"I'm fine. We weren’t particularly close to our mother...”
"..."
“That’s why I don’t cry. I'm not sad."
"That's not true, Shane..."
Adaline sobbed and whispered:
“You just don’t know how to express your feelings. You are too smart and mature."
She took his face in her small hands, pressed her forehead against his and, as if forever embedding her words in his consciousness, said:
"Don't be alone, Shane."
"What?"
“Don’t get used to being alone. This is not normal. I'm nearby. If you feel sad or lonely, just say so. There's nothing to be ashamed of."
“I’m not ashamed...it’s just...”
Her palms were warm.
[So this is what it is like - real, living human warmth. Hug, touch...]
Adaline’s eyes, full of tears, are so close, and at the same time suddenly so dazzlingly bright.
Shane slowly closed his eyes...and then opened them again.
[Beautiful.]
It was as if someone had added color to his black and white world.
Ordinary things suddenly took on a new face.
Same scene, but completely different feeling.
Shane looked at her silently. Adaline burst into tears again.
He let his little bride comfort him.
Actually, no, he still didn't feel sad about his mother's death.
But the hands that hugged his head, the fingers that stroked his hair, there was something aching, fragile and truly alive in them.
[And it was nice.]
[It's strange how suddenly someone can seem beautiful to you?]
[Yes, he always knew that Adaline had a pretty face, objectively she was beautiful. But it didn't bother him before.]
[After all, she hasn’t changed in appearance...]
And yet - a day that seemed ordinary suddenly began to seem like a deception.
From the moment he saw her beautiful, everything about her began to attract his gaze.
And when you start to notice something, it starts to seem beautiful.
And this makes it even sweeter.
[Her little hands, so graceful.]
[Neat nails, tiny crumbs on the chin, even they looked touching.]
[Am I going crazy?]
[It's not supposed to be cute.]
[If someone else was sitting with crumbs on their lips, it would look ridiculous.]
[But not with her.]
[Only Adaline was different.]
[I'm lucky that my fiancée is Adaline.]
Shane felt grateful, to his family, to the Emperor, to everyone who had arranged and blessed their engagement.
He began to visit Adaline often.
In the spring they watched the flowers bloom together.
In the summer we went to a country residence.
In the fall we went to the harvest festival.
In winter they made snowmen.
Adaline sighed irritably every time when she was asked to go for a walk, but almost always gave in if he smiled at her.
She seemed to treat it as an excursion, drinking tea and studying his face.
But that was enough for Shane.
He surprised himself at how much he loved Adaline.
The emotion grew and lived its own life.
Entirely aimed at her - alone.
[This dazzling, wonderful girl is mine.]
[She knows how to win hearts, vulnerable, a little secretive, but honest.] And as soon as she smiled, her green eyes glowed with warmth and her cheeks turned pink, and Shane felt himself filled with happiness.
For the first time in his life, he wanted to be with someone.
He didn't understand where this meaningless, stupid joy came from. But it was nice.
[Is it really...this is first love?]
He didn't believe himself. [But if this is not love, then what?]
And suddenly, one day:
"Let's break off the engagement."
"What?"
“Shane, let's call it off. It will be right."
Pale, frightened, Adaline spoke as if she had seen something terrible.
[Just like others once did.]
Since that day, his young bride has changed.
---After this, Adaline carefully avoided Shane.
But he, on the contrary, did not lag behind.
“Tell me, did I do something wrong?”
"No. You are not to blame for anything."
[But she didn't say anything.]
[As if she was already preparing to disappear.]
[She distanced herself from her family and hardly shared her thoughts.]
[And asked to leave her alone.]
Although she used to say:
[Don't be alone, Shane.]
[I will always be there.]
“Shane, you have to be honest with yourself. With your feelings, you understand?”
"I understand."
“When the one you love appears, don’t think twice. Just go for that feeling.”
[I'm not going to hold on to you...]
It was as if she was giving him freedom.
But his feelings haven't changed.
[Break off the engagement? Never.]
[The only thing that mattered was her.]
[Only she could awaken feelings in him. Everything else is empty.]
Even if Adaline hated him, he still wouldn't let her go.
“I...d-don’t see anything...”
If she hadn't died...he would...
“If you leave like this, I won’t forgive you. Understood? No. No..."
"Shane..."
[My only color.]
[My feelings.]
[Everything I love.]
“You can forget me...No. Must forget. Promise."
“If you love me even a little bit...then be happy.”
[I can't.]
[I don't want to forget you.]
[How can I?]
"Goodbye..."
When her pale hand went limp and fell, Shane's world shattered into pieces.
[...Have you ever understood how a person feels when he finds out that all this - all the pain, happiness, despair, was a monstrous lie?]