Chapter 425: Be a Hermit in the Mountains
Lariette and Ruediger strolled past a group of teenagers attempting to build a snow fort, their voices full of energy. Some little children watched them in awe, hoping to join in the fun.
One of the teens yelled, "Incoming!" before tossing a snowball that missed wildly, skimming past Ruediger’s shoulder. It hit the tree ahead of him, exploding into a burst of white.
Lariette gasped and laughed, "Careful, boy!"
"I’m sorry!" the teen shouted in apology, a sheepish look flushed across his face.
Ruediger waved it off, treating it no more than a case of missed marks. He muttered to Lariette, "Guess they thought we looked like good targets."
"Oh? You really look like one," she teased, her eyes glimmering with mischief.
"You think so?"
He arched a brow. Turning around, he hurriedly scooped a handful of snow, packing it densely into a ball.
Realizing what Ruediger wanted to do, Lariette backed away, her eyes widened slightly, "Eddy, don’t you dare."
He smirked, "Oh, I dare, sweetheart."
Before Lariette could escape, Ruediger tossed the snowball gently so it landed against her coat with a soft thump. She squealed and bent to grab snow herself.
"Alright! You asked for it!"
"Hahaha! Come at me!"
Within moments, the pair began laughing like children as they tossed little snowballs back and forth, ducking behind trees and benches. Over time, the teens and children joined in the fun. Passersby chuckled at their antics.
Finally, Lariette’s laughter melted into gasping giggles as she leaned against a lamp post, cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling.
"Truce! Eddy, truce!"
One of the teens shouted, "Too early to surrender!"
And then, the teens and children resumed playing while Ruediger approached Lariette. He brushed snow from his gloves, still grinning over the shared fun.
"Surrender, really?" he asked teasingly.
She nodded, catching her breath, "For now."
Ruediger leaned down slightly, and the light in his eyes softened. He whispered, "Good," before right there amidst the snow, he stole a quick kiss from Lariette’s lips.
Her eyes widened, "Cheater!"
"Not cheating," he whispered above her lips, "Just claiming my victory prize."
Lariette rolled her eyes, to which Ruediger replied with laughter. After an interlude involving a snowball fight, they resumed their stroll, their steps unhurried.
"Oh! The maze garden has lights too," she exclaimed once she saw the maze garden from a distance.
"Wanna walk inside?" he smiled, his tone indulgent.
"Of course!"
Ruediger led Lariette past the light sculptures standing on both sides of the pathways, heading to the place that witnessed his tender confession for her. At this hour, a few people navigated their way through the maze.
Neither Lariette nor Ruediger spoke much until they reached the heart of the maze. Upon seeing the familiar pavilion being adorned with strings of lights, they exchanged loving gazes.
"What would you do if I disagreed?" she asked softly.
Understanding what she meant, he chuckled, "Pack my bags and be a hermit in the mountains."
"Silly."
Ruediger laughed when Lariette nudged him. He reached for her waist, pulling her closer. His eyes found hers, and at the undisguised sight of her brimming affection, he leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"I love you."
Lariette’s heart melted into honey. She tiptoed slightly to kiss the corner of his cold lips, "I love you too."
And may it be for a lifetime.
The pair didn’t stay long in the maze garden. Ruediger steadily led Lariette out. Before heading back to the truck, they took a few commemorative photos.
Soon, the warmth of the heater chased away the cold that clung to them. Ruediger drove away from the park, joining the other vehicles on the road.
The drive from the park to the apartment took longer due to the bad traffic. Neither of them spoke much, quite exhausted from staying outside since morning.
In less than an hour, the pair arrived at the apartment. The truck slid into the usual parking lot.
Lariette was busy replying to Chairman Delaney’s messages when Ruediger remained quiet in his seat, showing no signs of getting outside. He hadn’t even unlatched the seatbelt.
"Eddy, what’s wrong?" she lowered her phone, noticing something was amiss from his gloomy countenance, "Feels unwell?"
The usual relaxing and cheery vibe was gone, now replaced with something heavy. She rarely saw him like this. Thinking of the extremely cold weather, she couldn’t help but worry if sickness suddenly struck him.
Ruediger caught Lariette’s wrist when she tried touching his forehead. His broad palm easily enveloped her hand. A smile tugged on his lips, but it lacked its usual luster.
"I’m... quite nervous," he admitted, "Before we go upstairs, there’s something I want to tell you."
She blinked, "Something to tell me?"
He nodded once. While rubbing her hand, he glanced out of the truck window, seeing no people in the basement parking lot.
Initially, Ruediger wanted to bring Lariette to the studio, which was only ten minutes from the park. But he scrapped the idea.
At the same time, he didn’t want to bring this up when they were at home. Because of it, he decided to just unload what was in his mind in this quiet basement.
To him, it was quite laughable, but he had delayed it for far too long.
As Ruediger looked away, question marks popped into Lariette’s mind. Even at the graveyard, he didn’t appear as if something was weighing on him.
’Wait... Is it because...’
Despite having a hunch, Lariette held back from saying anything. She silently watched the man beside her.
He finally unbuckled the seatbelt before reaching a hand to unlatch hers. His hand brushed her arm as the distance between them shrank.
"Lettie."
Ruediger shifted slightly in the driver’s seat to face Lariette. He smiled wryly, but a flicker of hope still gleamed in his eyes.
Unable to help herself, she lifted a hand, gently rubbing her thumb on his face. She saw his tensed shoulders loosen before his voice filled the truck.
"Do you remember that I still have one last secret I haven’t told you?"
She nodded, thinking that her earlier hunch hit the mark. He was this tense when he confessed his feelings and revealed his two hidden identities before.
To lighten the mood, Lariette said jokingly, "What else? Have another secret identity? Are you a prince?"
Her remark spilled laughter from his lips. He was indeed nervous, but not as much as before.
Ruediger placed his palm over the back of Lariette’s hand, his head tilted slightly to lean more toward her warmth. When he spoke next, a hint of anticipation suppressed his initial nervousness.
"Do you still remember the boy from your childhood? The one you wish him to have a better life?"
Lariette’s eyes widened, startled by Ruediger’s questions. His words immediately brought her back to those days of her childhood.