The day was bright as the sun. The sky was a clear blue, and clouds moved slowly above, forming mesmerizing shapes.

Alice was walking down the road after buying some ingredients at the market.

On her way home, she crossed paths with Jean, who was heading for work.

“Hello, Jean!” Alice waved her hand softly with her lips curved into a faint smile. 

Unexpectedly, Jean grasped both of her hands, catching her completely off guard.

Her usual teasing expression had vanished, replaced by a seriousness she had rarely seen from her.

“Alice, I need to talk to you about something. Can I go to your house after work?” she asked, desperation clinging to her voice.

Which made Alice more surprised; she had never seen Jean like this before.

"S-Sure, what’s the matter, Jean?” Alice stammered, confusion and curiosity mixing in her mind.

Jean forced a faint smile and started walking again and waved her hand.

“I’ll tell you after work. See ya!” she said before running off.

Alice watched her figure grow smaller as she moved further away.

“What is going on with her?”

When Alice returned home, she saw Arthur sleeping comfortably on the sofa.

She smiled softly. “I guess he’s getting more comfortable with me,” she whispered before heading to the kitchen. 

She began unpacking the things she bought, placing each item where it belonged.

After putting the groceries away, she cleaned the vegetables and set the frozen meat in a bucket of water to thaw.

She needed to cook for three people since Jean would be coming over.

The aroma of her cooking filled the air, stirring Arthur awake.  His vision cleared slowly as blinked a few times, seeing Alice’s blurry figure standing in the kitchen.

A faint smile crossed his lips.

This peaceful moment felt like a small slice of heaven, knowing he was in a safe place, free from threats and nightmares of his past.

Alice noticed him waking up and smiled warmly.

“Good afternoon, Arthur. Why did you wake up?” she asked as she continued cooking.

“I smelled the delicious aroma of your cooking and it woke me up,” he replied, standing up and leaning his shoulder against the wall.

He glanced at the portions of food she was preparing, it was more than enough for two. “Who’s coming?” he asked as he sat at the table while rubbing his eyes softly.

“Jean’s coming. We met earlier when I was at the market and told me she wanted to talk to me about something important,” Alice explained.

Arthur yawned. “I see. Sorry I didn’t go with you to the market.” He stretched his arms for a bit.

Alice shook her head with a small chuckle.

“You were tired. Seeing you asleep so comfortably on the sofa made it impossible for me to wake you up,” she teased.

The atmosphere between them was positive and peaceful, almost heartwarming.

It felt as though they were the only two people in the world. 

Their dynamic was natural and harmonious, though neither felt romantic toward the other. It was simply a bond built on trust and mutual understanding.

An hour had passed, and the doorbell rang.

Alice immediately went and opened the door. She saw Jean, surprised because it was not yet time for the restaurant to close.

She noticed Jean’s expression was serious, with a mix of desperation and unease.

“You’re here? I thought you’d come after your work is done,” she said, confusion all over her face.

“I took an early out. I told the manager I’m not feeling well, so he let me out,” Jean replied, her expression serious, though she smiled slightly.

Alice placed the palm of her hand on Jean’s forehead to check if she had a fever. “You’re not hot…” she paused and smiled.

“What’s going on, Jean?” she asked, her face filled with worry. But seeing Jean’s troubled look, she let out a heavy sigh.

“For now, come inside. I made lunch for you,” she continued.

They got in, and Jean looked around, noticing Arthur was not in the house.

“Where is he?” she asked.

“He went to greet Mr. and Mrs. Fredway. He wanted to check if they are doing alright,” Alice replied.

Jean's eyes grew wide. “That’s surprising for him. What made him do that, though?”

Alice put the food on the table and her lips curved into a smile.

“Well, let’s just say he is trying his best to keep the promise that he made,” she replied, her expression softening into a genuine smile.

Jean looked at her, utterly bewildered by her expression. She had never thought that the enigmatic woman she knew would smile so genuinely.

“She’s changed… or has she always been like this? J

ean whispered to herself as she sat and started eating.

Alice then sat next to her. “So, what’s the matter, Jean?” she asked once again, her tone somehow gentle.

“You know this sounds crazy, but I’m getting married,” Jean said, though her tone was somehow sad, her expression uneasy.

Alice was about to take a bite but stopped mid-way. ‘Huh? W-What did you just say?” She put the spoon on the plate gently.

Jean nodded, but her face was telling otherwise; she even let out a heavy sigh.

Alice, seeing her not being happy, didn’t know what to say.

“I-I see,” she laughed nervously.

Jean started to take a bite. “My parents decided it on their own,” she added, which made Alice even more flabbergasted.

“If you don’t like it, why not decline the offer?” Alice immediately replied.

Jean shook her head. “My parents and his parents arranged this marriage when we were children.” She put the spoon aside, while her eyes looked uneasy.

