A little after the sun shone through the gaps in the windows, the sobs ceased.

  Despite being hard and, in a way, cold, the contact with Noah's body wasn't unpleasant. Ting thought it gave her a strange feeling of security, or at least that's what she considered at first, when she noticed how easily she opened up and cried in his arms.

  However, everything felt very familiar to her, this being attributed to the fact that he didn’t have a noticeable personal scent, making him almost the perfect substitute for her to imagine Ling as the one she was hugging.

  The touch might be different, but the scent and the affection were the same, and the warmth could be filled in by her imagination, as well as the voice.

  In the end, the room remained wrapped in a heavy silence for most of the night, though not for Ting. Amid talks and caresses, she was never alone.

  I'm sorry, Aunt Ling... I won’t forget you or all that you've taught me. Clinging to bitterness won’t solve anything, I know that, and I won’t do it again.

  She tried to use one hand to dry her face, but Noah's embrace didn’t allow it. Using a piece of his clothes was her only option.

  Living is more than just eating, going to places, and sleeping, I know... I need to smile...

  She tried, but her face didn’t respond as expected. A small, painful smile was all she could manage.

  Having fun and being happy... I’ll do it, I promise. But maybe it's going to take a little longer...

  Looking at Noah, she wondered if he was really sleeping. It didn’t seem so. He looked as if he was meditating, though his arms kept moving, caressing her.

  Maybe he can help me with that...

  She smiled, a little lighter and livelier, because her last conversation with Ling had been the catalyst for her actions. Just as it was the cause of the solitary tear that slipped from her eye.

  There’s no need to worry. She sniffed. Apparently, he’s better than we imagined. And maybe, I think I was right and he really did fall in love with me at first sight. If not, he is just very kind, which is still a good thing...

  Closing her eyes, she decided to wait. She couldn’t move no matter how hard she tried, so she could only wait for Noah to wake so she could get up.

  I think living with him could be fun. Someone who, like you and Uncle Fusu, sees me as important. Someone, one day, I might even call my own...

  She blinked and looked at Noah’s face, lifting her head discreetly. She’d been seen, of course, but it didn’t matter. Ting had also noticed the glances following her whenever she seemed distracted.

  She smiled, surprising Noah.

  I hope this happens soon, so that you two and Uncle Fusu can rest easily, knowing that I’m okay. That you don’t need to worry about me anymore..., because someone else has chosen to carry that burden.

  — Do you like staying like this, hugging me? — she asked.

  Noah reflected for a moment. The smile had made him freeze, and he couldn't say what it was supposed to mean. Was she better? Calmer? He thought it strange, wondering if something like grief could pass so quickly. He even considered the possibility that they weren’t as close as he thought, but he dismissed it. Those red eyes told him otherwise.

  Is she trying to move on...?

  That seemed to be the most likely option to him.

  — If I say yes, can I keep doing this a bit longer?

  — Hmm, maybe later. I want to eat the dessert you made for me now.

  Despite her words, Noah didn’t look too keen on it. He kept ignoring her for a while, but eventually gave in to the insistent looks and the touches on his back that didn’t affect him at all, many of which he hardly felt.

  He sighed as he let her go from his arms.

  — Thank you. — Ting sat up immediately and soon picked up the tray with the cake. She examined the dessert and concluded that the honey used as syrup was the only thing she could identify — And this is...?

  — A cake. Well, at least an attempt at making one. If I had better ingredients, it would turn out better than this.

  — Cake...

  When she took it in her hand, she felt a soft texture, as if it would fall apart or break if she held it without care. The sweet scent was interesting, coming from the honey, she supposed. However, it was the taste that really surprised her.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Her eyes widened with the first bite.

  — This is amazing! — she exclaimed in ecstasy.

  With an airy texture and a subtle mix of flavors, with the honey as the main note, it seemed to melt slowly in her mouth, dissolving on her tongue.

  — And you said it could be even better?! — after finishing the piece, she extended the tray — I want more!

  Noah didn’t answer right away, surprised, making her droop a little.

  — Was that all...?

  The round shape that appeared on the bed made her eyes shine.

  As Ting took a silver knife out of her spatial bag and cut another piece of cake, Noah felt a bit uncomfortable. Those laughs and that joy, although beautiful, seemed a little fake, forced to him.

  — Are you really okay? — he let the words slip.

  Ting froze with the cake near her mouth. She had expected that question to come eventually, but she wasn’t ready to answer it yet.

  She took a bite, taking a moment to enjoy the experience, as if ignoring him. She needed time, not to think, but to convince herself again that her answer was honest and true.

