“Song?”

  “Did I ruin his life? I did, didn’t I?”

  “Am I greedy? Missing you, is it me being greedy? I shouldn’t be. O, I had my time of happiness. I started to think that I had been happy for too long, no?”

  “I guess soon I will be completely alone. Luna. She is the last; there will be no more of Rowan’s descendants. I feel sad about it. At the same time… the last Clar, Song, could you imagine?”

  “Clar.”

  “The surname—always following me, with me. And the memory of what I did. I cannot run away, can I?”

  “I cannot.”

  “Song? I ruined Riley’s life. He died in a way so unnecessary, so accidental. He didn’t commit suicide, I know. You and Wei confirmed the reasons. I have access to the old data from that date, so I know… Song, o, but I ruined his life, didn’t I? It haunts me.”

  “… I respect your past. If you had wanted to say it, you would have. If you didn’t, it meant you weren’t ready or didn’t want to. I see the data, but I do not check it. I wanted to say it, Song, so you would know. Riley Clar was so unlucky to meet this person—the same one you were hunting.”

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  “As I said, I have not read the documents about this teacher and you. I read what was connected to Clar, and… how unfortunate.”

  “Why do I think about it?”

  “Luna’s wedding is very soon; that’s why. When we got married, a few days later, the news about Riley reached us. I cannot think about this date or weddings without thinking also about Riley.”

  “How ridiculous. Instead of thinking about our wedding, I am thinking about it. It is a haunting, my nightmare.”

  “Luna and I went to the tombs. She kept her blue robes, and mine too. I have no version of me in funeral blue robes to project; imagine that. We were lucky enough, I guess? I didn’t attend any funerals when I was alive; I didn’t have even one set of these robes. Luna had to order them for both of us. It was for her father’s funeral, and she kept it. Luna said she wanted to see her family’s tombs, so we went. We also went to visit her father’s resting place. It was meaningful.”

  “You would like Luna, I think, very much. She is truly Rowan’s descendant. You liked Rowan. My best friend, how I miss her.”

  “She is happy, Luna, I mean. I observe her; I am glad. She can live without being dependent on me. I shouldn’t complain. My being alone is well-deserved. I had a time of happiness. She didn’t; she needs to live her life.”

  “… Song? Time opens eyes.”

  “I miss you.”