The Path Ahead
In the end, I failed to answer Yue’s question about whether to stay here instead of returning. I disappointingly went silent, leaving the girl hanging.
My mind went spinning in circles as I fell into another bout of overthinking.
I thought about plans to keep her close to me without ruining her already bright future. But none of it was plausible. They’re all impossible to accomplish.
I had no idea how long but when I got out of that state, I saw Yue’s face filled with concern for me. She’s bitterly biting her lips, most likely thinking that it’s her fault that I turned like that.
Unusually panicked, I hurriedly cleared that up, telling her what was going on in my head.
Upon hearing that, the girl giggled softly at first but it gradually transformed into a peal of laughter. Yue reached for my cheeks again and caressed them even more endearingly, her affection for me fully channeled through it.