A Quiet Evening

***

The trio had been traveling for days, their progress slow but steady. As the sun dipped below the horizon, they made camp in a secluded grove. The air was cool, the stars just beginning to peek through the twilight sky.

Yun sat by the fire, his walking stick resting against his knee, while Meilin prepared their rations and Lin Yi gathered water from a nearby stream. The moment felt calm, a rare reprieve from the dangers they had faced.

Meilin sat beside Yun, handing him a small bowl of food. "Eat. You'll need your strength for tomorrow."

Yun smirked faintly, taking the bowl. "You're always looking out for me."

"Someone has to," Meilin replied with a soft laugh. "You're too stubborn to take care of yourself properly."

Yun chuckled, shaking his head. "And here I thought I was doing fine."

Meilin glanced at him, her smile fading slightly. "You're more than fine, Yun. You're… remarkable."

The sincerity in her voice caught him off guard. He turned his head toward her, his expression softening. "I couldn't do any of this without you."

Meilin's cheeks flushed faintly, and she looked away, focusing on the fire. "You're giving me too much credit."

"Not enough, if anything," Yun said, his tone earnest.

Lin Yi returned from the stream, her footsteps soft as she approached. She noticed the quiet exchange between Yun and Meilin, her heart tightening. For a moment, she hesitated, unsure if she should interrupt.

But then Yun's head turned slightly, as if sensing her presence. "Lin Yi," he said with a smile, "come sit."

She moved closer, placing the water jug down before settling beside him. She handed him a folded leaf containing a few wild berries she had gathered, her gaze warm and reassuring.

Yun accepted them, his fingers brushing against hers briefly. "Thank you," he said softly.

Lin Yi nodded, her expression brightening. She glanced at Meilin, offering her a small smile.

Meilin returned the gesture, though a flicker of something unspoken passed through her eyes.

Later that night, after the fire had burned low, Yun sat alone on a fallen log, his face tilted toward the sky. Though he couldn't see the stars, he could feel the vastness of the night, the cool air brushing against his skin.

Meilin approached quietly, sitting beside him. For a while, neither of them spoke.

"It's beautiful tonight," Meilin said finally, her voice soft.

"I'll take your word for it," Yun replied with a faint smile.

Meilin chuckled lightly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay," Yun said, turning toward her. "I can't see it, but I can feel it. That's enough."

Meilin hesitated, her gaze lingering on him. "How do you stay so calm? Even with everything we've faced, you always seem so… steady."

Yun shrugged lightly. "I wasn't always like this. Losing my sight taught me something. It's not about what I can or can't see—it's about what I feel. The people around me, the choices I make… that's what matters."

Meilin's chest tightened at his words. "You're stronger than you realize, Yun."

He smiled softly, his hand brushing against hers as it rested on the log. For a moment, they stayed like that, the silence between them filled with quiet understanding.

From the edge of the camp, Lin Yi watched the two of them. Her chest ached with a mix of longing and sadness, but something deeper stirred within her—a determination to stay by Yun's side, no matter what.

She reached into her pouch, pulling out the journal with the map. Flipping to a blank page, she began sketching a memory from their shared past: the cherry blossom tree where they had once spent countless afternoons talking and laughing.

Her strokes were careful, deliberate. Though she couldn't tell him how she felt, she could show him in other ways.

The next morning, as they packed up camp, Lin Yi slipped the sketch into Yun's belongings. She watched nervously as he later discovered it, his fingers tracing the lines of the drawing.

"This…" Yun murmured, his voice filled with wonder. "This is the cherry blossom tree. Our tree."

He turned his head toward Lin Yi, his expression unreadable. "You drew this for me?"

Lin Yi nodded, her eyes shimmering with emotion.

Yun's lips curved into a soft smile. "It's perfect. Thank you, Lin Yi."

Meilin, watching from a short distance, felt a pang in her chest but quickly pushed it aside. She approached, adjusting the strap of her quiver. "Ready to move?"

Yun nodded, tucking the drawing carefully into his pack. "Let's go."

As the days passed, the bond between the three deepened in subtle but meaningful ways. Yun found himself drawn to Meilin's fierce determination and wit, her strength a constant source of inspiration. At the same time, Lin Yi's quiet gestures and unwavering support reminded him of the life they had shared and the unspoken connection that had always lingered between them.

Though neither Meilin nor Lin Yi spoke of their feelings openly, their care for Yun—and for each other—was evident in every action. Whether it was Meilin catching Yun's arm to steady him on rough terrain or Lin Yi silently mending his cloak by the fire, their growing affection became the foundation of their bond.

For Yun, these moments became his anchor, a reminder that even in the darkest times, he was never truly alone.

***