MLCD Chapter 4.2

“It feels good to speak. Don’t you think so too?”

The man asked. He blinked. He hadn’t noticed until just now, but the man’s speech had suddenly become more casual¹.

The man quickly noticed what was bothering him.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“What? You don’t like me speaking casually to you?”

A refreshing voice. It’s incomparably clearer than my dry voice that sounds hoarse. As he did nothing more than blinking, the man playfully wrinkled his nose.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Even if you don’t like it, what can you do about it? Someone’s been speaking casually to me from the very beginning, so it’s only fair that I do the same, don’t you thinkIt’s difficult to tl this in English but welp. Since they’ve met, Shavonne has been talking in a polite way to him since they’re ‘strangers’ and not that close but all the words Lewellyn has said rn are in a very informal way, only used with people you’re close with, so when Shavonne heard him talk like that, he switched to doing that too.²”

‘Don’t you think?’ was a phrase that demanded a response, but he remained silent without showing any reaction, just as he had been doing all along. He didn’t want to speak. For two reasons.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

The first one has been explained already: speaking made him dizzy, nauseous, and break out in cold sweat as if he was going to vomit. The second was a newly formed reason: he didn’t want to let out his dry, hoarse voice in front of the man. He was embarrassed.

“…Alright. If you don’t want to speak, I can’t force you.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

The man seemed disappointed. The man was trying to speak cheerfully as if he wasn’t disappointed, but in reality, he was. It was clear even to him, who was not good at reading people’s faces. He was restless. Have I disappointed him? Have I disappointed him because I stayed silent?

The man was about to turn away. His shoulders, facing the iron door, were drooping lifelessly. He opened his mouth. His body moved ahead of the thought that he might get dizzy, nauseous, and break out in cold sweat.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Don’t you think?”

The man turned back to look at him. His face was unsure, as if wondering if he had heard wrong. He wanted to let him know that he hadn’t, so he opened his mouth again.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“Don’t you think?”

The man, who was about to ask “What?”, stopped. He seemed to have belatedly realized that he had simply repeated the end of what the man had just said, that is, the ‘don’t you think?’ at the end of “Someone’s been speaking casually to me from the very beginning, so it’s only fair that I do the same, don’t you think?”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

He had spoken, despite the dizziness, nausea, and cold sweat, despite the embarrassment, but what if it hadn’t conveyed the fact that he absolutely didn’t want to disappoint the man? He was anxious. He wondered whether he should say “Don’t you think?” again or not.

Then, the man burst out laughing with a “Pffft.” He was dumbfounded. He just looked up at the man, who wouldn’t stop laughing, with blinking eyes.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

The man couldn’t stop laughing for quite a while. Whenever he tried to stop laughing, he would look at him and laugh as if sobbing, then try to stop again but look at him and gasp as if he couldn’t breathe, then try to stop again but look at him and bury his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking.

He frowned. When guards had pointed at him and burst into laughter, mocking him, he hadn’t felt anything, but when the man burst into laughter, he felt terrible. No, to be precise, it was because he didn’t know why the man was laughing. He was angry because he didn’t know what the man liked, what he disliked, what made him cry, what made him laugh. He was angry because he didn’t know the man.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Why are you laughing?”

He said. As always, when he spoke, he felt dizzy, nauseous, and broke out in cold sweat, but fortunately or unfortunately, it was less so than before.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The man finally stopped laughing only after hearing the question. However, there was still a light hint of laughter in his voice.

“I’m sorry, you’re just too…”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

The man started to answer but stopped. You’re just too what? While waiting for the rest of the sentence, the man waved his hand as if he hadn’t said anything.

“It’s nothing.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Before he could press further (or more accurately, before he could recall what words to use to press further), the man left the room. Just before opening the iron door, he turned back and said goodbye. “I’m going.” Then, as if realizing he had said the wrong thing, he immediately corrected himself. “I’ll be back.”

