think a title for Naoko's words didn't quite register with Rose. Despite the repeated admonishments from her teacher, her brother, and even Christopher, she knew she wasn't doing well, but she couldn't change that.

She didn't want to interfere with Louis finding a girlfriend, nor did she want to be coddled. All she wanted was to see him.

As she gazed around the familiar room, the furnishings remained unchanged, but the person in the photo with Louis was someone else entirely. The drawer, which was never locked before, was now inaccessible. Her brother had erected an invisible wall, isolating himself from her. Even though she mustered the courage to ask, she didn't find Louis.

Rose pulled out her phone and sent yet another message. "Is our agreement still in effect?"

The message disappeared like a stone tossed into the ocean. She sat on the windowsill, watching the yard flourish until daybreak.

In the early morning light, the wind chimes in the corners and eaves tinkled amidst the breezes at Shan Ye Sihe.

Once upon a time, her brother used to knock on her door, urging her to wake up and practice. Over time, she developed an internal alarm, getting up to their routine almost by reflex. Sometimes, she waited for her brother to come in and wake her up himself.

He leaned in close, pinching her nose. "If you don't get up, you'll regret it."

The warm, familiar scent of her brother made her feel safe and secure. She adored being ill too. Whenever she fell ill, her brother would cradle her in his lap, cajoling her into taking her medicines. She wasn't afraid of the pain of medicine, but she loved being closer to her brother.

Now, however, he must have detected her selfish and uncaring thoughts towards him, deciding to cut her off completely. She knew she had to move on.

Rose stood up languidly. After sitting for too long, her body felt stiff from the cold. She stood still for a moment, regaining her bearings.

She pulled out the present she had planned for Louis, placed it on the table, left a message for Tomoko, then exited the room.

The mountain range displayed a crimson morning sky. It was probably going to be another warm, sunny day, but she was shivering with the chill.

She knew it was time to go, but she didn't know where. She never felt at home anywhere.

For hours, she walked, stopping only when she reached the summit of the mountain. An ancient Banyan tree grew there. After sitting a while, she journeyed to the old park they frequently visited.

From dawn to dusk, she delved further into their old haunts like a mad woman.

She stood at the intersection, watching vehicles stream by in a vibrant bustle. Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Karen had sent her a text, asking, "When are you coming back? I'd love to welcome you and Lola."

Her mind was hazy. Everything about the city felt aloof and unappealing. She didn't know how to respond. She pushed the phone away when she glimpsed an old acquaintance across the road.

The man, her teacher, was exceptionally tall, stooped slightly with white hair, but his face remained gentle and serene as ever as he smiled at her.
She was too scared to speak, afraid that even her teacher would abandon her. She walked quickly in the opposite direction, unaware of her surroundings and forgetting that she was on Che Shui Ma Long's dangerous road.

On the other side, someone waved at her anxiously, but before she could react, the screeching sound of brakes filled the air. A car turned a corner and grazed Rose's arm, causing her to fall to the ground in pain. As the driver apologized and the police arrived, her teacher's worried face appeared before her. Someone attempted to lift her into a car, but Rose, enduring the pain, grabbed onto her teacher's clothes and whispered, "Teacher."

In a gentle voice, he comforted her, promising to go with her. As she slowly loosened her grip, Kimura felt bitter inside. Rose had been his student for five years, but he had never seen her rely on him as she did in that moment. He knew that she was not desperate to see him, but rather Louis.

Kimura sent her to the hospital and, fortunately, the doctor said that she had not suffered any broken bones. However, a large chunk of flesh had been scraped off her arm. She was given medicine and an anti-inflammatory injection and was asked to stay overnight for observation.

Kimura stayed with her and she asked where her brother was. "He's not in Japan," he replied. "He's very busy and won't be back for a while." She lowered her gaze, knowing that he and Yumi were simply on a trip and not too busy to visit her.

She remained silent for a moment before asking, "Can I stay and wait for him?" Kimura was startled and shook his head firmly. She bowed her head, her fingers tugging at the corners of her blanket. He placed a warm hand on her head and rubbed it gently.

