Rose, who had pulled his lips away, covered his mouth with his hand and smiled shyly. It was really adorable but somewhat absurd. Elijah swallowed an incredulous laugh and asked,
“If you’re the prince, then what am I?”
“What do you mean what? Obviously the princess in the forest!”
Ah… Only then did Elijah realize what Rose meant and nodded. Rose was talking about the fairy tale story he’d read worn and worn until last year.
The wonderful prince who crossed treacherous mountains and fought monsters in the swamp, truly overcoming countless hardships to finally find the princess sleeping deep in the forest. The story of waking the princess who had fallen into a deep sleep from a spinning wheel’s needle with a kiss, and ultimately living happily ever after.
Elijah let out a laugh. The fairy tale book was the most satisfying purchase after clothes among the things he’d obtained from the settlement. Even Rose, who said he didn’t need anything but Elijah, really loved the fairy tale book so much that he would constantly whine for Elijah to read it to him again and again.
So cute… Elijah couldn’t bear how lovable and adorable Rose’s idea was.
“Yes, you’re my prince.”
Rose grinned broadly and hugged him. He seemed very satisfied with that answer.
“Then you’ll live happily ever after with me, right?”
“Yes.”
Happily ever after. Those words felt a bit unrealistic to Elijah.
But if it could really be like that, it would be nice. Since Rose was a vampire, he wouldn’t die before him. At least it meant Elijah wouldn’t be left alone.
“…Even when you’re all grown up, you have to keep staying with me.”
Patting the small back that fit snugly in his arms, Elijah said. The lips that had been nibbling at Elijah’s earlobe moved down along his neck below.
“Of course. I’ll never leave.”
Lightly scraping the skin where the pulse beat with his teeth, Rose whispered,
“Wherever Elijah is, I’ll definitely find you.”
It was too cute a thing to just let pass. Elijah asked in a deliberately surprised tone,
“Really? You won’t get lost and can find me well?”
“Of couuurse.”
Rose, who had lifted his head from him, looked up triumphantly with wide eyes. Then he pulled out the ribbon that Elijah had painstakingly tied for him. Fine curly hair fluttered in all directions in the wind.
“Like this, if I do…”
He moved his small hands busily to wind the ribbon around Elijah’s wrist and tie it, then wrapped the other end around his own wrist.
“I won’t lose you, so there’s no need to find you.”
Hehe, Rose shook the wrist connected to Elijah and laughed innocently.
“Now Elijah is mine.”
Elijah quietly looked at their wrists connected close together. The knot was loose and looked like it would come undone soon, but he couldn’t stop smiling because he found Rose’s behavior so lovable.
“You can’t go anywhere. Right?”
“Yes.”
Elijah swept Rose’s hair back behind his ear and pulled him into his arms. Pretty thing. Anyone who saw Rose couldn’t help but fall in love. Was this how parents who raised children felt? It was truly so gratifying and heartwarming.
The small open mouth bit down on Elijah’s nape. Crunch, pain like skin being chewed didn’t matter at all in the face of Rose’s cuteness.
“Elijah…, carry me on your back.”
Perhaps drowsiness had come over him, Rose with his voice half-asleep rubbed his eyes and clung to Elijah.
“You’re not eating more?”
“Mm-mm.”
Rose grinned and lifted up the hem of his own shirt. He brought Elijah’s hand over and placed it on his stomach as if telling him to feel it.
Elijah, who had touched the plump, soft belly, smiled softly. He didn’t have any peers to watch and imitate, so he didn’t know where Rose learned such adorable tricks.
When Elijah, who had wiped the small lips beaded with blood with his fingertips, offered his back, Rose clung completely to his back.
Nng… Elijah struggled to raise his body but sat back down again. Due to his noticeably weakened stamina lately, even carrying a child who was only six or seven years old was too much. Rose, who had been clinging to his back as he couldn’t quite stand up properly, came down with a puzzled face and asked,
“Why aren’t you going?”
Whether from the blood sucking or from friction, a red color had come to Rose’s lips. Blinking his jewel-like eyes and tilting his head, he looked just like a white, cute fairy.
“Because you’re heavy…”
Elijah, entranced by that beauty, unconsciously blurted out the words in his heart without filtering them. A clear voice, without a trace of disappointment or gloom, asked back,
“I’m heavy?”
Perhaps mistaking himself for a real fairy, Rose seemed to think he was as light as a feather. Elijah hoisted him onto his back again and answered honestly,
“Yes. You’ve gotten too big now.”
Separate from his lovable appearance, in fact carrying Rose was becoming increasingly burdensome. Elijah, having barely managed to hoist up the body that kept adding weight like water-soaked cotton, moved his steps.
