The sun had begun its slow descent, casting a golden hue over the quiet village. Ban Shu Li and Sui Inyi walked side by side, their steps in sync, as if years of companionship had trained them to match each other's rhythm.
The air between them was quiet, but it wasn't the suffocating silence of grief. It was something softer, something familiar. Shu Li's face was still shadowed with sorrow, but his breathing had steadied, his hands no longer clenched into fists.
Sui Inyi noticed. She always noticed.
"Hey," she nudged him with her elbow, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "Do you remember the time we tried to steal those peaches from Old Man Bai's garden?"
For the first time in days, a flicker of something crossed Shu Li's face—annoyance mixed with reluctant amusement.
"You mean the time you forced me to be your lookout while you did all the stealing?" he muttered.
Sui Inyi gasped dramatically, placing a hand on her chest. "Forced you? Shu Li, I distinctly remember you being the one who said, 'I bet we can get at least ten peaches without getting caught.'"
His lips twitched. "Yeah, and we got caught."
Sui Inyi grinned. "Because someone—" she poked his arm, "—tripped over a basket and knocked over the whole stack of firewood!"
Shu Li groaned, rubbing his forehead. "That stupid basket was in the wrong place."
"It was literally right in front of you."
"Still the wrong place."
She laughed, a bright, carefree sound that made the weight on his chest feel a little lighter. "You should've seen your face when Old Man Bai came running after us. I swear, you looked like you were about to cry!"
"I was not about to cry," he shot back, glaring at her.
"You totally were!"
Shu Li shook his head, but he didn't argue. He could still remember that day so vividly—the adrenaline, the panic, the way Sui Inyi had grabbed his hand and yanked him forward as they ran for their lives, laughing even as they stumbled through the dirt roads.
"You were worse," he said after a moment, smirking. "You dropped half the peaches while running."
Her eyes widened in mock offense. "I was carrying both of our shares! And besides, we still got away with three. That's a win in my book."
Shu Li let out a short breath—it wasn't quite a laugh, but it was close. Sui Inyi caught it and smiled.
For a while, they walked in silence again, but it wasn't heavy this time. It was the kind of silence that came after laughter, the kind that made old memories feel alive again.
Then, Sui Inyi nudged him again, her voice softer this time. "We had a lot of good times, huh?"
Shu Li glanced at her. Her face was calm, but there was something behind her eyes—something unspoken. He knew what she meant.
Their childhood had been simple, full of reckless adventures and stolen moments of joy. But now, things had changed. His mother was gone. The world suddenly felt bigger, harsher.
Still…
"Yeah," he said, looking forward. "We did."
Sui Inyi smiled. "And we'll have more."
This time, he didn't doubt her.