Chapter 266 – Twist the Tree (7)

– Blanche must experience love!

The World Tree of Healing had implored Marronnier to love until the very end. To not love in one’s lifetime is akin to sin, she’d said. Time and again, she urged her to find someone she could care for.

‘Love.’

What is love?

Foolishly, Blanche could hardly recall ever loving anyone. She hadn’t had the opportunity, and she hadn’t intended to love anyone either.

‘What does love taste like?’

Marronnier pondered as she sat on the bench, having just sipped from a grape-flavored Wilches. She peered into the can, wondering if love had a sweet and tangy taste like the drink. Or perhaps, it was bitter like the surface of slightly burnt toast.

In heartrending romance films, happy endings aren’t the only outcome. Undoubtedly, some stories end in tragedy. She considered that it might be better not to love someone at all than to experience such anguish.

One must experience love to truly understand it.
Isn’t love something that naturally comes our way?
It would be quite disconcerting to suddenly be asked to bring forth someone you adore.

“Ugh.”

Love, yes, love.
If there’s someone to love, I want to try it.
What is it about love that makes it so alluring? I want to experience it for myself.

Blanche once had a dream.

A romantic tale of a girl dressed in a wedding gown, like a heroine from a fairy tale, rescued by a gallant knight, living blissfully together for the rest of their lives. A dream that any young French girl would have held dear.

Cradling a teddy bear in her arms every night, she would wonder when her knight would come, peering out the window every minute, unable to sleep until past 1 a.m.

“Mother.”
“Yes?”
“When will my knight arrive?”
“Hehe, Blanche, are you that eager for your knight to come?”
“I want to meet him before I become an adult!”

My very own knight.

Marronier was timid and believed that Santa and knights existed until she was 17 years old.
It was her own secret that she never shared with anyone.
If it were to become known, there may be no more lingering attachments in this life.

*Sigh…*

A deep exhale escaped her lips.

“What’s wrong?”

Beside a bench, Lee Si-heon spoke to her.
Marronier glanced at Si-heon’s mask.

‘…A prince on a white horse.’

Not this guy.
Not a prince on a white horse, but one riding a horse of many colors.
He was far from the image of her dreams, and a person she could never like.
And for good reason…
Not only did he take her virginity, but he treated her like a plaything all day long.
Even if she were to love this guy, it could never be pure love.
Only an egoless eros would surely unfold.

Lee Si-heon’s mask. The face hidden within.
The smell. The touch. The roughness of his skin.

*Thump.*

Marronnier rubbed her hot cheeks with both hands.

– Hwaaak.

The blush spread, heating her face.

“Ugh.”

…Again.
Again… her heart races.

Every time she sees that man’s face, her body reacts.
The impact is so intense that merely touching him makes her breath hitch and her heart pound.
Her cheeks burn too. After just one encounter, she becomes so preoccupied that sleep eludes her that night.

“…There he is.”
“Why?”

But…

That only made her more curious.
Does this person know love? If so, what are his thoughts on it?

Initially, he seemed like a man who viewed women as mere holes, not as objects of love, so it appeared unlikely that he would know love at all.
Nonetheless, he’s the one she’s interacted with the most recently and grown closer to. She trusts that he will provide an honest answer.

“Love… what is it?”

Marronnier’s sudden question.
The blush on her cheeks created an ambiguous atmosphere.

Lee Si-heon’s face became as rigid as stone. Why was he suddenly spouting nonsense? It was time to think seriously.

“…What on earth are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“Ah, seriously! There is such a thing. Just answer me. What is it?”

It was a scene reminiscent of an old scripted movie.
The cheesy SNS sentiment, alive in the ’80s and ’90s, required a certain atmosphere and emotion to surface.

“Why does that come up while we’re talking about Flower?”
“…It just came to mind all of a sudden.”
“While looking at the Flower?”
“No one is suspicious. That’s it.”

Saying so left nothing else to be discussed.
Si-heon tilted his head, deep in thought for a considerable amount of time.

“Did you develop feelings for someone?”
“No, that’s not it.”

