In the end, my deep affection for her triumphed completely over human reason. The moment the words of acceptance left my lips, she snapped her head up, staring at me in utter disbelief, as if she had just witnessed an impossible miracle. To soothe the agonizing panic and insecurity swirling in her eyes, I took a deep breath, stepped forward, and gently cupped her blood-stained cheeks with both hands. With my thumbs, I tenderly wiped at the crimson stains around her mouth, attempting to erase the lingering traces of her monstrous act. Feeling the warmth of my palms, she gripped my wrists with her trembling hands as if holding onto life itself, and a fresh torrent of tears broke free, tracing tracks through the dried gore on her face. Staring down at her weeping figure, a profound emptiness washed over me. I have no idea what the future holds for us. But for now, the first harrowing step is clear—we must return to that dark alley, and find a way to make that cold corpse disappear completely.