A song echoed from afar. At first, the sound was merely a soft hum, so faint that it was hard to recognize as a song, but after a few repetitions, he suddenly realized it was indeed a melody.

Layla, Layla.

A man so poor he didn’t even have a dowry to marry his beloved, so he set off on a long journey just to find a white flower for her.

It was a traditional song of this country, he had heard it once a long time ago. Richard listened silently as the melody gradually faded to the point where it was almost inaudible. The deep blue sky appeared through the gaps in the palm leaves hanging overhead. There was no wind, yet the sky swayed slightly, bit by bit, captivating his gaze.

How long had it been since he had a moment of such complete tranquility? This brief respite where he didn’t have to do anything, just immerse himself in peace, was about to end. A few days passed quickly like a dream. By this time tomorrow, he would be drowning in a mountain of work again.

“……”

Richard closed his eyes. But less than a few minutes later, he opened them again. He sensed someone approaching. He turned his head to look and saw Christoph entering the courtyard with a grumpy, just-woken face. His slightly unsteady gait showed that he was still sleepy.

“Was going to see how long you’d sleep, but you’re up earlier than I thought. It’s not even dark yet. Up early like a diligent cat, Christoph.”

Richard taunted him in a tone of feigned praise, and Christoph glared at him with a sleepy, sullen look. Then Christoph approached without a word, sat down opposite Richard, and poured coffee from the pot on the table into an empty cup.

“How long have you been here?”

“Since after I finished breakfast and came back to find you crawling back into bed.”

“I told you not to enter my room without permission.”

“If you don’t like it, lock the door before you go to sleep. Better watch that door carefully. It’s dangerous.”

Richard replied calmly, even though if Christoph had locked the door, he would have banged on it and woken him up noisily. Christoph scoffed.

“Dangerous? Whoever dares to intrude into my space is the one in danger.”

“Uhm, that’s what I meant too.”

“……”

Christoph’s eyes were sharp and cold. He glared at Richard, who was leisurely pouring coffee into his cup, and asked coldly:

“When are you leaving?”

“Early tomorrow morning.”

“I should have just slept until morning.”

Christoph glanced at his wrist out of habit, then clicked his tongue when he saw it bare, having just woken up.

“What time is it?”

“I don’t know. As you can see, I don’t have a watch.”

Richard held up his empty wrist. Understanding the reason why his wrist was bare, Christoph frowned silently and drank his coffee.

“Anyway, today’s definitely not over yet.”

The setting sun still hung in the sky. More than a quarter of his last day remained. He didn’t know how many months it would be before he had another vacation like this.

From the corridor surrounding the courtyard, the sounds of people passing by echoed. “Meeting my girlfriend after work today, I already asked to switch shifts.” – The snippets of conversation from the men drifted in and out. Christoph should have been among them, but just as Richard’s vacation ended today, Christoph’s break also ended today.

“Guiding, what guiding…… For four days, all I did was coop myself up inside the fence, leisurely admiring the garden. Thanks to that, I won’t get any rest this weekend.”

Christoph had been forced to take leave under the guise of guiding, so he had to give back his weekend days for taking two days off mid-week. While he grumbled resentfully, Richard replied in a calm tone without a hint of remorse.

“Weekend? Isn’t that supposed to be a day off? I completely forgot.”

“Richard Tarten, you workaholic. It’s annoying to be compared to you, the guy whose reputation for being a workaholic has spread even to this place. Aren’t you about to reach the age where you should worry about dying from overwork?”

“Thanks for your concern. But in my life plan, I intend to live until my hair turns white and die from excessive happiness, so I don’t need to worry about dying from overwork.”

Almost spat out the coffee he was drinking, causing the cup in Christoph’s hand to wobble slightly. A few drops splashed onto his fingers. Christoph, with a surprised and cold look, glared at him and wiped his hand.

“Your life plan is your business, but you should also consider the feelings of the person who will become the subject of that plan.”

Richard raised an eyebrow as if hearing something unexpected, briefly lost in thought. Then he opened his mouth: “Yeah, I’ve never thought about that.” His gaze shifted to Christoph, and he continued:

“If so then…… what do you think? Would you find it very unpleasant?”

“Of course. Who would be happy to have a corpse lying face down on their boat……”

Christoph answered curtly then suddenly stopped mid-sentence. After blinking a few times, he glared fiercely at Richard.

“Why are you asking me? If it were a case of me dying from happiness myself, I could understand, so there’s no way I’d be the ‘other person’ you were referring to?”

Christoph’s face crumpled, and he slammed his coffee cup down on the table, clearly irritated. Seeing this, Richard scoffed again.

“‘Dying from happiness’…… Your obsession with cleanliness hasn’t even gone away, and you’re already talking big.”

“It’s gone.”

Christoph’s gaze immediately turned sharp. The moment the words left his mouth, he flinched, then quickly corrected himself: “No, there was never such a thing.” Richard smirked again.

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Why would I joke with you? I’ve never been like that.”

Richard narrowed his eyes, looking at Christoph, who was glaring back stubbornly. Muttering derisively: “Yeah, right”, he pulled the coffee cup Christoph had just put down towards himself. He took a few strong sips, enough to wake himself up, then placed it back in front of Christoph, who was still glaring.

“Finish it. Talking such nonsense, you must still be half asleep.”

