The sun was had already set displaying an amber like color on the horizon. The gentle breeze in the air.
A quiet peace had settled over Sunny as he and Cassie sat together, silently watching the sun slowly dipped into the horizon and to be gone.
Cassie, the perceptive one, had obviously noticed the change of demeanor in Sunny. A second ago, he was cheerful and full of vitality, but now it seemed as if he wanted to express something without the fear of rejection.
She turned to him, her delicate fingers brushing his arm as her soft voice broke the silence.
"Sunny?" She asked, "What's on your mind?"
Sunny's gaze stayed fixed on the horizon for a long moment.
He seemed to gather his thoughts before he spoke.
"Cassie," he began, his voice soft but steady, "there's a place I want to show you. It's… important to me. A place I think you should go with me.
Cassie tilted her head slightly, sensing that this wasn't a simple request.
There was something more to it.
"What place?" she asked gently, a soft smile curving her lips.
Sunny hesitated before speaking again, his voice barely above a whisper. "My parents."
The mention of his parents surprised her, and she could feel the shift in his demeanor, the weight of his words hanging between them.
He had spoken about them before, back in the Forgotten Shore, but never like this.
Cassie's fingers tightened around his arm, offering a small but meaningful touch of support.
"I'd be honored to go with you," she said quietly, her voice sincere.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Sunny's lips, and he nodded. Without another word, they began walking together, hand in hand. The streets of the NQSC was quiet as they made their way through the town.
Every now and then, Her fingers would lightly trace the fabric of his sleeve.
Sunny's thoughts, however, were elsewhere.
As they walked, his mind wandered back to the days of his childhood.
Memories of his mother's warm, yet tired, smile, the way she would brush his hair from his forehead when he was sick, how her eyes always seemed filled with a quiet sorrow but managed to play it off with a smile. She had been so young when she raised him, just barely older than he was now. He couldn't help but wonder how much of her own life she had sacrificed for him, the amount of food he had recieved ratiod to how much she ate.
Cassie, sensing the shift in his mood, squeezed his hand gently. "Do you think she would have been proud of you?" she asked softly.
Sunny stopped for a moment, his eyes lost in the fading light of the evening.
He didn't immediately answer. When he did, his voice was quiet, almost pained.
"I think she would have been proud of what I've accomplished." he said, his gaze fixed ahead. "But not the cost I paid for it."
Cassie stayed quiet for a long moment, allowing him the space to process. "You had to grow up so fast, didn't you?" She asked.
Sunny nodded slowly. "Yeah... I had to. There was no other choice."
His gaze softened, turning to look at her. "But I'm here now, and sometimes I wonder if she'd think I made the right choice. I've come so far, but it feels like there's always something missing."
Cassie smiled softly, the touch of her fingers lightly brushing his hand. "You've made it this far, Sunny. That's enough. And you've grown into someone strong. You don't need to know what's next right away. Take it one step at a time."
He softly smiled before diverting his attention the ground.
Not before long, they reached it.
The tree.
Sunny paused for a moment, his heart heavy with the memories that was tied to this place.
"Do you want me to guide you?" Sunny asked gently.
Cassie nodded in response, not needing to say anything.
He led her closer, his hand lightly touching her shoulder to guide her. The sound of the wind rustling through the leaves filled the space between them as Sunny positioned her right in front of the tree.
"There's something here I need to show you," he said quietly, his voice full of reverence. "A mark I made... a long time ago."
Cassie reached out, her fingertips brushing against the rough bark of the tree.
She could feel the texture of it beneath her fingers, and then, the subtle lines carved into its surface.
The grooves were faint, but they were there.
Three parallel lines.
She paused, her hand lingering on the first line.
"What are these?" she asked softly, sensing the weight of the moment in Sunny's tone.
Sunny's voice wavered slightly as he responded. "When I thought I was going to die... when the Nightmare Spell had caught me, I carved my line. Previously, I drew two for my Mom and my Dad's death."
Cassie's heart tightened at his words.
"Why three?" she asked gently, her fingers tracing each line.
Sunny took a breath, his voice growing quieter.
"I never thought I'd survive, Cassie. I thought I would die, just like the other outskirts rats did. So, I drew my own line. Just in case."
His voice trembled for a moment. "I wanted to mark my place - just like I marked theirs. I thought I wouldn't make it out of the nightmare alive."
Cassie's fingers moved carefully from the first line to the second, tracing its depth. "And you survived," she whispered. "You're here."
Sunny's gaze lingered on the marks, his expression unreadable. "I didn't expect to. I mean, I'm an outskirts rat. I was very weakened due to my physique and my lack of nutrition. But I made it through. And for a long time, I couldn't bring myself to change it. To take my line back, because... it was what I thought I would be." He paused for a long moment. "But I'm still here. I'm still living."
Cassie's fingers found the third, faintest line. Her voice was soft but filled with quiet understanding. "And you're here now, Sunny. That's what matters."
He smiled faintly.
"And now... I'm not alone anymore."
Cassie gave his hand a gentle squeeze, her smile evident even though she couldn't see him.
"I'm glad you're here with me," she whispered, her voice soft but steady. "You don't have to be alone anymore."
The silence settled between them once again.
Sunny shifted slightly, his hand still resting on the tree, his fingers tracing the carved lines once more.
"I never thought I would be able to talk about this," he admitted, his voice barely audible. "I always thought I would just carry it with me. But... now, with you here, I feel like it's finally okay to let it go."
Cassie turned toward him, her expression soft and calm. "Letting go doesn't mean forgetting." she said gently. "It just means... you're not carrying it alone anymore."
Sunny exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing as he realized she was right. He didn't have to carry the burden of his past on his own anymore. Not with Cassie by his side.
"I'm glad you're here," he whispered, his voice filled with gratitude.
Cassie smiled, her hand resting gently in his. "And I'm glad you're here, too."
Sunny smiled, wanting to close the distance between them-
But their peaceful moment was interrupted by a harsh voice from behind them.
"Hey, you there!" The voice shattered their moment, and before Sunny could fully process, three men appeared, their eyes filled with desperation.
Cassie immediately tensed, but Sunny didn't move. His gaze remained fixed on the gravestone in front of him, his posture calm, collected.
"Give us your money, or we'll make you regret it!" one thug sneered, aiming a gun at them.
Sunny's eyes sharpened, his body calm as ever. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, snatching the gun from the thug's hand and effortlessly tearing it in half.
The thugs recoiled in fear, one of them shouting, "A-Awakened!" before they scrambled to run away.
Sunny turned to Cassie, his expression apologetic. "Sorry about that."
Cassie chuckled, squeezing his hand. "It's fine."
She glanced up at him, a playful smile on her face. "Should we head home soon?"
Sunny nodded, his voice steady. "Yeah, let's go."
And with that, they walked away, the world returning to its quiet peace.