Ash said, his voice low and heavy with an emotion that was hard to place, "What I'm feeling… it's not love. It's… attachment or dependence." He forced a broken smile, his expression distant as if lost in the storm of his own thoughts. "Truth is, I didn't know the difference between attachment and love. I didn't even notice it until…" He trailed off, his words faltering, replaced by a long, pensive silence.
The room was still, and the other girls around him sat in various states of quiet attention. Some looked puzzled, while others had hints of concern or curiosity on their faces. None of them interrupted him.
Ash took a deep breath, his voice softer now, almost like a confession. "On this journey, I met an old man… He lived alone in a small house. When I arrived, he was tending to his garden. Beside him, on a chair, there was a skeleton… a skeleton sitting upright, wearing a floral hat."
His words left the girls stunned. Their eyes widened in disbelief, and a wave of unease rippled through them. Maya's brow furrowed slightly, her analytical mind already questioning the details. Rose's fingers tightened around the cup she held, while Liliana's lips parted in silent shock.
"At first, I thought the old man had lost his mind," Ash continued, a faint smirk tugging at his lips despite the grim memory. "I asked him, 'Why is there a skeleton sitting there?' And he smiled at me, as calm as you please, and said, 'Maria. My wife.'"
Gasps escaped some of the girls. Valerie, usually calm, shifted uncomfortably in her seat, while Arya's fingers clenched into fists.
"I couldn't believe it," Ash said, shaking his head. "I stammered, 'But… why is your wife… like this?'"
He paused, his gaze distant, as if replaying the scene in his mind. "He walked over to the skeleton, took her bony hand in his, and smiled at her. Not a hollow or forced smile, but the kind of smile that came from the depths of his soul. He said, 'She died.'"
Ash swallowed, his voice lowering. "I said, 'I'm sorry.' He shook his head. 'There's no need for that. Why don't you sit with us?'"
The girls listened intently, their emotions a mix of intrigue and sorrow. Scarlet, who rarely showed vulnerability, wiped at her eyes discreetly. Evelyn, ever the empathetic one, clasped her hands together tightly, her lips trembling.
Ash continued. "I couldn't help but be curious. So, I sat in his garden. It was beautiful, filled with flowers—especially blue lotuses. They were everywhere, their fragrance soothing yet melancholic. He noticed me looking at them and said, 'Blue lotuses. Maria's favorite flower. She loved their fragrance.'"
A bittersweet smile crossed Ash's face. "He told me he'd proposed to her with those flowers. He'd even used them at their wedding."
Rose whispered softly, almost to herself, "That's… beautiful."
Ash's tone darkened. "But then I asked him how she died." He hesitated before continuing, his hands curling slightly. "He told me she had a rare disease. I asked him if he regretted marrying her. If he ever thought that maybe… he could have had a better life with someone else. He just smiled and said, 'No. I always knew she had this disease. Even so, I married her. I have no regrets.'"
Silence filled the room as Ash's words sank in. The girls exchanged glances, their thoughts unreadable.
Ash's voice trembled slightly. "I couldn't believe it. I said, 'You chose her even though you knew she was going to die? And you're telling me this with a smile? Don't you regret not being able to save her?'"
He closed his eyes briefly, remembering the old man's response. "He said, 'I did everything I could to save her. Every church, every alchemist, every doctor. I even tried myself. But her disease had no cure. At first, I was full of regrets. I cursed myself. I hated the world.'"
The girls' faces reflected the intensity of the story. Evelyn was openly crying now, her hands covering her mouth, while Maya leaned forward, her expression unreadable but her eyes glistening.
Ash went on. "The old man said that Maria stopped him. She told him, 'Our love is eternal. We are not bound by our bodies, but by our memories and souls. Until you live, I will live within you. Let's meet again in our next life. Let's fall in love again. Let's get married again. And this time, let's have children who will call you papa and me mama.'"
Ash's voice cracked slightly, and the girls felt the weight of his emotions. Scarlet, despite her usual aloofness, leaned her head against the back of her chair, her lips pressed tightly together.
"He said that after she died, he spent a lot of time reflecting. He realized he was lucky. That he had true love, not just attachment."
Liliana finally spoke, her voice hesitant. "What's the difference?"
Ash's gaze fell to the floor, his voice quieter now. "The old man explained it to me. Attachment is wanting someone to stay by your side, needing their presence, feeling hurt when they don't prioritize you. Testing their love. But love… true love is selfless. It's eternal. It's free of expectations. He said he didn't expect anything from Maria after she died. He didn't need her to respond to his care or love. He just… loved her."
The room was heavy with unspoken emotions. Maya's eyes darted toward Ash, her expression softening. Rose looked at him with a mixture of understanding and sadness, while Valerie avoided everyone's gaze, her lips pursed tightly.
Ash's voice turned bitter as he admitted, "I didn't understand him at the time. I couldn't. I told him that my love was real. That I loved her, even though she promised herself to someone else. I told him that it hurt. That I hated her for breaking her promise."
He laughed bitterly. "He told me that wasn't love. That was dependence. Attachment. A habit I didn't want to lose. He said love was selfless. That if I truly loved her, I'd let her go. Because what mattered was her happiness."
His gaze was blank now, his voice hollow. "I stayed with him for a while, but I still couldn't understand him. Not completely. All I know is… maybe I didn't love her enough. Or maybe it wasn't love at all."
Ash fell silent, staring blankly at his plate. The girls watched him, their emotions a tangle of empathy, confusion, and quiet pain. Evelyn reached out as if to comfort him, but hesitated and withdrew her hand. Scarlet's jaw tightened as she looked away, while Maya studied him intently, her fingers drumming against her knee.
The chapter ended with Ash whispering to himself, "I'm tired."