It hadn't been long since Yuna and Yuri left the hospital when a girl appeared who looked like them — except her hair was blonde and her eyes were green. However, they were a bit red, maybe from crying. She was holding a younger girl who looked about six or seven years old. The little one seemed confused and didn't understand what was happening, but she opened her mouth and said,
"Mia, are we going to see my sister Shiro?"
Xian asked innocently. Although Mia was quietly crying, she tried to smile gently and said,
"Yes, Xian, we're going to see our sister Shiro now."
Xian said happily, "That's good! Will my brother also be there—"
She stopped suddenly and stuttered as if she realized she shouldn't say that. She tried to change her words, which made her look very cute, and said,
"Umm… Aether, will he be there too?"
Mia's smile began to break slightly, and tears were already falling. She tried her best not to let that smile turn into sobbing, but her lips grew heavier and heavier — especially when she saw Xian's big, expectant eyes. She couldn't help but think to herself:
Maybe Xian is the only one among us who truly considered Aether her brother. But because of our interference and warnings, she couldn't get close to him when we were around. Still, she always went to him when none of us were nearby… How can I tell her…
Mia put her hand over her mouth and began to cry a little. It seemed Xian didn't understand, but she didn't ask. Instead, another voice was heard from the side:
"Xian."
Xian turned her head and saw a girl with purple hair and eyes of the same deep color. The girl extended her hands toward her, and Xian understood what that meant. She quickly stretched out her small arms and went into the woman's embrace, saying,
"Sister Nana!"
Nana smiled at her, placed her arm on Xian's head, and rubbed her hair.
"Aether has gone back to his home. He won't bother us anymore," she said.
Xian tilted her head slightly. "Home? Isn't my brother's home with us?"
Nana shook her head and said,
"No, Xian. That trash will never be one of us aga—"
Suddenly, a sharp, low voice cut through the air:
"Nana."
Even though the voice wasn't loud, it was enough to make you feel a chill. Nana lifted her head and saw the lady emerge from Shiro's room behind her. Nana could only say,
"Mother… did I say something wrong?"
The lady's eyes were already red, but she stared at Nana calmly. Neither Mia nor Xian dared to speak — the lady's calm gaze was terrifying.
After a moment, the lady said,
"Nana, put Xian down."
Nana tried to say,
"Why—"
But the lady interrupted her again,
"Now."
That single word now was full of anger — even Xian could feel it. Nana quickly did as she was told
"Alright, Mother, I—"
But before she could finish her words, she was slapped hard across the face. Her body staggered but remained frozen in place. Nana's eyes widened — and not just hers; even Xian and Mia, who had stopped crying, were stunned by what they saw.
Nana raised her hands and touched her slightly red cheek.
"You… hit me? Because of him?"
It was the first time the sixth daughter of the Lin family had ever been hit — and the first time she had seen her mother strike anyone. But it turned out that the person struck was herself.
Then, the sound of another slap echoed through the room, and Nana fell to the ground — not from the force, but perhaps from the shock.
The lady said,
"It's unfortunate that even now, you still can't tell what should and shouldn't be said. Nana, you've truly disappointed me. Leave. I don't want to see you right now."
She ended her words, walked forward, and picked up Xian, who looked like a smaller version of herself. Then she said,
"Xian, Mia — I'm sorry if I scared you. Mommy will take you to see your fourth sister now."
Xian nodded and said,
"Okay, Mommy."
When Xian saw that her mother looked a little angry and her eyes were red, she reached out her small arms and hugged her mother's neck. She looked so cute — like a little koala clinging to a tree trunk.
The lady walked toward Shiro's ward, while Mia followed closely behind. She couldn't help but think, seeing Nana sitting on the floor:
Even if we don't like Aether, that doesn't mean we can ignore the days and memories we shared. Knowing he's dead — judging by my mother's expression, it's certain — I can't help but cry. Even a neighbor you've lived beside for a long time would make you sad if you heard of their death… let alone someone who lived with you like a brother.
