When they got home, Katherine cleared out a part of the wardrobe and drawers so that Elizabeth could put her things. Katherine didn't have a lot of things anyway. But the clothes she did have were very high quality and expensive.

Elizabeth took the clothes Katherine had given her and put them in the wardrobe one by one.

"Yeah, great. I think this is the last one..." Katherine took a black dress out of the bag. They both blushed as soon as they saw the dress, it was the dress Elizabeth had tried on in the store. Elizabeth hardly swallowed, "Oh y- you bought that too? But... why?"

It took a while for Katherine to respond “Because… it’s… a good dress. And it… suited you.”

“I t- thought you didn’t like… the dress…” It wasn't really a question of whether Katherine liked it or not. She was afraid that Katherine would see her as one of the women her mother had described. “Because it’s inappropriate.”

Katherine looked at her in wonder, "Why would you think that?"

"You seemed uncomfortable with me wearing the dress. After all, it's the kind of dress those kind women would wear-"

"What kind of women?" The look on Katherine's face was new to Elizabeth. It was a little... harsh. Both her voice and her expression were harsh. This reaction made it difficult for Elizabeth to speak, but did not stop her.

"Immoral women. Women who try to attract a man's attention, lure his heart and take all his money-" From Katherine’s surprised and confused expression, Elizabeth suddenly realised that her words did not belong to her, but to the world she had been born into. As if she was reciting a memorised text, she was explaining the point of view as if it were her own.

"So, if a woman wears this dress, she's immoral?" Katherine fought to soften her words. Yes, she had only known Elizabeth for two days. However, the fact that this woman, who had previously hesitated to express her own ideas, now spoke as if they were pouring out of a glass, gave the impression that these ideas belonged to someone else, not to her.

Elizabeth's lips parted but she couldn't find anything to say. It was as if her throat was knotted. She wanted to take back her words, to shout that these thoughts did not belong to her. Bu she couldn’t. Her family's views had taken over her body like a cancer.

Katherine stood up and held the dress up to herself, "Then in the eyes of 'those' people, I must be very immoral. Because I like this dress very much." She approached Elizabeth and this time held the dress towards her, "When I first saw you in this dress, all I could think about was how well it suited you. Maybe the problem is not in the dress, but in the eyes that look at it. Don’t you think?"

She couldn't say a word, but the silence was already an answer to Katherine. She was so thankful that at least Katherine realized that it was not Elizabeth’s idea… How did she realized that though?

Katherine smirked, “I’m really hungry. Why don’t we eat something since we are done with here?”

"Yes..." Elizabeth raised her bowed head, "Yes."

The beautiful dress took it’s place in the wardrobe with other clothes before they leave the room.

Although it was Elizabeth who offered to help prepare the meal, it was Katherine who really helped, doing only the chopping. Elizabeth was like a professional when she prepared the meal. The seriousness on her face as she added the ingredients to the pot, her care as she drew circles in the pot with the spoon, even the way she added the salt to the food, it was as if the whole meal would go to waste if she poured one gram too much.

"You look like you're preparing a meal for a gourmet." As Katherine chopped the peppers, she glanced sideways at Elizabeth, who was stirring the food in the pot.

Elizabeth's serious expression suddenly faded into innocence, "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologising? I just thought you looked really cool."

"Ah..." It was probably the first time Elizabeth had ever received such a compliment. "T- Thank you."

"Do you enjoy cooking?"

"Not... really."

"Why not?"

"It's not that I don't enjoy cooking. It's just… I think the only part I like is the part where I prepare the food."

What's that supposed to mean? She wanted to change the subject because of the expression on Elizabeth’s face. "How am I supposed to chop the onion?"

Elizabeth looked at the cutting board, "You have to peel it first. If you cut the root..."

"Like this?"

Elizabeth approached Katherine, "Yes, you have to cut that part out."

"Okay."

"Now you have to peel the outer shell. If you hold it here..."

Elizabeth placed her hands on Katherine's. Katherine was at a distance where she could easily smell the scent of shampoo emanating from Elizabeth's hair. She had noticed it before, but Elizabeth's hands were indeed smaller than hers.

"See? It's actually very easy..." Elizabeth looked up and locked eyes with Katherine. Now she could realise how close they were.

"I see." Katherine replied without taking her gaze from Elizabeth's eyes.

Elizabeth took a few steps away and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Great."