There was a clank as the iron door opened and closed, and the man’s back disappeared. As always, he was left alone in the solitary cell. But he wasn’t left lonely. Because the man’s promise to come again was left with him.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

That night, he didn’t sleep and mulled over the words the man had said to him. If words were tangible, their corners would be worn out from being thought about countless times.

‘It feels good to speak. Don’t you think so too?’ It would have been nice if at that moment he had answered, “Yeah, I think so too.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘What? You don’t like me speaking casually to you?’ It would have been nice if at that moment he had answered, “I don’t dislike it.”

Just like the man doesn’t suit the words “poker, knife, baton”, I wish I had told him that he also didn’t suit the word “dislike³”.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

‘Even if you don’t like it, what can you do about it? Someone’s been speaking casually to me from the very beginning, so it’s only fair that I do the same, don’t you think?’ It would have been nice if at that moment he had asked who this ‘someone’ was.

It would have been nice if he had asked what casual speech and polite speech were. (If adding a letter at the end of a sentence is called polite speech⁴) It would have been nice if he had asked to be taught the differences and whether he should use casual or polite speech so that the man could like him.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He raised his body, which was curled up at the edge of the room. It was a problem worth considering. The man was happy when he spoke. That was clear. However, he couldn’t even guess whether the man would be happier if he used casual speech or rather he’d prefer polite speech.

As he pondered, he began to practice both casual and polite speech. He moved his lips, spitting out one syllable, one word, one sentence. When he spoke that night, he didn’t feel dizzy, nauseous, or break out in cold sweat. It was strange. But he didn’t think deeply about it. Everything had been strange since meeting the man, so if he were to question strange things, there would be no end to it.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

***

The man would open the iron door, and he would be silent. “You won’t even greet me?” He’d grumble, and then there was silence. “Well then, hello to you too. I hope you’re doing well.” He’d greet him, and silence again. The time he spent together with the man had always been the same. That is, until yesterday.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

With a heavy clunk, the iron door opened, revealing a familiar silhouette – the man. Though his legs were not fully functional, and he could only move his head, his heart had already sprung up to greet the man. Before the man could even greet him, he spoke. These were words he had practiced all night without sleep.

“Yeah, I think so… too.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The man didn’t seem flustered at all. “Is the new greeting these days ‘yeah, I think so too’, instead of the classic ‘hello’?” the man said, unfazed, as he unpacked the bundle.

He hadn’t expected a particularly special reaction, but he had hoped for a more excited one, so he felt a little disappointed. But he couldn’t just give up on saying all words he had practiced all night. He spoke again.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“I don’t dislike it.“⁵

Only then did the man pause in unpacking his bundle and turn to look at him. At first, he seemed to think “I don’t dislike it.” was just a slip of tongue, but when he remembered the awkward “yeah, I think so too”, the man realized it wasn’t said by mistake. “Why are you speaking that way?”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

He was going to say “The word ‘dislike’ doesn’t suit you,” but he kept his mouth shut, flustered. Even though he had carefully added the polite ending as the man had described, it seemed he had messed up badly. Seeing his silence, the man didn’t press further, just shrugging his shoulders and moving on as if it never happened.

Unlike usual, the man was wearing a mitten on his left hand and thimbles on his right. When he stared at it, the man explained, “In case someone tries to bite my fingers.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

That wasn’t the only thing different. He always had one bundle, but today there were two.

One was the familiar bundle of onions, but the other was not. Whatever was inside, its bulky shape gave the bundle a square shape. He guessed it was a bone. The question was, which bone? It was too square to be a skull and too rigid to be a rib. Perhaps a vertebra?

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

However, contrary to his guess, the next moment the man pulled something out of the bundle that wasn’t a bone at all. Apart from being hard, it had no resemblance to a bone.

“What’s this?”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

I don’t know what that is.

“It’s a book.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Pointing out the cover and pages, the man made the sheets of paper flutter. He wasn’t curious. Among the unfamiliar, strange, and unknown things, the only thing he was interested in was the man.

