They decided to take a four-day break, burying the extra money under a rock in the forest—their emergency fund for their big dream, which Rin had recently learned about.
They set aside money for food and a small amount for each to buy something they wanted. Rin refused her share—the golden hairpin was more than enough.
The next day, they went to the market. Dai separated from them early.
Say bought a small telescope.
Mateo bought cooking supplies.
Colin bought a wooden lockbox to store their money instead of a bag.
They spent the day playing in the capital's gardens, showing Rin landmarks she'd never seen—she had been trapped in the tavern her whole life.
Of course, they couldn't explore the entire capital or wander near the royal palace and upscale neighborhoods safely. They stuck to the outskirts near the forest—their last refuge.
-
That evening, Dai rejoined them as they returned to the forest. They roasted a chicken over the fire under Dai's guidance—a feast!
"Once you master all the recipes I know, I'll leave the cooking to you," Dai told Mateo. "It won't take long."
"Of course! Leave it to me."
The food was delicious. The night was quiet as they fell into a peaceful sleep after a fun, work-free day.
Rin slept on her left side to avoid crushing her hairpin—she refused to take it off, afraid of losing it. The boys slept soundly, but she was still wide awake, used to only four or five hours of sleep.
Suddenly, one of them got up.
Dai!
She watched him walk away. Where is he going in the middle of the night?
Curious and worried, she decided to follow.
He sat on a small, grassy slope, staring at something in his hands. What is he holding?
She crept closer but tripped on a stone, making noise.
"Who's there?!"
"... "
"W-what are you doing here?" He quickly hid what he was holding inside his shirt.
"S-sorry… I followed you out of curiosity." Her face turned pink.
Dai sighed and reached out to help her up. It took her a moment to realize she was supposed to take his hand.
"Th-thank you."
He pulled her up, avoiding her gaze. The air was tense.
"Do you… want to sit? The sky is clear tonight."
He turned away. She looked up—thousands of stars glittered above.
They shine golden… like Dai's eyes.
Her heart fluttered quietly. A gentle breeze played with her red locks. If freedom had a feeling, it was this—here, next to him.
They sat on the edge of the slope. Dai still wouldn't look at her. That was fine—the atmosphere was light and warm.
"Rin… I don't want you to be my sister."
She turned to him. His gaze was intense, piercing.
He doesn't want me as a sister?
Silence stretched. He was serious but not angry—just… nervous.
"What I mean is… I don't want you as a sister, but…" He took a deep breath. "I wouldn't mind being something else. Anything else."
Her eyes widened. Why?
"It took me a while to say this. I didn't get a good chance to talk… and I kept ignoring you rudely." He paused. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't face you."
His cheeks tinged pink. She smiled.
"Dai, who teases everyone without hesitation, needs time to be honest with himself?"
She laughed, making him fluster more.
"Anyway, I don't want you as just a sister. It's fine if we're friends for now."
"Okay."
She laughed at herself for thinking he hated her—and at how much she liked this soft side of him.
Dai reached into his shirt and pulled out a small brown leather notebook with a pen attached. He wiped it with his sleeve and handed it to her shyly.
"This is for you."
"For me? But I can't write."
"I know. I'll teach you."
"Why?"
"Many women are good with medicinal herbs. I noticed you want to work with us, but our jobs can be physically exhausting. So I thought you could learn herbal medicine instead—still useful, but less straining. What do you think?"
He kept surprising her tonight. Learning to write. Learning herbal medicine. Being his friend. Her restless heart wouldn't calm down.
"Thank you, Dai."
Tears welled up. She noticed golden writing on the notebook's corner.
"What does this say?"
Dai tensed. "Rin."
She hugged the notebook like it was the most precious thing in the world and lay on her back, watching the stars happily.
Dai lay beside her silently, gazing at the golden galaxy. Moments later, she felt his hand gently holding hers.
That feeling of freedom returned—this time, hand in hand with the boy full of secrets, of tenderness laced with sadness.
-
The next day, everyone was shocked by Dai's sudden change in behavior toward Rin. They bombarded them with annoying questions, making Dai flare up childishly.
The two agreed to dedicate two hours after the others slept for Rin to learn writing first, then herbal medicine—something she grew to love before even trying.
She knew she couldn't memorize everything like Mateo, whom Dai deeply respected as he taught him. He's different from us, Dai had said. Mateo could learn anything quickly.
So Rin vowed to work hard—she wouldn't let Dai down.
After all, women are good with medicinal herbs.
Her name, gifted by Mateo.
The golden hairpin, gifted by the noblewoman.
The notebook, engraved with her name by her first real friend.
And finally, the warm family that embraced her tightly.
They had all come to her at once, abruptly, making Rin the happiest girl in the entire Western Kingdom.
She added one small detail to her wish:
I wish to stay with this family forever… and become an herbalist Dai can be proud of.