Chapter 7

"When I'm gone, could you buy me a luxury grave site? And plant pine and cypress trees by my tombstone, so they'll keep me company, just like you would?"

Charles's face froze, and his whole expression dropped.

"Don't talk like that!"

His angry retort was tinged with panic, making him sound less confident than usual.

I regretted saying it the instant the words slipped out, but seeing his reaction, the emptiness inside me just wouldn't budge.

I managed a weak smile and said, "Of course, I was just joking."

Because I'll stay here, and the only companions I'll have are the trees scattered across this plateau. None of them will ever be connected to him.

Charles still had a dark look on his face, snapping, "Don't joke about that again."

I thought his anger was a bit out of place, but deep down, I couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope, one that really had no business being there anymore.

I asked, "What, are you scared I'll die?"

Charles went quiet for a second, then looked away and said in a cold voice, "You're reading too much into it. I just don't like talking about stuff like that."

My heart, like a fish that had just broken the surface, slipped quietly back down into the depths.

I mumbled, "Alright, I won't bring it up again."

Only then did Charles's expression finally ease up a little.

That night, the locals built a bonfire on the hillside near the village.

Tourists like us, all dressed up in traditional outfits, blended right in, getting swept up in the singing and dancing.

I sat off to the side, just watching. Part of me wished I could join in, but deep down, I felt like I could die without regrets.

I've always loved being where the action is. If I get one last night like this before I go, that's enough for me.

Charles, sitting next to me, suddenly asked, "Why aren't you out there dancing with them?"

He watched the bonfire, but his gaze was lost in the flames, as if he was seeing something from long ago.

"I remember you used to win prizes for folk dancing. The day you agreed to be with me, you danced just for me..."

I remembered that unforgettable day.

The day we made things official, I danced for him in front of the Nambar Peak.

I was wearing a long red dress, spinning and twirling in the morning light, with the mountain glowing gold behind me, making the whole moment feel almost magical.

That was the most dazzling, happiest moment of my life.

I was holding the man I loved, and at the same time, embracing my passionate life and my free spirit.

As I thought back to that day, a bittersweet ache welled up inside me, and my eyes grew misty.

I looked at him and spoke softly.

"They say only one in ten ever gets to see the golden sunrise over the Nambar Peak. If we're lucky enough to witness it again, I'll dance for you one more time."

Charles fixed his gaze on me, a flicker of emotion stirring deep in his eyes.

"Okay."

He replied, his voice husky with feeling.

Maybe it was the perfect night, and we just gazed at each other in silence, until all the sounds around us faded away.

I could hear my heart pounding so loud, and before I realized it, I was drawn closer to him.

Our breaths mingled, and just as our lips were about to touch, the moment hung between us, suspended in the quiet night.

But then, as if waking from a dream, Charles suddenly pulled away, his eyes suddenly clear and sharp.

He let out a nervous laugh, trying to act casual. "What, you're not regretting this, are you?"

He glanced away, then added, a bit awkwardly:

"We shouldn't forget why we're here."

All the warmth in my body just drained away.

With that little comment, he was reminding me this was our breakup trip.

That kind of probing, wrapped up in a joke, actually hurt more than if he'd just lost his temper and yelled at me.

Anger flared up inside me.

"Trust me, I haven't forgotten, not for a second. And I never regretted it!"

As I spoke, I picked up the glass of whiskey I'd left untouched all night, looked Charles straight in the eye, and said:

"I swear by the peaks of Bhodan. If I try to hold you after this trip, let me die in misery and never find peace beyond!"

With that, I tipped my head back, about to drink it all in one go.

Crash!

He suddenly swept the glass off the table with a crash, then shot to his feet and pointed at me in fury.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You can't just throw out a curse like that!"

People all around us turned to look.