Mia felt a sense of disdain toward Nana, then quickly entered the ward and closed the door behind her — leaving Nana sitting there in shock, saying,
"Mother… hit me…"
Inside Shiro's ward, the lady stood to the side while Mia stood before Shiro's bed. Shiro was already asleep, though some tears still hadn't dried on her cheeks. Mia reached out her hand and wiped the cold tears away, saying in a trembling voice,
"Fourth sister…"
Mia couldn't hold back her tears anymore — they flowed freely.
On the other side, Xian was still in her mother's arms and said in a low voice,
"Mommy, is sister sleeping?"
The lady spoke calmly — even though inside, she wanted to explode and cry for days. But she knew she couldn't be selfish; she was the mother of seven daughters.
"Yes, Xian. Your fourth sister is just sleeping. She'll wake up after some time."
Xian nodded seriously and said,
"Then why is fifth sister crying?"
The lady fell silent for a moment, her eyes filled with mixed emotions.
"Because your sister is worried about Shiro," she said.
Xian was quiet for a bit, then said innocently,
"But sister Shiro was just tired. That's why she was taken to the hospital — to rest better. We shouldn't cry about things like that."
The lady smiled and kissed Xian on the cheek.
"That's right. Not everyone is as smart as my favorite daughter."
Xian smiled happily, feeling proud inside.
Meanwhile, when Mia heard those words, she forced her tears to stop. She quickly wiped her eyes, though it didn't completely hide the traces of crying.
But Mia kept wiping her face; then she turned toward Xian and gave her a warm smile, though her lips were still trembling. She said in a quiet voice,
"That's right, Mother. Xian is smart — not like me, emotional and crying foolishly."
Mia fell silent and lowered her head toward the floor. Suddenly, she felt two small hands holding her cheeks and a childish voice saying,
"That's not true, sister! You're the second-best person I know — you're smart and caring and take care of me!"
Mia smiled a little and messed up Xian's hair.
"The second-best person? Then who's the first?"
Xian put her hands over her mouth as if trying to take back what she had said. But after looking into Mia cloudy eyes and her mother's enchanting ones, she gathered some courage and said,
"It's… that person."
Xian watched the expressions of her mother and Mia, expecting to see some anger — but what she saw instead were emotions she didn't understand. There was sadness and regret on their faces.
Suddenly, the room fell into a long silence before the lady said,
"Aether must have loved you very much. Do you love him too?"
Xian nodded and said hesitantly,
"Yes, he's always kind to me when my sisters are around. Even though we don't talk much, he secretly gives me things without them knowing. And he's very, very nice to me when my sisters or Mother aren't around. Unlike my brother Van, who bullies me when we're alone…"
Suddenly, a furious voice roared through the room:
"Don't call that person your brother! We have only one brother — Aether!"
The lady and Mia stared at Shiro, who was supporting herself with her arm to sit up. Her face was filled with such anger it looked like she could kill someone at that moment.
The lady said nothing — she only looked at Shiro with sadness. But Mia said,
"Sister, that's not right—"
As soon as those words left her mouth, Mia regretted saying them, because Shiro glared at her furiously and shouted,
"Lin Mia, fifth daughter of the filthy Lin family! I won't repeat myself again — I, Lin Shiro, have only one brother. As for that man, just wait I will make his life worse than death!"
The room fell into a long silence. Just as Mia was about to speak, the door to the ward opened, and a man in a police uniform entered, followed by several officers.
"Officer Shiro," he said.
Shiro nodded and said,
"Mother, please take my sisters. I have to—"
But the officer interrupted,
"No. Madam, you need to hear the following news as well."
He gestured with his hand, and a female officer stepped forward, picking up Xian, who obediently let her, feeling a little scared. Soon, only Shiro, the lady, Mia, and the police captain remained in the ward.
The captain quickly bowed to the lady and said,
"On behalf of the Su City Police, I apologize to you."
