[Scene: Whisper's Light – Upper Deck, Night Breeze Whispering]
Katrina (softly):
"Feeling low?"
Ashen's breath trembled in his chest.
Ashen (voice cracked, barely a whisper):
"No… no, I was just—"
He hesitated.
"I… I had a nightmare."
Katrina didn't blink. Her eyes softened like melting snow.
Katrina (gently):
"Tell me honestly."
That tone — the kindness, the patience in it — broke something loose in him.
He tried. He really tried to keep his face turned.
But the tears slipped anyway.
A slow, silent stream.
He turned away too late.
Katrina (worried):
"Wait—are you crying?"
"Are you all right?"
Ashen didn't answer.
Couldn't.
Just those words — "Are you all right?" — were enough to make it worse.
His chest heaved, throat clenched, and he crumbled forward.
Arms wrapped around her in a trembling hug.
His voice, no louder than the breeze:
Ashen (whispering):
"I'm scared… I feel terrible."
"…The last time a fight broke out, you got hurt protecting me."
"Maybe this time, someone else will… or maybe worse—"
Katrina's eyes closed for a second.
She understood now.
She reached into her pocket, took out a folded piece of cloth — nothing fancy, just soft.
She wiped his cheeks, held his head against her shoulder.
No lectures. No tough words.
Just silence.
And safety.
[Scene: Whisper's Light – Upper Mast, Minutes Later]
They sat side by side, high above the slumbering world.
The ocean stretched infinitely below.
Above them — stars like diamonds.
Ashen's face was calmer now. Puffy-eyed, but lighter.
Katrina (teasing, half-smile):
"So that was all?"
"You were crying your eyes out over this?"
Ashen gave a faint huff through his nose.
She nudged him lightly with her elbow.
Katrina (gently):
"Now that you've shared it… feeling a bit better?"
Ashen nodded.
Just a little. But he meant it.
Katrina looked at him — really looked.
Then tilted her chin upward.
Katrina:
"Look up."
Ashen blinked.
Ashen:
"At you?"
Katrina (scoffing softly):
"No, dummy. At the sky."
She pointed.
Katrina:
"See how bright the stars are?"
He looked.
It really was beautiful.
Then she pointed again — this time at a square-shaped constellation made of four stars.
Katrina:
"See that? Connect those four — makes a square, right?"
Ashen:
"Yeah… it does."
Katrina:
"Now imagine if you removed just one of those stars."
Ashen frowned slightly.
Ashen:
"Why would you?"
Katrina:
"Just imagine."
She raised one finger and covered one of the stars.
Katrina:
"What do you get?"
Ashen stared.
Ashen:
"…A triangle."
Katrina gave a small nod.
Katrina:
"Exactly. The original shape is gone. The essence — gone."
She leaned back, arms resting on the mast rail behind her.
Katrina (softly):
"That star you took away… maybe it wasn't the brightest.
Maybe it didn't even seem important.
But without it, the square becomes something else.
Incomplete."
Ashen stayed silent, listening. Heart slowing.
Katrina (looking at him now):
"You think you're not shining enough. That you're not strong enough.
But you're still part of the shape, Ashen.
Without you, Whisper's Light isn't Whisper's Light anymore."
The wind passed quietly between them.
Ashen blinked — not crying now.
Just listening.
Feeling.
Ashen (softly):
"You really believe that?"
Katrina smiled faintly.
Katrina:
"If I didn't… I wouldn't be freezing my ass off up here talking to you."
Ashen let out a quiet laugh. For the first time tonight… it was real.
The two sat in silence again.
Above them, the constellation still held its shape.
Four stars.
Still together.
Still enough.