"Wind, just looking won't make you any less tired."

"But if I ask Padtpa to do something that requires strength, you'll end up even more exhausted."

"I don't mind. If I help divide the work, how could Wind get more tired?"

"Wind would feel bad for not taking good care of Padtpa like she promised."

Catherine felt frustrated that she couldn't change Wayo's determination. Over the past few days, living on Atjima's private island, she hadn't done any manual labor at all—only enjoying a comfortable life between meals and rest.

Despite the lack of luxuries, the lieutenant did everything she could to take care of her, attending to every detail with quiet dedication. Before Catherine could even ask for anything, Wayo was already there, anticipating her needs.

Wayo was like a protective bodyguard, a companion who kept loneliness at bay, and a devoted helper whose care surpassed even that of Grace, whom Catherine had always trusted. For that, she felt both gratitude... and a faint sense of guilt.

"But I want to help."

"Then Padtpa can take the clothespins."

"In the future, I want to wash my own clothes. Wind can just teach me."

"No. I won't let your delicate hands get hurt doing housework."

"Then I'll end up not knowing how to do anything."

"Wind will do everything for Padtpa. I'll be your hands and feet."

Wayo smiled brightly, fully committed to this self-assigned duty. Catherine let out a soft sigh, giving in without further argument. In the end, she limited herself to picking up the clothespins and helping hang the clothes on the improvised line between the trees—the only task she was allowed to do.

"The wind is strong today."

"The sea is rough. That's why Boonsong couldn't take the boat out."

"True. He usually goes out every three days."

"Sometimes nature doesn't cooperate. The weather is unpredictable."

"So Boonsong will be back tomorrow with news, right?"

"Wind hopes it will be good news for Padtpa."

"I hope so too."

Catherine smiled faintly, sharing Wayo's hope. Their eyes met, and the intensity in the lieutenant's gaze carried something she was no longer trying to hide. Ever since the night they had watched the stars together, something between them had changed.

There had been that unexpected moment—when Catherine turned and realized Wayo had been watching her instead of the sky. The sudden movement brought them too close, their noses nearly touching, closer than they had ever been—even during shooting practice.

Neither of them moved. Time seemed to freeze beneath the starlit sky.

Catherine was the first to pull away, murmuring a hurried apology before retreating into the house. Luckily, Wayo didn't follow immediately, giving her time to sort through the unfamiliar confusion in her chest.

"I think I'd better go inside... Ah!"

Catherine stepped back too quickly, forgetting to watch where she was going. Her foot twisted against a tree root—but, as always, Wayo reacted fast enough to catch her before she fell.

Since that night, Catherine had avoided looking at Wayo for long, and the other woman seemed to be doing the same. Neither of them fully understood what was happening, so they avoided lingering eye contact.

"You almost tripped over a root. Padtpa, are you hurt?"

"I'm fine."

"If you're okay, try putting your foot down and walking a little."

"Ah, Wind!"

"See? You're hurt and still trying to hide it."

Wayo knelt down to examine Catherine's ankle, now red and slightly swollen. The sprain must have happened when she hit the root.

"Can you walk back? Be honest."

"I can't... my foot hurts."

"Then come on. I'll carry you."

"Wind, just help me stand—that's enough."

"If I do that, it'll take too long. Get on, Padtpa. I'm stronger than I look."

Catherine hesitated as Wayo bent down, offering her back. The distance wasn't far, but she worried Wayo might strain herself. What if they both fell?

"Alright... but if you get tired, let me walk."

"Padtpa is light. This is nothing for me."

Wayo smiled before lifting Catherine securely into her arms. Catherine wrapped her arms around Wayo's neck, tense at first, afraid of falling. But as Wayo walked, steady and careful, that tension slowly melted away.

Each step was firm and deliberate.

Maybe... Wayo was enjoying that closeness just as much as she was.

⋆。𖦹 ̊。⋆

"Wind, my father asked you to come home."

"Wait a minute, Bua. Let me finish tending to Padtpa's wound first."

"Oh? What happened to you, Pat?"

Catherine looked at Bua, who had just arrived and was now approaching with concern. The young woman found Wayo kneeling beside her, carefully wrapping the bandage around Padtpa's sprained ankle.

She had also learned that Wayo had carried Catherine back. Even so, Padtpa had insisted on not being carried upstairs, choosing instead to climb on her own while Wayo supported her.

"I wasn't paying attention and twisted my foot."

"That must hurt a lot. Get well soon, Pat."

"Thank you, Bua."