The lady froze in place, unable to move.
When they found Shiro on the slope, she was injured and unconscious in front of a piece of rough cloth. Later, the police confirmed it was stained with Aether's blood. Judging by the color, it seemed he had lost a large amount of blood.
But… maybe Aether was still alive. Maybe it was just a cloth he had used to cover his wounds. There was still hope — a hope that helped her stay strong.
Yet the captain's words now made that hope crumble. Still, the lady stood there, unable to move, afraid to hear the rest, but also eager — maybe the hope was still there.
These conflicting emotions grew inside her, clouding her mind. She didn't even notice Mia confusion — wondering why the police were apologizing to their family — nor did she notice Shiro lowering her head toward the floor, trying to stand from her bed.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but what brought her back to her senses was the entrance of a group of senior police officers and commanders from Su City. They all bowed deeply and said together,
"We apologize."
Mia was shocked by the sight of so many police officers bowing. She even began to feel uneasy. Even Shiro, who had already lowered her injured leg to the ground and was sitting, bowed and said,
"so there is no hope."
Mia turned her head and quickly ran to help Shiro stand, but Shiro pushed her away and said,
"Mia, don't interfere and don't speak."
Mia froze in place, not knowing what to do.
The police officers remained still, all bowed in silence. After a while — not long and not short — the lady finally opened her mouth and said,
"Why are you apologizing to us?"
Although she had a thought in her mind, she still had hope, even if she knew she was lying to herself.
The police captain raised his head and said,
"We made a mistake in judgment earlier. We wronged Lin Aether and accused him of a crime in which he was actually the victim."
The captain paused for a moment, shame spreading inside him.
Meanwhile, the lady stood motionless as before but muttered softly,
"My son…"
The captain, who heard her words, felt a tinge of anger but managed to control himself and said,
"It is with deep sorrow and regret that we inform you… Mr. Lin Aether has died."
Suddenly, the lady, Mia, and even Shiro — who already knew, but maybe had still hoped he survived — all felt as if a bolt of blue lightning had struck them.
The lady fell straight to the floor, covered her eyes with her hands, and began to cry — truly cry. She cried like a small child; for a moment, she seemed to have returned to being a person with raw feelings, unable to do anything but weep loudly — a cry mixed with pain and helplessness.
Mia was stunned to see her mother crying so hard — the same mother who was always strong in every situation was now crying with all her heart.
Mia was deeply shocked as well. Even though the Lin family had already heard that Aether was dead.
Outside the ward, there was a beautiful woman with fiery red hair and sharp eyebrows holding Xian in her arms. Beside her stood Nana, facing her.
Originally, she had planned to go back home, but at the entrance of the hospital, many police officers suddenly entered.
And since it was the first time she had seen such a scene, Nana was genuinely curious.
But then she noticed that the police had entered Shiro's ward.
Although Shiro was a police officer, and it was normal for the police to visit her, the atmosphere felt uncomfortable.
Soon after, a female officer with red hair came out carrying Xian in her arms.
Nana tried to talk to her, but as soon as the officer recognized her, she frowned and didn't acknowledge her.
That left Nana speechless; she just stood silently in front of the ward.
After a while, little Xian stretched out her small hand, touched the officer's face, and said hesitantly:
"Umm... is my sister okay?"
The officer looked at Xian, smiled gently, and said:
"Yes, your sister is fine. Are you Xian?"
Xian nodded, both worried and relieved at the same time.
The woman laughed warmly and said:
"You're really cute, Xian. I thought he was exaggerating."
The red-haired woman looked truly happy, but in truth, silent tears were slipping down her eyes...
Two hours later, the news of Aether's death—known as Lin Aether—was broadcast on the official television channel of Su City.
It's no exaggeration to say that every resident of Su City had already heard the news.
For a full hour, Su City fell into complete silence.
No joke — just the announcement that he would be buried in the Heroes' Cemetery was enough for the entire city to mourn the new hero.
