Su Jiyai stared at Leticia for a few seconds.
She finally understood everything now.
Leticia wasn't just a scared girl running from her home. She was smart. Careful. And maybe… just a little desperate.
But Su Jiyai wasn't angry.
She let out a soft sigh and leaned back against the tree again. Her voice was gentle, but clear.
"You don't need to go back," Su Jiyai said.
Leticia's head snapped up. Her eyes grew wide.
"You… mean it?" she whispered.
Su Jiyai nodded. "I mean it. You don't have to return to that place. Not if you don't want to."
Leticia stared at her, unmoving.
Then, suddenly, her lips wobbled again, and she burst into tears.
But this time, it wasn't careful crying. It was messy. Loud. The kind where your shoulders shake, and you can't breathe right.
Su Jiyai waited, letting her cry.
Because she knew this was the real one.
The one Leticia had been holding back for too long.
