Moonlight draped the land in pale silver, casting soft shadows across the fields. A gentle breeze stirred the foliage.
A familiar voice called out from the darkness.
"Ingressus, it's time to come back."
The young boy paused mid-swing, sweat stinging his eyes. Slowly, he turned toward the voice—one he knew too well.
Baoyu stood at the edge of the clearing, her long blue hair catching the moonlight like silk drifting through water. She looked as she always did—calm, untouchable, impossibly composed.
To Ingressus, she wasn't just beautiful. She was everything he wasn't: strong, certain, adored.
His eyes widened.
"Baoyu? You shouldn't be here."
She stepped from the foliage, arms crossed. Her exhale was quiet, but sharp.
"If it were morning, maybe. But it's late." Her tone was soft, but firm.
He sheathed his blade, fingers twitching from the strain in his grip. His gaze flicked away, hand still clenched around the worn hilt.
"I'm just trying to catch up with the others... I don't want them looking down on me."
His jaw tightened. A breath escaped him, long and low. Finally, he looked back at her.
"Just a few more minutes. Then I'll be back. I promise."
Baoyu's brow furrowed as she stepped closer, the grass bending beneath her careful steps. She stopped just short, her voice gentle as still water.
"They're worried about you. You should come back."
His eyes narrowed. The familiar sting of bitterness flared in his chest. His grip on the sheath tightened until his knuckles turned white.
"Worried?" He scoffed under his breath. "We both know that's not true."
Baoyu hesitated—the weight of his words hanging between them like stone. She opened her mouth to speak... but said nothing.
"See? Even you can't deny it. The elders think I'm worthless... They don't give a damn about me."
"But I do," she whispered, stepping forward. "I care about you... don't I?"
Ingressus stood still, her words cutting past his defenses. Silence stretched.
Then—she closed the gap between them, wrapping him in a warm embrace.
"You don't have to push yourself so hard," she murmured. "I'm your elder sister. I'm here."
He stiffened at first. But slowly, almost reluctantly, he returned the embrace, sinking into the warmth.
"You moron... I don't want to keep relying on you."
She pulled back, brushing a stray strand of hair from his face, her smile soft and steady.
"It's alright. I'll always be here for you. I promise."
"Promise?.." Ingressus murmured, his eyes reflecting the moonlight.
"Yeah... Promise."