Night fell, the sky deepening like a spilled inkwell. Thick snowflakes blanketed mountains, forests, and the quiet town, burying streets and ruins alike. Yihan perched atop a high roof, shoulders hunched against the cold, gazing into the distance. Snow dusted his hair and coat.

All the townsfolk had left. Silence swallowed the settlement. Not a single light flickered in the darkness. Only the distant howls of wolves in the valley echoed faintly. In a few years, this ancient town would likely vanish forever beneath the mountains’ embrace.

Yihan turned up his collar, puffing out clouds of white breath.

A creaking, swaying sound came from beside him. He turned to see a petite, delicate girl climbing a ladder one-handed. In her free hand, she balanced a steaming cup of strong tea. Wrapped in a thick sheepskin cloak, her nose tip was reddened by the cold.

Carola struggled onto the roof. Seeing him still sitting there like a fool, she scolded, "Are you broken or just brainless? Staying out here in this freezing weather instead of finding shelter? You deserve to freeze to death."

Despite her words, she thrust the teacup toward him without hesitation. Fragrant steam rose from the dark brew, carrying the soothing scent of green tea leaves.

"Thanks," Yihan said, surprised and touched she’d remembered him.

He took a small sip. Warmth flooded his near-frozen limbs, loosening their stiffness. He cradled the hot cup on his lap. The girl brushed snow off the roof beside him and sat down, uncaring.

They sat side by side in the swirling white silence, staring into the distance, each lost in private thoughts.

As Yihan neared the end of his tea, he exhaled a plume of warm vapor. "Why didn’t you leave with the others?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Carola shot back. "Does this mean you’re still not considering my proposal? You won’t give up?"

"I suppose so," Yihan admitted. He hadn’t found a solution yet—but the thought of leaving never even crossed his mind.

Carola made a defeated gesture, slumping forward. She drew her knees up, resting her chin on them with a soft sigh.

"Yihan... if you’re willing, tell me about you and that Witch."

"Hm?"

"Everyone I know fears and despises Witches. No one would willingly approach one. You’re the first." Carola’s small face fell. "And the way you refuse to back down for her... I can’t imagine what grand past you two must share."

Yihan chuckled. "You’ll be disappointed. There’s no grand past. We’ve only known each other a week."

"What? No way—" Carola’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"It’s true. You won’t believe it, but I traveled back in time through sleep. At first, I thought it was just a dream I could control—a game. I didn’t know Lia was a Witch. When I saw her trapped in that burning warehouse, I thought she needed saving. I never imagined she’d set the fire herself."

"I didn’t have ulterior motives then. I saw it as a fairy tale—a childhood regret. In the story I’d read, the little girl froze to death... So I wanted to rewrite her ending. To let her live well in my dream..."

"I tidied her appearance. Taught her how to find customers who’d understand the value of matches. Promised to take her somewhere warm once she saved enough money..." His voice grew quiet. "Looking back, I was irresponsible. Just empty words. But that foolish girl believed every one. She worked hard, saved coins, showed them to me, made promises... That’s when I realized she was serious."

Carola listened silently, her fair face unreadable. The moment Yihan finished, she cut in: "So... you developed feelings for her too?"

Yihan paused, then nodded. "Yes. Right then, I thought... how wonderful it would be if she were real."

"Back then, I didn’t know my dreams were the past. I didn’t see the link to reality. Lia, this town—they all seemed unreal. Fleeting. Like waking from a dream. No matter how vivid, we live in the real world."

He hesitated. "Can you understand that feeling? As a kid, I adored Ultraman. One episode could make me happy all night. Then my neighbor uncle said, ‘They’re just costumed actors.’ It crushed me. I realized no matter how many Ultraman toys I collected, they’d never truly transform into light or fight monsters. They were always just... illusions."

"I don’t know Ultraman," Carola said flatly, "but I understand. Like dreaming of my parents. No matter how warmly they smiled in my dreams, it couldn’t change the fact they’re gone." She shook her head, no sadness in her voice.

"...Just as I thought that, she was dragged to the grand theater. Exposed as a Witch. By then, a Crimson Flame Witch had already thrown half the continent into chaos, searching for something as she traveled south from the north. I connected her to that Witch. Felt dread, but couldn’t be sure. Until your fight revealed her face. That’s when I knew—my dreams were the past. I’d met Lia five years ago. And she’d found me."

"Did you clash when you reunited?"

"No. She was calm. Said she wanted to let go of the past and build a life with me. I was foolish enough to believe her. We even—" He stopped abruptly. "Never mind that part. My emotions ran wild. A person I thought was fictional, unreal... suddenly stepping into my life, wearing the same familiar face. I can’t describe it."

"Excitement? Shock? Panic?... Too many feelings at once. But because of that, I took her existence—and her danger—more seriously than ever. They hunted her. Wanted to exile her. So I tried to stop you. To save her. I still don’t know if my actions here can change the future... but I won’t let her be hurt."

Carola clapped soundlessly, her tone unreadable. "How noble."

Yihan’s bitter smile twisted. He sighed heavily, closing his eyes. "But... she came for another reason. She hates me. Can’t forgive me for abandoning her back then. She endured so much just to find me... to make me suffer as she did."

A long silence stretched. Then, Carola’s voice trembled: "Do you... still like her?"

Yihan said nothing.

Liking someone might happen in an instant. Letting go took far longer.

What Lia had done stunned him. Hurt him. But it couldn’t erase their shared moments, their promises. It wasn’t reason enough to forget her.

No matter what came next—in the past, in reality—they’d shared brief, peaceful days. Days that left indelible marks on his heart.

Besides... Lia was his first woman in this strange world. That alone made her irreplaceable.

Finally, he nodded.

Another long pause. Then Carola’s voice returned, trembling harder, barely forming words:

"And... what about me..."