649,

Beneath the falling snow, Eileen brought some news.

Cyclone’s first reaction when he heard it was to run.

Instinct drove his arms and legs onward. He ran and ran.

At last, the long wait was over.

He ran home, but just before opening the door, Cyclone hesitated for a moment, afraid.

Light shone brightly through the gap beneath the door.

But there wasn’t a sound from inside, as if no one were there at all.

Why was it so quiet?

Deep down, he even wondered if what he was seeing was fake, if it was all just a dream he’d imagined.

Before he knew it, Cyclone’s hand had started to tremble.

If this was real, what would Cyclone say when he saw Elyse?

In those three seconds before opening the door, Cyclone wanted to run away for the first time in his life.

Just then, Eileen took Cyclone’s hand.

“It’s okay. We’re all here.”

Yuna stepped forward too and gently patted Cyclone on the back.

“Go on in.”

Cyclone took a deep breath.

After letting the air out of his lungs, Cyclone opened the door.

Golden hair and blue eyes, a naturally beautiful princess—she was the sexiest woman Cyclone had ever seen.

Elyse looked at Cyclone as he opened the door and smiled.

This wasn’t an illusion. This was real.

Elyse had finally woken up.

Cyclone walked toward Elyse one step at a time. Little Dragon, who had been looking after her, moved aside to make room for him.

Cyclone sat on the edge of the bed and reached his left hand toward Elyse’s right cheek.

His palm had been chilled by the snow, but Elyse’s warm cheek melted the cold away.

“You’re awake?”

Cyclone asked his wife, his heart full of disbelief.

“Mm. I think…I’ve been asleep for quite a while.”

“It’s okay. You lost a lot of blood. The fact that you’re awake is already…”

He couldn’t hold back any longer. Cyclone moved closer, making it easier for Elyse to settle into his arms.

“Thank goodness… Thank goodness…”

Elyse said nothing. She simply closed her eyes and rested peacefully in Cyclone’s embrace.

He truly hoped this warm feeling would last forever.

Then Elyse remembered something and asked in a faint voice,

“Oh…where’s Feng’er? Little Dragon said you took Feng’er out with you.”

No one answered Elyse.

“It’s snowing outside, isn’t it? Is he cold?”

Gently pushing Cyclone away, Elyse wanted to look at his face—her beloved husband’s.

“I want to…I want to hold him for a little while.”

It seemed Little Dragon had lied.

But no one would blame her for it now.

In a situation like this, the truth was simply too hard to say.

Besides, Elyse had only just woken up. They couldn’t tell her the truth right away and send her plunging into the depths of hell.

But could Cyclone keep lying to her?

“…”

“…Cyclone?”

“Could you all…step outside for a moment?”

“Cyclone!”

Yuna cried out.

“It’s okay… This is something…I have to face.”

“No, this…”

“Go!”

Cyclone looked at Elyse with resolve. He had made up his mind.

Thank you. You gave me the courage I needed. Now it’s my turn.

Elyse didn’t know what was going through Cyclone’s mind.

But after that exchange, she began to feel uneasy.

Why were they acting like this?

All she wanted was to hold Feng’er for a little while.

Why?

By now, Elyse had begun to sense it.

A terrible truth—one that had already made her hands tremble.

Cyclone tried to clasp Elyse’s hands tightly.

But then he saw that his own hands were trembling too.

“Honey…listen carefully to what I’m about to tell you…”

Elyse instinctively shook her head. She didn’t want Cyclone to say the truth she dreaded hearing most.

But Cyclone couldn’t give Elyse false hope.

This time, Cyclone would be the husband Elyse loved most.

A man who would never lie to her, never leave her, and stay by her side for the rest of their lives.