The more he looked, the more curious he was about the man. He wanted to know him. Every part of the man – his eyes, nose, lips, the dimples that bloomed on his face when he smiled, his hair, the strands of hair that were disheveled around his ears, his neck, his smooth shoulders, his arms, his hands, his fingers, his nails, the hangnails next to his nails. Every inch of the man was a mystery to him.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

With this unsolvable puzzle right in front of him, he had no energy to spare for something as trivial as a “book.”

“I don’t know.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

He said, not ending the sentence in a polite way because he was afraid the man would mock him.

“It’s really interesting. Once you read it, you’ll like it even more than just being with me.” The man smiled. “I’ll teach you to read so that when I’m not here, you can read it by yourself.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

He was annoyed. The man was so preoccupied with the “book” that he didn’t care at all whether he spoke politely or not. The man said he would read the book aloud. He had also handed him onions, but whereas they were usually sliced the size of a fingernail, today they were less than half that size.

The man didn’t even watch to see if he was eating the onions, immediately opening the book. He recited the table of contents. “‘Chapter 1, Down the Rabbit Hole.'”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

He stuffed a handful of onion slices into his mouth and started making noise as if he were choking. “Just sit still. Stop acting.” The man said without taking his eyes off the pages. He stopped his act and looked at the man instead. His blinking eyes were fixed on the side of the man’s face.

“Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading…”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

One page, two pages… By the time the pages had flipped over several times, he found himself crouched in front of the man. When the man read “Alice jumped down the rabbit hole,” they were three steps apart; when he read “and the White Rabbit was still in sight, hurrying down it,” they were two steps apart; and when he read “Alice opened the door and found that it led into a small passage, not much larger than a rat-hole,” they were only one step away. He could even make out all the details of the man’s lowered eyes and the length of his eyelashes.

For a moment, he couldn’t take his eyes off the man.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“… ’round the neck of the bottle was a paper label, with the words `DRINK ME’ beautifully printed on it in large letters’… You’re not listening, are you?”

The man suddenly looked up. Apparently, he hadn’t realized how close he had moved. A look of surprise flashed across his face. As if the eye contact made him uncomfortable, the man tried to turn away, but he didn’t want that.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

He leaned in close, almost close enough for their skin to touch if he tilted his head even a little. He couldn’t take his eyes off the man’s eyes. His own reflection was captured in the man’s eyes. He was there, in the man’s eyes.

“Yeah.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

His heart was pounding.

He stopped and just stared at him. He had thought staring at the man would be as boring as looking at the iron door, the light bulb, or the ventilation pipe, but he was wrong.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

It wasn’t boring at all. Examining every detail of the man’s eyes, which parts shone most under the light, which parts grew deepest in the shadows, never got tiring. He felt he could do it for the rest of his life.

“Uh…”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

The man began, fixing his gaze resolutely on a point in the air.

“…Don’t you think you’re too close?”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Of course not. He didn’t think that at all. No, to be more precise, he wasn’t thinking about anything. He was too preoccupied watching the movements of the man’s lips to consider whether he was close or far, how close exactly, what would be an appropriate distance, or what would be considered too close.

He couldn’t take his eyes off the man’s lips, how they hesitated and parted when he said “Uh…”, how they formed a circle when he said “too”, how they straightened out and then curved again when he said “close.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

When he didn’t answer, the man sighed, as if he had expected as much. Of course, his gaze still followed every movement the man did, like how the man’s lips parted with the sigh, his brow furrowed, and his body rose and fell lightly.

The man closed the book he was holding and pressed the book’s spine against his forehead, pushing him back. Shoved back to a distance of three steps, he was dazed.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

But the daze was fleeting. He leaned in close again. He wanted to look closely at the man’s eyes and lips. He wanted to see the long eyelashes surrounding his eyes, and the white teeth that peeked through his lips when he spoke.

The man was firm.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“No.”

He was pushed back to the three step distance again.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Lean in, get pushed back. Lean in, get pushed back. It happened over and over, and he couldn’t help but feel frustrated. His face flushed red as he panted angrily. His eyes glared at the man, but the man didn’t even twitch an eyebrow.

