He slowly loosened up, but still held her in his arms. "Sis, never say you would break up with me again, okay?"

He lowered his head. To her surprise, she saw that his dark eyes were filled with panic. It was an emotion that she had never seen in his eyes before.

It was as if hearing her say that she wanted to break up with him was something that would overwhelm him with panic.

Was she really... that important to him? So important that... he could not even bear to hear the hypothetical scenario of her breaking up with him?

Serenity's chest felt stuffy. Her heart went out to him. Almost instinctively, she raised her hands and hugged him back, gently.

"Okay, I'll never say I'd break up with you again." And just like that, she made an "eternal" promise to him.

At that moment, she didn't stop to think what kind of price lay behind a promise like that. All she wanted at the time was for him to stop looking so sad.

Because... it made her feel sad too.

That afternoon, Serenity and Jac