His Beloved Cordelia |18+ (His Beloved Series #1)

Chapter 23

"....." A small awkward silence was left between the two.

"Can I ask why you're crying?"

"It's nothing." Immediately came the boys answer.

"But you wouldn't be crying if it was nothing—"

"Hicc!" The girl flinched in surprise as he suddenly sobbed.

"Do you... hicc... have a handkerchief..?"

"I do not have any handkerchiefs with me right now, my apologies."

"...." The boy stared at her quietly with his tear brimmed eyes, observing her bit by bit despite in the midst of his grieving. Her ebony hair shined beneath the sun, and her eyes that didn't even bother to hide her pity towards him softly shined.

"It's fine—Hiccup!"

"Um..." The girl gently clutched the skirt of her dress. "You can use the hem of my dress if you don't min—"

In an instant, the boy blew his nose in the skirt of her dress. "Thank you."

Moments passed, and when the boy was done, he slowly began to stand up. "Thank you for that." He murmured, his ears reddened and his cheeks flushed.

"It's okay." Said the girl. "So long as you feel better."

"But May I ask?" The girl spoke. "Why were you crying?"

"..." The boy looked at her hesitantly, as if debating whether to trust her with his reason.

"My mother passed away." He spoke painfully, evidently drained from his crying.

"Oh my..." It was not what she expected to hear. "I'm so sorry for your loss." She reached her hand out to him as she gave him a pat on the shoulder.

Somehow, the boy's tears began to flow again.

"Ah? Don't cry..!"

The girl, not knowing what else to do, hugged the boy while gently stroking his back. "It's okay..."

"It will be fine."

It was the only way to comfort a person that she knew, for it was how she always comforted her younger sister whenever she cried.

But in that moment, she couldn't believe that she was comforting a boy, a stranger even, in the field near her home, instead of getting ready for the celebration of her birthday. Soon, warm tears began to wet her shoulder.

Moments passed, and the boy finally calmed down. "T-Thank you." He murmured. His eyes were red and swollen, but even so, the girl still thought he was pretty.

"I feel a little bit eased at least." His low murmur brushed her ears as she noticed his green eyes lowering down to the hem of her dress.

"Ah, I shall replace your dress as I've dirtied it—"

"Oh, no need!" She cut him off. "It can be washed. And besides, at least you felt a bit better."

That's the first time he heard such sincere words after his mother's death.

At least you feel a bit better.

The lips of the boy who has been unable to lift his lips into smile for a few days now, miraculously smiled for the first time in a while.

"May I ask your name?"

"My name is Cordelia." The girl smiled.

"You're a very kind person, Cordelia." Said the boy.