What is love? Suddenly burdened with Marronnier’s concerns, Lee Si-heon couldn’t help but feel extremely flustered.
However, he knew he had to provide an answer.

As I sifted through my memories, I realized that, surprisingly, I had a personal benchmark for this.

“I can’t put it into exact words, but if I were willing to die for someone, wouldn’t that mean I love them deeply?”

This value system had been shaped by relationships with people like Lee Se-young and Azalea. Upon hearing Lee Si-heon’s response, Marronier gently nodded in agreement. It was indeed a remarkable criterion – being willing to die for someone.

However, if that were the case, then for the sake of France, would Kukmok need to die, thus demanding unconditional love?

When I shared these thoughts with Si-heon, he looked uncomfortable.

“No, it’s not exactly like that.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s difficult to explain this clearly…”

Lee Si-heon scratched the back of his neck. That gesture didn’t really help, either. Marronier, who had been staring intently at Si-heon’s face, laughed incredulously.

“…So you do think about it in that way, don’t you?”

“Wouldn’t anyone?”

Considering how many girlfriends he had.

“Have you ever experienced that?”

At Lee Si-heon’s inquiry, Marronnier pursed his lips and shot him a glare.

“…You know from that time.”

That he had never experienced it before.

“Ah.”

She was a maiden taken in a fleeting moment without love. Lee Si-heon solemnly bowed his head, feeling the gravity of his heart. Although they regarded it as if it never happened, for the two of them, the memory of that event still lingered within their bodies. The recollection was vague, but the body knew.

Who Marronnier belonged to, and who her body was drawn towards. Marronnier still couldn’t touch Lee Si-heon. If she accidentally did so, it could lead to a catastrophe like the last time.

-…

Perhaps because their conversation turned to the past, a deep silence settled between them.

“…I don’t know what to do.”

“Why are you like this?”

“It’s a trial. A test… To bring someone you love with you for a long time. But there’s no one like that.”

Marronnier rested her elbows on her thighs and propped her chin on a flower cup.

As she sighed, Lee Si-heon, who had been watching her, chimed in.

“Then take me with you.”
“…What?”

He said it nonchalantly, causing Marronnier’s eyes to widen.

“What, what?”
“Just insist on it. Isn’t it fine to date for just one day?”

If we admit to being in love, what will they think? It’s not difficult to stick together for a day. Lee Si-heon was already someone who had loosened boundaries in relationships with women.

“…What, what does that mean? Dating for just one day?”

Marronnier’s face flushed with heat.

So, is this like a contractual relationship? Is that what he’s suggesting?

Even though they had crossed a line last time, wasn’t this moving too fast?

“Since you’re helping me this time, I’ll help you through the ordeal as well.”

Just for that reason?

“Isn’t it our shared destiny?”

Searching for the Flower, the descriptor was added, but oddly, the words that followed didn’t reach Marronnier’s ears.

– Kongdak, kongdak.

Her heart ached. Her head was spinning.

“…Well, Jamsimang. I get it.”

Marronnier, stuttering, nodded her head. When she covered her ears, they were hot enough to make her flush. Perhaps it would be better to start preparing now. Her toes wriggled inside her shoes.

She found herself amusing for suddenly thinking about this. Truly, she… No, that’s not it. What kind of man had she encountered?

“Oh, but let’s set it back three days.”

“…Why!”

“Huh?”

“No, why?”

Siheon, perplexed by Marronnier’s somewhat rough reaction, adjusted his expression again.

“I’m going to have my second trial no-show soon.”

Marronnier was going through it as well, but Lee Si-heon was also undergoing a second trial. The continuous streak of favorable actions. At first, the onslaught of fertilizer, water, and massage had won over her stomach. The second time, it captivated her body.

It was said that Mary had imprinted her presence within the tree.

“After some time has passed since then, let’s go.”

Slowly, his romantic simulation was nearing its conclusion.

* * * * * * * * *

[It’s refreshing.]

“Do you like it?”

[Yeah. For a human, it’s quite decent.]

As Mary received her massage, she cheerfully pulled at her branches. The scene resembled a human stretching. As the days went by, the frequency of her massages increased, eventually reaching a point where she requested them four or five times a day.

