Soren Arden POV
The corridor was quiet when Soren returned to his dorm.
His footsteps echoed faintly against the floor, softer than usual.
He pushed the door open, stepped inside, and stood there for a while.
The air felt different.
Not heavy.
Just still.
He wasn't sure how long he had been asleep.
His body felt lighter, though his chest was tight in a strange way, like he had been holding his breath for days and had only just remembered to let go.
He sat on the edge of his bed.
The faint scent of chamomile still lingered on his sleeve.
He looked down at it for a while, then let out a quiet laugh that didn't sound bitter for once.
He didn't know why, but he felt calm.
Maybe it was because she hadn't said anything.
Maybe it was because she didn't try to fix him.
She just let him rest.
That was enough.
He lay back and stared at the ceiling.
For a moment, he thought about what Lilliana had said earlier.
– Then maybe, while you're here at the academy… this place can become one, even a little.
He hadn't answered then.
Now, in the quiet of his room, he whispered the words he couldn't say before.
"Maybe it already has."
He smiled faintly to himself.
It wasn't joy, not really, but it was close enough.
A quiet kind of gratitude that settled deep inside his chest.
••✦ ♡ ✦•••
The next morning came faster than he expected.
The sunlight through the curtains made him squint, and he groaned softly before sitting up.
His mind was clear.
That alone felt strange.
Usually, mornings were the hardest.
He dressed without thinking much, pulling on his cloak and brushing his hair back.
When he reached for the door handle, he paused.
He didn't have anywhere to go.
Classes hadn't started yet.
He could've gone to the garden, or the library, or nowhere at all, but the first thing that came to mind was 'her'.
Before he realised it, his feet were already moving down the corridor, making his way out of the student dormitory and toward the professor's one.
He stopped in front of her door and hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should knock.
It felt weird, wanting to see someone without a reason.
He knocked anyway.
The door opened after a few seconds.
Lilliana stood there, hair slightly messy, eyes wide for a moment before softening.
"Ren," she said, smiling. "Good morning."
"Morning," he replied, scratching the back of his neck. "Sorry, did I wake you?"
"No, not at all. I was just finishing breakfast."
Her voice was light, easy.
She tilted her head slightly, curious.
"Did you need something?"
He opened his mouth, then closed it again.
He didn't really know what he wanted.
"I just… thought I'd stop by," he said finally.
Lilliana blinked once, then smiled wider.
"Well, you picked a good time. I was actually about to go out for a bit."
"Oh…"
He shifted slightly.
"Where to?"
"Nowhere far, just to a cafe. Want to come?"
Soren hesitated.
A few days ago, he would've refused immediately.
The idea of being around people, of walking through open streets, would have made him tense up.
Now, though… he didn't feel that same fear, only a small hesitation, the kind that fades if you just keep moving.
"Sure," he said quietly. "Why not?"
Her eyes brightened.
"Then give me a minute."
As Lilliana closed the door and dashed back into her room, Soren realised something simple.
For the first time in a long while, he wasn't forcing himself to move forward.
He just was.
••✦ ♡ ✦•••
The path toward the western courtyard wound between rows of trees whose leaves swayed lazily in the summer air.
Students passed now and then, their laughter light, distant.
Soren kept his hood down, for once.
The sun felt gentle today.
Lilliana walked beside him, her shawl slipping slightly down one shoulder; she adjusted it absentmindedly as they talked.
Or rather, as she talked and he listened.
Her voice filled the empty space easily; small remarks about the weather, about the paperwork for the next semester.
Soren found himself smiling once or twice.
It felt strange at first, that motion of his mouth that used to come naturally, but when he caught the faint spark in her eyes each time he did, it no longer felt wrong.
"I'm glad you're feeling better," she said at one point, glancing sideways.
"What do you mean?"
"You listen more," she said simply. "And you don't look like you're trying to disappear anymore."
He stopped walking for a moment, caught off-guard by the precision of her words.
Lilliana slowed too, looking back at him, the sun painting gold into her pink hair.
"Sorry, was that too blunt?" she asked quickly.
"No, you're right," he said, shaking his head, the smallest smile tugging at his mouth.
Her expression softened with relief, and then they resumed walking.
••✦ ♡ ✦•••
The café was tucked away in a dim alleyway, its door painted blue and its sign half-faded with age.
Inside, it smelled of cinnamon and roasted beans.
They found a corner seat by the window, and Lilliana ordered black coffee for herself, then left Soren to choose.
He looked at the list for a moment before murmuring his order.
When the drinks arrived, she stirred hers gently, watching the steam curl.
Soren leaned back against the cushioned chair, his cloak folded neatly over the back of it.
It was strange how natural this felt.
He had avoided places like this for ages; there were too many people, too much noise, but right now, it wasn't overwhelming.
The quiet hum of voices was background, not threat.
He could breathe.
Lilliana spoke first.
"How did you sleep last night?"
He took a sip before answering.
"Better."
"Any nightmares?"
"A little, but… it was less vivid."
"That's good to hear." Her smile was small but sincere.
He shrugged slightly.
"You're probably the reason," he said matter-of-factly.
Her hand paused mid-stir, the spoon clinking softly against the cup.
"Huh?"
He looked out of the window, averting his gaze.
"You've been helping me a lot. So I wanted to thank you."
The words were simple, but his tone carried something heavier.
Not guilt this time, something warmer, quieter.
Gratitude.
Lilliana blinked, caught between surprise and embarrassment.
Her fingers tightened around the cup.
"I'm glad," she said softly.
Neither of them spoke for a while after that.
It wasn't an awkward silence; it was the kind that said more than words could.
When he finally looked back at her, she was still gazing out the window, cheeks faintly flushed from the warmth of the room, or maybe from his words; he couldn't tell.
Soren found himself noticing the curve of her smile, the way her eyes softened when she looked at something she liked.
He didn't understand why, but it made his chest feel lighter.
She turned, then caught his gaze, and for a heartbeat neither looked away.
Then she laughed quietly.
"You're staring."
He blinked.
"So are you?"
"I was just copying you."
Her teasing tone drew an honest laugh out of him, short, rough at the edges, but real.
The sound made her heart skip, though she hid it behind another sip of tea.
••✦ ♡ ✦•••
Lilliana Roseblood POV
When they left the café, the sun had dipped lower, casting long shadows over the cobblestones.
Soren walked beside Lilliana, the breeze tugging at his cloak.
Something about the air felt lighter, like the world had shifted slightly back toward normal.
They stopped near the park that bordered the academy grounds.
The faint sound of a fountain drifted from the distance, mingling with birdsong.
Lilliana glanced up at him.
"Do you want to walk a little?" she asked.
"I don't mind."
The path wound through trees heavy with summer leaves.
Children from the nearby residential district chased each other along the grass, their laughter echoing faintly.
Soren watched them, a quiet look crossing his face.
"What are you thinking about?"
He hesitated slightly, then spoke.
"Not long ago, I started hating the world… started thinking that I didn't want to be a part of it, but…"
"But?"
"Now I realise that I was wrong," he said simply, a faint smile on his face.
Her heart tightened in her chest.
That was the first time he had spoken about the events since his return.
The light in his eyes, still cautious and hesitant yet alive, made her throat tighten with quiet relief.
Without thinking, she reached out and brushed a leaf from his hair, her fingers lingering a second longer than necessary.
Soren didn't flinch; he didn't even stiffen.
When he glanced down at her hand, there was no fear in his expression, just warmth.
Lilliana quickly withdrew, her cheeks warming.
"Sorry, I didn't mean—"
"It's fine," he said gently.
And he smiled.
That simple gesture hit harder than any words.
Lilliana's breath caught, her pulse quickening in a way she couldn't explain.
She turned her head away, pretending to admire the trees instead.
••✦ ♡ ✦•••
They stayed in the park until the sun began to fade behind the roofs of the academy.
The air cooled as evening approached, the light soft and orange through the trees.
Neither of them seemed in a hurry to go back.
Soren sat on a bench near the fountain, elbows on his knees, watching the ripples spread out across the surface.
Lilliana sat beside him, her hands folded neatly in her lap.
It was quiet.
Peaceful.
He hadn't realised how long it had been since he could just sit somewhere without waiting for the world to collapse.
Every breath came easily now.
Not perfect, not painless, but enough.
Lilliana glanced sideways.
"You're thinking a lot again."
"Maybe," he said. "It's strange."
"What is?"
"Feeling like this," he admitted, almost like a confession. "I forgot what it was like."
She smiled faintly.
"It just shows how much you've improved then, doesn't it?"
He tilted his head, letting the words sink in.
They made sense in a quiet way.
The sound of water filled the pause that followed.
He leaned back against the bench, the faint breeze brushing through his hair.
"I still get scared sometimes," he said softly. "When I wake up, when I hear something loud, when I see my reflection, I still think about it."
Her expression softened, her voice gentle but steady.
"That's normal."
"Yeah. I guess it is."
He looked down at his hands, flexing them slowly.
"But I'm not stuck anymore. It doesn't feel like it's controlling me."
She felt something inside her chest loosen.
He had said it so simply, yet she could hear the weight behind it, the quiet fight that never stopped.
He glanced at her.
"I think I'm starting to get better."
The words were small, but to Lilliana, they felt enormous.
She smiled, eyes faintly shimmering under the dying light.
"You are, Ren."
He smiled back, soft and real.
••✦ ♡ ✦•••
They left when the lamps began to flicker on.
The academy's paths were nearly empty now, the air cool and still.
Soren walked with his hands in his pockets, his steps unhurried.
Lilliana walked close beside him, their shoulders brushing now and then, neither moving away.
"You're quiet," he said, glancing at her.
She gave a small laugh.
"Just thinking."
"About what?"
"About how much you've changed," she said simply, "and how proud I am of you."
He looked down, trying to hide the smile tugging at his lips.
"Don't say it like that. You sound like a professor again."
"Well," she teased lightly, "I am one."
He huffed out a quiet laugh.
When she looked back at him, her heart softened again.
The way his expression relaxed when he smiled, the way his eyes caught the lamplight, it made her chest flutter in a way she didn't quite know how to handle.
It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling, but she never could have expected it to happen around Soren of all people.
He had changed, but so had she.
As they reached the faculty dorms, Soren stopped at the bottom of the steps.
Lilliana turned to face him.
"Thanks for coming today," she said softly.
"I should be the one saying that."
Her lips curved into a small smile.
"Then we'll call it even."
He nodded.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then she stepped forward slightly, close enough for her hand to reach the edge of his cloak.
She brushed some imaginary dust from the fabric, her fingers grazing the back of his hand.
He didn't flinch.
He didn't even think about it.
Lilliana's eyes softened.
Her hand lingered a second longer before she withdrew.
"Goodnight, Ren."
He smiled, genuine and unguarded.
"Goodnight, Lilly."
She watched him as he turned and walked down the path, the faint breeze catching his cloak.
Her chest felt warm, almost too much so.
She pressed a hand to it and let out a small, breathless laugh.
"He really has changed…" she murmured, then, quieter, "…and so have I."
She turned toward the door, still smiling.
••✦ ♡ ✦•••
Soren Arden POV
Soren's room was quiet when he returned.
He closed the door behind him, leaning against it for a moment before exhaling slowly.
The silence didn't feel oppressive anymore; it felt calm.
He sat by the window, looking out over the courtyard.
The night was still, the stars faint behind thin clouds.
For a while, he just watched.
The same world that had felt unbearable only a short time ago now seemed soft around the edges, almost gentle.
He still carried the pieces of what had happened, shadows that would never completely fade, but they no longer defined him.
They were there, yes, but he was more than them now.
He touched his chest lightly.
The ache was still there, but it wasn't sharp anymore.
It was just part of him.
He smiled faintly.
Tomorrow would come, and the next day after that.
He could face them now.
Outside, the wind carried the faint scent of flowers from the gardens below.
It reminded him of her.
He didn't understand why that made him feel steady, but it did.
Soren leaned back in his chair, the faint smile still on his lips.
He was still healing, but for now, he had done enough.
————「❤︎」————