389,
"Do you know? Lately, I've been working hard on my studies."
"Mm."
Even as Yuna sat down, Cyclone still held onto Yuna's hand.
"Every day, besides reading those little yellow books, you've been reading all sorts of other books, we all know."
Though Cyclone did not say it out loud, as a family, Cyclone's actions were well known to everyone.
"Mm, now, I can read on my own."
As Cyclone spoke, he changed the way he held Yuna's hand.
From simply holding hands, to palms pressing against each other.
"That day, when I saw that bookstore, it reminded me of the winter from a year ago."
Starting from the touch of their palms, then back to interlocking their fingers.
"That day, because of my lack of knowledge, I believed that old lady's words and chased after her, almost getting killed by the monster."
"But in the end, you were able to save that family of three and the old doctor."
Yuna also defended Cyclone that day.
"Mm, that day was truly fortunate. But in the end, it was my ignorance that almost got me killed."
"It's not your fault."
"You call it escaping, Yuna."
Holding Yuna's hand tightly, Cyclone made up his mind to face the challenge.
"Yuna, I don't want to make excuses and escape anymore."
With the sun nearing the mountain peak, the sunset officially began, signifying the end of a warm time.
And as night fell, it indicated the start of a cold and dark time.
But Cyclone wasn't afraid, even as he entered the pitch-black night, he was no longer alone.
Not alone, Cyclone wasn't alone.
"I don't want to escape that I’m ignorant, I don't want to escape that I'm a troublemaker, more importantly, I don't want to escape... your past."
Recalling the past that had been mentioned, the forgotten darkness, Cyclone poured out everything in his heart.
"I've made mistakes. In this time, I've realized that the person who most needs to change is me."
Cyclone had never before confided in someone about his feelings.
Encountering and falling in love with others, growing and changing through these processes.
Not just Little Dragon, not just Eileen, even Cyclone himself.
"Of course, I still enjoy the feeling of battling with you all."
Cyclone smiled.
"That's not fake, the feeling of fighting recklessly, releasing everything, it truly... feels amazing."
Looking at Yuna, Cyclone would never lie to her.
"But... it's also escaping, escaping from this world. Losing oneself in our bodies, letting time slowly slip away."
Genuinely, Cyclone poured out everything about himself. This is Cyclone, and this is Cyclone's love for Yuna.
"Yuna, if I keep escaping like this, in the end, I'll just feel empty."
For a moment, Yuna's hand seemed to want to pull away.
But, in that moment, Cyclone caught Yuna's hand again.
"I know, for you, the past is dark."
One step at a time, Cyclone walked towards Yuna's darkest memories.
"And I've also said, the past is the past, it doesn't matter at all..."
Cyclone thought for a long time, realizing that the promises he had made were the force that pulled Yuna out of despair. However, this was just a form of escapism. The more he learned, the more he pondered about the future, the clearer it became to Cyclone. Yuna, who had lost her past, would also lose her future. There were untold stories, forbidden taboos between them, an invisible wall standing between Cyclone and Yuna. Therefore, Cyclone held Yuna's hand tightly and spoke loudly.
"Yuna! I want to step into the next stage with you. I want to grow together with you, raise child after child together."
Cyclone knelt down on one knee, just like on that day, making the same vow.
"Let's watch our children grow together, share our memories with each other. Just like the day when I explained to you what a wife is."
Their eyes met at the same level as Yuna sat down. Cyclone stared into Yuna's eyes.
"There will be no more unspoken words between us, no more distance. This time, I will take my Greed to the maximum..."
Without running away, Cyclone launched an attack directly at Yuna.
"I love you, your present, your future, even your past, I want them all."
Taking out a ring from his pocket, Cyclone gently slipped it onto Yuna's ring finger.
"...Silly."
"Huh?!"
With a single word from Yuna, the atmosphere was instantly shattered.
"That's the right hand, it only represents passionate love. For marriage, you should wear it on the left hand, right~"
Cyclone blinked, realizing the mistake he had made that the books had not detailed.
Yuna chuckled softly as she took off the ring from her right hand. However, she neither put it back on her left hand nor gave it back to Cyclone.
"Really, you always do things so suddenly, coming at me so directly..."
Yuna spoke gently.
"Cyclone... when did you... know?"
