Chapter 32 – I Like You (1)

　　When Louise opened the window at dawn, she saw that moisture gathered on it during the night. It must have rained a little before morning. It had been a long while since she had breathed this kind of air. Louise inhaled deeply. The smell of water and soil filled her lungs, telling her that rainy season was almost here.

　　‘…Rain?’

　　Louise, who was standing absentmindedly by the window, became alarmed. It couldn’t be. The caretaker’s strawberry field was out in the open, and the strawberries would lose their flavor if it rained, making them unsuitable as gifts. Louise wanted to pick the most delicious strawberries in the world. That way, she could bring new enlightenment to Ian’s dull tongue and Stella would have a special experience tasting beautiful strawberries for the first time. They had to quickly harvest the fruit before the rainy season arrived.

　　Louise changed into her uniform and skipped was.h.i.+ng her face. She wished she had work clothes, but at the Academy everyone was required to wear the same uniform except for authorized occa.s.sions.