“Should I stop growing?”
“No.”
Elijah smiled and patted his bottom. Conversations with Rose often jumped in unexpected directions. As he adjusted the body clinging around his neck and moved his steps, a cute whisper reached his ear.
“I’ll grow up quickly and carry Elijah.”
“Okay.”
If it had been an ordinary human child, he would have just smiled, but Elijah knew well that Rose would really grow up in a flash.
Rose grew too quickly compared to the passage of time. Shoes that had fit perfectly just a few months ago were now too small, and sleeves that had covered the backs of his hands now came up above his wrists.
If only I could carry him a bit more, if only I could watch every moment of his growth more slowly for longer…
“I’ll just carry you a bit more, Rose.”
The feet that emerged between Elijah’s arms swung back and forth. Though no answer came, Elijah could tell Rose’s response from that.
Without needing to check, Rose’s mood was conveyed through their touching body temperature and heartbeat. A soft cheek rested against Elijah’s shoulder.
That there was someone who completely relied on and leaned on him. That there was another person to warm with his body heat. That there was someone who caused unexpected commotions and came to embrace him first.
For Elijah, it was a sensation he hadn’t felt in many long years. The two years with Rose were a very short time compared to the years he’d lived, but that didn’t mean the size of his affection was small.
Elijah walked as slowly as possible with the heavy Rose on his back. As if doing so could delay even a little the time it would take for Rose to grow.
***
「August 13th.
Are you well, Master?
Today there are some clouds. It seems an early rainy season is coming. I need to patch the ceiling before the rain pours down, but I’m not feeling well today, so I think I’ll do it tomorrow.
Today marks three years since Rose came to me. These days when I see Rose, I’m reminded of my peers who studied together at that age. Perhaps because so much time has passed, I can’t remember each of their faces.
I miss the days when we gathered closely together in the dark classroom and listened attentively to Master’s teachings. For me, it was one of the few happiest times.
Of course, being with Rose now is just as happy as back then. He’s truly pretty and kind. He’s smart and dependable. If you were still alive, Master, you would have cherished Rose greatly too.
I’ll end here for today.
Rose and I are doing really well.
—From your inadequate disciple, Elijah.」
Elijah looked up at the hole in the kitchen ceiling. The ceiling that had collapsed from last winter’s heavy snow was roughly covered with patched-up clothes. They were Rose’s clothes that had become too small to wear anymore.
He didn’t know how many months they’d endured in that state. Repairing the ceiling meant having to lie sick in bed for several days once it was done, so it was also the task Elijah most avoided.
“Elijah!”
He heard the loud sound of the door bursting open. Before Elijah, who had turned around, could even spread his arms, Rose came crashing into his embrace. It was an embrace close to a collision, enough to make Elijah’s body sway and be pushed backward.
Elijah stroked the white head that had fallen completely into his arms. Rose, who until last year had to stand on tiptoe to barely reach his waist, now reached Elijah’s chest with his head even without standing on tiptoe.
“Where have you been? Your clothes are covered in dust.”
Elijah, who had bent his knees, brushed off the dirt on Rose’s clothes and arranged his hair. The silver-white curly hair that used to tangle constantly was now compromised by cutting it at appropriate intervals.
It was for Rose, who found hair ties cumbersome, but it was also for Elijah himself. Because it was easier to manage that way.
As he arranged the hair that had faded in color from the dust, Elijah recalled the peers who had studied together under Master’s teachings.
When they were young, they were always in a half-shaved state. It was because Master periodically cut their hair short. Because of that, when looking at the peers from behind, it looked like identical chestnut burrs gathered closely together, and ‘Rose’ said that was funny.
Why do you all have the same hair? Why do you all have to wear the same clothes? ‘Rose,’ who had joined the peers the latest, always questioned and found fascinating Elijah’s daily life that was as natural as breathing in that way.
Twelve, thirteen years old perhaps. When he first met her, she was probably about the same age as the current Rose.
Perhaps that’s why these days Elijah often recalled that ‘Rose’ when looking at Rose. Even though he couldn’t remember ‘Rose’s’ face at all, somehow he thought the two resembled each other.
“Did you finish your letter?”
“Yes.”
Now he somewhat understood why Master had cut all their hair the same way. Managing the hair of all those many children one by one couldn’t have been an easy task.
Elijah had once thought about cutting Rose’s hair short like those peers back then, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it because the curling silver-white hair was so pretty.
The ‘Rose’ in quotes (‘로즈’) is a different character from the vampire Rose – she was a female classmate/peer from Elijah’s past. This is indicated by the use of “her” (그녀) when first mentioned and the context that she was one of the peers who studied under Master with Elijah.