“And the person who was engaged to me was looking forward to it too. I have no way out at all,” she said, smiling, but Alice knew she was forcing herself.

She didn’t know what to say either because she never experienced this sort of situation before.

She then held Jean’s hand. “For now, let’s forget about that. Let’s enjoy this day to our hearts’ content,” she said with a smile on her face, which made Jean smile too.

“Sorry, I killed the mood,” Jean said.

Alice shook her head. “No, it’s fine,” she replied.

They continued to talk nonstop, smiling, laughing, and even sharing some secrets with each other.

Arthur, on the other hand, had finally finished checking on the old couple. He was walking along the road to the market.

The people there were lively; everyone was busy with their businesses.

As he went out to buy some stuff, he recognized a familiar face walking down the stairs. Arthur blinked in disbelief. Of all places, he never expected to run into someone he knew in a faraway village like this.

“Matthew!” he called out.

A man in a classy coat and eyeglasses looked at him. He stopped, momentarily stunned.

The instant their eyes met, recognition washed over them, and faint smiles formed.

Matthew lifted his hand and waved eagerly.

“Arthur!” he yelled, his voice brimming with enthusiasm.

When they finally reached each other, they didn’t hesitate—they exchanged a warm, genuine hug, the kind only old friends could share.

“What are you doing here, Matthew?” Arthur asked out of genuine curiosity.

“My family lives here. I was about to go to their house now, but we crossed paths with each other. All this time, God is with us, Arthur,” Matthew said, genuinely happy from the bottom of his heart.

Arthur nodded as well. “God is really with us,” he replied with a faint smile on his face.

Matthew noticed his expression, and that made him startled, but he offered a smile once again.

“How about a cup of coffee at my place, Matthew? It’s been a while since I last saw you,” Arthur suggested.

“It’s been a year since we last talked, right?”

Matthew nodded as he adjusted his glasses. “Sure, it would be great to talk with you again.

The girls were having fun talking with each other, their laughter filling the room as if they never cared about their surroundings.

“Did you know one of the customers at the restaurant was sad after you left?” Jean said, fixing Alice’s hair.

“Why? I mean, the customers thought of me as a witch, right?” She glanced at her sideways.

“To begin with, they never talked to me when I was still working there. Not even once,” Alice argued, not wanting to believe what Jean said.

“You’re right, but the charm you had made the place more refreshing to stay in,” Jean replied with a laugh, leaving Alice even more confused.

“What does that even mean?!” Alice said, trying to figure out the meaning behind her words.

Jean only laughed harder.

Meanwhile, Arthur and Matthew stood on the other side of the door, hearing the laughter from inside.

Matthew looked at him, curiosity evident on his face.

“Is there anyone at home?” he asked.

“Yes. Well… how can I put this? I hired someone to cook for me.” He rested his hand on the doorknob.

“Since she’s not from here, I let her stay for free,” Arthur added.

Matthew’s brow lifted, clearly intrigued by what he’d just heard.

“How was our Frostbane able to hire someone with that intimidating face of yours?” he teased, smacking Arthur’s back twice.

“Even if you say that, she’s done so much for me,” Arthur replied. His gaze softened. “Thanks to her, I’m slowly becoming human again.”

He smiled, a genuine, heartfelt smile which left Matthew even more surprised. His eyes widened, unfamiliar with this side of his friend. It was foreign to him. Then he smiled in return.

“That’s good to hear, then,” Matthew said before pausing. “And, she is a woman,” he added teasingly.

Arthur opened the door, and both of them stepped inside.

Alice stood up to greet him, only to freeze when she noticed he wasn’t alone.

“Welcome back, Arthur,” she said in a gentle voice, her smile warm.

“I’m home,” he replied, placing a hand on Matthew’s shoulder. “This is my friend, Matthew,” he said before turning to Matthew. “And this is Alice.”

Matthew lowered his head slightly, placing a hand on his chest.

“Thank you for taking care of my friend. I’m grateful for your service,” he said formally.

Alice mimicked the gesture, lowering her head in return.

“It’s my pleasure to meet you. Your sign of gratitude is accepted.” she replied.

Suddenly, another voice came closer. It was Jean. She stood next to Alice, her curiosity piqued.

“How long are you two going to stand at the entrance?” she asked, not realizing that Arthur wasn’t alone.

When she noticed the person next to him, her expression changed.

He was oddly familiar to her. All of a sudden, it clicked. Her eyes and mouth widened in shock and disbelief.

“MATTHEW!” she yelled, pointing a finger at him.

Matthew blinked, startled, then relaxed as a tentative smile spread across his face.

“This is rather interesting. I never expected to meet you here, Jean. God is really with us,” he said, his tone amused by the unexpected reunion.