"Alright. Don't strain your foot too much today. It should be better tomorrow."

"Now that you're done, Wind, go see my father. I'll stay here and keep Pat company."

"Are you really going to stay and talk? Don't bother Padtpa."

"Go ahead, Wind. I'm hurt, and I don't feel like seeing your face for a while."

It had been a few days since Bua learned the truth and had her heart quietly broken by the person she liked. The way she spoke had changed—from constantly calling out "Wind" with warmth, to a more distant tone. Even her willingness to care for Wayo now felt more like obligation than affection.

If Wayo wanted anything beyond that... then she would simply have to accept disappointment.

"Padtpa, I'll be back soon."

"Take your time, Wind."

Padtpa replied calmly as Wayo left to deal with the matter Bua had brought.

Catherine was then surprised to see Bua smiling faintly, glancing at her from the corner of her eye with a look she couldn't quite read.

Did Bua still have something to ask? She had already said she didn't know much about Wayo. Catherine thought Bua had given up on pressing further.

"Wow, you two really left me confused. I had to try so hard not to embarrass myself."

"I don't understand. What are you talking about, Bua?"

"About who Wind likes, of course! Now I get why you never told me anything, no matter how much I asked."

"Because I truly don't know. If I did, I wouldn't hide it from you."

"Wait... don't tell me you really have no idea who Wind likes?"

Bua stared at Padtpa, who nodded without hesitation. Her eyes were clear and sincere—there was no sign of pretense. She wasn't avoiding the question.

She genuinely didn't know.

But how was that possible?

Wayo had always made it so obvious. It wasn't even a matter of realizing it too late—almost everyone on the island had already noticed. Everyone... except the one person who mattered most.

"Oh my God... If I said you were pretending not to understand, I'd be accusing you unfairly... because you really didn't notice, did you?"

"So you already know who Wind likes?"

"Of course. Everyone on the island has noticed. You two are always together—it's so obvious... How could anyone miss it?"

"But Wind is always with me... How did I never realize she likes someone?"

If it were any other woman on the island, the only one who had ever been this close to Wayo was Bua herself. But she had already been rejected.

So who could it be?

How could everyone know... except Padtpa?

Bua looked straight at her, no longer teasing.

"The person Wind likes... is you, Pat."

...Me?

"That's right. If you don't believe me, go ask Wind yourself."

"..."

What would she do... if the person Wayo said she liked... really was her?

⋆。𖦹 ̊。⋆

"Padtpa, did you hear what Wind said? Padtpa! The water is spilling!"

"I'm sorry..."

Wayo quickly grabbed a cloth and wiped up the water Catherine had accidentally spilled while trying to fill the glass, something she did every day. But today, her mind seemed to be somewhere far away, so distracted that she didn't even notice the water overflowing. Come to think of it, Padtpa had been acting strangely ever since Wayo returned from Boonsong's house, which made her start to suspect that Bua might have said something.

"What are you thinking about? Did something happen?"

"Nothing..."

"If you don't tell me, I'll ask Bua instead."

"There's no need, Wind. I told you, it's nothing."

"Really? Whenever you try to hide something, you never manage to do it properly."

"I just... have something I need to think through. I can't tell you yet, but I will when the time is right."

Catherine answered with a slight hesitation in her voice, as if she wasn't ready to say more. After all, everything she knew came only from Bua's words, and she didn't yet have the courage to ask Wayo directly. For now, the only thing she could do was quietly observe and try to find the answer on her own.

"Does it have something to do with Madelin? It must be important."

"All I can say is that it's very important to me."

For the first time in her life, when Catherine said "to me," she realized that this "me" no longer referred only to herself.

⋆。𖦹 ̊。⋆

"Stop! If you don't want to die, stop the boat now!"

Boonsong immediately cut the engine the moment he realized two boats were closing in on him. Something had felt off ever since he left the port and headed back to the island after completing his task for the day. He had already met Yod at the agreed location to pass along news for Wayo, but halfway through the return journey, armed strangers suddenly appeared and ambushed him at sea.

"What do you want? I don't have anything valuable!"

The leader of the mercenaries leapt onto Boonsong's boat, while the others maneuvered their vessel alongside. Without hesitation, he pressed a gun to the fisherman's head, taking him hostage. Behind him, more than a dozen men were already preparing to head toward the island where the princess and Wayo were hiding. Now that they had come this far, they clearly intended to end everything today.

"Take us to the island where the princess and Wayo are hiding, and I'll spare your life."

"I'm just a fisherman! How would I know where this princess you're looking for is?"