But that wasn't the case for those who actually knew Aether.
In the forest, a figure with red hair and sharp eyebrows stood before a small wooden house built in a tree.
It was simple, aged by time — maybe small in size, but in the woman's eyes, it was the house of dreams.
She sat facing the tree house, and for a moment, it was as if she saw a young boy with blond hair and green eyes sitting on the empty roof, holding a hammer and some nails.
Meanwhile, a red-haired girl was bringing him some wood, saying:
"I didn't ask for your help, Aether. This doesn't count as a point in your favor!"
Aether laughed and said happily:
"Don't worry, Elia, I won't count it as one!"
As the two children laughed, night soon fell.
Aether and the red-haired girl sat before a warm fire.
The girl's eyes were gentle and full of warmth; she would gaze at the flames, and sometimes glance at Aether, who was reading a small book.
After a while, Elia whispered,
"Aether..."
Aether turned his head toward her and said,
"Yes, Elia?"
Elia hesitated, hugging her knees with her arms, and said:
"You won't leave me... like my father did, right?"
Aether put the book down and said confidently,
"Don't worry, Elia. I plan to live at least a hundred years."
Aether smiled softly at her, and Elia smiled back.
His confident smile filled her with a warmth she hadn't felt in a long time.
"Then I'll live 101 years," Elia said.
Aether smiled and replied,
"I'm sure you will — so I'll live 101 years too."
Elia tilted her head, puzzled.
"Why?"
Aether gave her a wide grin, showing his white teeth, and said,
"So I won't leave you. We'll die together."
Tears began to form in young Elia's eyes, but her pride wouldn't let her show it.
She quickly turned her face away from him, and after a while said,
"Alright... it's a promise, right?"
The firelight reflected in Aether's eyes as he answered softly and confidently,
"Yes, it's a promise, Elia."
They both smiled at each other.
Elia then stood still, and that phantom memory faded.
She found herself crying for real, unable to stop herself from whispering,
"Liar... liar! You're a big liar! You left me just like my father did.
What's the point of work, what's the point of a house, if I can't share them with those I love?
I've already failed you... but don't worry, I'll keep our promise...
Aether, I love you."
Elia stayed silent for a while, then screamed with all her might:
"Aether! I love you!"
She breathed heavily and kept shouting,
"I love you! I really love you! I love you with all my heart!
Marry me, please, Aether!"
Then she fell silent and started crying again.
"It was so easy... just words... so why? Why didn't I tell him before?
Was I afraid of embarrassment? Of rejection?
Afraid he'd abandon me?
I'm really so stupid..."
Tears streamed down Elia's face as she questioned herself and answered herself.
After a while, she said:
"You were there when I needed you most, and I wasn't there when you needed me more than anyone.
I really don't know what to do... but I can't keep living..."
Elia felt something choking her from within, as if she would explode any moment.
Suddenly, she remembered the time when she and Aether were sitting by the fire on a cold night.
At that time, the old man whom Aether called 'Grandpa' had just passed away.
Aether was very sad, but he didn't cry — he smiled at everyone who saw him.
Elia gathered her courage and asked,
"Aether, why are you smiling? Your grandfather died."
Elia had experienced the loss of her family since childhood; she knew the pain and longing that overshadowed everything.
She despised people who didn't cherish their families, which is why she asked with a bit of anger.
Aether lifted his head. His eyes were already red, but he smiled and said,
"There's no point in crying. We should bid farewell to the dead in a way that lets them rest peacefully — so they won't worry about us anymore."
At that time, Elia didn't fully understand his words.
But now, she understood them the hard way — how much Aether loved his late grandfather, how much he missed him.
It was that love that made him want to live so his grandfather wouldn't have to worry anymore.
Elia smiled faintly and said,
"I'm sorry, Aether. Even though I understand what you meant, I just... can't bear it."
After a while, Elia left the forest, leaving behind two incense sticks and a message carved into the trunk of the tree —
a message doomed never to be completed.
