Eland's words somewhat paralyzed Anne's thought process. There were many moments of closeness between them where Anne suddenly didn't know what to do. Although upon reconsideration, she realized that she often provoked those situations, even though it wasn't her intention. Somehow Anne always liked the way Eland treated her. She enjoyed leaning on his shoulder for a long time. Occasionally, she would bite his hand even when they were having serious conversations. Or play with Eland's fingers when their hands were intertwined.

The most frequent thing Anne did was hug Eland without permission. Sometimes, she clung tightly to him like a koala seeking protection, and fortunately, Eland never complained. Although...