Chapter 172: Fate Brings Us Together, Fate Tears Us Apart
Lena stared at Mines, searching for a flicker of hesitation or doubt.
But Mines’s smile was unwavering, a solid wall between them.
Lena realized she had never truly known Mines, nor the secrets she held.
“Promise me, Master, take care of yourself, and Miss Angel, she’s a good girl.”
Mines gently touched Lena’s hand, leaving a faint red mark.
Her lipstick.
Not too bright, not too dull, like a delicate flower blooming by a tranquil pond.
Lena’s heart ached, a heavy feeling in her chest.
“Do you really have to leave?” she asked one last time.
“Yes.”
Mines’s answer was immediate, without hesitation, her expression unwavering.
“When are you leaving?”
“In two days, or perhaps sooner.”
“Winter is coming, remember to dress warmly.” Lena didn’t try to persuade her any further, she couldn’t hold Mines back, like an eagle soaring through the sky, answering the call of the wild.
“I’ll remember your words, Master, I will…”
Mines’s words left Lena in stunned silence.
The little dove she had picked up from the arena was leaving, the [Doves] had just been formed, Mines had promised to lead them to glory, and now, everything was gone.
Lena felt a tightness in her chest.
She pressed her hand against her heart, but the pressure wouldn’t subside.
Reluctance, longing, heartbreak, melancholy… too many emotions overwhelmed her.
After all, it was her, her Mines.
Like a feather drifting in the wind, the little dove with growing wings was leaving her warm nest, embarking on her first flight.
“Will you remember me, my Master?”
The sudden question broke Lena’s train of thought.
She turned and saw Mines standing beside her, her hand gently cupping Lena’s face, the red spider lily removed from her hair and tucked behind Lena’s ear.
Lena’s heart ached, looking at Mines’s face so close.
“Master…” Mines whispered, like a sigh, like a murmur. “Will you remember…? Please don’t forget me.”
Lena embraced the frail girl, slightly less thin than before, but still too thin.
Lena looked up at her, her eyes filled with confusion.
Mines gently stroked Lena’s hair, her touch gentle and caring.
“Whether you find me or not, Master, I’ll be waiting for you, waiting for the day you find me… Master, you know, I wish I could stay with you forever, but…”
“Don’t say anymore.”
Lena interrupted, afraid of her own resolve crumbling.
She had always been selfish, but with Mines, she had given her everything.
Reborn into this world, trusting no one, yet Mines had managed to enter her life, occupying the softest part of her heart…
This made the parting even more painful.
“I need some air.”
She couldn’t stay here any longer.
Lena opened the door and walked out, Angel standing by the wall, a cup of lukewarm tea in her hand, she had clearly been waiting, eavesdropping.
“Lena, where are you going?”
“For a walk, just a walk…”
“Be careful.”
Angel knew Lena must be hurting, because she was also hurting, unable to accept Mines’s sudden departure, they had just become friends, and now they had to say goodbye.
After Lena left, Mines stood by Lena’s desk, gently stroking its surface.
Lena’s favorite books were stacked on one side, a family photo tucked between them, taken at the concert, Angel, Ling Ling, Lena, and her…
“I can’t stay, I’ll bring disaster.”
“Why?”
Angel wanted to know, entering the study, the two of them alone, the atmosphere not as awkward as she had expected.
“Because someone won’t allow it,” Mines said with a smile.
Her words were filled with a resolute finality.
Angel could hear the sadness and helplessness in her voice. “Who? Is there any way for you to stay? I’ll help you, everyone, and Lena, we’ll all help you!”
Please don’t go.
Angel didn’t want to see Lena sad, the thought of having Lena all to herself no longer appealing.
“That person… doesn’t exist, hehe, or perhaps they do…”
Mines’s words were cryptic, her laughter weak and hollow.
“You don’t want to leave either, do you?” Angel asked.
“…”
“I know, I knew it, you must have your reasons, otherwise, you wouldn’t leave so suddenly, without warning.”
Angel paced back and forth, while Mines picked up a feather that had drifted in through the open window, carrying the warmth of the sun, the moisture of the rain, and the dust of the earth.
Three seemingly unrelated elements, yet intertwined, like threads of fate, connecting them, sharing the same sky.
“Fate brings us together, fate tears us apart. Just like a tree shedding its leaves in the wind, after winter’s slumber, new leaves sprout in spring, a cycle of renewal.”
What is meant to be, will be.
Mines simply wanted Angel to let go, to accept her departure like spilled water, easily replaced.
But Angel didn’t agree. “You want Lena to remember you, yet you speak of fate and destiny, do you think a simple ‘farewell’ can erase Lena’s feelings? She doesn’t need your well-intentioned advice, you know better than anyone what she truly needs.”
Mines paused, then chuckled softly. “So, Miss Angel, you’re willing to give up Master, so I can stay, is that it?”
“No, I won’t leave Lena, unless she tires of me, grows weary of me, stops loving me, even sends me away. Only then will I leave quietly, disappearing from her sight, without a trace. I’ll wish her happiness, and bless the lucky girl who wins her heart.”
Angel took Mines’s hand, their first handshake, yet under such circumstances, such an ending.
Mines tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear, her crimson eyes shimmering.
She was thinking.
Angel knew Mines couldn’t bear to leave.
After all, Lena’s love was everything she had ever desired.
“Where does a heartbroken Master go to clear her mind…?”
“I can take you there.”
“Thank you.”
Mines smiled, her hands clasped together.
Angel put her hands on her hips. “You’re welcome, I know Lena’s habits like the back of my hand, she can’t have gone far.”
They exchanged glances, then chuckled.