“Just like that. Stay right there.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

He never had any intention of staying still, but hearing the order made him even more unwilling to do so. As he was about to forcefully lean in again, the man raised his hand to stop him. Then, the man said,

“No. Don’t come here.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Taken aback by the man’s firm tone, which was a first, he hesitated in his defiance. He was suddenly afraid that if he resisted, the man would come to hate him, and then wouldn’t come back to his universe again.

“Yes, there.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

The “there” the man was pointing to was the spot where he had been pushed back to, again and again – three steps away. He stood still. Why was the man trying to put three steps between them?

Perhaps it had some meaning, like how the hazy smoke filling the room was a signal that work was beginning, or how the Vice Warden would carefully remove his watch and tuck it into the inner pocket of his shirt was a sign that he was about to be beaten up until he coughed up blood.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He wondered what the meaning of this three step distance could be. He was afraid that if he showed that he didn’t know, the man would come to hate him, and then wouldn’t come back to his universe again.

“It’s a safety distance.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

His voice was softer than before, but still firm*. Safety distance?* He couldn’t understand why he needed a safety distance when he didn’t bite the man, and even if he wanted to, his body was damaged and he was wearing a muzzle, so he couldn’t bite. It was as much of a mystery to him as why the man was wiping his pus, feeding him onions, and reading books to him.

He wanted to ask why, but couldn’t. He was afraid that if he showed that he didn’t know, the man would come to hate him, or think he was dumber than a baton or a knife and then wouldn’t come back to his universe again.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

He had seen the guards who were afraid to work because they were afraid of being bitten. Even when they had batons, knives, or pokers, every time he bared his teeth and growled, they would flinch and back away.

He had thought they were cowards, but they weren’t. The real coward was him. He wasn’t afraid of bleeding, being bruised, or breaking his bones, but he was afraid of the man leaving and never coming back.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“I have to go.”

The man pulled up his sleeve and checked his watch. He wanted to break the watch that was taking the man out of his universe, but he couldn’t. The man had instructed him to stay three steps away.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

The man grabbed the book and got up. He wanted to see him off, but he couldn’t. The man had instructed him to stay three steps away. He had to watch helplessly as the man put on his outer clothes, adjusted his hat, and left with the bundle.

“I’ll be back.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Clang, the metal door opened and closed. The room was empty except for him and the promise.

Staring at the closed metal door, he thought again. Perhaps, contrary to what he had thought, the man might not be something painless. He might be something that hurt, but in a way he had never known before.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

He was afraid of the man hurting him.

***

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He never had any intention of staying still, but hearing the order made him even more unwilling to do so. As he was about to forcefully lean in again, the man raised his hand to stop him. Then, the man said,

“No. Don’t come here.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Taken aback by the man’s firm tone, which was a first, he hesitated in his defiance. He was suddenly afraid that if he resisted, the man would come to hate him, and then wouldn’t come back to his universe again.

“Yes, there.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The “there” the man was pointing to was the spot where he had been pushed back to, again and again – three steps away. He stood still. Why was the man trying to put three steps between them?

Perhaps it had some meaning, like how the hazy smoke filling the room was a signal that work was beginning, or how the Vice Warden would carefully remove his watch and tuck it into the inner pocket of his shirt was a sign that he was about to be beaten up until he coughed up blood.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

He wondered what the meaning of this three step distance could be. He was afraid that if he showed that he didn’t know, the man would come to hate him, and then wouldn’t come back to his universe again.

“It’s a safety distance.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

His voice was softer than before, but still firm*. Safety distance?* He couldn’t understand why he needed a safety distance when he didn’t bite the man, and even if he wanted to, his body was damaged and he was wearing a muzzle, so he couldn’t bite. It was as much of a mystery to him as why the man was wiping his pus, feeding him onions, and reading books to him.

He wanted to ask why, but couldn’t. He was afraid that if he showed that he didn’t know, the man would come to hate him, or think he was dumber than a baton or a knife and then wouldn’t come back to his universe again.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

He had seen the guards who were afraid to work because they were afraid of being bitten. Even when they had batons, knives, or pokers, every time he bared his teeth and growled, they would flinch and back away.