"If you don't steer the boat right now, your brains will be scattered across the ocean!"

"I'll take you there... just let me live!"

"Keep an eye on him. If he tries anything, shoot him and dump the body into the sea."

As the one responsible for Atjima's private island, Boonsong had no choice but to obey. He had been careless, failing to notice he was being followed until it was too late and he was trapped in the middle of the sea.

But if he led these criminals to the island... what would happen to Wayo—the person he was meant to protect—and to the innocent villagers, especially the children?

No matter what he chose, every path seemed to lead to disaster.

⋆。𖦹 ̊。⋆

"Where is their house? Move! Take us there!"

The leader of the mercenaries forced Boonsong to guide them around the island, relying on his knowledge of the terrain. After some time, the boat docked at a small, inconspicuous pier hidden in a remote corner of the island. The place felt eerily deserted; since their arrival, they hadn't seen a single resident, which made the situation increasingly suspicious.

"Wait. Why is there no one here? Are you trying to trick us?"

"I'm not fooling anyone! Look over there—that's Wayo's house!"

"Boss, it's really her. We've got the right place."

Even from a distance, the figure standing in front of the house was unmistakable. If Wayo was there, then Princess Catherine had to be there as well. There was no doubt the two of them were together.

"What are you waiting for? Break in now! Capture the officer and the princess!"

The group surged forward, rushing toward the isolated house, ready to seize their targets. But the moment they forced their way inside, they found it completely empty. Before they could react, gunshots rang out from within the house, sharp and sudden.

In the next instant, police officers who had already been stationed around the island emerged from all sides, closing in and surrounding them. Anyone who resisted would not make it out.

"Drop your weapons! You are surrounded!"

"Boss, it's a trap! Wayo and that fisherman got away!"

"I'm not losing to them like this. Pe, come with me!"

The leader barked the order and took off with his most trusted man, leaving the rest of the gang behind to deal with the police. He had no intention of letting it end here. That meddling policewoman and that damned fisherman would pay for this.

"Wayo! You won't escape me today!"

Bang!

"Boonsong, go back and tell Fai to get Blue off this island immediately. I'll hold them off."

"And you, Miss Wind?"

"I can handle it. Just do as I said."

Wayo dodged the incoming bullets as the two men chased her relentlessly. Instead of running in a straight line, she suddenly changed direction and fired back, using every move to throw them off.

All of it was to buy time for Boonsong to escape and deliver the message.

The safety of everyone on the island was at stake—

and above all, Blue's safety.

⋆。𖦹 ̊。⋆

"Boo! We heard several gunshots coming from the other side of the island!"

"Right now, we need to find a safe place, Mrs. Catherine."

"And Wind? She's gone! Since the attack, we've searched everywhere, but we can't find her!"

Princess Catherine's voice trembled with worry and fear. Wayo had never disappeared without a word. Ever since they arrived on the island, she had always stayed close, keeping her promise to protect her. If she was nowhere to be found now, then there could only be one explanation: the gunshots echoing from the other side of the island were connected to her. Something dangerous was happening—something serious.

"Blue, we need to leave. Now."

"Fai, what's going on? Why are you here? And where is Wayo?"

"The lieutenant will be fine, but right now you need to step back. Some of the criminals managed to escape and are heading this way."

"But Wayo is in danger! We have to help her!"

"Please trust Wind. Everything will be alright."

Atjima looked at Princess Catherine with a firm, unyielding expression. She had followed the plan precisely, coming to the island the moment she realized they had been followed for some time. Her informants had confirmed that strangers were asking about Boonsong and old Yod, which meant the criminals were dangerously close to finding them. That was why she and Wayo had set this trap together with Mr. Watit.

"We need to leave immediately. For your safety, Blue, you must leave the island now."

Catherine glanced toward the yacht waiting at the pier, where two police officers stood guard, ready to escort her away. But the distant sound of gunfire still echoed across the island, and her heart pulled her in the opposite direction—toward Wayo.

Even so, she understood that if she disobeyed, she might put everyone in danger.

"Wayo... you have to be safe."

"This isn't a request... it's an order."

Because there was still something important she needed to ask—

and she needed to hear Wayo's answer.

⋆。𖦹 ̊。⋆

"Boss, the princess has already boarded and left the island!"

"Don't let her escape! Follow that boat!"

The leader of the mercenaries immediately gave the order to his last remaining subordinate. He no longer cared about chasing Wayo, who had clearly been trying to distract them and buy time. If he had to eliminate one target first, between the princess and the police officer, the choice was obvious. Henry had already decreed that Catherine must not be allowed to live.

