The witch and the poisonous apple

So you actually believed when he said he would come again?

Moreover, you also expect him to bring yet more food for you?

How foolish of her—she's amazed at herself, to be this skillful at dreaming…

"…Is something the matter?"

"No, nothing. Uh, I'll be receiving more customers, hence the need to increase the tableware…"

…This is why I hate love.

I'm making a fool out of myself.

I'm making myself even more miserable.

She shouldn't have to make up such an excuse for his sake. Instead, she should've just shut her blabbering mouth.

It happens all of a sudden—

"Eh?"

—with his finger, Harij flicks her hood.

The hood falls.

"Come to think of it, I can't see your face."

"N, no, no, no!! I prefer not to show it—I, it's customary!!" She's so shocked she forgets her initial feeling, and thus, cries out.

Then, when she's about to put her hood back on—

—Harij grabs her hand.

"I told you that I can't see your face, didn't I?"

"I, I told you I prefer it that way, didn't I?"

"Do you usually sell things to customer while hiding your face?"

"Yes. The main components of the Witches' secret medicine are mystery and secret. B, besides it's also a security measure…"

"Then it's unnecessary right now, isn't it?"

More like, right now, is the time when it's the most necessary!!!

Roze quickly hides her face—especially after being told so by Harij.

She doesn't dare tell him her honest thoughts right now—somehow, she feels that if she does, Harij'll get hurt.

Power returns to Harij's grip on her hand, when Roze once again tries to pull up her hood.

"…Okay. Then tell me why I should show my face to you."

"Alright, then. Those secrets you had previously told me—do you tell them to everyone else, too? Are they common knowledge?"

Roze shakes her head.

Those were outrageous things she's supposed to hide for the rest of her life. Not even Tien—her long-time customer and friend—knows them.

"Shouldn't that be the reason why you can also reveal your face when talking with me?"

Roze becomes speechless. Hopelessly, she stares at Harij with a half-open mouth.

Harij continues. "After all, even if something you don't want to say shows up in your face—'I'm not going to say it, because it's going to be a lie.' I know that you're the only one capable of saying that with all honesty. So you can just tell me that."

Roze shuts her mouth even more tightly—otherwise, something strange might come out…

'It's rude to talk without showing your face'—if only that was the context, then Roze wouldn't be so embarrassed even if her hood is removed.

—turns out it's for her sake.

For Roze, who lost her mother and grandmother, and accidentally spilled the witches' secrets—he's the only one for her to talk to.

…is that the reason you come here lately?

He wants to take responsibility for the secrets he had heard by chance—by being kind to Roze.