Later that evening, after Lea had been bathed and tucked into bed, Roset sat on the sofa with Hino, her knees drawn up under a thick blanket.
The room was quiet, except for the low hum of the heater and the occasional creak of the old wooden floorboards. A mug of cooling tea sat untouched on the table in front of her.
"I keep thinking it's not real," she said softly.
Hino didn't interrupt. He sat beside her, one arm stretched along the back of the sofa, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder.
"I mean… part of me always hoped. But you bury that kind of hope after a while. It hurts too much to carry."
He nodded slowly. "And now?"
"It's like hope came back without asking," she said with a faint smile. "It's wonderful. But also… terrifying."
Hino gave a thoughtful hum. "What scares you most?"
She looked at her hands. "That he's not the same. That I'm not the same. That the space between who we were and who we are now is too wide to cross."
Hino was quiet for a moment, then said, "You crossed the world with nothing. I think you can cross this, too."
She exhaled, a soft, shaky breath, and leaned gently into his side.
"I want to help him," she said. "Really help him. But I don't know where to start."
"Start by telling the government," he said. "Let them know everything. His name, where he is. Ask what the process would be."
"I'll need his ID," she said, nodding. "A passport if he still has one. I'm not even sure where exactly he is. Just that he's been moving."
Hino stood and walked over to the sideboard, pulling out a notepad. He handed it to her with a pen. "Make a list. Write down everything you'll need. That way, it won't feel so… big."
Roset smiled and took it from him, scribbling:
Ask Eliot for current location. Request copy of ID/passport. Contact Ministry of Migration. Draft letter explaining situation. Request sponsor form. Ask Tanaka about residency requests.
"I didn't expect this," she said quietly, still writing. "I've made peace with so much… and now there's more. More hope. More grief. More… everything."
Hino sat back down beside her and took her hand. "Sometimes peace isn't the end of the story. Sometimes it's just the part where you finally have room for more."
Roset turned her head toward him, eyes glossy. "You always know what to say."
He gave her a half-smile. "No. But I know how to sit with you until you figure it out."