The bell above the market door chimed one last time that night. Seina pulled her coat tighter, feeling the exhaustion deep in her bones—but a different kind of warmth in her chest. As she crossed the street, her eyes went straight to the lamppost. Thalya was there, headphones on and cap pulled low, bathed in the yellowish light. When she spotted Seina, she slipped one earbud out, a half-smile touching her lips.
"Took you long enough," Thalya said, without resentment.
"Mr. Kim was planning a few changes in the store and asked for my opinion about a possible renovation," Seina explained as she approached. Their steps fell naturally into sync on the way home.
When they opened the door, the inviting scent of homemade food wrapped around them.
"You already made dinner?" Seina asked, surprised.
Thalya shrugged, trying to play it off. "Got here early. Figured you'd be hungry."
It was more than food. It was a ritual.
After a quiet dinner, Seina lingered in the living room, hesitant.
"Thalya… I didn't bring any extra clothes for myself." She gestured down at her long-sleeved white shirt and black sweatpants. "I only have this and my school uniform."
Thalya looked at her, then gave one of her rare, genuine smiles. "Follow me."
In the bedroom, Thalya opened a drawer and pulled out a soft, faded black T-shirt and a pair of pink cotton shorts.
"Here. They're clean," she said, holding them out.
Seina took the fabric. It was simple, but it carried the faint scent of Thalya's perfume. Warmth rose to her face. Wearing them felt… intimate.
Later, dressed in the borrowed shirt and shorts, Seina felt incredibly grounded in that place. Thalya appeared at the doorway holding two mugs of hot chocolate.
"Found it in the back of the cabinet," she announced, handing one to Seina.
They sat on the couch in companionable silence. In that peace, Seina's gaze drifted to the grand piano, imposing and silent in the dim light. Courage, fed by the comfort of the night, bubbled inside her.
"Thalya?" Her voice came out softer than she intended.
"Hmm?"
"That piano…" Seina began, staring at the instrument. "Would you… would you teach me how to play? Just the basics. Maybe one song."
The silence that followed was so dense Seina almost regretted asking. She looked at Thalya. There was no refusal on her face—only something deep and undefined. Her violet eyes seemed lighter, as if glossed with unshed tears.
"No one…" Thalya's voice came out hoarse. She swallowed and tried again. "No one ever wanted to play it. After them."
The words fell into the room like a stone. Seina understood instantly. She wasn't just asking to learn the piano. She was asking to touch one of the last and most precious memories Thalya had left.
"I do," Seina said, with a firmness that surprised even herself. "I want to hear how it sounds with someone in this house again."
Thalya studied her for a long moment. Then, without a word, she stood and walked to the piano. She lifted the keyboard lid, revealing the black and white keys. Sitting down on the bench, she gestured for Seina to come closer.
"Come here."
Seina obeyed, sitting beside her on the narrow bench. Their shoulders brushed.
"This is a C," Thalya said, pressing a white key. The sound, pure and deep, filled the silence of the room. "And this is an A." Another key, a higher tone.
She guided Seina's hesitant hand toward the keyboard. Thalya's skin was soft against hers.
"Now you."
Seina took a deep breath and pressed the C key with her index finger. The note echoed—not as strong as when Thalya played it, but clear and true. A wide, clumsy smile spread across Seina's face. She had made the piano sing.
Thalya watched her profile, the soft light illuminating Seina's expression of wonder. There was a shine in Thalya's eyes that wasn't just a reflection of the light.
"Tomorrow we'll try other notes. I still need to figure out how to teach you properly," Thalya murmured, her voice close to Seina's ear.
Seina laughed, light and real. In that moment, in that quiet house, with the echo of a single piano note lingering in the air and the scent of hot chocolate around them, she knew that this was the first of many nights she would want to relive forever.