Every story has a moment where silence changes its weight.
At first, it presses down like a burden, a thing to be escaped.
But then… it begins to sound like an answer.
Qiyao's steps no longer trembled. His questions no longer hid.
He had seen the music turn its face toward him.
Now, there was no pretending — no calling it dream or curse.
The forest had chosen him.
And he, for the first time, chose to stay