The Cursed Heart

Chapter 3: The Question That Made Her Understand

“It sure was windy yesterday…” Mari rested her chin on her hands as her elbows rested on the windowsill of the window she always looked out of. It’s been two days since Drew visited her house. She didn’t know if he would ever come back, but she knew that if it were him, he’d definitely come back. And for some reason, she felt happy about that…

“Ah, Mari.” she heard a familiar voice that she had been happily expecting. She turned to her right, and saw Drew coming toward her house, carrying some things.

“Drew…” she watched him walk toward her. She didn’t know anymore. Whether she should tell him not to come, or welcome him in. She knew she shouldn’t interact with people, but thinking about spending time with him made her happy. Before she could realize it, he had already opened the door and entered her house.

“Ah! Don’t enter peoples’ houses without permission like that!” she scolded him, at the same time, not quite mad about it.

“You were going to let me in anyways, weren’t you?” he smiled.

Mari didn’t know the answer to that. At least, she didn’t want to think about what she would have done. Why was it that what she wanted to do was what she shouldn’t do? She dedicated herself to not talking with people, so that she wouldn’t hurt them anymore. Yet, why was she so happy when she met with him?

“Look at this!” Drew placed one of the three boxes he was carrying on the table Mari was sitting in front of, as usual. He opened it, and revealed a plastic container with something inside.

“Aah!” Mari leaned forward. “I-It’s the blue butterfly in the book!”

“Yep!” Drew placed his hands on his hips, proud. “I spent the whole day trying to catch it yesterday!”

“You spent the whole day yesterday?” Mari looked away from the container. “Just to catch it?”

“Well, it was windy, right?” Drew sighed and sat down on the chair. “So they were flying here and there…”

“But, you did all that? Just for me?” Mari asked.

“Of course!” Drew grinned. “You were so happy when you were talking about it yesterday. How could I not?”

“W-Well, yeah…” Mari blushed. “Thanks…”

“Heh heh!” Drew said, and placed another box on the table, moving the container aside gently. He opened it, and revealed a flower planted into a rectangular pot.

“The red flower?” Mari’s voice excitedly rose once again, leaning forward to observe the flower she had always been looking at through the book. “You found this, too?”

“Yeah, there are a lot, actually.” Drew scratched his head. “I would’ve been able to bring you more stuff, you know? But like I said, it was really windy, so it was hard to catch that one butterfly…”

“No.” Mari shook her head, smiling. “This is already more than enough. Thanks so much for bringing me these!”

“You’re welcome.” Drew smiled. For some reason, when she smiled, he felt happy as well. This lonely girl that had been going through hardships all along for eight long years, he was glad to make her happy. He then took out the last of the boxes he had brought. The third box he had opened had a pile of books inside.

“Books!” Mari said, with the same delighted tone. She took one out and browsed through the pages. “Wow, new books!”

“Those are my old books.” Drew said. “I thought you’d want more stuff to mark, y’know?”

“Wow, I have so much more stuff to do now!” Mari started reading the book she got out, but then stopped and looked at Drew. “Drew, thanks so much.”

“I already told you, no problem!” he smiled. “It makes me happy when you feel happy. I’ll bring more stuff tomorrow, or the next day!”

“…”

“What’s wrong?” Drew asked, confused by her sudden silence.

“I’ve been thinking…” Mari said, her head facing the book on her lap. “Is this really alright?”

“Huh?”

“I’m… not supposed to do this.” she gripped on the cloth of her dress on her lap. “If I spend more time with you… If I talk with you more… I might end up hurting you…”

“There you go again.” Drew sighed. “Your curse ‘ignites’ when you feel sad or mad, right?”

“Yeah…” Mari slowly looked up.

“Do I make you sad?” Drew asked. “Or mad?”

Mari looked at him, realizing what he was trying to explain. Those warm brown eyes that she was already getting used to seeing, she always felt so happy when she saw them. Those kind brown eyes that understood her, that saw the truth behind the lonely ‘monster’ hated by the villagers.

She had isolated herself from everyone else, because if she had interaction with people, those negative feelings could arise. But what she forgot was that by isolating herself, aside from sealing the negative emotions, she would also seal the happy emotions, as well.

Because of the villagers, she thought that interaction would immediately bring negative feelings. That’s why she had isolated herself for so long. That’s why she was confused on why she wasn’t stopping herself from interacting with Drew.

Because he brought the positive feelings that she had not felt in a long time. He did not bring sadness at all. He brought the light back into her world. The light that had been gone for so long.

She finally understood, and she was sure. If she were with Drew, her curse would never ignite. Because all he did could only make her happy.

“I see.” Mari lifted her head up and smiled. “Of course you don’t make me sad.”

“See?”

“I’m sorry… I hadn’t understood until now.” Mari looked out the window, the sun setting behind the trees, leaving a sun-stained sky to fade into the night’s darkness.

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Drew smiled. “Come on, I can’t wait to see what you mark next! You mark the weirdest things!” he handed her one of the books he had brought.

“Th-They’re not weird!” Mari blushed, accepting the book. She started looking into the book, marking many more images.

Never before had she felt so happy. Not since her father left them. Not since her mother died. Not since she started isolating herself. Not since as long as she could remember.

She understood now, and didn’t deny it. Why even though she wanted to isolate herself, talking with Drew made her so happy. He brought the happiness back into her life. The happiness that she had sealed away, along with the sadness.

He brought it back to her.

*     *     *     *     *

“Then, I’ll come back tomorrow!” Drew waved, leaving the house.

“Sure!” Mari smiled, waving from the same window. “And the day after, and after, and after, and after!”

“Of course!”

_____________________________________

Note from the author:

Hey! So, yeah, as usual, thanks for taking your time to read this! I hope you liked it! If you didn't, then um, it can't be helped. But thanks for reading it anyways!