The day began with Arin lying on the ground, unmoving, his injured hand wrapped tightly in torn cloth. The fabric was soaked through in places, dark and stiff with dried blood. His fingers twitched faintly as he slept.
When the others arrived at the clearing, their voices died almost immediately.
"What happened?" Leiofa asked, his gaze fixed on Arin.
Hanase didn't look away as she answered. She told him everything that had happened in the forest — the sudden struggle, the injury, the shouting that echoed through the trees.
Askiro ran toward Arin without thinking.
Dephore stepped in front of her and caught her wrist. "Let him sleep for now," she said quietly. "He's injured."
Askiro's mouth opened, but no words came out. Her breath hitched. Slowly, she pulled her hand back and took a step away, then another, before lowering herself to the ground. Her eyes never left Arin.
They decided to set up camp where they were.
Hours passed.
The forest grew still as night settled in, the air heavy with unspoken worry. One by one, everyone fell asleep. The fire burned low, embers glowing softly.
Everyone except Askiro.
She rose quietly and walked to where Arin was resting. Sitting beside him, she began to hum — a soft, uneven melody, one she barely remembered learning. Her voice was low enough that it blended with the night.
The moon hung above the trees, pale and distant.
She stayed there for a long time, humming, watching his chest rise and fall. At some point, the melody faltered. A strange emptiness pressed against her chest, tight and unfamiliar.
"Why…" she whispered, fingers tightening around the fabric of her sleeve, "do I feel so hollow?"
She moved away and sat beneath a nearby tree, her back against the rough bark. The moonlight filtered through the leaves, scattering across the ground. The words slipped out before she could stop them, quiet and trembling.
"I think…"
She swallowed.
"I fell in love with him."
Morning came gently.
Sunlight warmed her face, and her eyes slowly opened. For a moment, she didn't move.
Then she realized someone was sitting beside her.
Arin was awake.
His injured hand was newly wrapped, cleaner now, resting in his lap. He looked exhausted, but calm. When he noticed her eyes open, he gave a small, tired smile.
"Good morning."