His words seemed to hold some kind of magic, calming little Pixie, who lay on his shoulder, until her sobs gradually faded.
"I told you, the stars can hear you."
Seeing Pixie lift her head, her eyes still red, Zane smiled softly.
"Alright, if there's anything you want to say, tell the stars now."
Standing and gazing out the window, Zane encouraged her. Pixie seemed to gather her courage, looked up at the stars, and poured out her heart.
And her first words were...
"Father, Mother, Pixie misses you so much. I really want to go to the amusement park with you again..."
Inside the activity room, Zane remained silent as Pixie's gentle voice echoed.
Outside, Nicole leaned against the wall, listening to the little girl's words, her eyes slightly moist.
This guy...
And he said he couldn't comfort children.
Really—she didn't know why, but even just listening from outside, she felt like crying too...
Nicole didn't realize that no matter how indifferent she sounded, her heart could never be completely untouched.
How could someone brush off the thought of their parents—ones they had never met—so lightly...
...
"If you're tired... take a nap."
"Sleep, and toss all the sadness into your dreams. When you wake up, everything will feel better..."
Zane gently ruffled Pixie's hair. After this "release," her mood was visibly lighter.
Something within her seemed to be quietly melting away...
"Mm, Zane, you should rest early too!"
Pixie left the activity room, a little drowsy, and didn't notice Nicole standing by the door.
"Star child, you really do know how to talk."
Nicole entered the room, her mood already back to normal. She smiled as she looked at Zane.
"It's something no adult would believe, yet it works so well on kids."
Hearing this, Zane drew his gaze from the starry sky, looked at Nicole, shook his head, and said,
"Actually, from a rational standpoint, we are children of the stars. After all, everything that makes up our bodies comes from them."
"Oh, now you're going to argue with me. Really—bullying me because I don't understand this stuff..."
Nicole puffed out her cheeks, waved her hand dismissively, and spoke in mock annoyance.
She quickly regained her composure, walked to stand beside Zane, and looked up at the starry sky that had just come alive through his words.
"You wove a dream that helped Pixie loosen some of her emotional knots. It really worked."
"But the world is cruel. Dreams eventually shatter."
"When that happens, what will you do?"
Nicole looked at Zane, curious about his thoughts.
Zane simply smiled gently.
"If dreams are fragile..."
"Then we'll do our best to protect them."
"Besides... I believe in Pixie. You should too. She may not fully withstand the cruelty of the world, but she can still hold on to her dreams."
"As long as she has that, it's enough."
Nicole opened her mouth to reply but, meeting Zane's eyes, swallowed her words. A soft smile appeared on her face.
Just like the stars...
...
Under the night sky, the crooked tree in the orphanage swayed its withered branches.
Zane sat quietly in the courtyard, the breeze brushing against his face, strands of hair fluttering in the wind.
Right now, he felt an extraordinary calm inside.
From the moment he had entered the Cretan Hollows until now, this was the first time Zane had truly calmed down and looked at the world with clarity.
Setting aside all stray thoughts, he viewed the world with his heart.
Only when beauty and suffering coexist can the world be whole.
For a long time, Zane had often felt an odd sense of duality—sometimes thinking of himself as an Ethereal, sometimes as a human.
He had the soul of a human, the body of an Ethereal.
The thing in his chest constantly shifted, and even he couldn't tell what he truly was.
It changed on its own, beyond his will.
But at this very moment, Zane could clearly feel the vibrant beat of his heart.
So clear.
So strong.
So turbulent.
The body is the vessel of the soul. Instinct doesn't define who you are—only a complete, awakened heart can.
This was his nature. His truth.
A faint sound of footsteps approached from behind, but Zane didn't move. He knew it was Nicole.
"Zane, Pixie's already resting. Aren't you going to rest? We have to head back early tomorrow. You'll feel awful if you don't sleep."
Nicole frowned slightly, puzzled.
Since they hadn't spent much time together yet—and because Zane had slept the night before—she didn't realize he didn't truly need rest.
Looking at him now, Nicole felt something about him seemed different.
"Nicole, thank you."
Suddenly, Zane spoke softly. Nicole blinked in surprise, then sat down beside him without a second thought, not caring about the dust.
"What's up with you?"
"Wait—after these past two days, you're not starting to pity the kids at the orphanage, are you?"
Nicole guessed at Zane's thoughts, pursed her lips, glared at him, and said,
"We don't need anyone's pity! You should respect us—you do know what respect means, right?"
Just as Nicole was about to "lecture" Zane, she caught the look in his eyes—a calm smile.
"Nicole, this trip with you has been a great gift to me. I've gained so much."
"Thank you."
He looked at Nicole seriously and spoke slowly.
At this moment, Zane felt an unexpected lightness.
That sense of detachment from the world, the restless unease over his own secrets, the discomfort of being watched—all those buried, tangled feelings seemed to dissipate.
This was clarity of heart.
Before, letting himself drift or fight had been his way of coping. But now, simple peace felt far more powerful.
Cute cats and innocent children really could cleanse the soul—that was no empty saying.
And here, it truly worked.
"Wh-why are you saying that all of a sudden?"
Zane's unexpected sincerity left Nicole stammering, unsure how to respond.
After hesitating for a moment and seeing that Zane wasn't saying anything more, she asked in confusion,
"Why are you thanking me? Shouldn't I be the one thanking you? You came with me, and helped me so much..."