Round moon sat in the sky, illuminating the world with its gentle light. Far beneath it was a town. People were feasting at the town’s plaza with music and dances on the background. Most of the residences took part in this rowdy night with their best clothes and make-ups.

Men showed up their strength to attract the women they fancy while the women seduce their partners which were only possible on this occasion.

People jest at each other, talk about funny things, dances with the melody, and sing merry songs. The town was full of laughter and smile and filled with positive energy. It was a time of the festival, thus they were in such mood.

In amidst of the street filled with vendors and merriness was a man. He alone did not join the tension like people around. With a bag of fruits he had bought from the nearby vendor, he walked away from the merry plaza toward somewhere quieter.

The man did not fancy noisy places. To him, the noisiest place he could handle was the bar he frequently visits with his comrades, even though he does not drink.

Some noisier place would cause him a headache and some level of anxiety. So, what was someone like him doing in the middle of a town in a festive mood?

There was a completely logical and understandable reason behind his action. It was because he had been ordered to. The order was for him to go to the town and buy this town’s specialty which was the apple.

Unable to refuse, he found himself surrounded by noises he hates. But, it was not like he was reluctant to the order itself. Even if it was a request and not an order, he would comply.

His destination was a small house that was closer to the woods rather than the town. A humble home made out of woods. But, contrasted with the material it was sturdy enough to handle most of the beasts’ attack that comes from the woods. It was because the material was no ordinary wood. Even people with weapons would have a hard time destroying this house.

His comrade had told him it was unnecessary, but he insisted on reinforcing the house at least this much. Still, deep down the man thought it was still insufficient.

He felt hopeless that every time he saw his house that was what crossed his mind. Erasing such thoughts, the man put his hand on the knob and entered.

“I’m back,” The man said as he took off his coat and placed it at the hanger.

“Welcome back. How was the festival?” Responding to his voice, a young woman’s voice answered him back.

“It was incredibly noisy and stuffy,” he said, letting out a deep sigh.

“Fufu, I knew you would say that.”

In the house was a young woman. She looks young like a girl, but upon closer inspection, one could see that beneath her simple bed wear were proper lines that showed her growth as a woman. She smiled as the young man and tried to get up from her bed, but the man stopped her.

“Geez, I can at least go to the table just fine,” The girl complained and pouted in a foul mood. She did not like how overprotective the man was because it was like treating a child. Although her actions were those of children’s.

“Elyn,” he called. “Did you forget what happened the last time you say that?” He warned in a strict tone.

“That time the blanket slipped my hands, okay,” she said, averting her sights. Gripping the blanket. “This time surely…”

“A sick person shouldn’t be stubborn and act like one,” he cut, lifting the bag so she could see it. ”Here, the thing you wanted.”

“Yey!” she cried. “Hurry up and give me my beloved apple!” Elyn urged, slamming the bed few times. That was the sign to bring the apple here as soon as possible.

“Yeah, yeah,” The man said and smiled at the ever impatient and childish Elyn as he took the Apples out. “Do you want me to peel it first?” he asked.

“No!” Elyn shouted, making a big X with her arms. “Apple is better eaten with the skin,” she said.

“Then, at least wait for me to wash it,” he walked toward the sink, Apples on his hands. “God knows what kind of germ is on it,” he added.

“Hurry, hurry!” The girl hustled him.

The man shrugged his shoulder from Elyn’s behavior that did not show those of a sick patient and someone of her age. He went to the kitchen and opened the faucet, washing the apples thoroughly to minimize the amount of dirt and any other bad kinds of stuff, the man only satisfied after doing it three times.

Obviously, Elyn complained about how much time he had taken which he ignored so far. But, once she took the apple her expression changed into a smile.

Crunch. A nice ripe entered their ears the moment she took a bite.

“Aah,” Elyn touched her cheeks with a smile. “As expected the Apple from Spring Equinox Festival tastes more delicious than usual.”

“Well, considering how much effort they put for the festival,” he swung his Apple to dry it. “it’s obvious,” he said.

The Equinox festival was twice a year festival that was held to thanks the Earth God for the prosperous land. Because of that, the farmers would give their best to raise their crops and offer it to the God as evidence they were doing well.

The relation of God and Humanity in this world was like parent and child. God would provide humanity with what they need and once they had grown, they would repay the debt. Because they were like parent and child, there was no coercion. The parent would understand if the child could not offer them anything in return.

Still, humans believe they should do their best to reply the blessing of the land. And as the effect, the quality of the goods drastically increased on this day.

The man also followed Elyn and took a bit off his share.

“By the way, how’s everyone?” Elyn asked.

“They are busy in their own ways,” he replied while munching. “Just as you know, the festival is often used as a reason to make an approach on opposite gender,” he gulped.

Even if the main purpose was to show appreciation it was still a festival. Apparently, the current fad was to give something to the opposite gender and say it was an object of appreciation not for God but to them.

The man seriously doubted one of his friends that had decided to use that cliché line tonight.

“Fufu, I wonder how well Marcy will do this time,” Elyn snickered with hands covering her mouth. “After all, although his face is fine he occasionally does some strange things,” she said.

