Papers were littered across the coffee table Anna was slumped on as she ignored the ticking of the clock. Some contained poems while some contained simple pros and cons. There were scratches and illegible writing all over—proof of the headache coursing through her veins.

Despite doing her best, Anna couldn't fully shut down the destructive grumbling and self-loathing. Deep down, she knew and understood completely where Elsa was coming from. She was even proud of her for reaching a decision. And yet... she couldn't accept it. How unfair was that? Elsa would be spending time with her parents without any distraction from anyone outside their family. Within that time frame, things would progress for the better. It would work out for her, surely.

The only con Anna could come up with... was that they would be separated.

Elsa said that maybe Anna needed this too. Needed what? The distance? Did that mean Elsa was getting overwhelmed? Was Anna being too clingy? She would try to lessen it if it meant making Elsa stay. She had said it back at the apartment, and she had meant it too.

She crumpled a piece of paper.

That's not going to change anything.

Grumbling to herself for the tenth time in the last five minutes, Anna rubbed both of her temples. She really needed to get her head straight. It was difficult to imagine a life without Elsa anymore. For almost an entire year, they went through so much together. From fighting to friends, until these feelings blossomed. Did Elsa feel the same way? Anna chuckled. They never had the chance to talk about them anymore. Would they even get the chance to? What if Elsa leaving was her way of rejecting her?

[I want you to love yourself, Anna.]

Anna groaned, releasing the crumpled paper from her icy grip. She leaned her forehead against her arm, blocking away the lights and embracing the darkness. It hurt. Badly. Every time she would imagine smiling and telling Elsa that she would be okay, she felt like throwing up.

Ever since Vanessa's confession the other day, she had been in a constant state of confusion. Relief had made its way inside her chest, sure, but it was... small. All this time, she had wanted answers. And when the answer was finally given to her, Anna couldn't even tell if she was glad or if she found herself in a situation much worse than before. It was like a joke. A massive prank that was thrown her way, and she didn't find it funny one bit.

Why did this happen?

She had the answer now, but was it already too late?

Anna used to believe that everything happened for a reason. That her struggles would bear fruit someday as long as she tried hard enough. But constantly being pushed away and insulted these past few years by the girl she had thought was her best friend had already sapped away her optimism.

Promises, words... These were things people could say even without meaning them.

No matter how many times people tried to reassure her that it was only for the summer, she couldn't bring herself to believe it until she could see Elsa again actually back. It was an endless cycle of worry; one Anna had been constantly wrapped in since she was young. How does one move on from that?

"Anna?" Ariel called from her slumped position on the sofa. "Mars said Elsa's going to their house with Olaf to help organize their things. I think I'm going to help. Do you want to come?"

Anna snuggled closer to the table, burying her face deeper in her arm. She heard the sofa move and felt a presence by her side.

"Hey, come on. Let's go," Ariel prodded. Anna shook her head resolutely and brought her arms closer to herself. "Anna, Elsa will be leaving soon. Do you want to waste this time moping around? Don't you want to spend as much time with her before she leaves?"

Anna flinched.

Ariel knelt beside her on the floor. "You and I know you're going to regret this if you don't come. I'm sure she wants to spend time with us, too."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I spoke with her about it. She wants to stay here, Anna, for you. But things are not that simple." Ariel glanced at the table and picked up a paper where a list of pros was written. "Come on, it's not like you'll never see her again. I left you once, but I'm here now, aren't I? You also see Vanessa a lot in school."

"That's... That's different."

Ariel set the paper back on the table and faced the sulking redhead. "It's only for two months. Take this time to look at the world around you. Don't let it revolve around Elsa."

Anna frowned. "It's not."

"Anna."

Anna sighed and sat upright. "Ariel, I know it's not always about me. I know she still needs to work through some things with her parents. I don't want to stop her from doing whatever it is she needs to do. I'm just... also very good at thinking that if people leave, they'll never come back. That the real reason they're leaving is that they got tired of me, or they'll get mad at me for being selfish if I ask them to stay. Even though I also know, deep down, that it's not always like that."

Ariel paused at that, contemplating for a moment before sitting gracefully by her side. "Shouldn't you know her better by now? This is Elsa we are talking about here."

Surprisingly, the statement brought a smile to Anna's lips. Elsa had always been true to her words. Anna knew this, of course. It was simply this nagging fear that had grown overtime that was making her have these irrational thoughts. Perhaps she will never truly be able to trust someone fully ever again. It was a sad notion, that was for sure, but maybe, just maybe, if it was for the person that tried to challenge all of her worries, she could push herself until she could no longer breathe.

