Her eyes closed, and the tears she'd held back finally slipped free, trailing silently down her cheeks. "I tried so hard... but did you ever truly notice?"
Her faint voice cracked in the stillness of the night. There was no reply, only silence embracing the wound in her heart. Thivi bit her lip, holding back a sob. All her efforts, her sweet tone, her teasing gestures, the way she always stood a little too close, none of it ever caught Kaivan's eyes. Or maybe, he simply never cared.
Tired. Not just in her body, but in the part of her heart that kept hoping into emptiness. She wanted to stop, but didn't know how.
Slowly, her eyes grew heavy. Sadness pulled her toward the edge of sleep. She drifted off, restless, but at peace for a moment. In her dream, Kaivan looked at her gently, held her hand, and whispered, "I see you, Thivi."
But before she could sink deeper into that warmth, something stirred within her. A quiet pull, a voice that spoke without sound, called her back to consciousness. Thivi's eyes fluttered open halfway, catching the pale light of the moon piercing through the dark. Something beyond reason seemed to summon her.
She rose. Her body felt light, her steps floating. The trees whispered her name through the wind. She walked slowly, parting the shadows, toward something she couldn't yet understand.
The night breeze brushed her skin. Between the rustle of leaves, only her own thoughts spoke back, images of Kaivan and Felicia. Their smiles. Their touch. The care that should have been hers.
Thivi clenched her fist. Her nails pressed against her damp palm. She fought the storm inside, jealousy, sorrow, loneliness.
"Kaivan... am I not good enough?"
The hilltop greeted her. Grass whispered, stars burned cold above. Beautiful, yet hollow. The world seemed to pretend it didn't see the wound splitting her chest.
She sat down, hugging her knees, bowing her head. Her heavy breaths broke the silence.
As if answering her pain, the night wind lifted her short hair. Amid the whispers, a voice emerged, deep, familiar, echoing straight into her heart.
"You suit me, Thivi. I'm sorry... I didn't realize you loved me that much."
Thivi's heart stopped for a beat. She turned. Under the moonlight stood Kaivan. His face calm as ever, but his eyes, they held sincerity.
"Kaivan...?" she whispered.
Kaivan stepped closer, slow but certain. Thivi's breath trembled. When his hand reached hers, warmth spread through her body, shaking the fragile quiet inside.
"I was blind for too long," Kaivan said softly, regret weighing each word. "I never realized how much you mattered to me."
Thivi looked up, her blue eyes glistening. "Then... why now?"
Kaivan paused. His thumb brushed away her tears.
"Because I was foolish. Too afraid to open my heart... to see who truly stood beside me."
Thivi said nothing. The world stood still. Kaivan drew her into his arms, warm, solid, real. Against his chest, she heard a calm heartbeat, steady and strong, unlike her own trembling one.
"Thivi...," he whispered near her ear, his voice filled with warmth. "I love you."
Those words shook her to the core. Her eyes burned again. But before tears could fall, Kaivan spoke once more, quietly, gently.
"But... I need your help."
Thivi froze. She pulled back slightly, searching his eyes. "Help...?"
Kaivan's voice flowed like a soft wind, brushing the fragile pieces of her heart. She stayed silent, letting his warmth melt the frost within her. For the first time, she felt truly seen, truly loved. But before that fragile happiness could take root, Kaivan spoke again, with hope, with pleading.
"Thivi, if you really love me... I want you to give it to the others. To all of us."
From beneath his cloak, Kaivan drew something out. Thivi blinked through her tears, unable to see clearly. Before she could ask, Kaivan leaned in, and kissed her.
Soft. Deep. Silent.
The kiss felt like a spell. Thivi's body trembled, not from the cold, but from the warmth that spread through her, seeping deep, soothing her trembling heart. Her breathing slowed. The world around her faded, swallowed by a gentle haze. She didn't want to let go, yet her strength gave in. She collapsed softly into Kaivan's arms, falling asleep with a peaceful smile.