He had thought they were cowards, but they weren’t. The real coward was him. He wasn’t afraid of bleeding, being bruised, or breaking his bones, but he was afraid of the man leaving and never coming back.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“I have to go.”

The man pulled up his sleeve and checked his watch. He wanted to break the watch that was taking the man out of his universe, but he couldn’t. The man had instructed him to stay three steps away.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The man grabbed the book and got up. He wanted to see him off, but he couldn’t. The man had instructed him to stay three steps away. He had to watch helplessly as the man put on his outer clothes, adjusted his hat, and left with the bundle.

“I’ll be back.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Clang, the metal door opened and closed. The room was empty except for him and the promise.

Staring at the closed metal door, he thought again. Perhaps, contrary to what he had thought, the man might not be something painless. He might be something that hurt, but in a way he had never known before.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He was afraid of the man hurting him.

***

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Whether he listened or not, the man brought books again and again.

“’It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair’…⁶ You’re not listening, are you?”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He answered by shaking his head. He was too busy looking at the man to have time to listen to what he was saying, as he was crouched three steps away. The man sighed. He didn’t move an inch. It was the first time he had ever experienced it, but the man’s sigh scared him. Not only the sighing, but the sparkle in his eyes disappearing was also scary. The man closed the book. Leaving the promise that he would come back, he gathered his things and left. When he returned the next day, the man read a new book to him.

“‘Dear Wilhelm, I am reduced to the condition of those unfortunate wretches who believe they are pursued by an evil spirit. Sometimes I am oppressed, not by apprehension or fear, but by an inexpressible internal sensation, which weighs upon my heart, and impedes my breath!’…⁷ You’re not listening, are you?”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

No, this time he was listening. He was focusing on listening to how the man’s voice lowered, rose, shook, and became firm. He could describe in detail how the man’s voice didn’t hurt him, where it was warm and where it was cold, and how the sound resonated. He answered by nodding his head. The man raised his eyebrows.

“If you were truly paying attention, tell me what I said.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He was at a loss for words. He had listened to the voice, not the words. There was no way he could tell what the man had said.

“…So I thought.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

The man let out a weak laugh. He didn’t move. The man’s weak laugh now scared him, unlike before. The sound of “haha”, the way he lightly turned his head without looking him in the eyes, and the resignation in his gaze were all frightening.

The man closed the book. Leaving the promise that he would come back, he gathered his things and left. When he returned the next day, the man read a new book.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“‘As he panted, he lifted her skirt. How could he! They didn’t share even a drop of blood, and yet he was her younger brother. Their strict father would never allow this relationship. Her hands trembled. But despite that fear, her body was soon soaked in his touch. I love you, he said, and then his lips touched hers.’… You’re not listening, are you?”

No, this time he was really listening. He wasn’t just listening to the voice like last time, but also what the man was saying. He asked a question to prove that he was listening.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“What’s ‘father’?”

He felt really proud. Maybe the man would praise him for listening to the book, but to his disappointment, the man didn’t and just gave him a subtle look.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…You’re curious about that?”

What a strange reaction. He blinked his eyes. Was he supposed to be curious about something other than ‘father’? He quickly corrected himself.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“What’s ‘younger brother’?”

“What do you mean with what’s younger brother? It’s family.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The man kept his gaze on the book as he answered. The hand that turned the pages was pale.

Family. Family. Family. He rolled the word ‘family’ around in his mouth. But unlike the words ‘father’ or ‘younger brother’, it didn’t seem to stick to his tongue.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“What’s family?”

The hand that was turning the page paused, but only briefly. As if nothing had happened, the man kept his gaze on the book and turned the page. A shadow obscured his face, so he couldn’t see the expression the man had.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“It’s a good thing.”

He added,

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Like friends or lovers… that kind of thing.”

