Later that night, after they had returned home, Julian lay on the grave bed next to Karl, staring at the ceiling. The room was so quiet you could even hear the faint sounds from the next room.
"I still can’t believe he called her wife," Julian muttered, his voice laced with disbelief as he thought back to Adrian’s strange behavior.
"Hm," Karl responded, his tone flat, barely acknowledging Julian’s words.
Julian turned his head to look at him, frowning. "What’s wrong with you, Brother Karl? I miss your cheerful energy. What happened to you?" he asked, his voice softer now, filled with genuine concern.
Karl stayed silent, his baby-blue eyes fixed on the faint shadows across the ceiling.
"Is it because of Madame Shades’ cookies? Are you still feeling low because of that?" Julian asked again, this time turning fully onto his side to face Karl.
Karl’s lips twitched, but he didn’t respond immediately. Finally, he nodded slowly, not wanting to lie but not ready to share the truth either.
Julian’s brows furrowed as he studied Karl’s face. "You’ve been acting strange lately. If something’s bothering you, you can tell me, you know?"
Karl gave a faint smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "I’m fine, Julian," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Julian sighed, rolling onto his back again. "If you say so..." he murmured, though the worry in his heart only deepened. Something was definitely bothering Karl, but Julian didn’t want to push him if he wasn’t ready to talk. For now, he just hoped Karl would open up when he was ready.
The next morning, Ruby woke up early, her mind already buzzing with plans for the day. She stretched lazily, the soft warmth of her cloud bed making her want to stay in it a little longer, but she shook the thought off and got up.
Quickly getting ready, she slipped into her robes. Thankfully, she thought, Julian and the others always wash my robes. Otherwise, I’d be too lazy to do it myself. A small smile tugged at her lips as she adjusted the fabric.
Feeling refreshed, she headed out toward the backyard. The air was crisp, the morning sun casting a gentle glow over the quiet surroundings.
Her backyard was still bare, empty except for the reddish grass that grew naturally. Ruby looked around, her lips pursing as she inspected the space. There wasn’t even a back door, something she mentally noted to add later. A backyard should be put to better use, she thought.
She could already imagine planting vegetables or flowers here, picturing colourfull flowers filling the space. But a memory from her past life suddenly came to her mind, making her chuckle softly to herself. Every plant she had ever tried to grow back then had died, no matter how much care she gave them.
Even when I watered them every day... they just refused to live, she mused, shaking her head.
Still, the thought of trying again in this life was tempting. The idea of harvesting fresh vegetables or seeing flowers bloom under her care filled her with a small sense of determination. Maybe this time, it’ll be different, she thought.
After finishing a bit of light exercise in the backyard, Ruby walked back into the house, feeling refreshed. Stepping into the living room, she immediately noticed Julian, Karl, and Milo sitting together, talking quietly.
"Where’s Adrian?" she asked, glancing around.
Julian looked up at her. "He went to his job," he replied casually.
Ruby’s brows shot up in surprise. "Job? When?"
"Yesterday," Julian said, leaning forward slightly as he explained. "He got a helper job at a small company."
Ruby tilted her head, processing the news. "A helper job?"
Julian nodded, his mossy-green eyes meeting hers. "Yes, it’s small, but it’s honest work. He seemed... happy about it."
"That’s good! Everyone should be independent," Ruby said with a small nod as she looked at them.
Her words hung in the air for a moment. Julian stiffened, biting his lips as if trying to hold something back. His mossy-green eyes darted toward her briefly, but he said nothing. Milo tilted his head, confused by Julian’s reaction, while Karl remained silent, his expression unreadable.
Ruby didn’t linger in the living room, sensing the tension. Instead, she went to her room. Closing the door behind her, she let out a sigh and muttered to herself, "Such a fool I am. I shouldn’t have bathed first... I should have exercised first." She shook her head, feeling slightly annoyed at herself for what she thought was a small misstep.
Her mind drifted to the promise she had made to Julian about teaching him. Deciding to follow through, she stepped out of her room and headed back to the living room. She noticed Julian, Milo, and Karl preparing breakfast, their movements quiet but coordinated.
Not wanting to interrupt, Ruby detoured to the washroom, where she quickly washed her face and arms. After drying herself off with a towel, she returned to the dining table, where the three were already seated.
As she joined them, Milo’s face lit up. "Brother Adi already had his breakfast before he left for work, but we waited for you, wife!" he said cheerfully, his honey-brown eyes sparkling with warmth.
Ruby raised a brow, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "That’s kind of you," she said as she picked up her utensils, glancing at Julian and Karl, who were unusually quiet. Something was on their minds, but she decided not to press,at least for now.
"Wife, you said you would teach us how to write and read... will you teach us today?" Julian’s voice broke the quiet atmosphere, making Ruby pause.
She raised her head and looked at him. For a brief moment, she thought she saw a shadow in his mossy-green eyes, something darker flickering in his eyes.
But when she blinked and looked again, all she saw was his usual gentle expression.
Julian’s lips curved into a soft smile, his tone steady but hopeful. "You promised, remember?" he added, his gaze fixed on her.
—To be continued...🪄