this boy had shown her.
“Thank you, Theo.”
Hestia smiled brightly, from the heart.
It felt like one of the walls she had built so tightly around herself had finally crumbled.
“Didn’t I tell you to lie down first? Why are you still out here?”
After finishing her shower, Hestia returned to the house.
Despite telling him many times to go to bed first, Theo was still sitting in the chair, waiting for her.
“Just because.”
Only after confirming that Hestia had returned did Theo get up from the chair.
“Come on, let’s go in.”
Seeing Theo stand up, Hestia opened the door to the room.
Theo quickly stepped up beside her.
“Okay. You take that bed. I’ll take this one.”
Hestia pointed first to the new bed, then to the older one.
“Mm… Good night, Theo.”
She added a shy smile along with her goodnight.
“…You too, Miss Hestia. Sleep well.”
Theo responded, though he couldn’t bring himself to meet her eyes, smiling awkwardly.
A simple exchange of goodnights, seemingly natural.
But for the two of them, it felt unfamiliar and a little awkward.
“Ahem! Hm!”
“Haa…”
Avoiding each other’s eyes, they quickly moved to their respective beds.
Inside the softly flickering candlelit room, only their breathing filled the silence.
Theo lay quietly under the blanket, while Hestia leaned against the headboard and read a book.
“…Miss Hestia, do you trust me?”
Theo suddenly broke the silence with a quiet question.
“You asked me that before.”
“So… is your answer still the same?”
The one where she said it didn’t matter whether she trusted someone or not.
Theo clearly remembered that answer.
“…I do. I trust you.”
Before Hestia could say anything, Theo spoke again.
“Eh?”
Hestia let out a foolish-sounding noise, completely caught off guard.
She looked away from her book and turned to him.
But Theo lay there calmly, as if he hadn’t said anything unusual.
“Maybe I’ve gone deaf from age. Did I just hear things—”
“After spending three days and nights together, wouldn’t you naturally start to trust someone?”
That’s all.
Theo murmured softly, pulling the blanket up to his chin.
Three days might be a short time for some, but for others, it’s long enough to see someone’s true nature.
The sincere brown eyes and thoughtful gestures had made it impossible not to trust her.
Especially for someone like Theo, who was sensitive to emotions.
“I just… wanted to say that.”
It hadn’t been an easy thing for Theo to say. But strangely, he really wanted Hestia to hear it.
The phrase “I trust you”—he had never said it to anyone before.
After saying it, he pulled the blanket up even higher, covering nearly to his eyes.
It was so sudden, Hestia could only blink in response.
Theo’s embarrassment seemed to radiate across the room.
And the word “trust”… made her wonder—what should she even say in response?
“Uh… well, thank you. For saying that…”
After a long pause, Hestia finally spoke, gently.
