The next morning, I woke up on the couch, sitting in front of the screen on standby and with Anna hugging my body and asleep on top of me.

The day before had been a peaceful couch and blanket day that I had the good fortune to share with her. More and more accommodated, closer and closer, more and more intertwined... I don't remember the end of the series, nor do I remember falling asleep, but I remember clearly how Anna raised her legs over mine with a shy smile and rested her head on my shoulder. I remember her funny comments about something so little potentially comediable, I remember feeling her laughter vibrating on my body, I remember the smell of vanilla on her hair just under my nose, and I remember the delicate caresses that the tips of her fingers were leaving on my forearm. I don't remember holding her against my body, or resting my head on hers, or placing my hand on her cheek. And yet, there I found myself, doing all that and not daring to move a muscle in order to live in that moment for as long as life allowed.

Little by little, the morning passed, and finally, Anna began to stretch on me. Without saying a word, she looked up and beamed at me with that enveloping sweetness that bathed her when she was just getting up. I understood it at that moment: Elsa was right. I wanted her for me. I wanted her with me forever. And as much as the idea scared me, I didn't want her to cover my lack of love. Of course, I wanted her love; I craved it to a terrifying point, but what I wanted her for was to give her mine. I wanted to see her smile, I wanted to make her happy. I wanted to hold her at night and always know that I would be there for her. I wanted to see her wake up every day, feed that little body, and make her laugh out loud.

"Is it daylight already?" she asked rubbing her eyes.

"It seems so," I said smiling at that image.

"So, after a whole day of volcanoes… have we missed the end?! Come on…!"

I burst out laughing and she laughed with me. That sound was the most beautiful song this planet had ever heard.

"Have you enjoyed it at least?" she asked getting up from my legs and stretching shamelessly before me.

"A lot."

"Glad to hear it. And has it taught you something you didn't know?"

"More than what I expected, in fact."

"Really?"

"Yes, it was eye-opening."

"Don't tell me you're going to become a volcanologist."

"I'd like to try it, yes."

"I thought you liked things that were predictable and stable."

"Well, yeah."

"Well, volcanoes don't seem like that at all."

"No, they're not."

"And, then?"

A sincere smile crossed my face from ear to ear.

"I guess I can make an exception."

It didn't take long for Elsa to appear there, accompanied by an impeccable smile.

"Did you sleep well?"

'Better than ever.'

"Uh… yeah," I answered fleeing from her mocking gaze.

"Better than ever," Anna replied, crossing a fleeting and meaningful look with me.

"I can tell…" Elsa said as she went to the kitchen. "And well, Kristoff? How are you feeling today?"

"Perfectly," I said following her to help with breakfast.

"Are you still thinking of leaving?"

I had forgotten. I had to leave. As much as my feelings had been clarified, this was not my home and I no longer had an excuse to be there.

"Errr… Yeah, sure."

I looked around for Anna and found her behind me, frozen in place.

"Are you gonna leave?" she asked in a thin voice.

"I have to go."

Guilt began to eat me up inside, but… what else could I do? Nor is it that there was something between us.

"Fine…"

For some reason, deep down, I expected her to try to stop me, but she didn't; she just lowered her head and set the table in silence.

"Today is Holy Innocents' day," Elsa whispered close to my ear. "you're still in time to take it back."

"You know I can't."

'But I wish I could find just one excuse to stay.'

"Okay. It's up to you. But remember that you are always welcome in this house."

"Thank you…"

Elsa patted me on the back and went about her business.

That breakfast was the quietest and most awkward I had ever been to. Even living alone, the lack of sound did not become so overwhelming. And after that, with no luggage to pack, I just had to get out.

The sisters walked me to the car and, after checking that, miraculously, it was still working, Anna handed me a paper bag that I hesitantly took.

"This is…"

"Your boxers."

"Ah, oh… right. Thank you and… sorry."

"Quite the opposite, thank you," said Anna waving her hand dismissively. "You've been a great help and… it's been fun."

"Even so."

"Come on, blonde," Elsa said pushing me toward the car. "If you are going to leave, do it once and for all."

It was clear, she was as bad at goodbyes as I was.

" ´kay… see ya."

I leaned into the car ready to get into the driver's seat when Anna lunged at my back with the force of a wrecking ball.

"Come back sometime, okay?" she said muffling her voice on my back as her arms squeezed my ribs.

Turning around was not an option; It would have made everything much more complicated; so I just stroked her hands with mine until the grip loosened and then got into the car.

"Take care, you two."

They both nodded and I started the car and left there and, as if I was moving away from happiness forever, as if I was abandoning my family, as if I was going to the other side of the world to never come back, a sea of tears ran down my cheeks soaking those clothes that I was desperate to finally take off, and blurring my vision as if reminding me that I was heading for a future that I could not see.