Ice and Fire

At the international airport

After she got out of the taxi, Cherry saw Stephen waiting for her, and walked towards him.

Stephen also walked up to her, and saw that she had only brought one piece of luggage with her. He asked, "Cherry, are you sure that you'll be fine with just that bag?"

"Yes, I'm sure, " said Cherry.

She then took the ticket and passport from him and looked at the boarding time on the ticket. She said, "The flight will take off pretty soon, so I better go in."

Stephen was wistful, and while he soulfully looked at Cherry, he said, "Cherry, can you reconsider? I... I don't want you to leave."

Cherry took a deep breath, and while she pretended to be strong, she said, "Stephen, you already know that I want to live my own life."

Then she turned her head sideways, because she feared to look at Stephen. She knew that her heart was already too fragile to bear another hit, and if Stephen tried to persuade her to stay, then she might change her mind.

Stephen knew the sadness that lied deep in Cherry's heart, and he didn't ask her again, even though he was regretful. He comforted himself, 'I'll be happy as long as she is happy.'

"Well, will you at least contact me later?" Stephen hoped that he would speak to her again, and that his sadness will be eventually relieved in the future.

However, Cherry shook her head, and replied, "Well, Stephen, you already know that I want to start fresh, so I don't think that I'll contact you anymore."

When Stephen looked at Cherry, he saw tears in her eyes. At that moment, he felt that his heart had been slashed by a knife, but yet he couldn't say anything.

you helped me; you're one of my most genuine friends. Thank you,

she tried to move, Stephen suddenly grabbed her hand, and asked, "Cherry, when will you

head, and at first didn't say anything. Silence reigned between them for some time, but she finally said, "I don't know, maybe

and didn't know what

strong to comfort him. She said, "Stephen, enjoy your life,

he abandoned to say what he had hidden deep in

hadn't met each other because of Jackson, if I hadn't cared for you because of Jackson, I might have endeavored to protect you

cry, but she couldn't. Tears then flowed from her eyes, and at that moment, Jackson's face, and the happiness that had been between them flooded Cherry's heart. Actually, Cherry didn't want to

her mind to leave, and believed that she had to leave, so her child

then wiped off her tears with a piece of tissue, and told herself to be strong for her child. She kept thinking, "I have no choice but to be strong, and to forget Jackson and

of my future

off with Cherry

gone,

couldn't be more serene, but such was the calm before

was on his way back home to see Cherry. His heart was filled with joy when he

seemed to him that

the silence in the car, and asked, "Jackson, you really miss Cherry a lot, don't

opened his eyes, and seriously said, "Pay attention

said, "I'm always focused, but I doubt that you are.

and instead became the cold man that he had always been. He then looked at Derek, and asked, "When will Selina

Jackson would ever mention of his younger sister, and at first didn't know how to reply to him.