“……”

Christoph looked down at the cup. Although he watched the dark brown liquid sway and then settle for a long while, he still made no move to pick it up. Then suddenly:

“It’s not a matter of obsession with cleanliness.”

A sudden murmur. Christoph looked up at Richard. His blue eyes had become deeper, like a rich indigo.

“I hate the fact that your mouth touched it.”

“Your mouth.” – Christoph emphasized those two words again and then fell silent. His cold blue eyes shifted to look at the palm trees, growing darker as if recalling a certain memory.

It was impossible to know what that memory was. Among the countless horrific memories of the past, to which part did it belong?

Richard looked at him and then silently turned away.

‘——If only you had never known him.’

‘——If only this moment was the first time meeting him.’

“……No way, Erich. You’re wrong.”

The unintentional whisper escaped his lips. Although as soft as a breath of wind, Christoph slightly tilted his head as if he had heard it, but didn’t turn around. Richard looked up at the sky torn into fragments by the palm trees. That azure color was so familiar, just like someone’s eyes.

‘You’re wrong. There are people who make me jealous, you know.’

Richard exhaled a soundless sigh. Within that sigh-like breath, he unconsciously hummed a little melody, unaware of when it had settled on his lips. It was the familiar song that he had just heard a moment ago.

Hearing the sound, Christoph turned to look this time. A suspicious look in his eyes: ‘What the hell are you doing all of a sudden?’ Richard moved his lips along with the melody and murmured:

“Someone was singing just now: ‘So poor he didn’t even have a dowry, so he set off on a journey to find a white flower for her’.”

“Ah…… Layla. I know that song, but I didn’t expect the strange melody you just hummed to be it. Your singing skills are quite…… impressive, Richard.”

Christoph quipped with an indifferent expression, as if to retaliate for the “diligent cat” comment earlier. Richard glanced at him, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

“Do I look like the type who’s good at everything? Everyone says so…… It’s not entirely wrong.”

Christoph glared at Richard – self-satisfied with his indifferent expression – but aside from a sneer, he had nothing to refute. When Christoph turned away again, Richard looked up at the sky. That color, no matter how much he wanted to, he could never grasp.

Even if he possessed everything, even if he enjoyed glory and wealth to the fullest.

“Yet there are times when even a single white flower cannot be grasped.”

The whispered words to himself echoed then faded away.

He envied them. Those who could reach out and pluck that white flower without hesitation.

He envied all those who didn’t know him. Because the past is something that cannot be erased.

“……—”

Richard sat up abruptly from his half-reclining position on the armchair. Such pathetic thoughts, it was enough to think them alone. He didn’t want to display that pitiful face to anyone.

“The contract with Al-Faisal expires at the end of this year, correct?”

When he spoke to confirm, Christoph raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly in thought. It was clear he hadn’t paid attention to this. After a moment of mental calculation, Christoph replied, “Yes, that’s right.”

“Are you planning to renew?”

“I don’t know…… Probably. If they want me to.”

Christoph’s voice was calm: “Although it’s boring and annoying sometimes, the conditions aren’t bad.”

“If they want me to.” – That was an assumption with a foregone conclusion. Al-Faisal, more than anyone, was greedy for talent (just like the person he was sponsoring) and certainly wouldn’t want to let the contract lapse. So Christoph would stay here again. A few more years.

“Go back, Christoph.”

Richard’s voice was gentle, and Christoph immediately fell silent. Richard still didn’t look at him, only focusing on the deep blue sky peeking through the leaves.

Go back. —To Germany. To Dresden, to Tarten. To his side.

There was no answer. Only silence reigned. Without a word of agreement or refusal, Christoph kept his lips sealed.

Occasionally, birdsong rang out. From somewhere, the faint sounds of people echoed, then faded. The endless blue sky, the blazing sun, but beneath the shade of the trees, it remained cool.

Time passed like that. A few seconds? Or a few minutes? Only silence prevailed. Until Christoph abruptly stood up and curtly declared: “I’m starving. Need to eat something.”

Richard silently watched Christoph’s back as he left the courtyard, breaking the silence that leaned more towards negation than affirmation. Even if he called out ‘Go back’ again, he was certain Christoph wouldn’t stop. At the moment that thought crossed his mind, Richard unconsciously curled his fingers. As his fist clenched tightly, faint blue veins rose beneath his skin.

“You’ve been sitting there this whole time. You haven’t eaten anything either, have you?”

Christoph grumbled as he put his hand on the door, his voice full of annoyance: “If you want to sit, keep sitting.” The short sentence ended with a click of his tongue. He was probably angry at himself for turning around, even though he had intended to ignore him completely.

“……Yeah, that’s right. Now that you mention it, I’m quite hungry.”

“Starving.” – Richard said as he stood up and followed Christoph with a leisurely gait. Christoph turned away again, this time not looking back.

Richard kept a certain distance as he followed. Not far, but not close either—maintaining precisely two steps behind. But after walking like that for a while, the distance had narrowed slightly. More than one step, but less than two.

Richard recognized the restlessness within himself because of that distance. No. Stop here. He told himself this inwardly, so he didn’t shorten the gap any further.

But the thirst was more persistent than the gnawing hunger. A feeling of unfulfillment kept rising relentlessly.

That’s enough. ——Perhaps he could wait no longer.