Friends, lovers, family. The words that the man pronounced sounded smooth, unlike when he pronounced them. He was curious about the man’s mouth. He wanted to know what shape it took so that he could pronounce ‘friends’, ‘lovers’, and ‘family’ so perfectly.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“Everyone has them. Some people don’t, but usually that’s how it is.”

It seems that people generally have friends, lovers, and family. He thought about the faces he knew. Does Pharrell have friends, lovers, and family? And the Vice Warden, and the guards?

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

What about the man?

Does the man have friends, lover, and family too?

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“What about you?”

He looked at the man.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“Do you have them?”

Silence.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

He tilted his head. The man had never forgotten to answer whatever he asked. There was a time when he had bombarded the man with questions like ‘Is the cover light? Are the pages light?’, ‘What hurts more, the onion itself or its skin?’, ‘How can I bite the watch?’ in an attempt to delay the man from leaving, and the man had always answered. ‘I don’t know, I guess the cover is?’, ‘No idea’, ‘You better not bite it, it’s a very expensive watch”. That was how the man was. It was unusual for the man to remain silent without answering.

He was just about to ask ‘You don’t?’, when the man suddenly spoke up, as if he had read his intention.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Of course I do.”

His voice was hoarse.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“In my family, there are about… thirty-five people. I don’t know the exact number of friends I have, but it must be over fifty.” The man laughed. It looked like he was forcing the laughter. “I have a lover… too. I met him at Mount University in Rewood County, and he’s a wonderful person. His name is… Aaron, yeah, Aaron. He’s kind, fun, and invites me to his place every day. It’s been over three years since we’ve been dating, but it still feels the same as the beginning…”

“Then why are you with me?”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He cut him off and asked. The man stopped talking. He asked again, firmly.

“Why are you not with your family, friends and lover, but with me?”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Silence again. The man’s answer came long after the echo of his voice had faded.

“I know.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The man gave a short laugh. Again, it looked like he was forcing the laughter. He liked it when the man laughed, but he wished the man wouldn’t laugh if he couldn’t do it genuinely.

“I guess it’s because I like you.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

A weak voice fell from above. The man closed the book. The hand that closed the book was as pale as a faded scar. Leaving the promise that he would come back, the man gathered his things and left. When he returned the next day, the man didn’t bring a book.

He was in his usual outfit, with a cap on and a bundle on his back, but instead of a book, the man was carrying a new thing. It was black, big, and heavy. The man called it a “typewriter”.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“Watch closely.”

The man spoke as if he had been waiting to show him. The weak look from the night before had disappeared, and his vitality had returned. He put paper into the rubber wheel and pressed the keys. Metal rose up with a “click” and stamped something onto the paper, leaving the same kind of markings that the books had all over its pages. Letters.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Ta-da!”

The man turned to him with an excited expression. But he wasn’t interested in the typewriter. Even if the typewriter could create people, he wouldn’t have been interested. His entire attention was focused on the man. He was anxiously worried that the man would laugh weakly again, his voice would become hoarse, or he would fall silent.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Amazing, right? Do you want to try touching it?” He urged for a response.

He wanted to answer “No, I don’t want to,” but he stopped himself. He was afraid that answer might make the man laugh weakly again, make his voice hoarse, or fall silent, so he just nodded.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

The man brightened up. Pointing to different keys, he explained, “This one is A, this one is B, this one is C…” But he wasn’t listening. He was just watching the man’s expression, hoping the man’s expression didn’t get worse.

“This is W.” Eventually the man realized he wasn’t listening, letting out an awkward groan and scratched his forehead. Then, the man hurriedly typed something on the typewriter, as if he’d had a flash of inspiration. Then he pulled out the piece of paper and held it out..

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“See?”

The man pointed to the black characters with his hand.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

🙂

😀

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

🙁

The man pointed to the first one ( 🙂 ). “This is a small smile,”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

The man pointed to the second one ( 😀 ). “This is a big smile,”

The man pointed to the third one ( 🙁 ). “This is your expression right now.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

He looked at the characters, then at the man, then back at the characters. There was a resemblance between the characters and the man’s face. He picked up the typewriter. He began pressing all the keys on the keyboard, looking for ‘:’, ‘)’, ‘D’, and ‘(‘. If the man’s intention was to get him interested in typing, his action was indeed successful.

