Some connections are too deep to be defined by the name

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFtzWM92Oy

Elias stared at the message on his screen.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QkwTcVeH5

"It's was good."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPm78IhTTrg

Just three words.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzD1B8lquie

Most people would have demanded more after four months of silence. An explanation. A reason. Something.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCu6j7IozqO

But Elias wasn't most people.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGf4ZrPG7u1

He leaned back in his chair and smiled faintly.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9zJYAx5dN

"Good," he typed. "I was hoping the mountain hadn't gotten tired of you."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGO2z95Yyf

The message sent.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TDvlDhS7t

Several minutes passed before the reply came.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZofWStetjX

"The mountain didn't."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjTziztbON

He could almost hear the unspoken words.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTTE8TQmat

My body did.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoA3CuTdN9b

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzozkSYwtqS

---

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGX1gJgKNcl

The truth was something Rei hadn't told him.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6NkKXfRt6

Not because she wanted to keep secrets.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6kb1F1ADb

Because she didn't know how.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTC5sccs2i

The mountain had been peaceful.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4F9a1V8nzn

The waterfall had been beautiful.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eYUeErgZV

The silence had healed parts of her she hadn't realized were wounded.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVIF76pZry

But during those months, she'd gotten sick.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDrZo9YPlv

At first it was small.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwpLYrcnli

Fatigue.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffE7gd7K2t

Headaches.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKrTN9Fs2l

Days when simply getting out of bed felt impossible.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVS5c2ZF0WS

She had convinced herself it was nothing.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1XO2rELXb

Then it became something.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPS2QFYvoav

There were weeks when the cabin felt less like freedom and more like isolation.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUcv0836HsI

Days spent staring at the ceiling while rain tapped against the roof.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1cQU6JlRF

Nights when the waterfall sounded distant and lonely.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINQ8lPSBKv

And through it all, she never messaged Elias.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKjwo56pUz

Not because she forgot him.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3REmUFXFW

Because she couldn't bear being seen as weak.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4z5mihjbaM

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3M6hH09g4c

---

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBP3OQb4Du

Back in the city, Elias's phone buzzed again.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjezs64Wm8S

Another message.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkL80lYwCGE

A longer one this time.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ653csBZ9c0

Rare for her.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSiF09PXDj

"I got sick."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgL3tmOZXcI

His expression changed immediately.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnTNL7GqKr

The coffee suddenly tasted bitter.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1FScBQMu3

He read the words twice.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBV2cMWMuy

Three times.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4fH3qBdLZ

Then once more.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5jxHTPrso

No dramatic explanation.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzHltOan72

Just the truth.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZ8oUkMyXi

"I'm okay now," another message followed. "Mostly."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4tDzgiV83

Elias closed his eyes briefly.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuq2hP8DCu

For months he had imagined a hundred possibilities.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXG9IPzM01d

None of them felt as real as those two sentences.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkpPJUjy23

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Tgwrwkl1U

---

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEJ1D5tVNv

His fingers hovered over the keyboard.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygsujMncXY

Why didn't you tell me?

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmaylaumjt

Were you alone?

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrTlj8kECt

How bad was it?

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49r00zBFi3

Did anyone help you?

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AKsaZtySG

The questions crowded his mind.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRByaGGi1kN

But he deleted every one.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Lbt2EYxQn

Instead he typed:

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIYXyHUdGX

"That must have been hard."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkWsKC8w4Q

A pause.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QKwt2Nklt

Then:

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnyJNaWLZp

"I'm glad you're still here."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEdtxrZZPG

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLfxxV58Fp

---

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Cx8Uxtlca

Rei stared at the screen.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7bB26lH0a

For a long moment she couldn't move.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBY0wQtKoF

No anger.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0voMKUes74

No accusations.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1hy1OLpcQ

No guilt.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyp3gE2RqIC

Just concern.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1H8Gt0ttSI

Simple and honest.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tEDK8mzuV

The kind she wasn't used to receiving.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6COjfeHJhz

Outside her cabin window, city lights flickered in the evening light.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIaw5u690e

Except this conversation.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡntKrqgsfGc

She swallowed hard and typed:

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuJzZrqxR1

"I thought you'd be angry."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAt5MhWQ3Zg

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaqQj8ARvc

---

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrmghb5t5F

Elias laughed softly.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLdcNkXipH

A tired, genuine laugh.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLC9FRuuSo

"For what?"

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRu8tW03fB

"Disappearing."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNl4BJHtN0l

The reply came almost instantly.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCIkg0qdAl

"Rei."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINjv4S8M9W

A moment later:

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7mAzvTBUh

"I was worried."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHs3BRqYWEJ

"That's different."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocHiJkLBCi

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuicbqwB57

---

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkwyGDbfmm

The words hit harder than she expected.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡND7k1Yw3kG

For months she had carried the weight of silence.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVsCbRso6n

The guilt.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtif2JVkGn

The uncertainty.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobdnQ0PmTw

The fear that she had ruined whatever existed between them.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqSUHsAIkR

Yet here he was.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQsogXA3aE

Not asking for repayment.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMddWyaVM3

Not keeping score.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0TqmPaxb2

Just sitting across a distance of months and miles, talking to her as if she had simply stepped outside for fresh air.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR43e3aArE3

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplN59TegFP

---

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCksuZ6awK

The conversation slowed after that.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTijFdeOFGU

Not because either wanted it to end.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYaAEG0Vmi

Because neither needed to fill every silence.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8m1ByE8ZQ

Eventually Elias sent one final message.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CQ6ZMinwT

"Get some rest tonight."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPW0BvKDhfh

"And next time you decide to disappear into the wilderness for four months..."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJKXDi6lfG

A pause.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgiWuMR7hRm

Then another text appeared.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYffPcqtbQ4

"...at least let me know the dragons didn't win."

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxF90JxGZcy

For the first time in a very long while, Rei laughed.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZQs2X8zBV

A real laugh.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsDqwqu98k

The kind that felt like sunlight after a long winter.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ni9KdYCPb

And as she looked at the screen, she realized something.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPl7kl0Kw8

The mountain had helped her heal.

8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0L3Uham67B

But somehow, without demanding anything in return, Elias had waited long enough for her to find her way back.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseOn5MiplO

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