“Gasp!”
Vivian jolted awake, clutching the blanket tightly in her hands.
Her pale blue eyes, still soaked with the remnants of a nightmare, darted around the room in panic—then quickly filled with fear.
“Dad… no, this is Uncle Ron and Aunt Mary’s bedroom. Why am I here?”
The sound of heavy rain and the unsettling rumble of thunder made it hard for her to even notice Kiki, who was sleeping soundly right beside her.
Still not fully freed from the nightmare, Vivian slipped out of the bed without making a sound. If Ron or Mary found her here, she would be in serious trouble.
On tiptoes, she crept out of the bedroom, biting her lower lip so tightly she wouldn’t even breathe too loudly. Then she carefully closed the door behind her.
Because of that, Kiki didn’t even realize Vivian had woken up and left.
Quietly, Vivian returned to her own room—but froze the moment she tried the doorknob.
It was locked.
“…T-That’s too much. They won’t even let me into my room?”
The truth was that Jean had locked it after his heart ached at finding Vivian sleeping in a storage room for so long. But Vivian misunderstood it as punishment from Ron and Mary.
BOOM—!
A thunderclap shook the entire house. Vivian swallowed a squeak and climbed the creaking stairs.
On a night like this—rain pouring, thunder crashing—sleeping in an open hallway or living room was too frightening.
The attic was just as scary… but at least it had something to cover herself with. And Peter wasn’t there.
Squeak—
With a chilling groan, she opened the attic door and slipped inside. Dragging a dusty cloth, she curled up in the corner.
“Uu….”
A flash of lightning lit up the attic for an instant. Vivian immediately buried her face in the floor.
Another thunderclap exploded so close it felt like it would tear her ears apart.
“I definitely… had such a happy dream…”
Dad had come back. She even had a small, cute friend.
But reality was still a nightmare.
Vivian sobbed quietly for a long time, blaming the father who never came back.
Her small, exhausted body blurred the line between dream and reality even more.
And she didn’t hear the desperate voice calling her name.
Jean, unaware of her state, felt his heart drop the moment he saw her.
“Vivian!”
He rushed forward and pulled her into his arms.
Caught in the grip of old nightmares, Vivian trembled like a frightened animal, unable to even meet his eyes.
“Sniff… D-Dad…”
“Vivian, I’m here. I’m here, sweetheart. Open your eyes, okay?”
“Scary… Dad… when… when are you coming…?”
Jean gently stroked her hair, his hands trembling. He cleared his throat again and again, forcing his voice steady.
“Vivian… it’s okay. Dad… I’m not going anywhere anymore.”
His voice broke halfway through, but the words reached her.
Little by little, her trembling eased.
Her tightly shut eyes slowly opened, tears rolling down her chubby cheeks.
“Dad…?”
That was all she managed before exhaustion overwhelmed her.
She fainted into sleep.
“……”
Jean sat there holding her for a long time, unable to move, simply staring into space.
“…Da?”
“….”
“Dad!!”
“Ah? Y-Yeah? You called, princess?”
Even recalling it made his heart sink.
Vivian puffed up her cheeks, staring at him as he had spaced out after calling her.
“What is it? You asked me something and then ignored me. Why even ask if you’re not gonna listen?”
“My bad, my bad. I was just… right. We were talking about moving. So, what did my princess say?”
Her sulky expression melted the moment she looked at Jean’s face, and she brightened again as if she had never been upset.
“I like it! I like a new house. It means I get to live with Dad in a better place, right? I liked our old house because you were there. So if we can keep living together, I’m happy!”
Vivian didn’t remember that rainy night—and even if she did, her answer wouldn’t have changed.
She had lived in the same home her entire life. Moving houses was something she had never even imagined.
Only nobles or wealthy merchants ever lived across multiple estates and villas.
Behind their house was a wooden swing Jean had built for her.
On the balcony of Jean’s room, they used to sit under the blankets and study constellations together before bedtime.
When Mary washed their old winter blankets, Vivian would chase soap bubbles drifting in the air while Jean laughed and helped with the work.
It was a place filled with happy memories.
And yet… it was also a place that had become a nightmare.
There wasn’t a single corner of that house Vivian hadn’t cleaned.
Her soft little hands had become rough and blistered. Her tiny body, only seven years old, ached from working from morning until night.
She was never allowed inside the warm dining room, only watching Ron, Mary, and Peter eat together from afar.
Harsh adult voices. Threatening hands. The mocking laughter of a boy.
But now—she could leave all of that behind. And with her father.
There was no reason to refuse.
Jean, who had been silently watching her, suddenly teared up.
“Huh… sob.”
“D-Dad, are you crying?”
He wanted to shout to the world:
“Th-this wonderful child… is my daughter.”
He also wanted to show her off to everyone.
“Don’t cry, Dad…” Vivian panicked, her own eyes turning red.
Jean quickly wiped his tears and knelt down to her level.
“I’m okay! I’m just crying because I’m really happy. People cry even when they’re too happy, not just when they’re sad.”
“Really?”
“Really! I’m super happy right now!”
“Hehe—”
Jean grinned widely, and Vivian mirrored him, her tears fading into a smile.
“Bwahaha!”
Unable to resist, Jean peppered her cheeks with kisses.
Then he noticed the stares.
Everyone in the café was watching them with warm smiles.
A handsome father and daughter already stood out—but now they were both teary-eyed like ripe peaches.
Some even clapped softly.
Embarrassed, Jean and Vivian rushed out of the café.
[Kiki had just finished her pudding and was about to rest, and now this?!]
Only Kiki, completely confused, complained without understanding the situation.
“Yawn…”
After returning home, washing up in warm water, and changing into soft pajamas, Vivian flopped onto the bed and yawned deeply.
“You tired, Vivian? Let’s sleep.”
“Mm.”
She nodded, already half asleep.
“Goodnight then—oh. She’s already out.”
“If you sleep with your mouth open, you look dumb, human child.”
Even so, Kiki closed her eyes and snuggled into Vivian as if preparing to sleep too.
Jean smiled, adjusted Vivian’s head onto the pillow, and pulled the blanket over her.
It had been a hard day for such a small body.
In truth, after leaving the café, Vivian barely remembered anything—just wandering around in a daze.
Finding servants and searching for a new house had been far too complicated for her to understand.
The warmth of the pillow and blanket brought a faint smile to her face.
Her consciousness slowly sank into darkness…
And she woke up in a beautiful garden filled with mist.