Leaving a promise to come back again, the man left. He also left behind the typewriter and three sheets of paper for him to keep while the man was gone. He didn’t forget to warn him not to break them, saying that if he threw, hit, or stepped on them, the man would scold him.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

He typed on the typewriter all night until the three sheets of paper were filled with characters. Even after he finished typing, the sound of ding, ding, tack echoed in his ears.

When the man returned, he handed over the three sheets of paper. A look of satisfaction was evident all over his face.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The first page was like this:

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

aaaaaadfwefweurhwiufnvbcc

pqoerlv:,cfeof.k,.efwfw…wrw

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

sdvfbsfjqoierjwofqwdqjnvvz

The second page was like this:

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The third page was like this:

O:)

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“What’s this?”

The man, looking at the third page, tilted his head. “Is it an angel? This is a smiling face with a halo above the head?”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He shook his head. He explained each part the man had pointed to. “This is a smiling face.”

The finger that had been explaining ‘:)’ moved to ‘O’. “This is a hat.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“A hat? Why a ha…”

The man, who had been asking as if it were strange, suddenly stopped. Pointing to the uniform hat given to all prison guards he was wearing, he asked,

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“This one?”

He nodded. The man was about to say something but closed his mouth. He just rubbed his forehead aimlessly as if cleaning his face.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

O:) was the man. That’s how the man looked to him.

***

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“This is my name.”

The man held out a piece of paper. The man’s name, written in ink, hadn’t completely dried.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

He made a sad face. There was no way he could recognize the man’s name when all he knew how to read and write were :), :D, :(, and O:). As he fidgeted uncomfortably, the man pretended to be distracted and let slip,

“If you learned to read, you’d be able to know what it says…”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

If I learn how to read, I’ll know what the man’s name is? His eyes lit up. The man glanced at him from the corner of his eye and let slip again,

“If you asked me to teach you, I might do it…”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Of course, the man would do it whether he asked or not. The man probably knew that too.

The man boldly pulled out a sheet of paper and two pens, using the bundle as a mat. He wrote something big on the paper. As he would learn later, what the man had written was the phrase ‘Alphabet Learning Time’.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“What’s your name?”

The man suddenly asked. He just blinked silently. My name? Seeing his lack of reaction, the man put the pen down and asked, “Don’t you have a name?”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

But he didn’t. He was sometimes called “you” or “hey” or even “crazy bastard,” but mostly he was just called “dog.” He answered, “Dog.”

“Not that, your real name.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

The man was firm. He thought about it, saying “you” or “hey” or “crazy bastard,” but those were rejected as well. It was a little while later that the man had noticed he didn’t have a name.

“If you don’t have one, we can make one up. What do you want to be called?”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The man was calm about it. Maybe he was just pretending to be calm. Thinking that the name should be a familiar word, or else he might get startled every time he heard it, he came up with his own name.

“Poker.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The man immediately refused. “No.”

“Knife.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“No.”

“Baton.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“No.”

Are poker, knife, and baton rejected because they’re things that hurt? He pondered and suggested something that didn’t hurt him.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“The man.”

“No.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Every name he proposed was rejected.

“At this rate, it’ll take a hundred years to decide on a name.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

The man said this when he had suggested names like “floor,” “ceiling,” and “incandescent light bulb” in succession. The man handed him a pen. He took it somewhat absentmindedly.

“Let’s just call you Lewellyn for now.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

The man started writing something. Slowly, black letters were etched onto the paper. L…

“It’s a good name.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

e…, w…

“It’s one of the most common names given to people around your age.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

e…, l…, l…, y…

“It’s a name that everyone in this country loves.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

…n.

“There, done.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

He put down the pen and looked at him with a smile.

“Do you like it?”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Lewellyn liked it very, very, very, very, very much.