Duncan’s POV

Since it was spring break, I ended up helping my mother sell flowers at her shop.

There really wasn’t anything better for me to do, so I just went along with it. Staying at home would’ve been boring anyway, and at least here I could be a little useful. Besides, she was usually alone when managing the shop, and seeing her handle everything by herself all the time made me feel a bit guilty.

Well, sometimes she did have someone with her. Raymond’s mother would occasionally stop by and help out, chatting with her while they worked. But those times felt rare. Most days, it was just my mother, quietly taking care of everything on her own.

"Ah, son? Can you put these flowers out front? Let them get a bit of sunlight. They haven’t been getting enough, and they’re starting to wither a little," she said.

"Okay," I replied simply.

I didn’t waste time. I started gathering the pots one by one, being careful not to tip any of them over. The soil felt slightly dry, and the leaves of some plants looked weaker than usual. Once I had a few in my arms, I carried them outside and arranged them where the sunlight could touch them properly.

The warmth of the sun hit my skin as I stepped out, and for a moment, I just stood there, letting it sink in. It wasn’t too hot, just enough to feel comfortable. The kind of warmth that made you want to stay still for a bit longer than necessary.

My mother always liked the sun.

She believed in it in a way that went beyond just liking the weather. To her, the sun was something divine. Something like a god that gave life to everything. She used to say that all living things thrived because of it, that its rays carried something special.

It wasn’t like beliefs were unusual in this world, so I never really questioned her about it. Everyone had their own way of seeing things.

Still... something about her lately felt a bit off.

She had been going out more often than usual. Not just for errands or simple trips, but for activities. She mentioned meeting with a group of women, though she never really went into detail about what they did together. The way she talked about it was... different.

There was this strange feeling that they were revering something.

I couldn’t quite explain it properly, but it lingered in my mind. A small sense that something wasn’t completely normal.

I didn’t ask her about it.

Even if I wasn’t the sharpest person around, I could still tell when something felt strange. Poking into it without understanding anything probably wouldn’t lead anywhere good.

As I finished placing the plants under the sunlight, one of them caught my attention.

It wasn’t completely wilted yet, but it was close.

Its leaves drooped weakly, hanging down like they didn’t have the strength to hold themselves up anymore. The color looked dull, lacking that fresh green it should’ve had. It gave off this quiet, pitiful feeling, like it was just waiting to give up.

It looked... sad.

For some reason, I couldn’t help but relate to it.

Lately, I had been feeling the same way.

Estelle and I had broken up.

Even now, I still didn’t fully understand why it happened. She didn’t give me a long explanation or anything complicated. She just said that her feelings for me were gone. Just like that. Simple, clean, and impossible to argue against.

At first, I didn’t know how to react.

It was my first time going through something like that. My first breakup.

There wasn’t anything to compare it to, no experience to fall back on. Just this empty feeling sitting in my chest, heavier than I expected.

Even someone like me could tell that it hurt.

"It looks like we’re both a little sad, huh?" I muttered under my breath.

Yeah... I really just said that to a plant.

If anyone saw me, they’d probably think I’d finally lost it. Then again, it’s not like the plant was going to judge me.

While I was standing there, staring at it like an idiot, a shadow suddenly covered the plant.

I blinked and looked up, squinting slightly as my eyes adjusted.

The first thing I noticed was a pair of rabbit ears.

They stood out immediately, tall and soft-looking, twitching slightly as if reacting to the surroundings.

Then my gaze lowered, and I saw her.

A beastwoman.

Her face carried the features of a rabbit, gentle and delicate in a way that felt oddly calming. The rest of her body was human, her posture relaxed as she leaned in closer to examine the plant.

"The plant is dying?" she asked.

Her voice was soft, curious rather than alarmed.

She knelt down without hesitation, bringing herself closer to the drooping leaves. Her attention was completely focused, like nothing else around her mattered at that moment.

Then she slowly extended her hand.

The way she moved it looked deliberate, almost careful, as if she was handling something fragile. There was a faint sense of purpose in her actions, something I couldn’t quite put into words.

And then...

The plant started to change.

The leaves that had been hanging weakly began to lift. Slowly at first, then more steadily, as if they were regaining their strength. The dull color shifted into a healthier shade of green, and the entire plant seemed to straighten up.

It didn’t stop there.

It actually grew a little.

A small, fresh leaf sprouted right in front of me, unfolding itself as if it had been waiting for the right moment.

I just stood there, watching.

"Thank goodness I have the ability to transfer my own life force into something living," she said. "I only gave it a small amount, but it still bloomed into something quite lovely. I hope it feels good, knowing it received my life force."

She smiled after saying that.

The kind of smile that didn’t feel forced. It was simple, genuine, and strangely warm.

It caught me off guard.

Even someone like me could understand what she meant.

She gave part of her life... to a plant.

That wasn’t something people normally did.

It felt brave. Maybe even a little crazy. Giving up something like that so easily, without hesitation.

I didn’t know if I could do the same.

After finishing, she turned her attention to me.

"If you’re planning to let it have sunlight, try to do it when the sun isn’t too strong. Plants need sunlight to live, yes, but too much heat can harm them instead," she said.

Her tone was calm, almost like she was gently reminding me rather than correcting me.

Once she finished speaking, she stood up and started walking away.

Before she left completely, she turned slightly and gave a small wave.

I didn’t even realize I hadn’t said anything back.

I just stood there, watching her as she moved farther away.

As she began to run, her steps light and quick, something shifted inside me.

My chest tightened.

My heart started beating faster, louder than usual. Each beat felt heavier, like it was trying to make itself known.

It was different.

This feeling wasn’t something I had experienced before.

Even when I was with Estelle, it had never been like this.

This was new.

Strange, but not unpleasant.

For some reason, no matter what I did for the rest of the day, I couldn’t get her out of my mind.