Chapter 13: Chapter 8.1

Yernia’s ankle was too painful that she doubted it would heal immediately.

It was already red, and she was sure this would swell up soon.

“Why do you wear these heels then if you don’t want to be hurt?”

Cassian rebuked Yernia as his gaze lowered unto her heels, which appeared more like a weapon than shoes.

“Will wearing them hide the fact  that you were short?”

This was why her ankle was twisted.

Cassian bent his upper body and hurriedly removed Yernia’s yellow shoes, which she had claimed to be a limited edition.

Her eyelids were squeezed shut from the pain earlier, but Yernia’s eyes widened when someone had taken off her shoes without warning.

She thought it was a ghost who did it.

“Give my shoes back.”

Her arms shot upwards to take them, but Cassian raised her shoes even higher.

“You’re going to wear these shoes with that swollen ankle of yours? I would have collapsed to hold my ankle tenderly even before I could take a step.”

“But I can’t walk barefooted.”

Yernia continued to protest Cassian didn’t care and placed her shoes on the sofa next to him instead.

He placed the yellow shoes randomly on the white sofa.

Yernia moved slightly, timidly, due to her ankle being swollen, but it was so far that she could never reach it with one arm outstretched.

Because of her painful ankle, she moved slightly, timidly, but her shoes were too far.

Her hands couldn’t reach them no matter how much she tried.

“You’re so cheap.”

Yernia’s insult merely passed to his other ear.

Suddenly, his hand held Yernia’s foot and caressed the swollen ankle.

Her foot was small and white, about half the size of his hand.

“How could your feet be this small? I think about it every time. It’s as big as my palm.”

“Your hands are big.”

He was amazed at everything, and Yernia was the same.

She noticed that Cassian had much bigger hands than her feet.

“But, I find this too cute.”

Afraid that she would groan in pain from him constantly touching her swollen ankle, he withdrew his hand slightly and let it hover above Yernia’s feet.

Next, Cassian put his shoes on her.

His shoes didn’t look good on her because her feet were too small.

It covered the whole thing altogether.

“What are you doing? How can you go to other places?”

“Just worry about yourself.”

The last time she sprained her ankle was two years ago, but she still found that embarrassing.

He looked at Yernia’s injured ankle often, but he never took off his shoes for her.

Even on the first time, Yernia had sprained her ankle, Cassian didn’t attempt to take off her shoes.

Instead, he made Yernia’s life difficult.

“I will carry you on my back.”

Cassian showed his back in front of all the children.

Many eyes in her surroundings watching the both of them disconcerted her.

She, who was in her puberty at the time, was so ashamed that everyone might misunderstand that she was dating Cassian.

“No. I would not be carried on your back.”

“You can’t walk because your ankle is swollen. If you don’t want to crawl, I will have to carry you on my back.”

“I’ll take care of it, so go away!”

Still, Cassian carried Yernia on his back.

She tried to prevent him from doing this, but he had forced her to put her shoulders around him.

When he carried Yernia on his back, Yena almost died of shame on their way to the campus.

“I’m embarrassed. Don’t carry me on your back. I don’t want to breed misunderstandings about you and me.”

Since then, Cassian had run faster than anyone else every time Yernia sprained her ankle during outdoor class.

Yet, he never carried her on his back anymore.

Maybe, it was because of what Yernia said before that.

So, Yernia was a little surprised when he hugged her this time.

However, she wasn’t that embarrassed or cared about the other people’s eyes were on her like she did when she was fifteen.

Still, it was a little unexpected of him to take off her shoes.

Yernia thought it was doubtful for her to take off her shoes even if Cassian told her to go barefoot.

“You’re not going barefoot, are you?”

“It wouldn’t be that bad if I do that at least once.”

“Did you eat something wrong? What’s wrong with you?” Yernia found Cassian’s kindness very strange, and her countenance had made it known.

Ignoring her suspicious gaze, Cassian continued to put the remaining shoe on her other foot.

“You don’t like it because you are embarrassed by me carrying you on my back, or is it because I gave you the shoes?”

“No, it’s not that. I just don’t like it. It is weird. And why are you suddenly talking about the past?”

“If you don’t like it, just wear it. Or perhaps, you do want me to carry you on my back?”

“I’ll just wear them.”

Yernia didn’t care about how other people might look at her anymore, but she chose to receive the shoes rather than piggyback he was offering.”

“Uh. It hurts so much.”

Yernia had worn his shoes and accidentally put strength on both of her feet without realizing it.

She groaned from the pain that seemed to ring on her head continuously, and Cassian reached out to wipe away Yernia’s tears.

Yernia sniffled and looked up at him, but suddenly the carriage door opened.

“The chicken skewers are here.”

The driver, who bought the chicken skewers with the most refreshing smell, glanced at the image she and Cassian had portrayed inside the carriage.

Cassian touched her legs while her dress was raised to her calves.

Yernia covered her exposed skin with her skirts immediately, and the Knight’s face colored with embarrassment after putting two and two together.

“Oh, you two. I know.”

Yernia, who wasn’t interested in finding out why the driver was embarrassed, reached out to get the chicken skewers.

She had to eat to forget this pain.

“What?” The foolish knight asked while staring at her outstretched hand.

“Chicken skewers.”

“Oh, yes, yes. I’ll give it to you.”

For some reason, the bewildered knight blushed in chagrin and handed Yernia the chicken skewers.

Cassian watched Yernia eat her chicken skewers happily as if she had forgotten that she was hurt.

His eyes narrowed at the knight in displeasure.

“It’s nothing like that, so erase it from your head.”

Cassian had recognized the knight’s inappropriate assumption, and at his words, he quickly lowered his gaze.

“Yes. I’m sorry.”