Before they knew it, the night had grown very late.
Jon and Astoria had wandered along the beach for a long time.
They poured out their hearts to each other, talking about so much. The past, the present, and the future.
They talked as they walked across the sand.
Only when both of them were starting to feel tired did they finally slow down.
"Maybe... we should head back?" Jon asked quietly.
"Okay." Astoria nodded, and her face suddenly flushed red.
...
Soon, they returned to the seaside inn where they were staying.
Remembering what Astoria had said earlier, Jon suddenly felt nervous.
And it was not only him. Astoria's small palm was damp with sweat as well.
They walked past the room where the Greengrass sisters had originally been staying and headed toward the room Jon had reserved.
Both of them unconsciously slowed their steps. Neither spoke. They only held hands, drawing closer and closer.
Soon, they reached the door.
Jon took a deep breath, gripped the handle, and pushed gently.
The door opened.
But the two of them still stood at the threshold, looking at each other. Neither dared, or perhaps neither was brave enough, to step inside first.
"What are you two still waiting for out there?"
A slightly irritated voice suddenly came from inside the room.
Both Jon and Astoria were startled.
"Sis... you... why are you in Jon's room?" Astoria stammered.
"I was waiting for you to come back," Daphne replied flatly. "To be honest, I've been waiting for quite a while."
Jon and Astoria exchanged a glance, then both looked toward Daphne inside the room.
Daphne sat there quietly, her back straight, her expression very serious.
"Sis!" Astoria seemed to sense danger and hurried a few steps forward.
"Mr. Hart!" Daphne suddenly looked at Jon and said rather coldly, "I'd like to speak with my sister. Is that all right?"
On the surface, it was a question.
In reality, as she said it, Daphne reached out and shut the door.
Just like that, Jon was easily locked outside.
Only then did he suddenly realize that this was supposed to be his room.
...
Astoria and Daphne stood face-to-face, looking at each other.
"Sis!" Astoria spoke first. "Why did you come to Jon's room?"
"What about you?" Daphne did not answer. Instead, she asked, "Why did you come to his room instead of returning to ours?"
"I'm Jon's girlfriend!" Astoria said with perfect confidence. "So I came to his room. Isn't that reason enough?"
As she spoke, her eyes remained fixed on her sister.
"I came here to find my sister," Daphne said calmly. "Isn't that reason enough?"
Astoria froze. Her cheeks turned faintly red.
"How did you know... How did you know I would come here?"
Daphne's voice remained calm. "I'm your sister. How could I not know you? Maybe I know you even better than you know yourself."
The sisters fell silent for a little while.
Neither said anything.
"Sis, what exactly do you want?" Astoria took a light breath and asked in a very formal tone.
"What do I want?" Daphne smiled. "What if I said I wanted you to give Jon to me?"
"I can't do that!" Astoria shook her head without hesitation. "Anything else... anything at all... maybe I could give it to you."
"But not Jon."
"I knew you would answer like that," Daphne said softly.
"Sis, I don't understand." Astoria sounded a little angry now. "Why do you always have to fight me for things? You've fought me since we were little. When we were children, you fought me for toys, then for snacks, and later for clothes."
"Because I like him," Daphne said, perfectly justified.
"Huh?" Astoria stared at her sister in disbelief.
"That's right. I like him." Daphne's voice was unusually calm. "I watched him end up with you. I watched the two of you live so happily together. I watched him keep working for the sake of your Curse. I know how much pressure he endured, and I know how much danger he faced."
"So I slowly started to like him. I can't even say exactly when it began. In the end, I just like him." Daphne continued speaking, her voice not emotional at all. "Is there anything wrong with liking someone? I'm a woman too. Maybe if I hadn't said those words on the train back then, I would be the one sitting in your place now."
"And the one standing off to the side, jealous and envious, would be you."
Astoria looked at her sister, shocked and a little frightened. For a moment, she had no idea what to say.
"So, did I scare you?" Daphne smiled again. "Actually, you're the one who was wrong. From the time we were little, you were always the one fighting me for things."
"You're prettier than I am. Your personality is gentler. You're easier for people to pity and cherish. Whether it was Mother, Emily, or Hod, they all liked you more. Toys, snacks, clothes, no matter what it was, you always got far more than I did. You could even say I only got what was left after you were done."
"Of course, I understand why now. But back then, I didn't."
"So it was always you taking things from me, not me taking things from you, my dear little sister."
Daphne suddenly stood up.
She walked to Astoria's side and hugged her little sister tightly.
"But as the older sister, I always give in to my little sister. Even when it comes to something very, very important to me."
"Because... she is my dearest, most beloved, most precious little sister."
She bent down and kissed Astoria's cheek.
"Good night."
While Astoria stood there in a daze, she had already walked out.
"Sis..." Astoria murmured.
A tear slipped from the corner of her eye.
...
Jon was still waiting outside the door when it suddenly opened.
Daphne walked out.
She said coldly, "Mr. Hart, if you ever let my sister down, I will not forgive you."
With that, she turned and left.
Jon looked at Daphne's retreating back in surprise. For some reason, he felt that the tone she had used with him this time was completely different from before.
...
Daphne kept walking.
On and on.
Only when she reached the corner of the staircase did she finally bend down and wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes.