The next morning, the sun had barely peeked over the horizon when Reiko was getting ready to leave. She was putting her backpack on, and was about to head out, when Kai came running to her hut.
"Reiko! There you are..!"
"Kai, what are you doing here so early?" Reiko was surprised to see her, especially since they had already said their goodbyes the previous night.
"I heard that you were planning to leave first thing in the morning, and I wanted to say goodbye properly." Kai gave her a hug.
"Thank you, Kai. That means a lot."
"Just, promise me that you'll come back. Promise me, alright?"
"I'll try."
"No, you have to! If you don't, I'm coming after you!"
Reiko couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, I promise."
"Good." Kai let go of her, and smiled behind her mask. "Uhm... there's one more thing I should probably mention..." She said, sounding suddenly rather sheepish.
"What is it?" Reiko gave her friend a confused frown before putting her own mask on.
"Hmm... Well... Ugh, nevermind, you'll find out soon enough."
"Okay, if you say so." Reiko decided not to ask her about it, and instead, she stepped outside, heading towards the village gates. "Well, I'll be going, then. Thanks again, Kai."
"Don't mention it. Stay safe, okay?"
"You too."
As Reiko headed towards the village gates, her thoughts drifted towards Samickle and Kohu. Had they talked about what happened yesterday? Or were they still giving each other the silent treatment? She didn't even know if she should go and try to talk to them before her departure, or if she should just sneak out without saying anything. The latter option sounded easier, and it would save her a lot of stress. Confronting Samickle after their argument was the last thing she wanted to do, and she would rather avoid Kohu altogether. But, her feet felt heavier and heavier as she approached the gates.
"Oh, shoot, what should I do..?" She groaned quietly, stopping at the gate. She couldn't stop thinking how upset Samickle had been, and she wanted to at least try to make amends with him before she left. He might not want to listen, but she had to at least try. She had to explain everything to him, and she had to apologise. With a heavy heart, Reiko turned around, about to start walking towards the village... but stopped as soon as she did.
It was Samickle, standing in the middle of the path. For a short moment, they just stared at each other, and Reiko's mind went completely blank.
"S-Samickle..?" She blinked, not quite believing her eyes.
Samickle turned his gaze down, the movement of his chest and shoulders showing that he was taking a deep breath. When he looked up again, his expression was serious, and his eyes held a certain determination.
"So... You're really going?" Samickle's voice was low, his tone contemplative.
"Yes. Please, I..." Reiko let out a frustrated sigh. "It's not just that I'm going out on these travels for the sake of myself, but also for the village." Her trading with the outlanders was the most valuable thing the village could get out of her stay, after all.
"I... see."
Reiko was relieved that he wasn't arguing, and instead seemed to be thinking her words through. She'd be glad if they could part on good terms, and figure out this whole marriage mess once she'd return.
"Fine, then."
Reiko's heart skipped a beat when she saw Samickle approaching her. What was he about to do? Her palms began to sweat when he made his way up to her, now standing right there, in front of her. But, the flustered look on Reiko's face was quickly replaced with confusion when Samickle walked straight past her, towards the village gates.
"Huh? Where are you-?"
"I'm coming with you. The mountain paths aren't safe for anyone to travel alone."
"W-wait, are you serious?!" Reiko's jaw dropped.
"Unless you don't want me to?" Samickle looked back at her.
"I-it's not that..! B-but, what about your responsibilities, aren't you needed here in the village?" At this point, Reiko was almost blabbering. "You can't just leave like that! What if something happens?"
"Spring is upon us. The wild beasts and demons aren't particularly active this time of the year." Samickle's tone was firm, and his eyes held a strange, almost wild look to them. "Besides, Kemu is still in charge, he and the warriors can handle things without me." He assured her. "The council agreed that as a future chief, it would be beneficial for me to see the outside world while I still can."
"The council agreed..?!" Reiko stared at him wide-eyed. This wasn't just any fleeting idea that had just crossed his mind— Samickle had planned for this..!
"Yes." Samickle's expression softened. "So, if you're going, then so am I."
"B-but, your duties-"
"Will be here when I return."
"Well, uh, it's not that I mind your company, but-"
"We're wasting time." Samickle cut her off, and gestured to her to follow him.
"...Right." Reiko sighed, and followed him through the gates.
She still couldn't believe that Samickle was willing to put so much on the line, just for her. Maybe the rumours had been right after all, and he really did have feelings for her..? She shook her head, pushing the thought out of her head.
They were walking along the path that led through the forest, following the frozen river, and Reiko couldn't help but notice that Samickle's behaviour had changed somewhat. He seemed less tense, and was almost... relaxed. The way he moved was less rigid and careful, and his gaze kept wandering towards the horizon. His breathing was slow and steady, and Reiko couldn't help but stare. She had never seen Samickle so... at ease.
"Samickle, are you sure you're okay with this?" Reiko asked.
"Yes." Samickle nodded. "The snowstorms have died down, and the winter is almost over. It's a good time to venture outside."
"Right." Reiko looked down at the trail, and noticed a familiar figure. "Kohu..!" She hissed under her breath.
"What's he doing here..?" Samickle stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing.
"Oh, there you are." Kohu greeted them. "So, you really decided to leave, huh."
"Y-yeah. Listen, about the other day, I-"
"I know." Kohu interrupted her, his gaze softening. "Samickle, you've been planning this, haven't you?" Kohu turned to face Samickle. "You're going with her?"
"Yes. The mountains are a dangerous place to travel."
"Mhm." Kohu hummed, crossing his arms. "Look, Samickle, we might have our differences, but..." He took a deep breath. "I respect your decision, and wish you both luck on your journey."
"Thanks, Kohu." Reiko couldn't help but smile under her mask.
"Just make sure you're back by autumn. Or else, we'll have a serious problem on our hands." Kohu gave a meaningful look at Samickle from under his mask, his voice firm. Then, more relaxed, he turned to glance at Reiko one last time. "You two better get going. I'll be here when you get back."
Reiko felt her stomach churn when Kohu gave her a wink as he turned away to leave— Her leaving with Samickle or not, the offer was still on the table..! She just had to hope that Samickle didn't notice the wink; The beginning of their journey had been awkward enough already..!
"Alright, then. Let's get going." Samickle's voice brought her back from her thoughts.
"Ah, y-yeah." Reiko cleared her throat, and turned to look at the trail in front of them. She still couldn't believe that Samickle was going to come along. But, at the same time, she couldn't deny that his presence was somehow oddly comforting— Travelling alone could get lonely at times, and Samickle was a reliable companion, after all.
They would be spending a lot of time together. She would be lying if she said that she wasn't a little nervous about it, though, especially since the question about the proposal was still hanging in the air. But, they were on good terms now, and Reiko felt a surge of determination rise inside her— It would be interesting to get to know Samickle better. If she was to even consider his proposal, she'd have to learn more about him. She felt excited about the idea, but at the same time, a bit apprehensive.
This was it— A new chapter in her life was starting, and she couldn't wait to see where this journey would take her.