The sky gradually darkened.
The lights came on in the carriage, casting the two women's shadows together on the window in a warm yellow glow, impossible to tell apart.
After an unknown amount of time...
The train entered a tunnel. The lights in the carriage flickered, then steadied.
Once they passed through the tunnel, it was completely dark outside. The glass reflected the two women: Varesa's head was lowered slightly, her lips still moving as she hummed, though there was no telling which line she had reached.
Bai You's cheek rested against her shoulder. She could see the shadows of her own eyelashes falling on Varesa's clothes, trembling gently with each breath.
As Bai You's thoughts wandered, her eyelids grew heavy. The rocking train was too much like a cradle, and Varesa's shoulder was too comfortable.
Half-asleep, she thought it would be nice to drift off just like this.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, Varesa suddenly patted the back of her hand.
"Bai You."
"...Mm?"
"Look out the window."
Bai You lifted her head with some effort and followed Varesa's gaze to the window.
Outside was a night of impenetrable darkness, and the train was traveling across a frozen lake.
The snowy plain gleamed a cold silver-white in the moonlight, while the distant woods formed a dark silhouette. Then-
She saw it.
A faint ribbon of light rose from the horizon. At first, it was as though someone had brushed a light stroke of gray-green across the ink-dark sky, almost blending into the night.
Bai You blinked, thinking she was so sleepy she was seeing things.
But the light didn't disappear. It was growing brighter.
Like a slowly flowing river, it swept in from the horizon, green tinged with an ethereal blue, its edges glowing a faint purple.
It wasn't still-it moved, breathed, unfurling and surging with exquisite slowness and gentleness, like silk lifted by the wind, or waves rising from the depths of the sea.
"The aurora..." Bai You's voice caught in her throat, coming out as a breath.
She had seen photos of the aurora, but only on her phone. Those photos were lifeless, framed within a screen.
The aurora before her was alive. It covered the entire sky, from one end to the other, without boundary or end.
The ribbons of light spiraled and intertwined high above, as though an invisible hand were painting across the heavens.
It was countless times better than seeing it in the game. She hadn't expected she would get to see it with her own eyes.
The train kept moving forward, and the aurora moved along with it. Or rather, the train was passing beneath the aurora, like a fish swimming through a glowing sea.
At some point, Bai You had lifted her head and leaned toward the window.
Her forehead was almost against the glass, and most of her body was pressed tightly against Varesa, though she didn't notice at all.
Varesa said nothing, simply supporting Bai You gently with one hand.
The ribbons of light suddenly changed color. The green faded, and great swathes of rose red and violet poured out from the horizon, as though someone had overturned a palette.
The light burst open high above, then slowly fell, becoming strands of silk that hung so low they nearly touched the distant peaks.
The entire snowy plain was lit up. The snow turned pale pink, the shadows of the trees deep purple, and even the white vapor breathed out by the train took on a thin rainbow sheen.
Bai You's eyes grew hot.
She didn't know why. Perhaps it was simply because Varesa was beside her.
"Is it beautiful?" Varesa's voice came softly from beside her ear, carrying a hint of laughter.
Bai You nodded vigorously, afraid her voice would tremble if she spoke.
Varesa reached out with her other hand and wrapped it around her waist from behind, resting her chin on Bai You's shoulder.
Their breaths misted a small patch of the cold glass, then quickly faded.
The aurora's light fell across their faces, green, purple, and pink, flickering in and out.
"I loved watching it when I was little too," Varesa said close to her ear, her voice broken up by the clatter of the train.
"Do you still find it special now?"
Varesa thought for a moment. "Not when I watch it alone."
"My mother said the aurora was a torch lit in the sky, lighting the way home."
Bai You said nothing. She laid her hand over Varesa's hand around her waist, their fingers interlacing.
"Back then, I thought," Varesa said even more softly, "that when I grew up, I had to bring someone to see it."
"...Who?"
"Someone I wanted to go home with. Maybe I've managed half of that now. It's just that I can't go home anymore."
Bai You only gripped Varesa's hand a little tighter.
Varesa seemed to notice. She looked down at their clasped hands and smiled.
"It's all right. People have to look forward. Let's not talk about that anymore. We're already more than halfway there, and we'll be at the station soon."
Bai You murmured in acknowledgment and didn't ask further.
The train continued on, and the ribbon of aurora was growing narrower.
The arc that had stretched across most of the sky began to draw back from both ends, like a length of silk being slowly rolled up.
Varesa said nothing. Her other hand was still wrapped around Bai You's waist, her chin resting on Bai You's shoulder. Her breathing was soft, brushing against the tip of Bai You's ear with each breath.
The carriage was quiet. A train attendant passed by several times, footsteps light and flashlight beam swaying over the floor before receding into the distance.
"It's almost gone," Bai You said softly.
"Mm. If you want to see it again, I can take you every day from now on~" Varesa said gently.
The ribbon of light dwindled to a trace on the horizon, as thin as a pencil line, its color so faint it almost blended into the night.
It was still moving, but very slowly now, like a fish tired from swimming. It flicked its tail one last time, and then-it was gone. The sky turned pure black once more.
Bai You turned her head and drew back from the window.
Then she turned sideways and rested her head on Varesa's shoulder.
It was the same position as before, but somehow not quite the same.
Varesa naturally shifted her shoulder toward her, letting her lean more comfortably.
Then she reached out and tucked the loose hair beside Bai You's cheek behind her ear.
Her touch was gentle, her fingertips a little cool as they brushed Bai You's ear.
Bai You drew in her neck slightly, but didn't move away.
"Sleepy?" Varesa asked.
"A little."
"Then get some sleep. I'll wake you when we arrive."
Bai You murmured in acknowledgment and closed her eyes.
The train continued to clatter along. Half-asleep, she thought it would be nice to keep riding like this, leaning against Varesa the whole time, hehe.
But the train wouldn't keep going just because she didn't want it to stop.
After an unknown amount of time, Varesa gently patted her awake.
"Bai You, wake up. We're here."
I also feel the plot has been dragging a little, so I'm speeding things up now.