Some connections are too deep to be defined by the name

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsqhXt759d

The morning sun rose over the mountains, painting the forest in shades of gold and green. Mist drifted through the trees, and the waterfall thundered steadily in the distance.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTqc5CCq3o

Rei spent another peaceful morning exactly as she had the day before.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwTq5GiliD

She swam beneath the waterfall.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUZYHfPNqM

She sat on warm rocks beside the crystal-clear pool.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CSRoIQdcU

She wandered through the forest trails.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQ3G4d8LII

And for the first time in a long while, she felt completely free.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3c6fPuPMI

When she finally returned to the cabin, she wrapped herself in a blanket and glanced at her phone.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDFfdgSyun

A thought crossed her mind.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1npi8IfbHo

She unlocked it and typed only three words.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrfzDMMWfdT

I'm alive.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSFnRcuhmr

No explanation.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjGwnOliJ9

No photo.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFszmrqnap

No mention of the waterfall or the hidden cabin.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEfXnTcfXv

Just those simple words.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPEKI8fTMn

Moments later, her phone vibrated.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnY9muj1az

I know, Elias replied almost immediately. You told me yesterday. Along with the udon update.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNfXO4r19D

A second message followed.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBLmTHqTqD

But thanks for the confirmation. I like hearing it twice.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCd22hhErn

Rei smiled despite herself.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4gzDDkAId

Then another message appeared.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiaNqFTf4FK

What are you up to today, Rei? Besides being mysterious and avoiding me?

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HDIyiid1v

She looked out the cabin window toward the forest and typed:

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkYPyiwAg7

Repeating the same as yesterday.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0m3ObwxxH

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1i8I2diFbW

---

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc51nw7x4j4

Hundreds of miles away, Elias leaned back in his chair and laughed quietly.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8t6jOyLTH

Repeating the same as yesterday? he replied. So another day of mystery, secret places, and possibly more udon?

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37A5Fn5pF0

He hesitated.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbhyw7g4Jh

There were a thousand questions he wanted to ask.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmsP0zS470

Where was she?

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9ppeBhHA8

Why had she disappeared into solitude?

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOXOqDNKYP

Would she ever tell him?

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HNa9KRJxZ

But he stopped himself.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sPH81cCts

Rei had always valued her freedom, and somehow he understood that.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2lwqU7FDg

Well, if you're repeating yesterday, then I guess I'll wait my turn. But don't stay away too long. I'm starting to get used to your messages.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGYCQDQzcK

The message was sent.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqqXkHZoUm

He waited.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPtRw9zrAz

No reply came.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TclyMd9TY

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxx7DNykmO

---

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0Ka9veAWu

One day became a week.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1dN5EQF0m

A week became a month.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56OvZchzLJ

Then three months passed.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uJ36Yb8A5

The seasons slowly shifted in the mountains.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBdNqMaTj5

Summer sunlight gave way to cool autumn mornings. The leaves changed color, covering the forest floor in shades of gold, orange, and crimson.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNpZOUoKlZ

Through it all, Rei remained in her secret place.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGbwm5bnXE

She woke with the sunrise.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyemCAihEe

Swam beneath the waterfall.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQ16T0DJeP

Read books beside the cabin window.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qRnV2f7Hb

Walked endless trails through the forest.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4gGvSOJnv

And sometimes, on quiet evenings, she thought about Elias.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooLWkSEKcm

Meanwhile, in the city, Elias carried on with his life.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2DaexMegh

He worked.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUhKVNUhfm

Met friends.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7q4ikBeUXl

Lived normally.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3uBx4wQCe

Yet every morning, almost unconsciously, he checked his phone.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBf3QwKPECo

And every night, he found himself staring at the last conversation they had shared.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiW0O13XUE

He never flooded her with messages.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSJLfcUtkC

Never demanded answers.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYN3fZIKvnH

Never asked where she was.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7MKNxf3Vh

He simply waited.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkthftGKyc9

Because somewhere deep down, he believed she would return when she was ready.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrYBW0FWPC

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhAhApUmnc

---

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxiKt9oAIv

One cold autumn evening, Rei sat on the porch of her cabin.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtBqoPgG5q

The waterfall roared below.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdcMramkbJ

The sky blazed with sunset colors.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhDUA7bNg4

Three months.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSwzXSYGbR

For three months she had lived without schedules, obligations, or expectations.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3qkOBWarQ

Yet now, as she watched the fading sunlight, she realized something.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuzl5LpAmV

She missed someone.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8sUiJcWoP

Not the city.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5fm0anJN8

Not the crowds.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXkK33HrS2

Not the noise.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bzat8lUNE

Just one person.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYQ2Id0G4a

A man who never forced his way into her solitude.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjY5k75FVj

A man who respected her silence.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqvkch2xy4

A man who waited.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9QFKiU9a3

She picked up her phone.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiQWbC7fca

The screen glowed softly in the gathering darkness.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXEBlVjRkf

Her thumb hovered over the keyboard.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHANcEcMej

For a long moment, she didn't know what to write.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2T1nH1rlH5

Then she smiled and typed:

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUAjjqSLuR

Still alive.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOB9N5HeFTT

Far away in the city, Elias's phone lit up.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5hwM3eH0V

For a second he stared at the notification as if he were imagining it.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbeMq0sZNq

Then a slow smile spread across his face.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2bZpPormk

Three months of silence.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKHLnz4bIn

And somehow, that simple message was enough.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6C3bAQ382X

Good, he replied.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLNZZ4GW7y

I was starting to think the dragons stole your secret place after all. ✨📖8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2HXAuMeY0

ns216.73.216.179da2

Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically