"You don’t... despise me..."

His voice was very faint.

Hannah didn’t hear him clearly, and she didn’t want to ask again.

It was very cold outside.

"I’m going home now."

She tugged at her cloak.

Snowflakes had settled on her cloak, a gentle shake could send many of them falling.

She shook her head again before turning to continue walking forward.

The snow had piled up deeply, in the deepest parts it nearly could have buried Hannah whole.

But she remembered the way, to and fro it was just a straight line, the snow under her feet wasn’t too thick. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Archer stood still for a while, then followed in Hannah’s footsteps.

She walked ahead, and he stepped into her footprints behind her.

Like a gaunt, abandoned wild wolf with nowhere to go.

"Why are you still following me?" Hannah turned around, her eyebrows furrowed, looking very displeased.

Archer said, "I’m very hungry."

Hannah raised her hand to rub her own nose, which had been reddened by the cold, half of her face hidden in the fluffy scarf; her voice was muffled. "Do you see me as food?"

Archer shook his head, "No."

He wasn’t like those people, even starving, he had his own bottom line.

It was the only thing that could prove he was still living like a person.

Hannah raised her hand again, "Or do you want to eat my lantern?"

The light in the lantern flickered, just a small flame, but still warm.

It was unreachable in the bitter winter.

"I’m not..." Archer’s lips were quivering, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.

He didn’t dare to approach, fearing that the flame would disappear.

Hannah kept on speaking to him as if she was annoyed, "This is a lantern, not a pumpkin, pumpkins can be eaten, but lanterns cannot be eaten, you know. There’s only a candle inside the lantern, eating it would upset your stomach."

Like a child telling a story, she repeated herself over and over in the simplest way possible.

Archer was too cold to speak, his eyelashes covered with snowflakes.

He wanted to ask Hannah if she could take him home too.

Just like she did for the boy named Archer.

"Archer is waiting for me; I must go back now," Hannah said.

The thought that had just risen in his mind was shattered.

He couldn’t speak; there seemed to be malice in his light brown pupils.

But it was mostly jealousy.

"Forget it, I’ll give you the lantern," Hannah extended her hand, her small face full of reluctance, "But remember, you can’t eat the lantern."

It was something that Archer had spent a week making.

But it was okay, there was another one at home.

Or... should she just forget it?

There were many little people in her mind, fighting among themselves; Hannah was struggling, her eyebrows twisted together.

Just as she was about to retract her hand, Archer had already taken the lantern.

His movement was quick, as if he were snatching it from someone.

Now there could be no second thoughts.

Hannah scratched her own empty hand, pouting, "Fine, I’m very generous, if I said I’d give it to you then it’s yours."

She turned aside, still looking at the lantern in Archer’s arms.

She said awkwardly, "You must take good care of it; you can’t eat it, okay?"

This was the first time Archer felt warmth on his journey of exile.

The tips of his fingers felt the heat of the candle, his chest was also scorching hot.

"I will take good care of it."

Archer’s voice was hoarsely unclear, yet still firm.

His gaze remained on Hannah’s face, as if he was making a vow.

Hannah didn’t notice, just patting the snowflakes off her body, "I really am going home now."

For sure, Archer was already anxiously waiting.

Archer nodded.