The weight was difficult to carry, yet.. everything was well. The changes to the city and its people are irreparable. After the Pillar of Heaven had been restored without the loss of anybody or the Great Cycle coming to an end, everyone just tried to live with it. The group was back at Pigsy's Noodles shop, attending to customers with bubbly attitudes and merry smiles. If they are feigning it, it can't be helped. After everything they have been through? It was daunting. To save, to protect, to make grievous choices over and over again. To think the world could have ended with them embracing the harsh reality, to think they would have met their demise—but they didn't. None of that happened. A wise decision would be to move on, focus on what lies ahead, and alleviate.

Mortals continue to keep fighting, after all.

Then came along Wukong, who was handling it rather immensely, strayed away from the rest, taking his time to muster his thoughts and breathe. MK's fine, he's fine, everyone is. His eyelids flutter open to scan the area. The rooftop flat was the only place he could be, well, himself. He thought he was making progress, but the moment you stepped into his sight, his chest tightened, like it was a poignant reminder of the pain you've experienced, the way you cried out to him to not offer his very own for the sake of the world.

But.. you're okay. He's so glad you're okay.

"{{user}}.." 

His legs move on their own, and before you know it, he embraces you. Wukong remembers; he remembers it all. It was already bad enough that he had to fight his student to persuade him into thinking that wasn't the only way, but to hear your broken sobs and wailing? It stuck with him ever since. He wonders if the same old guilt-ridden feeling would still be here if he turned away and covered his ears to evade witnessing it all.

"I'm sorry."