Tom stood there...
Frozen once again.
For a brief moment...
He accepted it.
Maybe...
He was always destined to be alone.
Conrad had left him.
The only person he had ever truly called family...
Was gone.
But then...
Another thought crossed his mind.
"If I let Dasha walk away..."
"I'll lose someone again."
Tom suddenly shouted.
"Dasha!"
"Wait!"
She stopped walking and slowly turned around.
"What?"
Tom scratched the back of his head.
"Actually..."
"I don't like the idea of you doing this alone."
"I mean..."
"I'm sure you could."
"But..."
"Having another pair of hands would make everything easier, right?"
"And besides..."
"I still think leaving this city is the smarter option."
"But..."
"People always say..."
"You don't leave the person who's most precious to you..."
"...alone in danger."
"So..."
"Here I am."
"I'll help you."
Dasha blinked.
"The most precious?"
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
"Don't think calling me precious is enough to make me fall for you."
"I'm not that kind of girl."
She folded her arms.
"And besides..."
"We've got a much bigger problem ahead of us."
"We're the only two people we can actually trust."
Tom gave a dramatic salute.
"Yes, ma'am."
Dasha laughed.
"So..."
"Where do we even begin?"
"I've lived here my whole life."
"And honestly..."
"I've never seen anything suspicious."
"Everything has always seemed... perfect."
Tom thought for a moment.
"Isn't there some kind of forest nearby?"
"A place where farming would actually make sense?"
Dasha nodded.
"There is."
"But nobody is allowed to enter it."
"It's been forbidden since..."
"...well..."
"...the beginning of the town."
Tom slowly smiled.
"The beginning?"
Both of them looked at each other.
Then...
At the exact same time...
They smiled.
"Of course."
Tom laughed.
"That's the place."
"How did nobody ever question it?"
Dasha nodded.
"The forest is completely covered."
"You can't even see what's inside."
"My parents were geologists."
"They wanted to explore it."
"So they secretly snuck in a few times."
She looked at Tom.
"I actually know a hidden way inside."
She stretched out her hand.
"So..."
"Are you ready?"
Tom smiled.
"I'm always ready..."
"...if it's with you."
Dasha smiled back.
The two returned to her house.
Since they had to wait until night...
They spent the entire afternoon together.
They ate.
Watched movies.
Sang karaoke.
Played board games.
And slowly...
They began learning more about each other.
Tom eventually started talking about Conrad.
About everything they had been through together.
About Thomas.
About Greenware.
About their promise.
Dasha quietly listened.
When he finished...
She gently hugged him.
"I'm sorry."
Tom smiled.
But inside his mind...
He couldn't help laughing.
"That idiot Conrad..."
"Even after abandoning me..."
"He's somehow helping me get closer to Dasha."
Time continued passing.
Night still hadn't arrived.
Trying to keep the conversation going...
Tom asked,
"So..."
"What happened to your parents?"
Dasha's smile disappeared.
"They died."
"In an accident."
"Near the forest."
"They said..."
"A wild animal escaped..."
"And attacked them."
She looked away.
"Please..."
"Don't ask me about them again."
Tom immediately nodded.
"Okay..."
"Sorry."
A few moments later...
He awkwardly changed the topic.
"So..."
"What's your type?"
"In guys, I mean."
"Any crushes?"
Dasha raised an eyebrow.
"My type?"
Tom nodded nervously.
She pretended to think very seriously.
"Hmm..."
"Someone tall."
Tom quietly looked down.
"Well..."
"I'm not THAT tall..."
"Someone athletic."
"Not necessarily muscular."
Tom smiled.
"Good."
"Someone cute."
Tom grinned even wider.
"Definitely me."
"Someone who respects me."
"Someone who believes in what I believe."
Tom's confidence kept growing.
"Still me."
Then Dasha smiled.
"But honestly..."
"Someone like Conrad."
"The way you described him..."
"He sounds incredibly dependable."
"I actually want to meet him someday."
Tom's smile instantly disappeared.
Dasha burst into laughter.
She walked over.
Lightly flicked his forehead.
Then gently shook his head.
"Don't imagine yourself every time I describe my ideal man, Tom."
She walked out of the room...
Still laughing.
Tom stood there...
Completely speechless.
"That bastard Conrad..."
"He's everywhere."
Even so...
He couldn't stop smiling.
A little while later...
Night finally arrived.
Both of them packed everything they needed.
Standing outside the house...
Dasha looked at Tom.
"If..."
"We actually succeed."
"If you really help me save this town..."
"I might..."
"...consider you."
Tom's eyes widened.
"Really?"
Dasha shrugged with a playful smile.
"Maybe."
Tom immediately jumped into the air.
"Great!"
"So..."
"Where do you want our first date to be?"
Dasha laughed so hard...
She had to hold her stomach.
"Let's survive tonight first..."
"Then we'll talk about dates."
The two smiled at each other.
Then...
Together...
They disappeared into the darkness.
Toward the forbidden forest.