Ard instantly went silent, unable to utter a single word. He did not return Eva's hug either; he just stayed still, motionless, staring up at the pavilion ceiling. After a moment of silence, finally,
"Eva... what do you mean by waiting for nine lives?" Ard asked. "I need to figure out what happened in her nine lives... and what happened in my nine lives," Ard muttered in his heart.
Eva released her hug. Ard could see that Eva was crying because tears were wetting her cheeks. Eva wiped her tears, then looked at Ard gently.
"Do you believe I've repeated my life nine times? Starting when I was fifteen and dying at thirty-one?" Eva asked, smiling.
Ard didn't answer, but he nodded, letting Eva know he believed her. Ard gripped his knees tightly, trembling.
"Alright. I'm going to reveal something I've never told anyone before," Eva said.
