Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover

“Don't worry. They're here to ask for some water,” Kristoff, the elderly man, explained. “I'll pour some for them right now. Right, Darling, where was the honey I collected in the mountains? Where did we keep it?”

“It's in the cabinet,” came Beatrice's, the elderly woman, weak reply. She pointed at a rickety cabinet in their rundown abode.

Several minutes later, Kristoff returned to Vivian and Kurt, serving them two bowls of water that had been heavily sweetened with wild honey.

“Please enjoy. You should leave once you've quenched your thirst.”

Kurt stared at the proffered bowl in silence.

Vivian hastily received the bowl on his behalf and thanked the old man, “All right. Thank you so much.”

She began gulping the honeyed water with gusto as Kurt stared at her in shock.

She grew up on the finest delicacies in the world, using utensils that cost some families their entire yearly salary, not to mention she's a borderline neat freak, too. How did she bring herself to drink out of that old, broken bowl?

Kurt was still stunned as Kristoff asked, “Why aren't you drinking, young chap? Are you worried about the honey? Well, not to worry. It's clean; I harvested it from the mountains myself.”

“No, no. I wasn't thinking that all,” Kurt protested hastily before lowering his head.

He gobbled the bowl of honeyed water in an instant.

Meanwhile, Vivian smacked her lips and exclaimed, “It's so sweet!”

should head back now,” Kristoff urged. “Your mother will be worried if you're gone for too

rooted in concern. Like Beatrice had said earlier, an association with the

in thought before asking, “Sire, may I borrow two sets of clothes from you?” Kurt's ears reddened as he introduced Vivian with a stammer, “This girl is m-my younger sister, and I'm bringing her home for the

understandably confused by his

Younger sister?

confusion worked in

course! I'm afraid we do not have

fine,” Kurt

in a wooden chest before returning to Kurt

still in good shape. Oh, and my son

clothes. He could not

He's talking about Mom and my missing uncle. I can't believe my grandparents

in mind, he took the clothes with

something was off, Vivian approached Kurt and asked gently, “What's wrong? Are

stammered, lifting his head to stare at Vivian with

“Then wha—”

a little old,” Kurt

question,

I afford to be picky at a

uttered, “Of course. Um, I don't