The day was bright as the sun. The sky was a clear blue, and clouds moved slowly above, forming mesmerizing shapes. Alice was walking down the road after buying some things at the market. She crossed paths with Jean, who was on her way to work. They greeted each other, and Jean suddenly held Alice’s hand, her expression serious.

“Alice, I need to talk to you about something. Can I go to your house after work?” she asked, desperation clinging to her voice, which surprised Alice—she had never seen Jean like this before.

“S-Sure, what’s the matter, Jean?” Alice asked, confusion and curiosity mixing in her mind.

Jean started walking again and waved her hand. “I’ll tell you after work. See ya!” she said before running off. Alice watched her figure grow smaller as she moved further away. “What is going on with her?” Alice murmured to herself.

When Alice got home, she saw Arthur sleeping comfortably on the sofa. She smiled softly. “I guess he’s getting more comfortable with me,” she whispered before heading to the kitchen. She began unpacking the things she bought, placing each item where it belonged. Once she was done, she cleaned the vegetables and set the frozen meat in a bucket of water to thaw. She needed to cook for three people since Jean would be coming over.

The aroma of her cooking filled the air, stirring Arthur awake. He blinked a few times, seeing Alice’s blurry figure standing in the kitchen. A faint smile crossed his lips. This peaceful moment felt like a small slice of heaven, knowing he was in a safe place, free from threats.

Alice noticed him waking up and smiled. “Good afternoon, Arthur. What made you wake up?” she asked as she continued cooking.

“I smelled the delicious aroma. It woke me up,” he replied, standing up and leaning his shoulder against the wall. He glanced at the portions of food she was preparing—it was more than enough for two. “Who’s coming?” he asked as he sat at the table.

“Jean’s coming. We met earlier when I was at the market. She said she wanted to talk to me about something important,” Alice explained.

Arthur yawned. “I see. Sorry I didn’t go with you to the market.”

Alice shook her head with a small chuckle. “You were tired. Seeing you asleep so comfortably on the sofa made it impossible to wake you up,” she teased.

The atmosphere between them was positive and peaceful, almost heartwarming. It felt as though they were the only two people in the world. Their dynamic was natural and harmonious, though neither felt romantic toward the other—it was simply a bond built on trust and mutual understanding.

An hour had passed, and the doorbell rang. Alice immediately went and opened the door. She saw Jean, surprised because it was not yet time for the restaurant to close. She noticed Jean’s expression—it was serious, with a mix of desperation and unease.

“You’re here? I thought you’d come after your work is done,” she said, confusion all over her face.

“I took an early day off. I told the boss that I’m not feeling well, so he let me out,” Jean replied, her expression serious, though she smiled slightly.

Alice immediately placed the palm of her hand on Jean’s forehead to check if she had a fever. “You’re not hot…” she paused and smiled. “What’s going on, Jean?” she asked, her face filled with worry.

“For now, let’s get inside. I made lunch for you,” she continued.

They got in, and Jean looked around, noticing Arthur was not in the house. “Where is he?” she asked.

“He went to greet Mr. and Mrs. Fredway. He wanted to check if they are doing alright,” Alice replied.

Jean was surprised. “That’s surprising for him. What made him do that, though?”

Alice put the food on the table and smiled. “Well, let’s just say he is trying his best to keep the promise that he made,” she replied, her expression softening into a genuine smile.

Jean looked at her, surprised by her expression. She had never thought that the enigmatic girl she knew would smile so widely. “You’ve changed. Or, have you always been like that since the very beginning?” she whispered to herself as she sat on the chair, took the spoon, and started to eat.

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Alice then sat next to her as she watched her eat. “So, what’s the matter, Jean?” she asked once again, her tone somehow gentle.

“You know this sounds crazy, but I’m getting married,” Jean said, though her tone was somehow sad, her expression uneasy.

Alice was surprised, yet seeing her not being happy, she didn’t know what to say. “I-I see,” she laughed nervously.

Jean took a heavy sigh. “My parents decided it on their own,” she added, which made Alice even more surprised.

“If you don’t like it, why not decline the offer?” Alice spoke.

Jean shook her head. “You know, my parents and the parents of the man that I am going to get married to, they already arranged it ever since I was a child. And the person who was engaged to me was looking forward to it too. I have no way out at all,” she said, smiling, but Alice knew she was forcing herself.

