Youyou was heartbroken as he tightened his arms around her.
With the last of her strength, Shanshan said to the boy, "Youyou must become braver… when I'm not around… oh!"
The boy gripped her hand tightly, his vision blurring. Gradually, Shanshan's hand slipped weakly from his palm…
There was a booming sound, as if something had exploded inside his head! He finally understood…
Then, he heard muffled footsteps coming from behind him.
The boy released Shanshan and placed her carefully onto the ground. He stood up and turned around just as the young man came up to him. The young man was a full head taller than him and had a similar face though not exactly the same, for his features were filled with malice.
The boy looked straight back at him without fear or timidity. The young man was slightly surprised to see him like this. He pressed on and came closer. "Oh? You're not running anymore?"