Evelyn’s eyes moved along, reading word by word, line by line, of the red-inked letter she was holding.

At first, she had overreacted, thinking of that lifeless piece of paper as some kind of threat letter.

But honestly, it looked more like the ramblings of a child who felt ignored.

You know how they sometimes chatter endlessly and act dramatic when they don’t get enough attention.

Every word in the letter was written in uppercase, and if Evelyn didn’t keep her focus, she felt her eyes might cross from the strain of reading it.

[To the Honorable ‘Mx. Forget Me’!

The fireplace tonight has been my companion as these words flowed onto every corner of this page.

With the flames burning ever brighter, I felt the passion to reply to the truly beautiful letter I came across while choosing among those that would lead me into new friendships.

The half-moon hangs in the night sky, peeking in as a witness through the windowpane.

For that, I must thank you, for nearly making my healthy heart leap out of its place in surprise when I read the wonderful letter you sent.

As a return, allow me to introduce myself, both for the sake of formality and in hopes that we may continue this correspondence well into the future.

I am a man who has only just begun trying to live independently. Thanks to my responsible parents, I was able to grow up healthy, strong, and well-provided for, until reaching adulthood.

But of course, life shouldn’t just drift along with the current, right?

That’s why you’ll be my very first friend, and a witness to my journey of living on my own! Hehe. 

Oh, sorry, perhaps that’s asking too much. I do hope we can get along and not lose contact so quickly.

Unlike the alias you’ve chosen, I will remember you. Let’s be friends!

<003-143-05>

Sunflower.

P.S. My alias comes from my mother’s favorite flower, beautiful, isn’t it?]

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, stifling her amusement.

“Looks like you’re very enthusiastic.”

She shook her head in disbelief at the letter’s content.

At last, a soft chuckle escaped her, and she murmured as though replying to the sender’s invitation of friendship.

“Alright then, let’s be friends.”

Rather adorable, really.

A flash of memory crossed her mind.

Something she thought she had once found endearing not too long ago.

Or maybe it was just her imagination.

Evelyn shook her head, pushing away the unnecessary thoughts.

The letter itself was amusing enough.

Perhaps, whenever boredom struck, she could pull out this so-called “threat” letter again for entertainment.

Serving under the Camellia Unit banner was exhausting, though they were granted a full month of leave after each duty period.

She had been lucky in her previous post, even though there were reports of a suspected pirate ship entering the southern waters of the empire, the claim turned out false.

So while stationed there, her work had only involved basic tasks, nothing too draining on her body or mind.

Apparently, not just romance novels or cute trinkets could make her this spirited.

Her weekend leave felt more alive than usual. Ever since moving out and working on her own, leaving the Aldeforch residence in the north, there hadn’t been much for her to do outside of work.

And even when she wanted to go out, she would spend days mustering up the will, only to end up not doing it at all. Before she realized, her leave would be over and duty would call again.

Evelyn folded the letter neatly and slipped it back into its envelope.

Carefully, she tucked it away into a small cabinet.

The cabinet stored all sorts of things she liked to collect, especially hair ornaments.

One of them, a small pearl-decorated hair clip shaped into a butterfly, suddenly ended up in Evelyn’s gentle grasp.

Though she had collected many, she rarely wore them. She thought it would be a hassle, and such a waste if she lost them while on duty.

Her fingers played with the little clip, perhaps it was simply because her mood was good.

All of a sudden, she felt like adorning her long, wavy hair with her collection.

“…It’s weird.” 

Evelyn muttered.

What she was doing now felt exactly like her younger cousin, five years her junior.

She remembered one afternoon at the Aldeforch residence, when she had been relaxing in her room. 

The door had burst open, her cousin barging in with excitement to see her.

Clinging to Evelyn, the girl whined that in a few weeks she would be going on her very first date, but had no idea what kind of jewelry would suit her.

She admired Evelyn’s taste in accessories, so the two of them spent the entire evening rummaging through Evelyn’s jewelry box, looking for the perfect piece.

Uh…

“It’s not like I’m going on a date with this person. We’re just going to be friends. Yes, friends. Only through letters.”

Coming back to her senses, Evelyn quickly put the clip away and shut the cabinet tight. Who knew when she’d open it again.

She couldn’t believe it, her mind running off into such absurd thoughts, all because of a letter.

It wasn’t like they would ever meet face to face.

Her earlier excitement had flared up too much, pushing her to think and do unnecessary things.

Even if they did meet, all she’d need to do was dress as usual.

Evelyn swallowed dryly, the flush of embarrassment following soon after. She shook her head, gathering herself again.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

She slapped her own cheeks hard.

“Ugh, come on! Get a grip! This isn’t like you!”

Thud!

Evelyn flopped down onto her bed. Better to just enjoy her leave with a proper rest.

The reply to that letter could wait.

​