After that reunion with the three of them, which turned out to be deeply emotional, Zeruel and I found ourselves alone at last, sharing a rare, quiet moment together.
We ended up sitting side by side on a small, ornate bench built just for two. Its old wooden frame creaked faintly under us, while the distant hum of voices and soft rustling of leaves filled the silence around us. Though I felt unexpectedly calm, Zeruel was visibly struggling to hide her embarrassment. Her cheeks glowed a deep crimson, and her breathing came out a little quicker than normal.
For a while, neither of us spoke. Then, her fingers fidgeting nervously with the hem of her skirt, she finally managed to break the silence.
"Um, I'm really thankful to you for this," she said softly. Her words were simple, but the way she spoke them with her shoulders slightly hunched, gaze lowered yet peeking at me from under her lashes—made her gratitude feel heavy, honest, and raw.