The person Elyn called Marcy was the person the man had worried in his man. Marcus was the man’s true name. As she had said, it was already an open secret to their group that he has a strange taste.

“Yeah, I’m sure he will mess up again,” he said almost immediately.

“What kind of things he will do this time, I wonder,” Elyn said, filled her heart with expectation for another foolish record of her friend.

“I doubt it will be as stupid as last time,” The man said with confidence.

“Aah, suddenly stripping when the woman made a joke that she wanted to see his body was as expected pulled off even me,” Elyn rubbed her shoulders with both hands from unpleasant memory. She could feel every single hair on her body standing. “I was really surprised that time,” she added.

“Yet, a few seconds later you laughed like a big primate- Ouch!” He added, and a pinch made its way.

“That’s rude!” she frowned, cheeks puffed. “I told you I didn’t laugh that loud. ”I told you, she repeated.

“Didn’t the other customers all direct their gazes to you?” The man pursued her with a smirk.

“Ugh, it’s just your imagination,” she said with a bitter face. “Anyway, I did not laugh that loud!” Elyn insisted, placing her pride as a woman on the line. She had no other choice but to object even if she knew the truth. Sometimes, women have something they can’t give up on.

“Yeah, yeah. I believe you,” Said the man half-heartedly.

“Muu,” her cheeks swelled once again.

Elyn was not convinced to his words. She understood better than anyone that the man often changes or ends the conversation that way.

“As punishment, give me your share of Apple!” Elyn, with her hand opened and reaching to the side, said in an arrogant tone.

“Sure,” he said. “It’s not like this’s the first time you ask, but at least finish yours firs-.”

“Done,” Elyn said with her mouth stuffed. She then gulped it down without delay, making a loud sound. “Now give me!”

“That was fast…” he said, half-amazed, half-fed up.

Before he could finish his words, Elyn had finished her Apple. The man astonished at how childish she was. There were pieces of apple sticking around her mouth, making her look like a child.

“Geez, close your mouth,” he took out a handkerchief and wet it. “I will wipe your mouth.”

“I don’t need it,” she replied, turning her head to the side. “It will become messy again, anyway.”

“Just stay still, if you want another apple that is.”

“Hey, that’s dirty! To take my beloved Apple as a hostage, are you, devil?!” Elyn protested as she reached out toward the Apple while still in bed.

“Yes I am, is there a problem?” he said, holding her shoulder. “Don’t make it any complicated than this,” he held his urge to sigh as he cleaned Elyn’s mouth. It was something he had gotten used to because of the years of being with her.

He gently used the handkerchief to clean any crumbs and liquid off her face. His movement was full of care so Elyn herself did not feel any sense of discomfort.

After he had done, he put the promised half-eaten apple to Elyn’s lap.

“This time eat slower because it’s bad for your body if you eat too fast.”

“Okay,” Elyn replied with a stretched tone.

Observing her eating little by little like a squirrel, the man let out a smile. He took a chair and placed it near her bed and sat, watching her as he waited for the right time to ask.

“Hey, is something on your mind?” he asked.

“What are you talking about?” Elyn stopped eating and slightly cast her eyes down as if to avoid the man’s gaze. The man remembered her respond was when she was lying, so he inquired further.

“For how long do you think we have known each other? I know you’re bothered by something.”

“Hahaha, as expected I can’t fool you,” she scratched her head, acting embarrassed. “You got me,” she admitted while still avoiding eye contact.

Elyn laughed but her expression and gesture said otherwise. She hesitated whether to talk or not.

“Tell me,” she gripped the blanket. “You’re going to go back to your job starting tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” he answered. It was something he did not intend to hide, but he had not told Elyn.

“Can’t you somehow refuse?” She asked in somewhat nervous tone.

“You know how hard for an ex-vagabond like me to refuse the job given by the mayor, right?”

“I’m aware, but I can’t help but worried. After all, this time I won’t be there to support you…” Elyn weakly said in a voice that could disappear even with a breeze.

“Elyn,” he called. But, seeing Elyn’s expression, the man left a gap from surprise before he continued.

“This isn’t like you, so you really are sick.”

The moment he said that a pillow found itself on the man’s face.

“I’m serious here! Don’t joke around!” Elyn shouted in a harsh tone. She was furious that her concern was answered back like that.

But, the man had expected so and replied in a similar tone, “So am I.”

The man placed the pillow on her lap and looked into her eyes. In her eyes, he could see the anxiety and regret she held because she was not in a condition to go with him. He understood her feeling, but there was nothing he could do to about his job. Thus, at least he would lessen her worry.

“I’m used to soloing this kind of job,” he said, scratching his head from remembering. It was way before he met Elyn and came here. He did not seek help from others and did everything alone. As the result, he earned skills and social anxiety. What a nostalgic time, he thought. “And depending on the person your words might sound like an insult to them,” he continued.

“But..!” Elyn cried.

“Moreover, even if you aren’t there I still have everyone to support me, unlike when I was alone,” he said, fully aware that she could not reject his reasoning. “You should just focus on recovering yourself.”

Elyn stopped her words. She was vexed that she could say nothing back.

