Xia Ya's Embrace and Promise

She instinctively raised her head, her still-moist eyes looking toward Xia Ya.

A familiar, warm smile appeared on Xia Ya's face, filled with understanding and a reassuring strength.

His gaze rested gently on her face, that tenderness carrying an invitation for her to lay down all her burdens.

Xia Ya's voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable truth.

"Lacus said that it's okay to rely on others."

There was no reproach in Xia Ya's words, only a calm reminder of the belief Lacus herself had once conveyed to him.

Lacus's lips parted slightly, but no sound came out. Her eyes remained fixed on Xia Ya, the light deep within them complicated and pained.

Silently, she absorbed Xia Ya's words. They were like a mirror, reflecting the contradiction between her words and her heart.

Xia Ya looked at her, his tone becoming firmer, his eyes full of encouragement and support.

"So cry as much as you want."

Xia Ya's voice was filled with complete acceptance of all Lacus's emotions. He gave her permission to cry.

"Until you stop crying, I'll stay by your side."

Xia Ya's promise was so direct and powerful, his resolve unmistakable. He used no vague words, simply guaranteeing that he would be there.

For a moment, Lacus's mind fell into a fierce struggle.

The voice within her became clearer: Don't be so hard on yourself.

Those words struck the most fragile part of her heart. When she said them, it was as though she could hear the truest voice at the bottom of her soul.

Because, it was... it was... She could not fully express what she was thinking. That intense need lodged in her throat, unable to emerge.

Yet her mind knew with perfect clarity that having Xia Ya by her side was what Lacus