Chapter 7

A few days later, I was crouching in the yard grooming the little rabbits when Kieran came to see them, just as I expected.

He was carrying a beautiful bamboo cage with a little bell hanging on it that jingled in the wind.

"This cage is big and sturdy," he said, crouching down beside me. "I've layered several pieces of cotton cloth at the bottom too."

I reached out to touch it. It really was much softer.

Kieran pulled some sweet grass from his pocket. "This grass is sweet. Rabbits love it."

The little rabbits caught the scent and hopped excitedly into their new cage.

I clapped my hands happily. "They really do like it!"

During lunch, he quietly moved the spicy venison away from me and carefully picked out all the fish bones.

I bit my chopsticks, lost in thought.

Even Connor couldn't remember that I don't eat spicy food. How did Kieran know?

When he was leaving, he suddenly pressed an oil paper package into my hands. "I heard you love these."

I opened it and found honey dates!

Each one was coated in sugar frost, sparkling in the sunlight.

I pressed my face to the window, watching him walk away. His blue coat disappeared around the corner of the alley.

That night, I had the sweetest dream.

In my dream, Kieran kept stuffing package after package of honey dates into my arms, his eyes crinkling as he said, "Eat slowly."

I was overjoyed.

When I woke up the next morning, I found that the oil paper package had been nibbled at one corner.

Hmph! It must have been that greedy Rusty sneaking a midnight snack!

I was thinking indignantly about telling Kieran when I suddenly realized something. I seemed to be looking forward to seeing him again.

After that, Kieran came even more often.

Sometimes he'd bring a branch of red plum blossoms with tiny icicles still hanging on the petals.

Sometimes he'd pull a warm roasted sweet potato from inside his cotton coat, breaking it open to release sweet, steaming fragrance.

Once when the snow was falling heavily, he came running through it with snowflakes covering his head, a warm little hand warmer tucked in his arms.

"On such a cold day, why didn't you wait for the snow to stop?"

I quickly pulled him inside, frantically brushing the snow off his clothes.

His nose was bright red from the cold, but he pulled some dried grass from his sleeve.

"Yesterday I promised to teach you how to weave little rabbits... Look, I soaked this grass in warm water to soften it. It's easy to weave with!"

"Silly Kieran!" I burst out laughing. "I didn't have to learn today..."

After I said it, I was stunned.

Huh? Now I was calling someone else silly?

"There's this too." He pulled another warm oil paper package from his coat and placed it in my palm.

When I opened it - wow! Sugar-roasted chestnuts!

They smelled wonderful, and their shells were split open like little smiles!

I peeled chestnuts until my hands were sticky with sugar. Kieran took out his handkerchief to wipe my hands. The handkerchief smelled nice, just like him.

"Kieran," I said while eating chestnuts and counting on my fingers, "you've come eleven times this month!"

His eyes crinkled into little crescents. "Our Thea has such a good memory."

Dad poked his head out from the kitchen, still holding his spatula.

"Kieran, running over here every day in this cold weather - won't the children at the academy complain?"

Kieran's ears immediately turned red, and he stammered, "I... I come during lunch break... I can still make it back for afternoon classes."

He stuffed another peeled chestnut into my hand, warm like his palm.

Near New Year's, Kieran came to help Dad put up spring couplets.

On the bright red paper, his calligraphy looked like little dancing figures.

"Thea," he suddenly called to me, his paste brush trembling in his hand. "After New Year... I'd like to ask Marcus to pick a date."

I was on my tiptoes hanging up a blessing character, not turning around. "What kind of date?"

When I turned around, I found his face was redder than the spring couplets, stammering, "It's... it's the date to bring you home as my mate..."

Dad appeared in the doorway at some point and cleared his throat.

"I think the eighth day of the second month would be a good date for the mating ceremony."

Kieran's eyes lit up immediately. He pulled a small cloth bundle from his coat.

When he opened it, there were two little wooden figures.

The girl doll had a small braid and curved eyes, while the boy looked like a scholar holding a book.

"I carved them for so long..." His hands were shaking with nervousness. "Do you think they look like us?"

"They look exactly like us!" I turned the little wooden dolls over and over, finally tucking them against my chest like treasures. "Kieran is the best!"