William Carter sorted through the backpack. There actually wasn’t much inside: a few clothes, a sleeping bag, towel, toothpaste and toothbrush, bank card, knife sheath, lighter, compass, flashlight, a game console, a cell phone with charger, and surprisingly, a packet of MSG and a packet of salt. William Carter couldn’t even understand what mood had led to bringing those two items—maybe he had already foreseen getting lost in the mountains... Besides that, there were only a few remaining biscuits and snacks. Seeing that Little Grace liked them, he took them all out and gave them to her, thinking that by tomorrow morning, there would be nothing left.

William Carter had participated in a few barbecues before, and had even done things like making beggar’s chicken with clay. This time, he managed pretty well. Although the outside of the animal was already charred, the inside was fragrant and delicious. He sprinkled on some salt, but decided not to add MSG. He gave what looked like the better half to Little Grace. Little Grace had never eaten cooked food before; after wolfing it down, the look she gave William Carter was full of admiration and satisfaction.

After eating, William Carter didn’t feel sleepy. He held Little Grace on the grass and watched the stars. Because of his change in mood, the star-filled sky became enchanting. In the past, he would have thought that two people cuddling together and staring at all those twinkling things was a stupid thing to do.

“...Let me tell you, when I was little, I actually learned how to read constellations—my dad made me do it. Back then, I never understood what use it was. Later, once, when we were celebrating my grandpa’s birthday, my mom came back and was talking with some friends in the room... My dad had learned to read constellations, and when he was dating my mom, it was considered one of the most romantic things... By the time my mom talked about it, she and my dad had already been estranged for years. The things she used to disdain, she still disdained... She said, ‘A man actually learning that kind of thing, what a sissy. I can’t believe I was fooled by him back then...’ My dad wanted me to learn that stuff so I’d be more popular with girls. Of course, it wasn’t to predict a great flood... But romance was never really about reading constellations...”

“...But even if it was considered sissy, I was actually pretty good at stargazing. Of course, now it’s completely useless... But the teacher was interesting. Stargazing, he said, was about learning to divide the sky like slicing a cake, and then eating it... He actually brought out a huge cake, a black cream chocolate cake with stars on it, and cut it up by constellations, saying today we’d eat the northern hemisphere... Because of that, we learned really well, but later, this skill never played any role in my life...”

“...But that teacher was a pervert. Later, he went to prison—sentenced to life for murder... We found out later that he killed the bride at his boyfriend’s wedding... Ha, of course not his own... But he was a man...”

“...So, when I was little, I met a lot of abnormal people, whether they were my father’s friends or my mother’s. Each had a brilliant career, enviable appearances—maybe, to outsiders, they were the model of normalcy. But I could see the mutations in them at a glance... Their actions were pretentious, their smiles fake, their minds twisted and shameless... Theoretically, normal people shouldn’t be like that...”

“...Relatively speaking, Little Grace, that teacher was much more normal. And you are an angel... my most precious angel...”

He rested his chin gently on Little Grace’s silver hair, rubbing softly. Little Grace let out a soft “Mm.” Of course, she didn’t understand; she was just getting drowsy, and soon found a more comfortable position lying on him, her eyes half-closed.

“Heh...” William Carter laughed. “Let me sing you a song, my angel... I actually learned this stuff as a kid, even won awards for singing...”

Then, a gentle melody began to sound.

“...The dark sky hangs low

The bright stars follow

Fireflies fly, fireflies fly

Who are you missing

The stars in the sky are crying

The roses on the ground wither

The cold wind blows, the cold wind blows

As long as you’re here

Fireflies fly, flowers sleep

Pairs and pairs are beautiful

Not afraid of the dark, only afraid of heartbreak

No matter how tired

No matter east, south, west, or north...”

The melody gently echoed through the night sky, turning into a tender warmth that seeped into the heart. The night wind brushed the low grass, the stars warmed their eyes, two giant wolves rested quietly nearby, and the girl slept in the arms of the singing boy, letting out a low murmur:

“Mmm... Will...”

The boy was slightly startled, then a gentle smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he pressed a soft kiss to the girl’s forehead...

Volume One

Chapter Five: Sanctuary

Mid-Autumn in August, when the moon is full and families are reunited.

He had heard this saying since he was little, but had never truly experienced its meaning. Or rather, he understood this proverb more deeply than most, though from a somewhat opposite direction.

Later, he read in some books that whenever the moon was full, strange things tended to happen in the world—like werewolves transforming under the moon, ghosts wandering about. Or, for example, fathers and mothers would come home, and the whole family would be together, happy and united... Mm, what a terrifying world that would be.