"For her, huh...?"

"Hm? What?" Ariel asked as she stopped fixing up her hat.

Anna shook her head. "Nothing." She breathed deeply and gathered all the papers on the table, arranging them according to sizes. "I'll go with you."

Olaf shoved a huge box to the corner and removed the dust from his hands. "That's the last of 'em."

Elsa wiped her forehead. They had worked up quite a sweat after packing her stuff. The stinging coldness of the winter was long gone and the last of the snow had already melted away; a testament to how close they were to the fated day.

Olaf had been helping Elsa pack her belongings in preparation for her return to her parents' house. They had decided that since Elsa would be going back to Corona for a vacation, it would be ideal to put her things back in their house to lessen the workload during their return.

"Is everything ready?" Olaf asked.

Elsa looked around the room, eyes landing on a keyboard bag. "Yes."

"I'm gonna miss you, Elsa."

She rolled her eyes. "We'll still see each other in the studio."

"Let me have my moment." He scooped her up in a huge bear hug which she struggled to get out of. "I'm going to see you off on the big day, okay? Don't forget about me."

"Olaf, let me go! I still have a few weeks here!"

The photographer chuckled heartily before releasing her. They each carried a bag on their backs, and then Elsa picked up the keyboard bag while Olaf busied himself with a huge box. About ten minutes of struggling later, they finally reached Olaf's car and dumped the items inside.

"Is everything okay with Anna?" Olaf asked as he began to drive. "She was crying the other day."

"I... am not sure, actually." Elsa leaned against the window and stared at the flowers growing on the side of the streets. "I feel bad about this."

"But you're not going to change your mind. You wouldn't decide on something unless you've really thought it over."

"No, I won't," she agreed. "It just... feels bad."

"I'll be here to look out for her. Mars, Ariel, Rapz, and Senya will be here too. Even Dad! We'll make sure she doesn't get lonely."

A tiny smile curled on her lips. "Thanks."

"Since we're on the subject, let me ask you something."

"Yeah?"

"I know you care about her, but exactly in what way?" The photographer gave her a sideways glance. "I'm curious, is all. We tease you all the time, but what exactly are you two?"

A fair question.

Elsa stared outside the window once again, deeply aware of how her cousin was still looking at her as she mulled over a response. She had evaluated her feelings a long time ago; she knew what Anna was to her. But right now, she was not ready for a commitment. It was also a given that Anna was not ready, too.

Love or attachment.

Had Anna found the answer? If Elsa asked again, would she hear the truth in Anna's voice? Would her words match the emotions in her eyes? Because Elsa was certain of her own feelings. What about Anna?

"I do like her. More than a friend, in fact. And I think... she would do better without me for now."

"And why is that?"

"She's going through something and... I know she needs me," she admitted. "But I'm not okay yet, Olaf. I don't think I can handle being depended on so passionately right now. Being the basis for her decisions all the time is a little unnerving, scary, and... sad. For once, even if it's selfish, I want to think about myself first. I'm hoping she would do the same for herself. You know, think about herself for once? Maybe this distance will do her some good, too."

Olaf pulled over by the pavement right across her parents' house. They stayed silent, letting her words linger in the air until Olaf laughed silently. "I don't think there's anything wrong with that."

"Really?"

"You've always wanted to have a better connection with your parents, Elsa. It took a while, but now things are starting to look up in a much better form than before. Besides, you've reached a compromise with them. Anna's just gonna have to deal with that. And I know she will." His tiny grin softened. With a finger tapping lightly on the wheel, he asked, "Does it hurt?" Elsa's face dropped, and then without a second thought, she nodded. "Good. It's supposed to. That means it's real."

"You think?"

"I know. Don't worry, okay? You weren't the only friend she gained for the past year. We'll make sure she'll do just fine without you." His words gave Elsa pause. She stared at him dumbly until a giggle escapes her lips. "What?"

"Nothing. I just remember Ariel saying something similar."

"Well, what do you know? See? You have all of us here to keep her company! She'll be okay."

"I hope so," she whispered, smiling at her cousin. "Thank you."

Elsa stepped out of the car and rang the doorbell before going back to get some bags. Marshall opened the gates and rushed to help out, assisting Olaf with a huge box. Leaving the guys to lift the heavy objects, Elsa went on ahead.

Ariel gasped, watching the guys struggle. "Did you pack the entire apartment in there?"

"Olaf didn't want to take roundtrips," Elsa explained, wincing when her brother and cousin nearly tripped. "I see you're getting used to visiting us."

"I can't miss this," Ariel said. "I won't see you for two months. It's my and Anna's last summer vacation as high school students and we won't even be spending it with a complete group."

"Aren't you going to be busy anyway?"

"It's not like Anna and I will be studying the entire time." Ariel cupped her chin. "Wait, isn't the lantern festival in Corona during summer? Can we visit then?"

Elsa tilted her head. "Uh, sure? I don't see why not."

"Great! I'll tell Anna." Ariel grabbed her phone and tapped something away.

Elsa dropped the keyboard bag on the side, away from the walkway to avoid any unfortunate accidents, and looked around the living room.

"Rest for a bit, okay?" Ariel said, tucking the phone inside her pocket. "I'll help your mother out in the kitchen."

As soon as Ariel left for the kitchen, Elsa released a lengthy sigh. She adjusted the bag on her shoulders and picked up the keyboard once again. With a soft grunt, she fought her way up the stairs. Once she reached the top, she placed the keyboard down and collected her breath. Her hold on the handle of the bag loosened as she took in the sight before her. She had visited this house multiple times, but now that she was there to drop her things off, her heart kept making somersaults.

It made her feel excited and nervous.

Hopeful.

That maybe this time, it will finally work out for them. Maybe this time, things will work out for the better.

"It has to," she murmured, grabbing the handle once again and dragging herself to her room. She reached for the knob and opened the door, freezing midway. "Anna?"

The redhead jolted, sending the movie cases on her grip flying in the air. She cringed and tried to capture every single one, missing three that fell on the floor and one that bumped her on the head. "Oh crap! Your movies!" she spluttered, scrambling to gather the ones on the floor.

"Nevermind that! Are you okay?!" Elsa dropped the bag by the door and rushed to the redhead's side.

"Sorry, I was just looking at them and I- I was wondering if these were yours or Cindys. Wait, no, that doesn't sound right. I mean—"

Elsa pressed a hand against Anna's shoulder, sighing inwardly as Anna stopped rambling. "It's okay. They're just movies," she assured. "Did you find anything you like?"

"Huh? Oh, uh... I've seen most of them, I think."

She nodded. "I didn't know you were here."

"Ariel, she... wanted me to come." Anna bit her lip and toyed around with the cases of the movies. "I also wanted to. Is it okay?"

"Of course." Elsa picked up the bags by the door and placed them beside her desk. "I'm going to unpack some of these. Care to lend me a hand?"

"Sure." Anna placed the cases back inside the drawer below Elsa's bed. "That keyboard..."

Elsa paused, glancing at Anna who was staring at the instrument's case. "Oh, this is Sen's old one. She gave it to me. It was already at the apartment when you visited that day, but I think you didn't notice."

"Oh." Anna licked her dry lips. "How's... How's your progress? Can you play something again?"

"Kind of." She stared at her hands and then back at the keyboard. "I'm getting there. Just a little more and I feel like I'll be able to." When Anna did not say anything, Elsa looked at her again. "Anna?"

"Do you want to play again?"

Anna was staring intensely at the instrument, seemingly lost in thought even as she asked the question. Elsa observed her quietly. "I do."

A sigh escaped the redhead's lips. "Then I will do my best to support you."

"Anna—"

"You're going to come back, right? I'm not pushing you away?" Anna asked, and Elsa nodded. She pursed her lips and glanced at the instrument again. "Then it's okay. I... can't say I believe you right now, but I'm going to try. I will. So please... do your best."

Elsa's heart leaped to her throat as Anna looked at her resolutely. At first glance, one would think Anna was glaring at her, but Elsa knew better. The discomfort in those furrowed brows and trembling lips; the little dots of sweat pooling on the side of her face; the pain and the fear that shone within those bright eyes, fought for with an equal amount of determination.

A subtle smile tugged at her lips.

She's trying.

"I promise."

The ceremony ended with little to no mishap. Elsa was outside the venue with her parents, waiting for Marshall. One by one, the graduates stepped out and joined their families. Among them, Elsa noticed one particular graduate who went to talk to a lady and a little girl. She tilted her head, working her brain for any clue as to who the lady and the kid were because they somehow looked familiar.

Before she could remember, her eyes snapped to the brunette graduate and caught her staring. Blinking twice, Elsa cleared her throat and addressed her parents. "Mom, Dad, I'll be back."

"Hm? Okay. Don't go far now," her mother said.

Elsa excused herself and walked over to where Vanessa, the lady, and the child were. The closer she reached them, the more she recognized them as the people she had seen with Vanessa at the mall—Ahn and Chelsea.

"Oh, it's Elsa, right?" Elsa nodded. "It's nice to see you again!"

"It's nice to see you, too," Elsa said, and then she faced the brunette.

Ahn shifted her gaze between the two. "Well then! We'll be waiting for you at the parking lot, Van. We'll leave you two alone."

"Ah, wait. There's no need to," Vanessa hurriedly said.

"Nonsense! We're going to celebrate your graduation, and that's final!"

"Final!" Chelsea parroted, raising her fist in the air.

Ahn giggled and grabbed her daughter's hand, leading the way to the parking lot and leaving Vanessa alone in Elsa's company. Vanessa exhaled deeply and faced the blonde. "Where's your brother?"

"I don't know. He's still inside, I think. How are you?" Elsa asked, shrugging when the brunette raised an eyebrow. "You look like a weight was lifted off your shoulders."

"Huh..." Vanessa shook her head. "You really are strange. Haven't you heard from Anna?"

"About why you really pushed her away?" Elsa smiled sadly as the brunette narrowed her eyes. "It's all in the past, isn't it? Unless you still like her that way?"

Vanessa did not say anything. Elsa's heart did a particular leap, thudding ceaselessly as she tried to figure out what this silence meant. She grasped on her elbow and pulled it closer to her body.

"I left my home."

Elsa's head snapped upward. "What?"

Vanessa folded her arms over her chest and glanced sideways. "My parents found out Anna talked to me that day. I told them what happened and it just happened." She chuckled darkly, shaking her head. "But that's kinda expected."

"They disowned you?"

"More like I threw myself out before they can."

"But why? It's not like you and Anna are going out. Do you... Do you still like her?"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that we disagreed on something, and they weren't backing down. That's it."

"Van..."

The brunette huffed, facing Elsa fully as a subtle smile crossed her lips. "I'm fine, Elsa. Seriously. Don't give me that look. I'm eighteen now. I can look after myself." Elsa frowned, ready to protest until Vanessa asked, "How're things with Anna? Have you told her?"

Elsa's breath hitched. She averted her gaze and looked back at the entrance, silently watching her parents have a casual talk with Rapunzel. A couple of beats passed before she gave a stiff nod.

"How did she take it?" was Vanessa's follow-up question. Elsa's face fell. "That bad, huh?"

"She's trying."

"For sure." Vanessa straightened her back as soon as Ariel and Anna joined Elsa's parents and Rapunzel by the entrance. "I'll excuse myself here."

"Wait," Elsa called before the brunette could slip away. "Uhm... Good luck out there."

Vanessa snorted and rolled her eyes. "Who do you think you're talking to?"

Despite the sassy remark, Elsa couldn't help grinning. Vanessa smirked and stuck her nose out before going on her way, only to be stopped by another yell. "Hey! Where the hell are you going?!" The people around the area jumped and turned their heads towards the direction of the voice. "I haven't congratulated you yet!" Rapunzel continued.

Vanessa gaped, blinking twice until she realized the statement was directed to her. "Uh, thanks, I guess."

Rapunzel huffed and nodded like a child. Vanessa scratched her head and excused herself again to the parking lot. Marshall soon stepped out of the building and was quickly surrounded by everyone bombarding him with greetings and congratulations, save for Anna who remained standing a few feet away.

Elsa approached her. "Are you okay?"

Anna jumped. "Huh? Oh. Yeah."

"Mars!" King greeted, grabbing everyone's attention. Marshall was holding his cap and bowing as a butler would to his mistress. "Look at you! That's my boy!" said their father as he ruffled Marshall's hair.

"I'm proud of you, Mars," Queenie said.

Everyone who congratulated him gave him a hug, except for Ariel who gave him a kiss. Seeing them like this made Elsa realize how much things had changed since her first day in this school. To think her brother used to bully his girlfriend. It was a mutual agreement between the siblings and the cousins to keep that information within their group. There were no hard feelings for anyone, and letting their parents know would simply cause an unnecessary conflict.

"Congrats, Mars." Elsa gasped when Marshall pulled her into a tight hug.

"Thank you, Chelsea," he whispered.

"Hey, don't go mushy on me." Elsa slapped his upper arm half-heartedly, causing him to laugh. "I'm stuck with you forever. If anything, do that with Ariel."

