You, Who’s Kind Only To Me - Chapter 4

Feeling a bit groggy, she mustered her strength after counting to ten and tried to open the door. But there was no voice from the outside.

“Ren.”

To her, the voice sounded like this.

[Rweenn.]

Oh, this again.

She tilted her head and tapped her opposite ear as if removing water from it.

Although no actual water ever came out, doing this sometimes made her feel a little better.

Was it because she had been washed ashore in a storm? Her ears often, or rather quite frequently, malfunctioned.

She looked at the wooden door that symbolized the disconnection with hopeful eyes after skillfully fixing her ear. And as if her expectations had been noticed by the old man, he said with a firm voice,.

“Count to twenty and come out. Got it?”

“Yes!”

She replied with joy.

“Hmm, hmmhmm- Aah-.”

She hummed a melody that floated on the cool sea air of dawn. In her heart, she counted to twenty and then opened the door with a creak. The sound of the old wooden door creaking echoed, and the floor, gnawed by rats, squeaked discordantly.

However, all of these were just parts that made up her world. Ren willingly took the melody carried by the wind into her mouth.

“Euhk, ptoo!”

Today, the air felt particularly heavy. She wondered if the salt wind was blowing in from somewhere.

Ren, who had been grumbling silently, carefully walked through the house. She could see the remnants of the hearth and the cluttered state of the house, with dishes stained with sauce scattered everywhere, and open bottles rolling haphazardly on the floor.

Having successfully navigated through the cluttered house, avoiding the pile of bottles, Ren stepped outside. Her bare feet glowing white in the moonlight.

With a joyful expression, she gazed at the view of the sea. A voice reached her ears.

“Ren, my proud daughter.”

Turning to her side, she saw a figure in the moonlight, its features obscured in shadow, calling out to Ren.

“Today, we will perform a very special ceremony.”

Shhaa– The distant sound of waves.

“It’s something only you can do. My daughter, will you help us?”

It was a year and three months ago, during a fierce storm.

‘…An opportunity.’

‘At last…’

‘Oh, great… master…’

Suddenly, when she opened her eyes, she saw an unfamiliar ceiling. People she had never seen before. They all gathered around her and said in unison:

On a stormy night, she came down floating the high waves.

She didn’t know anything. Her memories, the way of life, and even her own name. She could hear and speak, but she didn’t know how to write. She knew she had to eat, but she didn’t know how to use a fork and knife.

The people were kind. They provided her with a place to sleep and food to eat. They even helped her find her ‘name’ from the only possession that had come with her.

A pendant shaped like a crescent moon, with her name engraved on it.

[Ren]

That’s how she became Ren, the person from the remote island.

But there was one thing.

There were times when they became extremely strict with Ren.

“Ren! Didn’t I tell you not to go outside!”

“That… I want to help too…”

“Go inside quickly. The outside world is contaminated. You are still pure, and you must not become tainted.”

“Yes, Aunt.”

Ren was always confined to the house and was not allowed to go outside. She was taken care of by a middle-aged couple who referred to her as their ‘daughter’

Meals were served only once a day, left outside the door with a knock at the time of the rising moon. Ren was not supposed to open the door at any other time. The old attic became her only sanctuary.

So Ren would sit by the small window in the attic, the only trace of the outside world she could access, and sing songs. She would listen to the crashing waves and the songs of the spirits from the distant sea. When she leaned her ears towards the outside, various sounds from the world would tickle her ears.

“Even though I’ve had water, it’s pretty decent.”

With long hours of solitude, Ren would often talk to herself and mutter to herself. No one had taught her, but just by humming like that, she felt quite content.

The day when Ren was allowed freedom outside only came once every three months, on the night of the ‘Purification Ritual’ when the full moon rose, overflowing with the moon’s magic.

On that day, following her guardian, Ren would head to the deep blue sea with a slightly excited heart. The night sky held a large, bright yellow full moon, and as she gazed upon the moon that seemed almost within reach, she would softly marvel at its beauty.

It was a breathtaking sight, almost enchanting.

With the rising tide crashing against the shore, Ren stood barefoot, feeling the spirit of the wind play with her long, flowing hair. A soft smile graced her lips as she reveled in the freedom she had longed for. Her hair, a wave of deep pink bathed in moonlight, danced along with the breeze. She brushed the strands tickling her face behind her ear, savoring this rare moment of liberation.

Want to read more? Up to [12] advanced chapters are available on Patreon: