Annabelle, having finished saying everything and now looking at her brother, who was gazing back at her with that helpless expression - clearly having already given up - extended her hand and gently caressed his cheek, her thoughts swirling.
'Even though it seems like we're clashing against each other now, and the atmosphere feels tense, it still feels so much easier to breathe.'
And Christian, looking at his sister while feeling her soft hand on his cheek, had many complex thoughts swirling in his mind. From the "side sticking" she mentioned, where he believed he had firmly chosen the side of not telling her anything, to the countless other things. Still, he didn't want to argue with her anymore, and confirming through her silence that she had truly finished speaking, he finally took his hand out of his pocket, bracing himself for whatever might come next as he extended it toward her, all the while thinking,
'Screw the consequences.'