She knew what he was going to say.

"Rose, go back home when you're better. That's where you belong."

Her head bent lower and her fingertips turned white as she gripped the blanket. Kimura was about to say something but she suddenly pulled the blanket over her head and trembled beneath it.

Impassive, Kimura lifted the blanket without any comfort or sympathy. He rationally analyzed the situation. "I watched you play. You should not have lost that game. Brother knows this too. Rose, you shouldn't have played that way."

Rose lifted her pale face and shook her head, disappointing them once again. But what else could she do? She felt so incompetent.

"Rose, a good chess player needs to have a calm and rational mind. If you allow yourself to be swayed by others, your emotions will not be good. You have to remember one thing: you are not playing for your teacher, or for Louis. You are playing for yourself. If you do that, you can become a world-class chess player."

Kimura seldom addressed her by her name, which revealed how upset he was. Rose, however, did not listen. She wanted to ask if the reason she was taken care of was because the person who sent her had given enough money.
She couldn't help but find the whole situation ridiculous, even though she knew it was ultimately about money. If she could offer enough money, she would continue to give, but she realized it wouldn't solve the underlying issue.

There was an eerie silence in the hospital room. Rose remained still, contemplating her next steps. Eventually, she nodded silently and pulled out her phone to type a message. Her fingers trembled so much that she kept hitting the wrong buttons. After some time, she finally managed to type, "I don't want to be a burden. I just want to say goodbye to Louis. I won't come back without your permission."

The man on the other end remained silent for a while, feeling conflicted but ultimately firm. "When you can do as I said, you can come back."

Rose gave in. "Alright." She faced away from Kimura and lay down.

Kimura sat there for a while before his phone interrupted the silence. He glanced at the screen and chose not to answer. He whispered to Rose, "Get some rest. I'll check on you tomorrow." She didn't acknowledge him as he left the room.

Rose watched the clock until dawn came. The doctor visited and confirmed that she was well enough to leave the hospital. She gathered her things with the help of a nurse and immediately hailed a taxi to the airport.

Before she boarded her flight back to S City, she texted her teacher. "I'm coming back. Take care."

He quickly responded, "Don't blame your brother. Work hard and be better than him in the future."

Standing among the throngs of people, Rose held her phone and gazed around aimlessly. She had lost her only home. When she arrived in S City, the scorching summer heat made her break out in a sweat. She waited for a taxi and then headed straight to the chess house.

She had gone several sleepless nights and her body was exhausted. Her head felt foggy, and her body temperature kept fluctuating. She could hardly stand as she collapsed into her wardrobe, falling into a deep sleep.

During the one and a half hour lunch break at the chess house, Christopher received a surprising call from an old Japanese friend. Rose was returning to S City, having hurt her arm, and requested that he help change her dressing for the next two days.

Christopher was taken aback by Rose's sudden return. "Why is she back so soon? Where's Louis?"

The person on the other end hesitated before revealing that Louis had avoided the challenge this time, causing the dean's heart to skip a beat. He remembered the last time Michael had refused, forcing Rose to risk her life. Louis was the only family she had left, and his absence worried the dean.

"How can that be good?"

"I believe Rose has become much stronger and braver than before. Even though she's feeling sad now, she managed to fly back to S City alone from Nara. If you didn't know what she's capable of now, it shows that we've done the right thing by forcing her to be independent. You'll have to take care of her more, and if you need financial assistance, just say the word."

Christopher quickly assured him, "Rose is a talented member of our chess institute, and it's our responsibility to take care of her. We're also friends, so of course I'll take care of her. I don't need to mention money."

Thanking him, the person on the other end hung up. While acknowledging that it was cruel to force Rose to grow up in this way, the dean believed that it had been beneficial for her. Without Louis' shelter, she had been forced to become self-reliant. The year she had returned home had brought about a noticeable change in her, allowing her to communicate with others and venture out alone. The constant challenges had also helped her improve her chess skills, making her a formidable opponent.

Later that afternoon, a leader came by to check on the chess house, keeping Christopher busy. He instructed Lola to attend to Rose and take her to the hospital to change her dressing.