Things I Didn’t Know Because It Was The First Time

41 – Treehouse

On Wednesday, Scarlett headed for Crimson. No matter how the world changed, her daily life remained the same.

Scarlett rested on Isaac’s attic bed.

“I feel like I’m living in vain these days,” she said.

“Really?”

“Yes. I feel so useless.”

“Don’t say that.”

Isaac carefully pulled Scarlett’s arm up and sat her on the bed. He stuttered, his hands on her cheeks and said, “I would have died before without you.”

“To go that far….”

“It’s more than that. I lived through your childhood. Like a human-eating monster.”

“Why do you say that?”

Scarlett frowned at his words, briefly relieved of sorrow.

He carefully pressed Scarlett’s forehead against his own. When Isaac, who lost his sight after his parents died, could not talk, Scarlett comforted him. There was no room for her to grieve. She pressed his forehead like this every day and laughed, saying, “You still have me.”

Whenever he thought of it, Isaac felt like a monster whose existence should not be a reality.

His sister was being abused right next to him, but he indulged in self-pity, and even after he woke, he was still cared for by Scarlett, day and night.

The young man let her go, and Isaac spoke to her with his usual kind grin.

“Then don’t say that you’re useless.”

“Okay, I won’t do it. But....”

“But tell me what’s upsetting you. I’ll listen to everything.”

Isaac spoke and laughed as if to refresh his mood.

Scarlett smiled softly at the thought that she, such a useless woman, had saved one person in the world. It was quite a success, she thought.

Soon, she spoke.

“I want to go to the tree house.”

“Treehouse?”

“Yes. I often remember playing there, with our parents and you. Especially on a snowy day like today. You remember, right? We drew candy with an interesting toy mother made.”

“Oh, I remember. We might still be able to find that toy in the tree house.”

Isaac spoke and rose.

“Let’s go.”

“Treehouse?”

“Yes. Marilyn and Arnold are grown, so we don’t go there often.”

This house was the house of the brother and sister*, but there was no place to move freely.

*referring to Scarlett and Isaac.

The attic and the underground warehouse where Scarlett lived were spaces for two people. Scarlett felt uneasy at the thought of being scolded by her uncle. But she felt it would be alright to do it discreetly for a while.

“I think I can get in trouble if I find a candy picker toy.”

Scarlett found his cane and placed it in Isaac’s hand.

Isaac happily walked behind Scarlett as they left the attic, trying to keep his face from stiffening. Scarlett, the one who’d lived a much longer life than he did, on the contrary, remained immature. For example, it was always like she was worried that her actions would result in her receiving a scolding.

The two soon headed for the tree house. It was a ten-minute walk from the mansion. It was a wonderful building made by two geniuses with all their heart and soul. When they went inside, the shelf was full of good alcohol.

Scarlett grumbled.

“I can’t believe I’m drinking here. It’s probably Arnold’s, right?”

“I guess so.”

“Where are the toys?”

As Scarlett looked around the tree house, she bit her lip, trying not to cry. The graffiti was still on the log wall.

[Rule 1. Don’t cross the line]

Scarlett managed to laugh at the line drawn on the floor.

“Do you remember? We always fought each other. There’s still a line.”

“Where?”

At Isaac’s words, Scarlett stopped him where the line was. Then Isaac smiled and said,

“Now that I think about it, your side is wider.”

“No, yours bigger than me.”

“Swap?”

“No.”

The two quarrelled and laughed loudly.

Fortunately, the items inside were considered interiors, and there was not much that had been moved. The employees always cleaned, so there was no dust. Scarlett took out the box on the shelf and placed it on the floor. She looked at the wooden lock and said,

“The password is Cherry Pie.”

“You remember that?”

“Of course.”

Scarlett hung the wooden stick on the cogwheel groove, spun it around, organised the alphabet in order, and opened the box. There was a candy picker toy inside and even candy inside.

Scarlett wound the spring and tossed the toy like a dice, and a candy popped out. When the candy was taken out, the music box of the toy turned the rest of the candy. Soon, it returned to its origin by selecting the music according to the last number.

The two fell in love with the memories and continued to draw candy until all ten songs came out. They heard a loud noise from below as they passed the time. The brother and sister soon realised they had been here for too long and went down the low stairs made for children.

Upon reaching the ground, they found Arnold dragging his friends. Arnold, already drunk, grabbed Scarlett by the arm.