She didn’t know what to say either because it was too much for her to handle. She then held Jean’s hand. “For now, let’s forget about that. Let’s enjoy this day to our hearts’ content,” she said with a smile on her face, which made Jean smile too.

“Sorry, I killed the mood,” Jean said.

Alice shook her head. “No, it’s fine,” she replied.

They continued to talk nonstop, smiling, laughing, and even sharing some secrets with each other.

Arthur, on the other hand, had finally finished checking on the old couple. He was walking along the road of the market. The people there were lively; everyone was busy with their businesses. As he went out to buy some stuff, he recognized a familiar face walking down the stairs. He was surprised because he’d never thought he would find his best friend in a place he never expected to.

“Matthew!” he shouted.

A man wearing a classy coat and eyeglasses looked at Arthur. He was stunned, even speechless. Both of them were surprised. Matthew then waved his hand with a smile on his face.

“Arthur!” he yelled out with enthusiasm.

As they got close to each other, they hugged, happy to reunite again.

“What are you doing here, Matthew?” Arthur asked out of curiosity.

“My family lives here. I was about to go to their house now, but we crossed paths with each other. All this time, God is with us, Arthur,” Matthew said, genuinely happy from the bottom of his heart.

Arthur nodded as well. “God is really with us,” he replied with a faint smile on his face.

Matthew noticed his expression and was surprised. Then he smiled once again.

“How about a cup of coffee at my place, Matthew? It’s been a while since I last saw you,” Arthur suggested, which made Matthew nod.

“Sure, I want to talk to you about something. And yes, the last time I saw you was after the war ended,” Matthew said as he accepted the offer.

The girls were having fun talking with each other, their laughter filling the room as if they never cared about their surroundings.

“Do you know, one of the customers at the restaurant was sad after you left,” Jean said as she fixed Alice’s hair.

“Why? I mean, the customers thought of me as a witch, right? Also, they never talked to me when I was still working there. Not even once,” Alice argued, not wanting to believe what Jean said.

“You’re right, but the charm you had made the place more refreshing to stay in,” Jean replied with a laugh, leaving Alice even more confused.

“What does that even mean?!” Alice said, trying to figure out the meaning behind her words. Jean only laughed harder.

Meanwhile, Arthur and Matthew stood on the other side of the door, hearing the laughter from inside. Matthew looked at him, curiosity evident on his face.

“Is there anyone at home?” he asked.

“Yes. Well, how can I put this? I hired her to cook for me. Since she’s not from here, I let her stay for free,” Arthur replied.

Matthew was intrigued. “How was our Frostbane able to hire someone with that intimidating face of yours?” he teased, smacking Arthur’s back twice.

“Even if you say that, she’s done so much for me. Thanks to her, I’m slowly becoming human again,” Arthur replied, his gaze softening.

He smiled—a genuine, heartfelt smile—which left Matthew stunned. His eyes widened, unfamiliar with this side of his friend. It was foreign to him. Then he smiled in return.

“That’s good to hear, then,” Matthew said before pausing. “And, she is a woman,” he added teasingly.

Arthur opened the door, and both of them stepped inside. Alice stood up and went to greet him, but she was surprised to see he wasn’t alone.

“Welcome back, Arthur,” she said in a gentle voice, her smile warm.

“I’m home,” he replied, placing a hand on Matthew’s shoulder. “This is my friend, Matthew,” he said before turning to Matthew. “And this is Alice, my caretaker.”

Matthew lowered his head slightly, placing a hand on his chest. “Thank you for taking care of my friend. I’m grateful for your service,” he said formally.

Alice mimicked the gesture, lowering her head in return. “It’s my pleasure to meet you. Your sign of gratitude is accepted. You’re welcome,” she replied with a smile.

Suddenly, another voice came closer. It was Jean. She stood next to Alice, her curiosity piqued.

“How long are you two going to stand at the entrance?” she asked, not realizing that Arthur wasn’t alone. When she noticed the person next to him, her expression changed.

He was oddly familiar to her. All of a sudden, it clicked. Her eyes and mouth widened in shock and disbelief.

“MATTHEW!” she yelled, pointing a finger at him.

Matthew was startled at first, but then his expression softened into a smile.

“This is rather interesting. I never expected to meet you here, Jean. God is really with us,” he said, his tone amused by the unexpected reunion.