Chapter 4 Not an Ordinary Friend

A bright morning greeted Jacob. He stepped out onto the balcony and stood there, taking in the beautiful view. The flower garden looked lovely, with many blossoms opening in the middle of spring.

And yet the beauty still could not ease his heart. The pain he felt remained so great that every time he looked upon something beautiful, his thoughts turned to the person he loved.

For a moment, Jacob closed his eyes, but his attention was quickly drawn by the sound of a girl laughing. When he opened his eyes, Luna was running after a rabbit.

Jacob watched her intently. “Is this her morning routine?” he thought.

He stayed quiet and watched. Luna was still wearing the same nightgown as yesterday. It was white, long-sleeved, and knee-length. The girl seemed to enjoy her life so much, and on the island where Jacob now lived, there really were many rabbits roaming around.

“Seeing her happiness makes me envious. At the same time, I feel sorry for her. On this island, all she can do is play with rabbits,” Jacob murmured.

After watching Luna for quite a while, he went down to the garden and kept walking along the path until he reached the apple orchard. The apples were abundant there, and many varieties had been planted with care.

Jacob picked one red apple and made it his morning meal.

“The wild berries are starting to be ready to eat. Would you like me to pick some, sir?”

Jacob turned around and found Luna standing behind him, her face adorned with an innocent smile. Jacob raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. Hadn’t this girl been afraid of him yesterday?

He swallowed the piece of apple in his mouth before answering. “You’re not afraid of me?” he asked.

Luna gave a small shake of her head. “Mother said you aren’t dangerous, so I decided not to be afraid anymore,” she answered casually, referring to one of the servants at the mansion whom she called “Mother.”

Jacob nodded slowly and bit into his apple again. “Prepare a container for later this afternoon. I want to pick the berries straight from the trees. You can show me the way.”

Luna nodded enthusiastically, then ran off, leaving Jacob silent for a moment before he continued his breakfast with the fresh apple he had picked from the tree.

When the sun was high, Luna stood in the backyard with a small basket in her hands. She seemed to wait patiently until Jacob finally appeared, wearing casual clothes, a polo shirt and knee-length shorts.

“Show me the place,” Jacob ordered briefly.

Luna obediently walked ahead, her small body stepping lightly in front of Jacob, who towered behind her. The height contrast between them was striking: Jacob was sturdy and 185 centimeters tall, while Luna was tiny, only about 155 centimeters. In silence, Jacob briefly worried that the little girl might get lost behind the island’s dense underbrush.

Before long, they arrived at a small forest area, where berry trees grew thick with ripe fruit. Luna immediately picked berries with nimble fingers, while Jacob watched for a moment before starting to do the same.

“How long have you lived on this island?” Jacob asked, trying to break the silence.

“Two years,” Luna answered lightly, still picking. “Mother brought me here.”

Jacob nodded, his eyes not leaving the girl. “You’re still very young. Don’t you want to go to school?”

Luna paused for a moment, then shook her head with a faint smile. “I don’t want to. They don’t like me.”

Even though Luna smiled, Jacob could catch a trace of fear in her eyes. He could guess the reason behind it. Most likely, Luna had been a victim of bullying. Jacob chose not to press further and returned to picking berries.

“Do you have friends?” he asked again, trying to learn more about the girl.

Luna shook her head again, but this time her eyes sparkled. “Not before. But now I have lots of friends.”

Jacob frowned. There were no other children on the island besides Luna, so who did she mean by friends? Jacob’s curiosity was finally answered when Luna continued.

“My friends are the rabbits on this island. There are so many of them, and I really like them!” she said enthusiastically, making her face glow.

Jacob smiled faintly, almost imperceptibly. “But they can’t talk.”

Luna nodded, still cheerful. “That’s true. But at least they don’t hurt me.”

That answer made Jacob pause. There was something so innocently honest and yet cutting in the little girl’s words.

When Luna’s basket was almost full, Jacob stood and looked at her. “After two years here, you must know a lot about this island, right?”

Luna nodded proudly. “Yes! I know almost everything, except the area Mr. Dustin forbade us to visit.”

Jacob smiled slightly. “Then be my friend.”

Luna stared at him with round eyes, looking surprised and confused at once. “A friend? Is that allowed? Mr. Dustin won’t be angry, will he, if I become friends with his son?”

Jacob laughed softly, a sound he himself had not realized had disappeared since the death of his lover. “Why would my father be angry? He won’t care about that.”

Finally, Luna smiled broadly. “Then I’ll show you the best places on this island, sir!” she said enthusiastically.

Jacob nodded, and he did not realize that the girl in front of him had managed to make his heart feel a little lighter in her own simple way.