To Be the Perfect Childhood Friend - Chapter 96

“That one’s broken. The one next to it.”

“This one?”

“Yeah.”

Is he possessed by a ghost?

It was the first time she saw him being so compliant. After thirteen long years, this was a side of him she had never seen.

“How about this one?”

Since her comment had been made without much thought, Anita didn’t place much importance on the seashells. But his enthusiastic response made her feel awkward just standing there. She bent down to sift through the sand.

“This one looks like you.”

Anita’s smile faltered as she saw what he handed her. It was a spiral shell twisted in multiple directions, resembling a gnarled old tree.

“You look like a dried-up starfish.”

Anita retorted sharply. However, his reaction was quite unusual. He suddenly burst into laughter. Although he turned his head, he couldn’t stop his shoulders from shaking.

Was it really that funny to be compared to a dried-up starfish?

As his laughter continued, Anita’s face grew increasingly flushed. Reflecting on it, she realized how childish her retort had been. It was the kind of thing immature kids might say.

“I didn’t realize you saw me like that.”

“Well, it’s good that you know now.”

After that, they continued to dig through the sand in silence. Anita tried to make a few comments about his hands being rough, but he didn’t seem to pay any attention. After a while, as she looked up, she noticed he was focused on cleaning sand off a seashell. With his serious expression, he looked more like an archaeologist unearthing fossils than someone simply collecting seashells.

“Has your dad said anything to you?”

“What do you mean?”

He asked nonchalantly without looking up.

“Nothing.”

Anita was worried that she might take out her frustration on him for abruptly ending their call and not coming home. But seeing that Rutger showed no particular reaction, it seemed like everything was fine.

“Did you have a fight?”

“What?”

“Is it because of Mr. Rodel that you didn’t come down?”

“…Yeah.”

“Is it because of me?”

“……”

“If it’s about what happened that time, you don’t have to worry about it.”

Anita didn’t know what to say. His hand, still partially buried in the sand, was wrapped with a bandage. She hoped his injury would heal quickly; maybe then her guilt would lessen a bit.

“Let’s go. It’s getting late.”

Anita seemed too engrossed in playing with the sand for someone her age. By the time she looked up, the sunset was already dipping below the horizon. They must have arrived at the beach right after breakfast, meaning they had spent at least five hours there.

“Let me see your hand.”

“Why?”

Despite the question, she willingly extended her hands. Various shaped seashells fell into her palms. Once she handed over everything she had collected, Rutger brushed off his hands and started walking toward the stairs.

Anita watched him walk ahead and then let the seashells she was holding fall to the ground. With a soft clatter, the seashells returned to the sand. Although she had mentioned collecting them to make excuses to Rutger, she never intended to take them. After all, they were on someone else’s property.

“Why aren’t you coming?”

“…I’m coming.”

She hid her hands behind her back, as if trying not to get caught. Rutger stood still until Anita reached him. She didn’t want to admit that she had thrown away the seashells he had gathered for her.

“Why are you hiding your hands behind your back?”

“I heard it’s good for your health to walk with your hands behind your back.”

“……”

Anita’s excuse sounded flimsy even to herself, and Rutger, perceptive as ever, clearly saw through it. He grabbed Anita’s shoulders and gently turned her around. Seeing her empty hands, Rutger let out a wry smile.

“Did you get them stolen by the neighborhood kids?”

“……”

Despite the pile of seashells behind Anita, Rutger didn’t press the issue further. As they climbed the stairs together, Anita’s curiosity grew.

Aside from the sudden appearance, his unusually kind and considerate demeanor was hard to understand. Pondering for a while, Anita reminded herself of a coping strategy she had recently developed.

‘Just don’t think about it.’

Whether he was cold or warm, it didn’t matter as long as she didn’t let it affect her. Anita thought this approach was quite practical.

When they entered the garden, Liliana rushed over to them with exaggerated gestures, pressing her forehead dramatically.

“Goodness. You’re really something. I don’t think I told you the location, but you found your way here all by yourself?”

She spoke rapidly, barely pausing for breath.

Anita could tell that Liliana’s acting was poor, even with her limited social awareness. How could Rutger’s sudden appearance not raise any suspicion?

She already knew that Liliana had shared the location of the villa with Rutger. Besides, she didn’t have any intention to blame Liliana for it. Whether or not Liliana revealed the location was up to her as the owner.

“But why were you two coming from a different direction instead of the main gate? There’s nothing over there.”

Liliana shielded her eyes from the glaring sun and looked toward the direction they had come from as she asked.

“You went to the beach. There was a staircase leading down the cliff, wasn’t there?”

“Hmm? Oh, that iron staircase north of the garden? That’s an old staircase. We now use a newly built passage.”

“Oh.”