  And there it was, Noah saw. The heavy smile hadn’t disappeared, just been hidden.

  — I'll be... — fighting back the pain, she trembled — This is going to take a little longer, so... I ask you to be patient with me from now on.

  — ...And should I keep cooking to help you through this? — he smiled.

  After another bite, Ting nodded. And got a smile in return.

  Noah fought the urge to hug her again, which was hard. She was far too beautiful for him to resist for long, so he tried to avoid looking at her as much as possible.

  — Huh? What is it, is there something on my face?

  — No, I just... — he looked away — What are you going to do today?

  — Today...? Nothing, I think... We’re in a forest, so there aren’t really many options for pastimes.

  — Then want to try something with me? — he got up — I don’t think it will be exactly fun, but I don’t want to leave and have you here all alone.

  — Alone? But I’d be with Uncle Fusu... — after a moment, Ting put the cake away — All right, what do you propose we do today?

  — ...Let’s go collect some herbs.

  — Herbs...?

  At first, she seemed somewhat uninterested. However, Ting clapped her hands on the mattress and suddenly moved closer. Her eyebrows were raised and her smile was bright, and for a brief time, the sadness seemed to be replaced by something new.

  — Are you an alchemist?! — she exclaimed, her voice echoing beyond the walls of the house.

  Even Fusu, sitting on the bluish grass, heard it and choked on the apple he was holding. He turned toward the house, incredulous.

  What other surprises does this boy still hold...?

  Even while wondering, he preferred not to know. He feared the weight it might bring.

  He sighed and then lay down.

  From what happened the night before and what he’d just heard, he could see that the two’s relationship was going well.

  Just like Ting, it seemed he was also starting to open up...

  And that was enough to reassure him. It meant that with each step they took closer together, her safety was becoming more stable.

  — Not yet... — Noah replied — I'll get the herbs so I can start training.

  — But even so, you know the steps and what to do to get there... Can you teach me?

  — Well, if it makes you that happy, I don’t see any problem.

  — Really?! — after hugging him briefly, Ting jumped out of bed, stopping at the door — What are you waiting for? Let's go! Let's look for as many as we can.

  — All right. — Noah smiled, following her — But what a surprising change... — he murmured to himself.

  Ah, yes, changing...

  He watched her go up to Fusu to tell him they were heading out.

  Maybe there’s something about her new approach that can help me.

  Watching her grab his hand to pull him into the forest, he just followed, lost in thought. The reddish distortions flickered throughout the forest, capturing his attention, but were soon forgotten as they vanished.

  Should I ask...?

  The frozen ground stretched on for quite a while. Neither was in a hurry, as if they had all the time in the world; this was one reason they only reached the end of the ice when the sun was already red in the sky.

  For Ting, even if they weren’t finding any usable herbs, that moment was exciting, something to be happy about. Another day had passed. It was further proof that she didn't need to sleep for days on end, even if she couldn’t truly test that with certainty yet.

  She squeezed Noah's hand each time she noticed she was still awake.

  — Can I ask you something? — he said, making her turn toward him.

  — I thought you were planning to marry me without even doing something like that, my name is Huo Ting.

  — What...? Oh, right, mine's Noah. But that wasn't what I wanted to talk about. — he stopped, holding her in place — Why did you change so much from yesterday to today? ...What caused this?

  — What caused...?

  Noah thought she would close up again, but that didn’t happen.

  — When I lost my mother, it was Aunt Ling who helped me get through it... — she said, as she started to walk aimlessly — "Don't cling to the pain of loss and bitterness," she always told me. "Your mother is watching you now, Ting'er, don't you think she would want to see you smiling?"

  She stopped, her trembling legs seeming to give out. Being strong was hard. It took more than it seemed.

  Lifting her up in his arms, Noah turned back toward the house without saying a word. He regretted asking, even though he knew what the consequence of doing so could be.

  But she didn’t stop.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and continued in whispers and sobs;

  — It's not about forgetting, but rather, internalizing... and accepting... Accepting and understanding that you need to go on. Even if they can no longer be seen, even so... knowing they’re still there. For me..., protecting me, watching over me, always wishing me well... It's about understanding that their love didn't disappear just because they're not here anymore. It’s still in me.

  Noah set her gently on the bed, but she didn’t let go.

  Ting needed another moment to calm herself, to know that someone was there. For her. With her. And for her sake. Even with Ling’s words in mind, she didn’t want to feel alone.

  Embracing her, Noah didn’t leave. He’d gained a new understanding thanks to her words and wanted to test it, but now was not the time. He felt he needed to stay right where he was, not only physically, but with his real self too.