Garden of May — Chapter 7

AH...

R-RIVER...

NGH,

THERE— NGH...!

YOUR SPIDER IS ALREADY GONE, VANESSA.

SHOULD I STOP LOOKING FOR IT?

...NO.

KEEP GOING.

JUST...

HAA

HOW ON EARTH

DID RIVER ROSS GROW UP TO BE LIKE THIS?

NGH!

HE'S SO DIFFERENT FROM WHEN HE WAS A BOY!

SO, VANESSA, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

ARE YOU SO SURE YOU WON'T BE CRYING AND BEGGING FOR ME BY THE END OF THE SUMMER?

SHALL WE MAKE A WAGER?

ABOUT WHO WILL BE THE ONE BEGGING.

I DON’T NEED A CHILD.

I CAN’T HAVE ONE, ANYWAY.

...B-BIOLOGICALLY?

LET'S SATISFY THAT CURIOSITY OF YOURS SLOWLY.

IF YOU'RE FINE WITH NOT HAVING A CHILD,

THEN I SUPPOSE WE COULD JUST HAVE SOME FUN TOGETHER.

I'M SURE THAT

WOULD BE ENOUGH TO RUIN YOUR REPUTATION.

F-FINE!

I HAVE ONE CONDITION!

FOR AS LONG AS WE’RE

“HAVING FUN” WITH EACH OTHER,

WE MUST BE COMPLETELY FAITHFUL TO ONE ANOTHER.

I WANT YOU TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.

THIS ISN’T JUST A GAME

OR SOME FLING YOU CAN TOSS ASIDE.

I WANT THIS TO BE A REAL RELATIONSHIP.

LIKE WE’RE A PROPER COUPLE.

ALL RIGHT.

Y-YOU ASKED...

IF I WAS SURE, DIDN’T YOU?

WELL, I AM.

I SWEAR TO GOD,

I WOULD DIE

BEFORE CONFESSING MY LOVE FIRST.

INTERESTING.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD, THOUGH.

WELL THEN, VANESSA.

SHALL WE FINISH WHAT WE STARTED?

VANESSA SERIN SOMERSET SAID THE SUMMER WAS SHORT,

BUT FROM WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED,

THE SUMMERS IN THE SOUTH ARE UNBEARABLY LONG.

LONG ENOUGH TO MAKE A BUDDING ROSE BLOOM,

AND BLOOM AGAIN.

SO, VANESSA —

YOU NEVER SHOULD HAVE MADE A LOSING WAGER.