They left the market road at dawn.
Later, by a riverbank:
Yujin knelt, washing dust away. Xiao crouched by the cages.
"We could free them," Yujin said.
Xiao didn't meet his gaze.
"What if they fly alone? What if the perple one falls again, like last time… and no one notices?"
Yujin stilled. Xiao wasn't just talking about birds.
"Then we keep them," Yujin replied. "Together. Not as prisoners — as companions."
Xiao nodded. He tore his red ribbon in two. One half tied to the gray bird's cage.
"I'll name him Zhen," he whispered. "The perple one… Yun."
He glanced at Yujin.
"The white… Wang. The red… Wei."
By the fire
"Do you always do this?" Yujin asked.
"Grab too hard?" Xiao said. "Yes."
Later, half-asleep:
"If you fly away… take me with you."
Yujin didn't answer. But his hand stayed curled against Xiao's wrist till morning.