Time passed quickly, and the next day had already arrived.
All the police forces had gathered, none wearing their hats. Thousands of people filled the square, and at its center stood a tightly sealed coffin wrapped with the flag of Su City.
Commander Juno stood on the platform and said,
"Today, with deep sorrow and grief, we bid farewell to a kind man and a mysterious hero who lived his life selflessly, helping those in need. But… but—"
The commander's voice rose, then he took a breath and continued,
"But unfortunately, we are guilty. The Su City Police are guilty, and on behalf of the entire force, I apologize to the people and to the hero Aether."
Juno bowed, and so did the other officers. Then he continued,
"I will resign after offering you an explanation and ensuring justice for Aether."
The commander stopped when most of the officers said,
"We will resign with you, Commander."
Juno didn't argue and went on with his speech:
"Today, we are not only saying farewell to Mr. Aether, but we are also here to reveal our grave mistake that led to his name being tarnished.
We accused him of kidnapping and physical torture, issued wanted posters, and even put a bounty on his head—all while he was innocent.
I apologize once again for this terrible mistake."
He bowed once more toward the crowd and continued:
"Today, we will bury him in the Heroes' Cemetery—not only to honor him, but also as a reminder of our errors, and a warning to future generations not to repeat them.
…And now, I invite the hero's family to say a few words before we continue with the burial ceremony."
As soon as he said those words, the crowd erupted in angry shouts—especially from those who knew Aether personally and knew what he had suffered from his family, and even from those who didn't know him but were aware of how the Lin's tried to capture him and spread lies and posters about him everywhere.
On the other side, the Lin family—eight members dressed in black—stood together. Among them was Xian, dressed in mourning clothes, crying bitterly as Yuna held her. Yuna stared intensely at her own family, wanting to curse them, to rush forward and hit them, but she restrained herself. She and Yuri stood far away from the Lin family. Even Xian seemed to hate them now. She cried so hard she began coughing, saying:
"My brother is gone… and I never told him what I wanted to say. I wanted to thank him for the sweets he made, for the little doll he crafted for me—but I never did. I didn't tell him… I want my brother… I want my brother!"
Xian kept crying and coughing until blood came out. Yuna reached out and gently rubbed her hair, while Yuri tried to calm her down.
"Xian, please stop crying… Aether wouldn't be happy to see you like this."
Even though Yuri herself was crying just as hard, she tried to comfort Xian—or maybe even herself. Yuna too was crying, feeling helpless, especially as Xian tears soaked her clothes.
Elsewhere, Shiro stood among the police ranks. She hadn't moved since bowing and didn't seem willing to go up and speak.
And we needn't mention Mia—whose face had lost all expression. Though tears flowed rapidly down her cheeks, her face remained frozen. Even Nana, who couldn't believe what was happening, couldn't deny the truth when the entire world confirmed it. It seemed her brother truly was innocent.
As for Van… who knows? Maybe the police silenced him. He had been out of town on vacation—perhaps they brought him back now.
Among the Lin family, only Mrs. Lin was eligible to speak. She looked much older now; her once-purple hair had long lost its shine. She seemed aged by many years. She was about to step forward to speak when a furious voice cut through the silence:
"You are not qualified to speak!"
The crowd parted, revealing a beautiful woman with bright red hair and eyes of the same color. Her face was delicately painted with professional makeup, and her long hair was tied in a bun. She wore a white wedding dress—clearly out of place for a funeral—but the commander quickly recognized her and said in astonishment:
"Officer Elia…!"
Mrs. Lin froze, staring at Elia, who was the same age as her son—standing there in a wedding gown at her son's funeral. She couldn't hold back her tears and unconsciously stepped back, thinking:
"Did I even deprive him… of love and marriage?"
She vaguely remembered that Aether had once told her he might have a crush on someone and asked her about love, but she couldn't answer him—she didn't even know what that meant.
