Tuan said... she said something very similar... when I told her... I finally told her... S-she said 'thank you'. She said... she's glad to be alive now.... and I... I couldn't even believe her. I couldn't understand what she said at all. I--

[ Cian has been doing well holding in her tears all the time they've been here. When she cried it most often was private, into her pillow, and short. Swallowing her feelings, Cian's good at that. Eat them all up and smile, smile, smile while the weight in her stomach pulls her down.

It's too much now.

It's spilling out and she can't stop it. A sob interrupts her speech. She raises her hand to her eyes, hastily trying to remove the tears, but it's simply no use. A floodgate has been opened. ]

I'm n-not brave or strong... I left Miach t-to die all alone... even though I wanted to save her.[ The detail that Miach isn't dead is momentarily forgotten in the middle of a pain that is a decade old. ] I t-took her from Tuan, too... but... I love them both. Miach may not have wanted friends... I may have failed her... in every... every possible way... and still...

I'm sorry... Miach... Tuan... I'm so sorry...