Alice and An walked hand in hand along the winding roads that connected the houses of the village.

An's radiant smile lit up her face as they chatted cheerfully.

Alice noticed the villagers’ gazes, their expressions a mix of curiosity and confusion, but she didn’t mind.

She was used to people staring when she went out with Arthur, though the way they looked now felt different.

“Alice, are picnics really that fun?” An asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

Alice nodded, her smile warm and genuine.

“Yes, they are. I’ve had a few picnics with my family before, and those are some of my happiest memories.”

As they wandered through the village, they laughed and played, stopping to pet stray dogs and buy snacks from street vendors to take with them.

But as they passed an elderly couple sitting on a bench, An suddenly lowered her head.

Alice noticed the shift and gently asked,

“What’s wrong?”

An shook her head quickly and picked up her pace.

By the time they reached the hilltop, the sun was dipping low, painting the sky a brilliant red. The cool breeze carried the scent of grass and wildflowers, and their hair danced in the wind.

Birds soared across the horizon, their silhouettes etched against the fading sunlight. For a moment, both of them were lost in thought, mesmerized by the breathtaking view.

Alice spread a blanket on the grass and began unpacking the food they had bought.

An inhaled deeply, a wide smile on her face.

“This is beautiful,” she whispered, her voice filled with awe.

The sound of approaching footsteps broke the moment.

They turned to see Arthur waving as he walked towards them. When he reached them, he stopped, surprised by the sheer amount of food spread before him.

“You really went all out and bought a lot,” he remarked, a faint smile on his face.

He crouched beside An and gently patted her head.

“Are you having fun?” he asked softly.

An blinked, startled by his unexpected gesture, then broke into a wide smile and nodded.

“I am.”

“That’s good to hear,” Arthur said, his smile becoming more genuine

.

He paused; his gaze fixed on the horizon where the sun was slowly sinking.

“An, I need to talk to you about something important. Will you hear me out?”

An looked at him as she tilted her head. “Sure!”

She and Arthur locked each other’s glances for a couple of seconds and because of that, the air seemed to grow heavier, the breeze suddenly feeling harder to breathe.

“It’s about your father,” Arthur began, his voice gentle but tinged with sorrow.

“He passed away during the war. He fought as hard as he could, but… he couldn’t make it.” His voice was calm, but the weight behind the words spoke volumes.

Alice’s eyes widened, brows knitting together as she stared at An, concern flickering across her face.

An stared into his eyes, and unexpectedly, a faint smile curved her lips. She nodded, as if she had known all along.

“I know,” she said, her tone calm and steady, carrying a quiet certainty.

Alice gasped, looking between them in confusion. 

Huh?

She muttered under her breath.

Arthur’s expression softened as he reached to pat her head, but this time, his hand passed through her.

The warm orange sunlight streamed in, and An’s body gradually shimmered, fading into translucence as if the world itself were reclaiming her.

Arthur’s eyes grew wide, his lips pressing into a thin, tight line.

“I think it’s time for you to join him, An,” he said softly. His voice remained steady, but the sadness in his gaze betrayed him. He swallowed hard, fighting to keep his emotions in check.

“He’s waiting for you… on the other side.”

His words faltered, and he stuttered slightly. Alice’s confusion deepened. She opened her mouth to ask, but before she could, An laughed softly, this time bittersweet.

“I see… You figured it out,” An said, her hair fluttering in the wind as her body began to slowly fade.

“Did my grandparents tell you?”

Arthur nodded. “After the military sent the letter about your father’s death, you disappeared.” He paused, glancing at Alice and catching the confusion on her face before turning his gaze back to An.

“The villagers searched for weeks, and finally… they found you in the forest.” 

His voice wavered, but he forced himself to continue.

“They said you were lying there…and gone. They believed you…” He hesitated for a second.

“They thought you had taken your own life… to be with him.”

An shook her head firmly, small shoulders trembling.

“At first… I wanted to give up. I was desperate…” Her fingers curled into fists at her sides.

“…But then I thought of my grandparents.” Her voice dropped to a whisper.

“I wanted to go back to them, but fate wasn’t kind.” She wrapped her arms around herself, her shoulders shuddering as fear flickered in her wide eyes.

“Some… cruel men found me in the forest. They—” She paused, stealing a quick look at Arthur, as if seeking strength to continue.

But to her surprise, she saw something she hadn’t expected in his face.

His usual icy, unreadable expression crumbled, revealing a raw, aching pain that seemed to consume him.

Suddenly, a faint smile tugged at her lips.

“You don’t need to be so sad,” An said softly, her laugh carrying a fragile warmth beneath the sorrow.

“It’s alright… Please, look after my grandparents for me, mister.”

Arthur nodded, struggling against the lump in his throat.

“I will,” he whispered, his voice breaking.

Her eyes shimmered with tears as she faced Alice.

“Thank you… for making me happy, Alice.”

Alice, understanding at last, broke down. She reached out to hug An, but her arms met only air.

An had vanished, her form scattering into the wind like golden dust, drifting slowly toward the horizon.

Alice sank to her knees, tears streaming down her face. It was more than she could bear.

Arthur knelt beside her, placing a gentle hand on her back.

“I’ll explain everything,” he said softly, his voice steady, offering a quiet anchor amid the storm of her grief.

Before he could say more, Alice turned and hugged him tightly, catching him by surprise.

Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her, patting her back gently.

“Cry as much as you need to,” he whispered.

After Alice finally calmed herself, the two of them sat down beneath the tree. She rested her head on Arthur's shoulder; their hands intertwined with each other.

He told her everything—what the officer had revealed about An’s death.

He already knew who An’s grandparents were, so he had visited them to confirm the truth himself.

They explained everything to him in detail. It had been almost unbearable for him to listen… and now even harder to repeat.

Why did someone so young have to endure so much pain?

He said to himself.

His eyes drifted toward the setting sun until, little by little, stars began to bloom across the darkening horizon.

They leaned back against the tree yet neither of them spoke a single word for a couple of seconds.

Arthur’s gaze fixed on Alice.

“Stay with me… always,” Arthur said, his voice suddenly carrying a weight of seriousness.

The suddenness made her eyes widen, but her lips curve into a genuine smile, and nodded.

“Of course, Arthur…I’ll be with you.”