𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 | 𝐓𝐥𝐨𝐊

𝘝𝘐𝘐𝘐

"Little snowflakes?" A melodic voice filled the small room. Liang slowly entered the room trying to find the source of the crying, but as she approached the small bed, she found a small body, sitting on the side of the bed while crying. Leaning down, Liang took her daughter into her arms, feeling her small body shiver against hers. "Why are you crying?" Liang asked calmly. The little girl cried harder when she heard her mother's voice.

Liang's heart sank as she heard her daughter's cry, and with an agonized expression, she looked at Hikari—who was staring at them with a gloomy face through the doorway—with a look full of guilt. Squeezing her daughter's small body against hers in a soothing way while stroking her hair. Liang stood there for a long time, letting her daughter cry. Running her hand over her little girl's back, Liang placed a kiss on her daughter's hair. "Are you calm now?" She whispered in the little girl's ear, who answered back with a nod while rubbing her hands on her face, in a way to wipe the tears that had fallen from her eyes. "Now, can you tell me why you are crying?" Liang asked softly.

"Do you still love me and Dad?" Little Sora asked in a whisper, nervously playing with her fingers while avoiding looking at her mother. Liang's face obtained two emotions: shock and horror. Shocked to hear what her daughter had just told her; and horror that her daughter had overheard the argument between Hikari and her. Sending out a glance at Hikari, she took a deep breath, searching for the right ways to respond to her daughter. Liang ran her hands over her daughter's hair, arranging them, only then did she respond to her daughter. "Of course, I love you both!" Liang had a small smile on her lips. "Why the question?" When she was not answered, she used her hand to lift her daughter's chin so that she could look into eyes as green as her own. "Sora...why did you ask that?" Liang asked once more.

"I...heard you two arguing..." Sora murmured, sniffling as she looked away from her mother's gaze again. "You were yelling at each other and I heard Dad asking you not to leave." Sora stared at her mother with guilty green eyes. "But you have no reason to leave, Ma! Is it because I didn't listen to you at that time? If so, I promise I'll listen to what you have to say, Ma! Dad and I don't love you enough? If so, I swear I'll love you so much! Like this! " With arms outstretched at a great distance, Sora demonstrated to her mother. The little 5-year-old girl was in despair at the thought of her mother abandoning her and her father.

Liang's heart once again squeezed; but this time, stronger. A lump formed in her throat as she stared at her daughter's guilty face as she rambled on desperately. Guilt a little girl like her shouldn't feel; after all, the only culprit here was Liang. She was the one who would leave behind not one, but two heartbroken people. Even if it's to protect them.

And so, the only thing she could do at that moment was hug her daughter's small body in a tight hold which made Sora stop rambling and hug her mother tighter. Her small hands clutched tightly at her mother's dress as if she was afraid to let go as if she would disappear.

           ________________________________

In the afternoon, Sora arranged her green scarf around her neck as she walked closer to the Avatar Aang statue—which was covered in snow from head to toe—where she spotted Bolin and Mako. The two boys were chatting absently, not noticing his arrival.

"Hey, guys!" Sora greeted, chuckling slightly as the guys jumped slightly in fright at his sudden arrival. Recovering from their fright, Mako and Bolin offered her a smile and Bolin walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a warm hug. "Woah!" Sora let out a little squeal as she was lifted by Bolin.

"TASHI!" Bolin exclaimed happily. "I missed you so much! And even though he wouldn't admit it to you, Mako missed you too–"

"Bolin–" Mako tried to get his younger brother's attention when he saw Sora's uncomfortable face, but it seemed Bolin hadn't heard what he said, and continued to speak.