[TIDK] 116 – Fairy Tale

Viktor couldn't bear the discomfort any longer and sat up, looking at her intently. "So, what's the moral of that fairy tale?"

"A moral? Well, maybe it's that good children receive candy?" Scarlett suggested.

"That's not a moral," Viktor said firmly.

"Must all fairy tales have morals?"

"My governess always asked about the moral of every story," Viktor explained.

Scarlett hesitated momentarily before responding, "Maybe I didn't tell you that story because it doesn't have a moral."

Scarlett blinked at his words and gazed at Viktor before suggesting, "When we return to our hometown, shall we build a snow house?"

Viktor pondered for a moment and then nodded. "Okay, let's do that."

Scarlett smiled joyfully, but then she yawned and said, "I should sleep now."

She grabbed Viktor's hand and pulled him up. They entered the bedroom together as if it were the most natural thing. Scarlett touched the bed with her hand, checking if it was cold, and then she lay down on her usual side, gesturing for Viktor to join her.

As Viktor lay down next to Scarlett, he could still feel the warmth she had left behind. He was about to say something about it, but Scarlett had already fallen asleep, resting her head on his chest.

When Scarlett woke up and saw Viktor beside her the following morning, she was startled and shook him awake. "Viktor, wake up."

Viktor slowly opened his eyes, gazed at her momentarily, and asked, "Do you love me?"

"What? What's with that question?" Scarlett responded, puzzled.

"It's just a joke," Viktor replied, sitting up.

Scarlett, who had now fully awakened, asked, "Why did you sleep here?"

It seemed she didn't remember what had transpired during the night. From Viktor's perspective, it was unfair, but he casually lied, "I liked this bedroom."

Scarlett made a face as if impressed and then resignedly sat up. As soon as Viktor stood up, he noticed his slippers were missing. He extended his hand towards the bed to search for them. Meanwhile, Scarlett briskly walked to a small wooden shelf, took a pair of slippers, and held one out to Viktor. "Take it."

"Take what?" Viktor asked, slightly confused.

A slipper flew towards him before Viktor could figure out what she was talking about.

Scarlett threw the slipper, and Viktor, catching it, was taken aback. Meanwhile, Scarlett headed towards the window, pulling the curtains on both sides and tying them tightly with a string to make them look neat.

"..."

Only now did Viktor notice the slipper he had put on as he watched Scarlett, who had tightly tied her long hair in a single bundle, open the window with both hands. Concerned about waking up in the same bed with Viktor again, she had fine wrinkles on her forehead, but her expression turned vacant as she faced the view outside the window.

"Oh, my..."

A vast vineyard bathed in sunlight came into view. The grapevines, covered with the remnants of snow that had fallen in the early morning, looked pale. Viktor, speaking nonchalantly, was unaware that it was such a massive vineyard.

While Scarlett gazed at the vineyard, Viktor arranged breakfast in the bedroom. The servants had meticulously set up a delectable food spread on a table near the window. Viktor took a seat, crossed his legs, and placed a cup of coffee beside the breakfast feast. Engrossed in his newspaper, he barely acknowledged the sumptuous offerings before him.

Observing Scarlett silently eating her meal, unable to bear the quietness, she decided to take action. Cutting a cherry Danish in half, she delicately placed it on Viktor's plate.

"Eat," she urged.

The servants, watching from a distance, wore perplexed expressions. They knew all too well that Viktor never touched the food on another person's plate. As expected, Viktor did not indulge in the Danish Scarlett had offered, instead returning his gaze to the newspaper, feigning indifference.

Breaking the silence, Scarlett's laughter shattered the tranquillity of the room.

"This was how it used to be when we had meals together," she remarked a hint of nostalgia in her voice.

Viktor glanced at her; curiosity evident in his eyes. Scarlett resumed her meal, refraining from further comment. After a while, Viktor decided to speak up.

"Not at all," he responded, sipping his coffee. "It took time to adjust after the divorce. It was too quiet."

Viktor's nonchalant reply and the way he set aside the newspaper to gaze at Scarlett indicated that she desired him to say anything as if she were willing to listen.

Scarlett tried to ignore his gaze but eventually succumbed to its intensity. She opened her mouth to speak.

"It will take some time to have a meal and style my hair. I think I'll tie it to one side like this," she said, attempting to divert the conversation.

"You always bring up topics that are difficult to empathise with," Viktor replied, a slight smirk on his lips.

"But I'll give you the correct answer. Okay? It's a good idea, right?" Scarlett persisted.

"Ah," Viktor acknowledged, his smirk growing wider. "And you'll use a blue ribbon."

"That's a good idea," Scarlett agreed, barely managing to stifle her impending laughter, biting her lip.