True, even if she was not there this time, the group should be able to do just fine. It was because the job this time was not that hard and even if she joins her role would be little.

She should do just as the man said, focus on recovering. But, her heart ached from being left behind.

Sensing that feeling of her, the man added a follow-up.

“Don’t think too much,” he said. “It’s not like I will leave this place and you. If I hadn’t made it clear to you, I will say it again,” he let out a small cough, preparing himself for his next words.

“My home is here. No matter how far I go, someday I would return. The place where I will go back to is here, the place where you are.”

“Wha…!”

Toward the man who spoke of such embarrassing thing with no sign of shame, Elyn dyed her face red as she did not see that coming.

Silence filled the room when the conversation stopped. Elyn was trying to calm down while the man waited. She wished he would stop gazing at her.

What followed after Elyn had regained her calm was a laugh. She laughed because it was stupid of her to think of something that would never happen, the person herself admitted that.

The talk of what-if was not uncommon among people of her line of job. She often snorted at them because of its uselessness, but it seemed like she no longer had the right to do that.

The man was her important person. It also applied for the other person. For her to doubt him after all these years together, the disease really got her good.

“Did I say something strange?” The man tilted his head in wonder.

“No, I was the one being strange. Sorry,” she replied, wiping the tears in her eyes.

The man was confused by the sudden change of Elyn. Still, because she had regained her usual self, he thought little about it.

“Good luck with your job tomorrow,” she said, giving him a fist toward him. “When you come back, I will treat you with plenty of love,” Elyn said, changing her mood and encouraged him.

“I already have enough of it.”

“What is with that? Are you saying you don’t need my love?” she asked, ready to throw the pillow at him again.

“I’m saying that I still have sufficient amount,” he backed away to mitigate her attack and took out something from his shirt. “Look.”

The man showed her the necklace that was hanging on his neck. It was an expensive looking feather piece of art. The gold on the sides and few simple yet nicely placed gems were giving the piece a feeling of fragile aesthetic.

“So you’re still keeping that thing,” Elyn said in amazement.

“Of course,” he replied. “I still keep this by my side until the day you want it back,” he said somewhat proud.

“Fufu,” she snickered, putting her ammo back. “You should just keep it because it looks good on you,” Elyn teased.

The piece was an item of memory for the two. Present that had been left in his care for the rightful owner had refused because she thought it did not suit her. The initial owner was, of course, Elyn.

But at this point, it was already unimportant whoever held the necklace because they already knew of each other’s feelings.

From afar, the loud cheering sound echoed until their place. It was the sign that the festival was already at its climax and was about to end.

“Aah, the festival ended,” she said, looking somewhat distant “In the end, I didn’t get to go on any of it this year,” Elyn muttered.

Elyn also could not come to the previous equinox festival. At that time she and the man were busy with their job so they were away from the town. Because of that Elyn could not take part in the festival she loved.

“You can still go next year since it’s an annual event,” he reminded her.

“But, it’s still long until the next one. What a shame.”

“Just be patient. Next year I will go to the festival with you.”

“Really!?” Elyn shouted, leaning her body toward him.

For one, Elyn knew how much the man hated noisy places. Last year he had rejected her offer to go to the festival with that reason. So, it was unexpected, but she was happy.

“There’s no going back on your words!” she said, intending to ask but it became imperative because of her vigor.

“I know. But, please spare me from the Main Plaza.”

“Yes, I don’t mind even if it’s on the south, east, west, or the north plaza!”

The main plaza was the place where the noise was loudest because the main event also held there. But, that did not mean you could not enjoy the festival. The other plaza also held the same event in a smaller scale. Because of that, Elyn did not mind.

In fact, she preferred the smaller plaza because it gave out more subtle and romantic feels.

“That’s a promise!” Elyn said as she moved toward the end of the bed in excitement. “A promise I tell you!”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s a promise,” the man said, moving to put her back to bed. “So don’t move around too much and obediently stay on the bed.”

Unable to hold her delight, Elyn jumped at the man with the intention to knock him down. And she did.

No matter how trained the man was, he was unable to keep the chair from falling when he occupied to not let her hurt herself.

Just like that, they fell with the man’s arms coiling around her body in a hug. The other also did the same.

From up-close, Elyn looked at the man’s face and said, “Next year, let’s go together.”

“Yeah, let’s go together.”

Soon, the flowers of fire dazzlingly bloomed in the sky, decorating it with hundreds of colors. It was the sign that the festival concluded. The stores were closing and people were coming back to their home to rest their bodies for work the next day.

It was time for the day to end.

The two also got up from the floor and placed themselves on the bed. Rest was crucial for someone with the same profession as the man so they would not make silly mistakes.

The man quickly slept, but the same was not for Elyn.

She was so happy and could not sleep despite the promise was for six months in the future. Still, her heart refused to calm down. Watching the sleeping face of the man she loved, Elyn enjoyed this moment to the fullest, and it was late at night before she finally slept.

The next day, the man departed for his job. Elyn sent him off with a smile and faithfully waited for his return.

However, who would have thought the promise they had made the previous night would not be fulfilled the next year. Another year passed followed by another and the promise was left unfulfilled.