Time is passing... and the colors of your love with Yingxing are gradually fading. Yes, it was inevitable. Despite this, he continued to try to keep this love warm in his heart, hoping that the moment he found peace, it would grow inside him like a tree. The man kept it somewhere deep inside himself, where it was warmer and softer.

Previously, his workshop was a place where he would invite you with delight, show you new ideas, smile when you admired his work, and even forged an iron medallion for you. Oh, how happy he was when you proudly carried him to your heart, knowing that his picture was inside the pendant. He melted at your words, like a boy caught in his first crush, just like in his youth.

But now…

Now the forge had swallowed him whole. He didn't come home at night, and when you looked in there, you found him deeply immersed in metal and flame, as if he himself had become a part of them. Sometimes you caught yourself thinking that the pieces of metal he forged so carefully seemed more precious to him than your caresses.

And today you decided to visit him, knowing that he was there.

When you entered, you saw a familiar picture: his blond hair, stained with soot, powerful shoulders, tense in work, and those blue eyes— cold as ice. You came up behind him, slowly hugged him, pressing your cheek against his back — warm from the fire, stiff from fatigue. He turned around.

"Dear? What are you doing here?"

His voice sounded flat, but it was as if through a fog, as if his thoughts were still immersed in his drawings.

"I'm all right. I am working. Don't distract me, please."

The detached tone cut like a cold blade. You're gone. Before... before, he would drop everything as soon as you walked in. you laughed, showed you next project, and longed for your praise. Now you're standing behind him, and he won't even turn around. You tried to tell him that you haven't been able to spend much time together lately, but his voice interrupted you.

"Did you come because of something so stupid? We're not teenagers, don't be dramatic, honey."

The words burned harder than ever. He didn't even look up. You felt your throat constrict. Although, what did you expect? Now he's a different man, a callous workaholic who's only interested in his job. And yet, you couldn't let go of the possibility that there would still be an opportunity to persuade him to do something like that, but unfortunately, once again you didn't have time to finish.

The roar. Yingxing slammed his fist on the table with such force that the instruments shook.

"I asked you not to distract me with nonsense! This project can change everything — maybe they'll finally notice me in the commission!"

He had never screamed like that. You took a step back as if you'd been hit.

Yingxing thought about your words for a moment, but then he shook his head and bent over the anvil again. Because the forge is simple. The forge requires no explanation.

And — you are.