Aether had smiled sadly and never brought it up again.
And maybe… if not for Elia's courage, he would have been buried without the truth.
Shiro stared at Elia in shock, then remembered she was the only one who had defended Aether and insisted on his innocence. Shiro felt ashamed to say anything to her—and so did the rest of the officers.
Elia stepped forward and climbed the platform.
Commander Juno looked at her and said,
"I truly can't stop you… You were the only one he trusted."
Juno stepped aside, giving her space. Elia took the microphone and said,
"I, Officer Elia, hereby resign."
She placed her gun and badge on the table before her and continued,
"There's no point in being a police officer if I can't help those in need."
All the officers lowered their heads in shame as the crowd's eyes bore into them.
Elia took a deep breath and smiled—the widest smile she ever had—and said,
"You heard it. Aether is dead. The man I loved died unjustly, and I couldn't protect him."
Tears flowed freely down her face, but her smile didn't fade. She went on:
"He was there when I needed him most, but I failed him. I wasn't by his side. I left him to be tortured and humiliated, while all I did was scream that he was innocent—trying to prove it."
Commander Juno lowered his head and bowed, not intending to stop or interrupt her. The other officers followed his lead. Elia didn't care; she was breathing heavily but continued:
"I love you, Aether… That's what I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't. I was afraid—afraid of embarrassment, afraid of rejection."
Everyone went silent, even holding back their sobs to listen to her.
"I truly love you, Aether. I love you with all my soul. I wanted to be your wife—to give you ten children. We'd raise them together, happily. We'd make up for the families we both lost and build one of our own. Forget your family—they're trash who ignored you…Why didn't I say this back then???"
Elia's breathing grew faster and stronger, as if she were desperately trying to pull air into her lungs.
Everyone thought it was just a normal reaction after crying for so long—except for Captain Juno, who stared at her and said,
"Elia, you…"
But Elia ignored Juno's words and kept repeating,
"I love you, Aether,"
again and again, as if trying to fix the mistake she had made.
The eyeliner around her eyes was already running from her tears, but she didn't care. Everyone felt heartbroken for Elia and Aether—
a love story that would never be completed.
Yuna looked at Elia and lowered her head; her eyes were red, her mind full of thoughts—just like the rest of the Lin family.
Suddenly, Elia said,
"The Lin family… you're garbage."
The crowd fell silent and turned their heads toward the Lin family. None of them spoke except Yuna, who said,
"She's right. The Lin family is worse than garbage."
Elia's gaze became unfocused, and she staggered before collapsing—but Commander Juno caught her.
"Elia…" he said.
She whispered weakly,
"Please… take me to Aether's coffin."
Juno didn't argue. He knew Elia had already made her decision.
He helped her walk toward the coffin—it felt as though a father were walking his daughter down the aisle to her groom.
Juno was already crying, for he had long considered Elia like his own daughter.
The crowd fell silent, watching as Juno stopped a few steps from the coffin. He let go of Elia's arm.
"Thank you," she said softly.
Then she walked toward the coffin and lay down beside it on the ground.
In a faint voice, she said,
"I won't break our promise… my husband…"
Elia's eyes slowly began to close, and the sounds of the weeping crowd faded, fading until everything fell silent.
Her hand relaxed, and a small bottle slipped from it—on the label were the words: "Danger – Deadly Poison."
Juno froze, then fell to his knees and wept like a child.
He had no children of his own and had always treated his subordinates as his family—especially Elia, whom he loved like a daughter.
And now, here she was, dying before his eyes, and he could do nothing.
He had failed her once before by not listening to her—so how could he stop her now?
The crowd was silent. Cameras and reporters focused on the "bride" lying beside the coffin.
Everyone knew then that Elia had ended her life to reunite with her beloved.
Elia could no longer bear the longing and the hatred of the world.
She chose instead to go to another world—one where she knew she would find people who truly cared for her rather than remain in this one, lonely and forgotten.