His lips, purple from the cold, parted as he said, "Okay."

Hannah waved at him, glancing at the pumpkin lantern in Seventeen’s arms. She pursed her lips but still revealed a smile, "Bye-bye."

She waved her hand.

Seventeen watched her departing figure and finally mustered up the courage to shout, "Can I come to see you in the future?"

Hannah did not turn back but raised her hand and waved, "You can."

*

Hannah still arrived home late.

She didn’t immediately open the door, instead, she stood at the doorway with her keys for a while.

Pacing back and forth with her hands behind her back.

The curtains were drawn, and she couldn’t see the inside clearly, only knowing that the fireplace was still lit.

Archer was still at home.

Someone nearby heard the noise, thinking it was food arriving, but upon realizing it was Hannah, they turned and ran away.

Hannah raised her hand to greet them but had to lower it again.

She sighed and turned to look at the firmly shut door.

Trying to call out in a soft voice, "Archer?"

There was no response inside.

She leaned her head against the door, turning it to the left and right in small motions.

Her hair made a soft scratching sound against the wooden door.

For some reason, she always felt a nervousness as if she had done something wrong.

"Archer."

She called out softly again.

Not waiting for a response from inside, she just felt happy saying his name.

"Archer, Archer, Archer."

She repeated it several times, and after finishing, she couldn’t help but start to laugh.

She could also have fun on her own.

Archer, leaning against the inside of the door, knew what Hannah was doing just by listening to her voice.

"Aren’t you planning to come in?"

A clean, youthful voice came from inside the door.

Hannah stopped turning her head left and right against the door, her eyes wide open.

As if she was astonished that Archer could hear her.

She shaped her hand into a little funnel against the door, whispering as if telling a secret, "Archer, you can hear me?"

Inside the house.

Archer paused for a moment before speaking again, "Yes, I can hear you."

"Then... Archer, are you angry?" she sniffled.

Outside it was very cold, the wind was blowing, and snow was falling.

Archer said he wasn’t angry, "Come in quickly."

He was worried she might catch a cold.

Hannah didn’t hurry to go inside but asked another question, "Archer, if I lock you in like I did today again in the future, will you be angry?"

She wanted to clear this up in advance.

Because such things would likely happen many more times.

Archer was silent.

He was not angry, but he also didn’t want to answer.

Or perhaps he was afraid.

After hesitating for a bit, he still said, "I won’t."

No matter whether he would or not, Hannah would lock him up just like she did today.

Sometimes he felt that Hannah really just treated him as one of her cloth dolls.

She would like them, protect them, but not treat them as a friend or someone to rely on.

She was already used to living alone.

"Archer, I’m going to open the door."

Hannah took out her keys from her pocket once again.

The door lock clicked.

Archer went back to his original position and sat down. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

When Hannah pushed the door open, he was preparing dinner for that day.

It was the mushroom soup that Hannah liked very much.

The mushrooms had just been put in not long ago, and the house was already filled with a rich scent of food.

Hannah closed the door and crouched next to Archer.

Her bright red cloak draped over the white fur carpet, the hood of the cloak still on.

Hannah herself resembled a mushroom.

"Archer, is the mushroom soup ready?"

Hannah looked eagerly at the pot of soup.

Archer turned to look at her, "First go change your clothes, and the gloves and scarf too."