Kei didn't let go of Min's hand. Instead, he guided him to sit by the small table near the back, where the lantern glow was softest. The envelope rested between them, its presence impossible to ignore.
For a long while, Kei said nothing. His thumb brushed absentmindedly against Min's knuckles, as though he was gathering strength from the quiet contact. Finally, his voice broke the silence.
"That symbol," he said slowly, "belonged to a group I was once part of."
Min's breath caught. "A group?"
Kei nodded. "Not exactly… a family, not exactly… an organization. It was something in between. Bound by shared goals, but not always by choice."
The words were vague, yet heavy. Min leaned forward. "Were they dangerous?"
Kei hesitated, his gaze lowering. "Not all of them. Some were kind. Some believed they were doing good. But others…" He trailed off, the weight in his voice saying more than the words ever could.
Min squeezed his hand tighter. "And you left."
"Yes." Kei's answer was firm, certain. "I walked away. I wanted nothing to do with their shadows anymore." His eyes lifted to Min's, steady and unwavering. "That's why I came here. To build something different. To choose my own peace."
Min's heart ached. He had always sensed that Kei carried something behind his calm, something unspoken—but hearing it aloud made it real.
"Then why now?" Min whispered. "Why would they reach out to you again?"
Kei's jaw tightened. "Because they never let go. Once you've been marked by them, you're never truly free."
Silence settled again, heavier than before. Min reached across the table, his other hand joining the first, cupping Kei's in both of his. "Then let me stand with you. If your past comes back… it won't scare me away."
For the first time that evening, Kei's lips curved into the faintest smile. It wasn't his usual calm one—it was fragile, grateful, almost human in its cracks.
"You're too stubborn for your own good," he murmured.
"And you like that," Min shot back softly, echoing their words from before.
This time, Kei didn't deny it.
To be continued...