YEARS LATER
HUAN & BAI HE (Both 18)
THIRD PERSON'S POINT OF VIEW:
The palace gardens had changed over the years. What once were small saplings were now tall, flowering trees, their blossoms drifting lazily in the breeze like tiny paper lanterns scattered from heaven. Stone paths had worn smoother beneath countless footsteps, the koi in the ponds had grown large and lazy, and the laughter of younger children echoed in the courtyards as the next generation played without fear of shadows from the past.
Walking through it all, side by side, were Huan and Bai He. Both taller now, shoulders broad, no longer children, but young adults. The sunlight caught in Huan's dark hair, his eyes narrowed against the glare but with that steady determination that had never left him. Bai He walked with her hands folded behind her back, a quiet smile on her lips, his pale blue robes trimmed in gold swaying lightly as she matched Huan's steps with ease.