Once in the morning. Twice at lunch. Twice in the evening. Once at dawn. She didn’t take my schedule into consideration; she would simply summon me on a whim whenever she was in a good mood.

“…Mr. Lee Si-heon?”

– Yes.
– It’s Mary’s call.

Even when asleep, if called, I must wake up and compose myself.
Before Mary, I had to become a superhuman.
Always maintaining the best condition, regardless of when I was called.
In truth, I wore a kind smile to conceal the fact that I was pushing myself too hard.

“Will the water be to your liking today?”

[Yes~ How wonderful it would have been if everyone in the world were like you?]

Such high praise.

[Can you tend to the leaves for me?]

The more you rely on me, the more prominently the void will be felt.

[…The roots are a bit itchy. My throat feels a little dry as well.]

With sincerity. Eventually, the time will come.

[What about the fertilizer? Lee Si-heon~ Lee Si-heon!]

The opportunity is approaching.

– Swiftly.

Just like that.

A white magical seal cascading from between the branches caught my eye. Upon seeing it, a smile instantly formed on my lips.

“I… Mary, what is this?”

Mary glanced at the seal without much thought and replied with a grin. There was no trace of hatred left in her demeanor, but it was already too late. If she had been like this from the start, things might have unfolded differently.

[Oh that? It’s nothing special. A trial pass seal.]

“…The fact that it exists…”

[Yes, your friend. Lim Jong-hyun has passed.]

A bit over a week had passed since I encountered the seal. I had been catering to this person’s tastes, providing massages, and ensuring proper nutrition and root maintenance. My skills exceeded those of the separately assigned caretaker, so I was frequently called upon.

Yes, right now.

It was the perfect time to express my wounded emotions.

“…Is that so?”

In a shocked voice, her words trembled at the end. Even I thought that the overwhelming anxiety and emptiness would come. I acted as much as possible to the point where I believed it would be far from ordinary if left alone.

[Yeah~ You could do well too, right? Huh? Who knows if you can get something like that?]

Mary didn’t seem to realize the seriousness of the situation yet. If that’s a talent, then it’s a talent indeed. She removed her mask, her face turned blue, and her hands were shaking. Right now, she’s acting as if she’s been through an extremely humiliating experience.

Nevertheless, she doesn’t stop what she’s doing. She just finishes the task a bit awkwardly and sluggishly.

[…Huh?]

Around that time, Mary gradually begins to grasp the situation.

[Why are you like this? Why are your hands so cold and shaky?]

“…No, it’s nothing.”

[What’s the matter? Did you get your friend through?]

That’s it. She should have noticed that.

Then, the irritated Mary, unable to comprehend, spoke in a tone that shattered the goodwill she had built up until now.

[Ha, you’re unbelievable. Just because of that, your feelings are hurt? Are inferior beings allowed to feel that way?]

“……”

Silence.

This time, she didn’t even respond.

[Hey.]

She didn’t even meet my gaze.

[Hey!]

Mary’s growing voice.

[Is this insanity? Hey.]

[You’re amusing. You and him are different from the start. He’s the chosen one, and you’re not. Ha, really. I thought there was at least one person among humans who was better than I expected. Turns out, it was all nonsense. You’re just another fool among them. Do you realize that? Are you listening?]

Timing it well, I nodded my head.

Perhaps then she thought I had somewhat let go of my anger. It was around that time that Mary’s limbs tremored with intensity.

“…I don’t think I can satisfy you, Mary.”

I said in a disheartened voice.

[…Huh? What?]

“I apologize. I just wanted to make Mary as happy as possible… That’s why I did it.”

[Hey, what-]

“…I’m sorry. It was an unwarranted sense of inferiority.”

Even so, I don’t stop what I’m doing. I put away the water container and, with an empty fertilizer sack on my back, I leave the room.

Mary stands dumbfounded, unable to say a word. That’s enough.

‘The remaining time is… well, now I’m free.’

For the rest, Mary will have to take care of it on her own, in a hurry. People only realize how precious someone is when they’re gone. This was sufficient education for a clueless young lady.