MLHRGD 16

#16. Partner (2)

Despite everything, the walk continued.

At first, Pavel had been gasping for breath just walking a little. But now, he could go a fair distance without trouble.
It was thanks to Sasha gradually increasing the walking distance to match what Pavel’s body could handle.

“This is a path I haven’t seen before. Right?”
Sasha’s eyes sparkled at the unfamiliar scenery.

When they looked back, the annex they lived in was already a tiny speck in the distance.

“What do you think is further in?”

As Sasha asked in an excited voice, Pavel responded not with words, but by walking forward.

They walked deeper, parting the thick canopy of leaves overhead.
Before long, a beautiful landscape unfolded before them.

Shhh—
The wind rustled the trees, their leaves brushing against each other and making a sound like rain.

The wind passed through the green field and stirred the blooming cluster of snowdrops.
A sweet floral fragrance carried on the wind, surrounding them.

Sunlight reflected on the gently flowing stream, glittering like shattered glass.

“Wow!”
Sasha clapped her hands in delight.
“I can’t believe a place like this existed!”

She gushed openly, unable to hide her excitement.

“Let’s always come here for walks from now on. It’s perfect. The smell of the flowers, everything—it’s all so nice.”

“……”

“Oh? Wait a sec.”

Sasha suddenly crouched by a bell-shaped flower.
She carefully picked up one that had fallen to the ground.

With a mischievous expression rare on her face, she gently blew the flower clean and tucked it behind her ear.

“How do I look?”
She beamed with the flower tucked near her silver hair.

…She looked beautiful.

That was Pavel’s honest thought. But his mouth was not so honest.

“Weird.”
“Aw, really?”
Sasha tilted her head, her shimmering silver hair sliding down with the movement.

Pavel found himself wondering what it would feel like to run his hand through it.
He imagined the soft strands slipping between his fingers like water.

“Really weird?”

Startled by his own wandering thoughts, Pavel quickly averted his gaze and nodded.

“Hmph.”
Sasha scrunched her nose and removed the flower from her ear.

‘But it really suited her…’

As the thought surfaced, Pavel shook his head vigorously.

“What? Did a bug fly at you?”
“No!”

Though Sasha couldn’t possibly read his thoughts, Pavel barked a sharp reply.

“Good, then.”

Unbothered by Pavel’s suspicious reaction, Sasha ran her fingers through the flower field.

“Let’s see… Ah, this one looks good.”

Picking the prettiest one she could find, she held it out toward Pavel.

“Want to try one too?”

“No.”
“Come on, just once. I bet it’ll look good on you.”

Sasha giggled, imagining a flower behind Pavel’s ear.

‘He already looks like a doll—if I add a flower, he’d look even prettier.’

But unaware of her thoughts, Pavel frowned.

‘Is she making fun of me?’

His reply was cold.

“Do I look like I’d do something that stupid? Get that away from me.”

He waved his hand—and—

Smack!

He accidentally struck Sasha’s hand along with the flower.

“….”

Startled by the loud sound, Pavel flinched.
He hadn’t meant to hit her. He just wanted to reject the idea, not hurt her.

But intentional or not, the fact remained: Pavel had hit Sasha’s hand.

Seeing him freeze in place, Sasha quietly withdrew her hand and said:

“Sorry if I upset you.”

“I—”

‘This isn’t what I meant…’ Pavel thought, but the words wouldn’t come.
He had never once apologized to anyone in his life, nor had he ever been taught to.

While he stammered, Sasha smiled softly.

“Let’s go back. If we stay too long, we might catch a cold. It’s still chilly out.”

Turning toward the annex, she began to walk.
Behind her, Pavel followed, biting his lip in frustration.

So hard that his lips began to bleed.

Cleanliness is next to godliness.

Thanks to Sasha’s obsession with hygiene, Pavel washed his hands and feet as soon as they got back.

Scrubbing until they squeaked, he kept glancing at Sasha.

Her face was calm, with the usual gentle smile.

As if she’d already forgotten what had happened.

But Pavel couldn’t relax.
He had learned the hard way that most people hid their true feelings behind masks.

As they walked to the dining room, Pavel edged closer to her.

‘Should I… hold her hand?’

Since they often held hands anyway, it wouldn’t be strange for him to initiate it now.
But as he wrestled with the idea—

“Come on, Pavel. Sit down.”

They were already in the dining room.

“……”

Sasha, already seated and arranging the table, noticed his blank stare.

“Pavel? Something wrong?”

“…No.”

He frowned and sat across from her.

Soon, dinner was served. The rich aroma stirred his appetite.

“It’s pasta with Poropong mushrooms in a creamy sauce! They’re really rare, but we got lucky this time.”

Sasha explained proudly and urged him to eat.

But unlike usual, Pavel hesitated. He didn’t pick up his utensils.

“What’s wrong? Does it not look good? Is it something you don’t like?”

She asked gently.

“……”

Pavel paused.

He didn’t want to eat it.
But—he glanced at her.

‘If I refuse, she’ll be disappointed.’

Hurting her feelings once at the snowdrop field was bad enough.
He didn’t want to see her sad again.

“…No.”

He finally picked up his fork, wound the pasta, and put it in his mouth.

Chewing briefly, he swallowed and continued eating in silence.

“How is it? Good?”

“…Yeah.”

He mumbled, glancing sideways at Sasha.

She beamed.

Pavel, overwhelmed by the brightness of her smile, lowered his head.

‘Even if he doesn’t say it, he’s eating quickly. He must like it.’

Sasha smiled, pleased that he was eating well.

‘He’s such a picky eater—I was worried. But lately he’s eating everything. If this keeps up, he’ll grow up healthy.’

But her smile didn’t last long.

Thud—!

“Pavel!”

Before the meal ended, Pavel collapsed, his whole body covered in red blotches.

Panicked, Sasha rushed to his side.

“Pavel, Pavel!”

She reached for him, then froze.

“I can’t just touch him carelessly.”

In an unknown medical emergency, the wrong move could worsen things.

“Stay calm.”

Taking a breath, she gently opened his mouth to check his throat.

Nothing was stuck—he wasn’t choking.

But his throat was visibly swollen.

Something was seriously wrong.

Sasha bit her lip hard enough to bleed and checked Pavel carefully.

Wheezing, convulsions, hives.

She processed his symptoms and came to a conclusion.

Whipping her head around, she scanned the table.

Mushroom pasta.

Main ingredients: milk, mushrooms, cream, onion, garlic, flour.

She had eaten it too and was fine—so the food wasn’t spoiled or poisoned.

‘Pavel must have a food allergy…!’

‘If I’d just been more careful… this wouldn’t have happened!’

Though Sasha remembered her past life as a doctor, it was mostly textbook knowledge now.
Since her reincarnation, she’d only treated minor issues—never something this urgent.