"Oh, we're fine! We've already had an agreement of some sort." Ariel shared a meaningful glance with her boyfriend.

"I'm going to start the car. Olaf and the others are waiting in that restaurant you said you've wanted to try before," their father said, laughing when Marshall's eyes widened.

Marshall pumped his fist in the air. "Alright!"

"Follow along, you kids. The food won't wait forever." Queenie raised a warning finger, and they nodded in agreement.

As her parents went to the parking lot, Elsa glanced around again, taking in some familiar faces wearing their graduation dresses. Aladdin was among them, waving his cap in the air as he ran towards their group. "Mars, dude! We did it!"

They shared an odd handshake. "Damn right we did!"

"Sorry, I can't stay long and chat. My folks are here and, you know..." Aladdin gestured to an old couple talking to Jasmine.

Marshall scoffed. "Get your girl, Al."

"Shut up." Aladdin shook his head and glanced at Elsa and the girls. "Good luck to you ladies next year. I hope you get to enjoy it this time. I'm sorry again for everything."

"We've already forgiven you, Al," Ariel promised.

The dark-skinned graduate looked at Anna and Rapunzel as if he wanted to make sure they really did. Both girls merely shrugged. Seeing this, Elsa stepped in. "Congratulations, Aladdin," she said sincerely. Aladdin nodded and bid his farewells before joining the old couple and Jasmine. The group watched them for a few minutes before Elsa and Marshall shared a fleeting glance.

"So how exactly are you two going to manage?" she asked, capturing everyone's attention.

"Elsa, I'm just going to university. We can still see each other," answered her brother.

"The only difference is that we won't be going to the same school," Ariel added.

"Yeah." Marshall shrugged, and then he frowned. "But if someone happens to have their eye on her, I'd prefer if you tell me right away."

Ariel blushed and swatted Marshall on the arm.

"Uhh... I'll think about it," Elsa murmured. "Anyway, we should probably go."

The group agreed and they made their way to the parking lot. Along the way, some other graduates stopped to greet Marshall and vice versa. Ariel never left his side during each exchange. It was also during these greetings that Elsa noticed that Anna was walking slower than the rest of them. Rapunzel gave her a look, nudging her head in the silent redhead's direction.

When one particular group greeted Marshall again, Elsa inhaled deeply and turned around to face Anna. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Anna snapped her head upward, eyes wide and unblinking. Elsa cocked her head, watching as Anna glanced around the scene. Realization slowly dawned on her face and then she licked her lips and faced Elsa once again. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

"I noticed."

"It's nothing important," Anna insisted, waving a hand and gesturing for Elsa to continue walking.

Elsa tugged that same hand, stopping her. They watched as Marshall, Ariel, and Rapunzel slowly left them behind, unaware that they were no longer being followed. "You've been quiet the entire time. If something is bothering you, you can tell me."

Throat bobbing, Anna's arm fell slack against Elsa's hold. They were standing by the entrance to the parking lot, the cars slowly leaving one by one as people went to their respective after-parties. The silence continued on and Elsa was almost certain Anna would keep quiet. She was about to ask again when she heard a small sigh.

"I was thinking about the next school year."

Ideas spun around Elsa's head, about the possible situation Anna could be thinking about. Gently, she released the redhead's wrist and asked, "What about it?"

Anna stared at her quietly until a sad smile settled on her lips. "I wish you wouldn't ask me that," Anna said before Elsa could say anything else. "I don't really want to talk about it anymore."

Elsa stared at Anna intently, pressing her lips together as the redhead avoided her gaze. The uncertainty was plainly written on her face. Elsa wanted her to say them out loud if only to put an end to those swirling thoughts she knew were in there. But she also knew old habits were hard to break.

"Anna." Elsa smiled softly as Anna shyly peered at her through her lashes. "When I get back, will you show me around? I haven't seen much of Arendelle even though I've been here for almost a year. I'll show you more of Corona, too, if you visit us for the lantern festival."

Anna blinked, her mouth hung agape as she looked at Elsa owlishly. It wasn't much; maybe it wouldn't even help at all. Whether or not Anna would believe her was something she held no control over. Elsa wanted to help Anna trust again, both in herself and in someone else, but she could only do so much on her own especially when she was also fighting her own battles. The one thing she could promise—even if only to herself—was that she would always be there to support Anna even if they were to be apart.

"Okay."

So yeah. Next chapter will be the last and then there will be an epilogue after that.