Remembrance
"You don't have to pretend to smile." Refia jumped, wiping the tears from her eyes and spinning around to the source of the voice. To her surprise, it was Arc who had chased after her this time, and he offered her a sympathetic smile as he approached her.
"I-I'm not pretending," she stuttered, turning around again to face the edge of the cliff, savoring the feeling of the cool air on her cheeks and through her hair, the damp spots on her face tingling.
Arc sighed. "Refia, we all know that you're hurting. It's normal for you to be hurting. And it... it upsets us when you hide it and swallow it. We can see it in your eyes." Refia's mouth felt glued shut, and her eyes lowered. So that's what it was about. "Luneth is especially worried," Arc said softly.
"I said I'm okay," Refia stated, turning to face him and putting on her bravest face. "I mean, it's not like he was even with us for that long! Besides, he's probably... fine, off laughing somewhere..." her voice cracked slightly and she bit her lip to keep it from trembling. Stupid girl, you're supposed to be strong! Where's that fight in you? When did you become some trembling wimp?
Arc enclosed her in a brief hug, extending her at an arm's length after. "You can let it out," he said.
"I can't," she protested. "I can't – I'm not... I'm supposed to be strong..."
"Suffocating your emotions is not strong," Arc responded. "You have to face them and embrace them. They make you who you are. Crying doesn't make you weak, Refia. It makes you human."
Refia couldn't stop the tears after Arc spoke, shivering and hiccupping and she cried for her – their loss. "I'm sorry, Desch... I'm so sorry..."