Bang!

The shot rang out, the bullet striking the side of the boat as it cut through the water. They had barely left the shore when a stolen fishing boat began chasing them, driven by the remaining criminals who were determined to finish the job.

"Blue, get down! Protect Miss Blue!"

Wayo shouted, raising her gun to shield the person her cousin had entrusted to her. This had been the plan from the start. Blue was supposed to leave the island earlier, but they knew she would never go alone, so they had created a diversion to lure the enemies to the back of the island, where they would be captured. Only after that would Catherine be able to leave safely. What they hadn't anticipated was that two criminals would escape and pursue them.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Gunfire erupted again. The officers on board returned fire, trying to keep the attackers at a distance, but they were hit and fell, injured. With the path now clear, the criminals accelerated, closing in rapidly. Wayo knew she wouldn't be able to hold them off much longer.

But just as the enemy was about to strike, another fishing boat suddenly appeared, cutting across their path and blocking their advance. In that instant, a police officer fired, hitting the enemy pilot directly. Without control, the boat veered off course. The last man tried to regain control, but it was already too late.

"Wayo, watch out!"

"Fai, take Blue away from here!"

Catherine could only watch in anguish as Wayo faced the danger alone. Fai seized the helm, steering the boat to avoid further attacks while the gunfire continued to roar across the water. At last, the final shot was fired, and the last enemy fell.

Fai let out a breath of relief, but Catherine's heart refused to calm.

"She did it... Wayo did it..."

"Wayo! Behind you!"

The warning came too late. The first criminal, whom they had thought was down, forced himself back up and fired. Wayo had no time to react. The bullet struck her chest.

Even so, with the last of her strength, she fired back and ended it once and for all.

But her body no longer responded.

Without strength, Wayo staggered backward and fell into the sea.

It all happened in an instant, yet Blue saw everything clearly—the faint, relieved smile on Wayo's face, as if she knew the worst had passed. And then, in the next moment, she vanished beneath the dark water.

"Blue, no!"

Catherine moved without thinking, already diving toward the sea the moment Wayo disappeared. Fai stopped her at the last second and dove in instead. The current was strong, but luck was still on their side. Moments later, Fai resurfaced, carrying Wayo's unconscious body in her arms.

"Wayo! Stay with us!"

"She's wearing a bulletproof vest!"

Fai realized it the moment she felt the rigid layer beneath Wayo's clothes. The bullet had struck the vest and saved her life, but the impact and the fall had knocked her unconscious. There was no time to hesitate—they had to get her to safety immediately.

As they waited for rescue, Catherine clutched Wayo's hand tightly, refusing to let go.

"You promised you would stay by my side... so don't you dare break that promise!"

The rescue began at once. There was no time to waste. Atjima followed the proper procedure for an unconscious patient, pressing down on the center of Wayo's chest with steady, controlled compressions, repeating the cycle without pause.

But when it came time to breathe life back into her—

it was not Atjima who stepped forward.

Catherine didn't hesitate. She leaned down, pinched Wayo's nose, and pressed her lips to hers, breathing air into her lungs with desperate determination.

"Come back, Wayo... do you hear me? I won't let you die."

No one could tell how long it lasted, but the effort was not in vain.

At last, Wayo coughed violently, seawater spilling from her lungs as she gasped for air again.

Atjima nearly collapsed in relief, while Catherine, who had been frozen in terror, broke down into tears.

"Blue..."

"Don't ever disappear like that again. If something happened to you, I would never forgive myself."

"Don't cry for me."

"I won't let you die, Wayo."

"Don't scare me like that again, Lom!" Fai's voice trembled, unable to hide the shock.

Wayo gave a faint nod in response. Even Fai, who had kept her composure throughout, looked shaken. But in the end, she had been the one to pull Wayo back from the brink.

Now that her life had been returned to her, Wayo understood that no matter how difficult it might be, she had to keep living.

Her gaze slowly lifted to Catherine's face. Even through her tears, she looked as beautiful as ever.

Without thinking about status or consequences, Wayo raised her hand and gently cupped the princess's cheek.

And this time, Catherine did not pull away.

Instead, she held Wayo's hand against her face, as if afraid she might disappear again into the sea. In that moment, every barrier between them faded away. There was no distance left, no invisible line separating them.

There was only the quiet, undeniable desire to stay by each other's side.

"Blue... I'm back."

⋆。𖦹 ̊。⋆