659,

Dusk was approaching, but today the sky wasn’t yellow. It was red.

From Cyclone’s experience as a farmer, there was a very good chance it would rain tomorrow.

But a sky like this could also be considered a good thing.

The unchanging yellow dusk had changed today.

Bathed in the setting sun, the sky was as beautiful as a sea of flames.

Elyse was holding Feng’er, and Cyclone couldn’t take her hand.

Still, following behind the mother and child and looking after them from the side counted as one of Cyclone’s duties as a father.

No one knew that the baby Elyse held in her arms was actually dead.

Otherwise, carrying a dead baby through the streets in broad daylight would surely make people think she was crazy.

Of course, if you didn’t know, then you didn’t know. Looking at it from the perspective of someone unaware of the truth, Cyclone thought Elyse was happiest at this moment.

He’d never seen her smile like this—not during their battles in bed, nor while they played together at home.

In that moment, a question arose in Cyclone’s heart.

Was this how his own mother had raised him, too?

How was his mom doing back in Plantain Village now?

Once Elyse was feeling a little better, he’d go home for a visit…

Watching the mother and child ahead of him, then looking up at the setting sun, Cyclone felt more at peace than ever before.

He’d brushed against this feeling before. During surgery, he’d come close to it countless times.

But only now did Cyclone understand that this peace wasn’t anything special. It was simply contentment.

Watching the person you love and doing what you love—people really could live like this.

The excitement of life in the big city seemed so trivial now.

“What’s wrong?”

Before he knew it, Elyse had already walked a long way ahead.

Cyclone raised his left hand high and waved it from side to side as he ran after her.

He took out the picnic blanket he’d brought and spread it on the ground, making a little space that could serve as a temporary home for their family of three.

Cyclone took out their dinner: a box of very simple sandwiches.

Little Dragon had made them at the last minute. Cyclone had only decided to go on a date at the last minute, so this was all Little Dragon could prepare.

But even these ordinary sandwiches, with hardly anything in them, made Cyclone and Elyse very happy.

One bite for you, one bite for me. They were so happy.

But their happiness had its limits. Feng’er couldn’t join in, because he wouldn’t open his mouth.

Several times, Elyse unconsciously tried to feed Feng’er a little. But whenever she brought a sandwich to his lips, she realized it was all just a false dream.

Cyclone saw it all, but said nothing.

This wasn’t a pain that could be easily changed. Cyclone and Elyse both had to slowly accept the fact that Feng’er was dead.

“Honey…”

Cyclone pulled Elyse into his arms, letting her hear the sound of his heartbeat.

“I know I’m only saying this now, and it might already be too late…”

At last, sunset arrived, and the sun began to disappear beyond the distant horizon.

“But no matter what happens from now on, I’ll do everything I can to be the best husband in your heart, and the best father in Feng’er’s.”

Cyclone looked at Elyse.

“I promise.”

Elyse didn’t say anything. She only smiled faintly.

Cyclone would remember that happy smile forever.

As time passed, Cyclone and Elyse returned home.

Yuna had come back, too, and Little Dragon had prepared a sumptuous dinner.

Everyone sat back in their usual places and looked at Cyclone with a smile.

“Everyone… let’s eat~”

And so, an ordinary, uneventful day came to an end beneath everyone’s smiles.