Carl's fingers clutched tightly onto Qiao Suisui's clothing, his knuckles turning white from the force, as if he wanted to embed her into his own body, never to let her leave again. His breathing was rapid and disordered, tears falling like beads off a string, one by one, dampening Qiao Suisui's shoulder.
"Suisui," his voice was deep and hoarse, filled with endless yearning and pain, "have you really come back? I'm not dreaming, am I?"
Qiao Suisui gently stroked his back, tenderly comforting him, "Carl, I really am back. This isn't a dream, I'm right here."
After reassuring him over and over for quite some time, Carl finally loosened his grip on her a little. But he still held onto Qiao Suisui, as if only by doing so could he confirm her existence.
"I thought I would never see you again," Carl's voice was almost drowned by his tears, "I thought I could only meet you again in hallucinations."
