"Wow! This is amazing!" Cecilia's jaw dropped when she saw a beautiful lake which surrounded with pines trees. And it just a few yards from the city hall.
The moon isn't visible tonight. But stars was shining so brightly and the surface of this lake was perfectly reflected it. The sound of cicadas makes everything in harmony.
"Please, sit here." Max said after he put his handkerchief on the ground.
"Thank you. I bring no handkerchief, now. I will wash yours later."
"No need, Chili. You can keep it. I have so many of it."
Cecilia giggled, "Of course, you must be doing this a lot, right?"
Max smiles and choose to not say anything. Since Cecilia thought that he is a big flirter, he has to maintain his pride. Even though Max never dated any girl before.
However, he was unsure about who flirt who. Because, his heart feel a bit weird today. Maybe, I'm just tired, he thought.
"Max, wait. Can you point the torch to that flower?"
"Huh? Oh, that purple one? It is beautiful, indeed. So you like flowers too?"
Cecilia didn't answer the question and look carefully at the flowers and it vines leaves. It was green with shaped like a heart and slightly hairy to touch.
"Max, did you bring something for digging this soil?"
"Huh? Pardon me?"
"Do you have it or not?" Cecilia's voice sound like she was in hurry.
"Okay, okay. Let me dig it for you," Max said while he searches a dagger in his pocket.
"Please hold this torch."
Cecilia took it and pointed the soil under the plant. "Here, Max. But, be careful. You might wreck it."
Max nodded even though he doesn't understand. The soil is a bit soft and his dagger dig the ground without any difficulty. Until he hit something. It's not hard like stone or soft like the soil.
Cecilia who noticed his hesitation, put her free hand to the ground and start searching.
"Chili, stops it! Your hand can get dirty!"
"Ta-da!" Cecilia brings a purple fruit which shaped long, round and pointed in both end. "Sweet potato! The best thing in this world! Let's dig for more, Max. I'll make something for you tomorrow."
"You will cook for me?" Max's eyes widen. Can't believe what he heard.
"Why did you ask me so many question?"
"Don't be mad, Chili. I am just curious. Okay, I will start to digging it up now." He said and obediently digs the soil.
Since the sweet potato was bound to each other, he only needs several minutes to gather ten pieces of it.
"I think it's enough. Ah, they are so beautiful."
Max wrinkled his nose. Failed to understand her word. For him, its just an ugly fruit with dark purple colour, "Is it edible? I never see something like this."
"Really? Actually, I want to cook it here. But, the smoke will attract people. So you have to be patient."
Max walked to the mouth of the lake and washing his hand along with the dagger. "Don't worry. Waiting is one of my speciality."
"I envy you for able digs the ground with just a dagger."
He shrugged and smiles seductively, "I am a talented man, Chili. Do you want me to show my another ability?"
"Can you stay quiet?" She said with holds a laughter.
Max then takes a seat beside her. But not too close so his shoulder didn't have to touch her, "I'm trying to. But, how did you know that this fruit is edible?"
Cecilia watched the reflection on the lake and said her excuse, "I read it from a book."
"In the capital? What kind of book?"
Max raised his brows. He sure already read all the book about agriculture but never heard about this. The native residents never eat those things.
Even the black market, the biggest market in this world, never mention about it. Since they sell everything starts to ordinary until extremely rare.
So, how did she now? Not just that, she keeps asking something strange like fertilizer, pesticide and rotten crops.
But, what are those thing means?
Cecilia's eyes stared the lake blankly. The winds slowly touch her cheeks. She still remembers every knowledge from her past as Ji Eun.
But not with the face of the people. It makes her keep wondering. "I don't remember. It was from my distant memory."
"Oh." Max narrowed his brows because he recognized her expression as someone who wants to keep a secret for themselves and have no intention to share it.
Max feels his heart getting heavy. He wants to know everything about her. From the basic like favorite colour until his deepest secret.
But if she was telling him then he has to spill his secret too. And Max is not ready to do it. What if her Chili abandoned him, just like the other?
Maybe, I should have to wait, he thought. For now, I will be enjoying myself and cherishes every moment.
"Max, can you keep a secret?"
He turns his head and wondering if she can read his mind. "It is a task for a gentleman like me to keep a secret from a lady, Chili."
"So, If I was a man, you can't keep the secret?"
"We, as a man, do have an unwritten rules, Chili. We have to keep each others secret even it kill ourselves. Otherwise, he will be a disgrace for all his kind."
Cecilia smirked, "Fine then. Actually it is not a secret since you might already know about what happened this afternoon."
Suddenly, Max understands what is she trying to say. It must be about her conversation with Havana.
"Do you think I was wrong? Because, honestly, I do think like that."
Max throws his gaze to the lake, "Do you think we are, as human being, forbidden to make a mistake?"
"Well, I'm trying to make a flawless life." She said while the image of fiery river was haunted her mind.
"We only live once, Chili. You can be the best apple in the world, but there is always someone who hates apple. We can't satisfy them."
Cecilia stares at the ground. "You are right. So, what I'm supposed to do?"
"Just do it what you want. You are Lancia, after all."
Cecilia giggled, "You sound like my father!"
"You can call me 'Papa Max',"
She sneered at his word, "No, Thanks."
"Well, actually I heard it a lot from your father. That's why I though his daughter might be as annoying as him. But, I was wrong.
You are the kindest people I ever see. You put others people first than yourself. Hugo tells about his encounter with you and it's so rare to see nobles doing something right. Mostly, they only are doing the easiest way."
"It's not because a kindness." Cecilia feels sad and embarrassed. She has no courage to see Max's face. How could she tell him that she was doing it because of her fear of fiery fire?