Tangled By Fate

Vincent replied, "It is, isn't it? You can find lots of fish here. Fishermen frequently come here to catch fish."

Catherine thought of something and urged him, "Shall we catch some fish?"

Vincent was surprised at first and soon smiled. "Do you know how to catch a fish?"

"Yes, I do!"

Afterward, the pair borrowed a fisherman's rod and wire. Then, they caught three medium-sized fish.

While catching fish, they enjoyed the sunset. The sky spread red, yellow, and orange hue while the fiery sun went down and blended with the horizon. 

The lake was so large that it seemed the lake united with the horizon. The lake, horizon, and the sun were connected. It was a mind-blowing sight.

They decided to come back before the light was out. The resort was far from the valley, up in the hill.

Catherine didn't feel anything when she came down but going up was the hardest part, thanks to the gravity. 

"I… huff… I can't walk anymore. It's just too much… huff..."

At her complaint, Vincent paused. He was walking at ease since he was a native who used to live there. He was holding the fish they caught in the lake.

"Do you need a hand?" he asked.

Catherine shook her head. She placed a hand on her chest and took deep breaths. The more oxygen went inside her system, the better she felt.

Her heartbeats slowly decreased. Even in the chilly weather, she was sweating. 

"If you can walk without any help, I can too. I refused to act like a grandma."

Her stubborn answer made Vincent laugh out loud.

"No one thinks of you as a grandma. It's just you are not used to it. I was born here and naturally went to the valley every time I had a chance. 

"Besides, you only do the table work. You don't have the time to exercise. So, naturally, you have less strength than the native people in hilly tracks."

Catherine couldn't agree more. "I promise that I will start exercise after I reach our destination."

Vincent hid his laughter. "Let's go to the resort first."

Since they walked slowly, the last bit of light went out. The sky started twinkling with the stars. 

The magical stones automatically lit up. The colorful lamps turned the place into a dreamland. The atmosphere suddenly became romantic.

Without a word, Vincent grabbed her hand and gently squeezed it. he walked by her side, without impatiently pulling forward, giving her time to walk slowly.

Catherine noticed his patience and understood his gesture. His warm palms transferred the temperature to her hand. Soon, it transferred to her heart.

Her heart was beating faster. Feeling nervous, she subconsciously squeezed his hand.

Vincent sensed her squeezing his hand. The corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly, and he intertwined their hands. 

Catherine realized what she had done. Blood rushed in her face. As a result, her face heated up. 

She opened her mouth to say something to get rid of her nervousness, but nothing came out. 

The thirty minutes' walk seemed like a thirty hours' walk. It was like a never-ending road.

Finally, they reached the resort. Catherine couldn't take it anymore.

"I'll take a short break," she told him and then quickly walked in the direction of her room.

'Oh, my Goddess! Oh, my Goddess! This is so embarrassing!' She screamed inwardly but acted poised. 

Behind her, Vincent stared at her without blinking. When he realized that his hand was empty, he chuckled.

'She ran away. How can you eat away my warmth and leave me alone when you are done? So selfish. You should pay for the service before you leave, at least.'

Shaking his head, he went to the kitchen. His heart was fluttering. He couldn't control his feelings. 

Catherine rushed toward her room and went directly to the bathroom. She took a jar of water and splashed it on her head. 

The cold water cooled down her face and heart. Afterward, she changed her clothes and went back to her room. 

Wrapping the towel around her head, she laid down on the bed. Her leg muscles were throbbing walking for so long.

Covering her face, she scolded herself, "Cathy, you idiot! Why did you run away? Even if you are not a grandma, you became a coward after running from him. You didn't even thank him for the wonderful evening. You are such an idiot."

She was so busy reprimanding herself that she didn't realize that she was speaking loudly.

"Yes, Cathy is an idiot."

The voice came out of nowhere.

Catherine jumped out of the bed, forgetting about her sore legs. She looked around and asked, "Who are you? Show yourself!"

'Oh no! Why don't I see anything? It's not a ghost, right?' She shivered thinking about the invisible ghost. It scared her out of her wits.

A voice spoke again, "Should I show myself to an idiot?"

Catherine trembled. 'Oh, my freaking Goddess, this is really a ghost. I'm going to die today. Ahh, I wasn't able to date a guy. How can I die right now?'

While she cried and lamented, suddenly, something hit her.

'Wait, the voice is familiar. Doesn't it sound like Ver's voice?' 

The realization struck her head. 'Does this mean she came here to possess my body? This way, her unsatisfied soul can live a long life.'

She gulped and tried to stay calm. After gathering some courage, she asked, "Ver, is that you? Did your soul come to find me?"

No matter how strong she wanted to become, her voice quivered in the end.

The voice didn't answer for some time. After a few moments passed by, Catherine thought she was hallucinating. 

At that time, the voice answered, "I'm back from the dead and came to find out. It looks like you were having so much fun without me. You forgot about your friend, didn't you? Maybe you wanted to get rid of me for a long time."

"No! No! That's not true. This place reminded me of you. It was the last place where we had fun after all. I came here for you.. I did not forget you."