Lena’s wounds were getting better each day, and her body was slowly returning to normal.

The small village was peaceful and quiet, almost like it was cut off from the rest of the world. Even though it was close to Centrolis, it didn’t have the busy feel of a big city.

Lena liked the vibe there. She would often sit in the yard, looking at the flowers growing freely, taking deep breaths, and listening to birds singing.

At meal times, Chris would come to get her. The first time Lena saw the fancy meal Chris had made—four dishes and soup—her calm expression turned into one of amazement.

“How is it?” Chris, who still had on an apron, proudly showed her the dishes. “Try it. It’s going to make your taste buds dance!”

“How did you learn to cook like this? I thought…”

“Thought I’d blow up the kitchen like those two spoiled heirs?” Chris chuckled.

He had shredded the potatoes that way back in the Thompsons the last time just to preserve Zuko’s pride.

“When I first joined the military, I was assigned to the mess hall. Frying, sautéing, and cooking are all basic skills!”

Lena stared at him in a daze. Whenever he came close, she could smell the lingering aroma of cooking on him. She remembered someone saying that men were cuter when they cooked than when they smoked. She understood it now.

Who wouldn’t want to share their life with a man who possessed both a rugged charm and domestic qualities? Plus, he was adept at handling a sniper rifle…

A light blush appeared on Lena’s cheeks, but the slight flutter in her heart settled swiftly like a warm iron smoothing out wrinkled fabric.

Chris readied another meal that night and called her in from the yard.

Lena’s movement was still limited, so Chris had been carrying her to and fro the house whenever necessary these days. Today was the same—gently, he settled her into her seat.

fresh from the lady who lives at the beginning of the

her lips

an outgoing personality. While he stayed in the village, he occasionally assisted the villagers with

when a middle-aged woman living at the village’s entrance appeared

mushroom slice but sensed no freshness.

her fork down abruptly, Lena fixed her gaze on

mushroom slice he had just picked up back onto the plate, his eyes widening as

“W-What’s… What’s the matter?”

uttered a few words

bursting into laughter. “I added vinegar dressing for the

his eyes met Lena’s,

considering that she might have been imagining things. She had mistakenly placed the fried mushroom into the

sliced fish for you, but I don’t want to

Chris didn’t know how to make the dressing—but the woman did, and her daughter was even

that realization, Lena’s jealousy began to

Chris, unaware of what Lena was thinking, felt confused. Was there really no food

he set down his utensils and remained

the subject. “Let’s talk about how you got hurt. Why are you so

blank expression. “She’s the most

she once snooped

thinks I’m not normal. Someone

was both

a new kind of reasoning to him, yet

continued. “In the military, we never really encountered this sort of logic. Normally, when everyone

Because, from our viewpoint, neither you

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