Spring had arrived, and the flowers had blossomed…
yet it was deeply frustrating that none of this could help me forget Princess Serena.Her unique presence had left a far stronger impression on me than I had imagined. She didn't just haunt my dreams until I woke up screaming; her memory was beginning to affect my daily life. And in truth, only a month had passed since that incident.So, I decided to take a leave and go to the countryside—to the home where I had spent my childhood with my only family, my grandmother.
I gazed at the horizon, carrying a small bag. My eyes, faintly crimson, took in the green plains, the children running and playing all around. I frowned when one of them splashed water on me and ran away laughing."Damn you, kid! When I find your house and know where you live, I swear you'll regret it… hahaha."
I couldn't feign seriousness any longer. How could I, when I had returned to my hometown—the damp earth beneath my feet, the chirping of birds, and the occasional gust of wind brushing against me? If anything, it reminded me that I had finally freed myself, if only for a while, from that foolish city."Finally, a vacation!!!"
ran through the fields, waving back greetings with a smile on my face, until I reached my grandmother's house. The door opened with a soft creak, and I could only cover my mouth and nose as the dust stung sharply.
I removed my shoes and stood at the entrance with a smile."Your grandson is back, Grandma. Aren't you going to greet me?"
A wave of happiness swept over me as I looked at my beloved grandmother. After all, I hadn't visited in five years.I smiled with a hint of regret."You can scold me as much as you want, Grandma."I scratched the back of my head apologetically. After a moment of silence, I whispered:"I'll take it that you've accepted my silly apology."
"Sorry for not visiting you since you left this world… I couldn't… I was afraid I wouldn't be as strong as you believed me to be."
I set my bag aside and glanced around the room, which looked just as I had left it years ago. Dust covered the furniture, and the air was thick with the scent of old wood. I approached the small table and ran my hand over its surface. The frame wobbled slightly and fell to the floor, producing a sharp thud followed by the sound of breaking glass."Huh… what's this?"I bent quickly to pick up the picture. Dust clung to it, and as I tried to lift it, I noticed another paper—or perhaps another image—behind the frame.
I held the picture carefully to make sure it wasn't broken, but it was."This idiot…" I muttered. But then I noticed something strange about the frame. When I tried to pull the edge I had glimpsed—or thought I glimpsed—I realized it might be a double-layered photo."Huh… what the hell does this mean?"In the picture was a woman of extraordinary beauty, with long black hair and red eyes, resembling Princess Serena but older. In her arms was an infant with red eyes, and beside her sat a three-year-old child, with black hair and red eyes like the woman… There was no way I could not recognize the child. I had seen many drawings of him from my childhood because my grandmother was skilled in painting… It was him. But why did the woman resemble him? And who was the little girl in her arms?
The answer became immediately clear, as the image of the princess I could never forget surged into my mind...