“Mel.”
Hansel’s hoarse voice sounded from behind us.
“I’m sorry. I never thought Giselle would harm our child! She and the driver got what they deserved. Mel, I never loved her. The only person I’ve ever loved in 23 years has been you. That has never changed.
+15 Bonus
“Give me another chance, please. This time, I swear, I won’t make any more mistakes. I can’t live without you…”
I smiled, looking free and relieved. My eyes were clear, and my voice was firm.
“Hansel, we’re over. And I’m certain that there is no place for you in my future.
“No matter what you do, we can never go back. If you keep chasing after me, I’ll vanish for good, and you’ll never find me again.”
My words sealed his fate, snuffing out every last bit of hope.
Hansel’s eyes clouded over once more. He shook his head frantically.
“No… Mel, don’t go. Don’t disappear! Come home with me. Please, come home!”
Like a man unhinged, he lunged at me, only for Colin to shove him back. He stumbled and crashed into the wall.
Colin’s broad figure stood before me, shielding me as I walked away, out of Hansel’s sight.
“Mel! Where are you? I love you! Don’t leave me… Don’t go…”
Hansel’s shouts gradually faded into incoherent murmurs as he sank into his own world.
In the end, he fainted, overwhelmed by emotions.
“For the past three years, he’s searched every corner of Blumland for you. He barely ate or slept. He’d grab strangers on the street, asking if they’d seen you. Everyone said he’d lost his mind. And if you ask me, I think they’re right.”
Colin’s expression was unreadable.
“Hansel really does love you, you know. But now, he’s truly sick. Will you forgive him? Will you take care of him, just like you did for those five years?”
I shook my head. My answer was firm and unwavering.
“No. If he’s sick, he should see a doctor. It has nothing to do with me.”
Colin seemed satisfied with my response. Smiling, he arranged for Hansel to be admitted to the psychiatric ward.
I walked out of the hospital and picked up my beloved paintbrush once more.
I painted mountains, rivers, and all the beauty the world had to offer.
Later, I painted a psychiatric hospital.
Behind the iron bars stood a young man in a white shirt, staring blankly outside. He held a single sunflower in his hand. He looked just like the boy I once knew.
After the painting was exhibited, it sparked widespread conversation and increased awareness of mental health issues.
I handed Hansel a sunflower through the iron bars.
He shook his head with a soft smile.
“I already have one. Mel gave it to me. I don’t want flowers from anyone else.”
His smile was as pure
and clear as it was decades ago.
I smiled softly. Then, I turned and walked away. I never looked back.
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I resolved to spend the rest of my life traveling the world and admiring its scenery. I wanted to indulge in the finest foods and
paint the most breathtaking sights.
No one would ever confine me within the walls of a kitchen again.
From now on, I lived only for myself.
(The End)
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