After washing up, I settled into the quiet of my apartment, hands brushing over the soft folds of blankets. My eyes caught a fleeting image on the line—a glimpse of Via, leaning against him, shy yet claiming him fully.

A single thought pulsed through the feed, clear and cutting: “It seems I remain your first choice, even after all these seasons.”

I let a small, self-mocking smile curl at my lips and sent back a final thought, sharp and unyielding: “Congratulations.”