Time moved forward in small, gentle steps. Days turned into weeks, and weeks slowly became months. The city no longer felt like a place holding its breath. It moved freely now, busy and alive, as if it had forgiven itself for the pain it once carried. Kai and Aria watched this change from within the flow of everyday life.
They kept the apartment by the river. It was still simple, still quiet, and still full of light. Mornings came with soft sounds from the water and distant traffic. Evenings ended with warm lights and slow conversations. The place had become more than shelter. It had become proof that peace could last.
Kai’s body healed fully, though the scars stayed. He did not mind them. Each one told a story of survival, of choices made when there were no easy answers. Pain no longer
