"You're already fully prepared."
"What do you mean?"
Hugo gently stroked Winter's head and then released her. Winter watched in confusion as he opened the bedside drawer and took out a faded fairy tale book.
The bluish cover depicted a boy crouched forlornly by a frozen lakeside.
Winter's eyes sparkled as she quickly said, "It's 'The Snow Queen'! That's one of my favorite stories! Hmm...? What's that?"
Hugo smiled brightly as he showed her what he had been keeping between the pages of the old book.
It was two checks that Winter had given him long ago, saying she would repay her debt. Hugo had kept them preciously in his book without touching them.
"Don't ever tell me to wait again."
Winter burst out laughing, as if she couldn't help it. Her clear laughter, like transparent jewels, tickled his ears.
Hugo quietly smiled back at Winter.
"After the wedding, let's go see the aurora."
"The aurora?"
"You said it yourself. That someday you wanted to see the real aurora."
