After finishing a day's work, Sirin packed up and headed toward the subway station.
Speaking of which, Sirin's daily commute to work was very long because the house she rented was quite far from the National Library of Russia. Even taking the subway every day took quite a while.
The subway station near the National Library of Russia was "Библиотека Имени Ленина" (Lenin Library Station), located on the Red Line and Brown Line of the Moscow Metro.
If she took the Red Line, she could transfer to the Circle Line (Orange Line) at "Театральная" (Teatralnaya Station), then transfer to the Green Line at "Курская" (Kurskaya Station) to reach Kursk Railway Station directly.
As for why it was so troublesome… even if it meant spending a long time on the subway every day, she still did it this way…
Because the meeting place Shun had mentioned back then was Kursk Railway Station. Taking a green-skinned train's soft sleeper, stopping and going all the way, experiencing the local customs and cultures of various countries along the journey—that was their original plan.
Not like what happened later, where they were constantly on the run. Even though reason told Sirin that half a year had passed and if Shun was still alive, he would have come to find her, her emotions still made her choose this path.
There was no doubt that this was meaningless and would even increase the risk of her being exposed, but… the once naive Sirin was unwilling to give up even the slightest bit of hope.
Whether it was Shun or Mom, as long as they were still alive, they would definitely come here. That was their promise.
Sirin walked slowly through the wide and bustling streets of Moscow like a lonely ghost. It was Christmas Eve, and the entire city was enveloped in a rich festive atmosphere. The shop windows on both sides of the street twinkled with colorful lights, displaying exquisite gifts and decorations. The aroma of roasted chestnuts and mulled wine filled the streets and alleys, making one's mouth water.
However, all this joy and warmth seemed to have nothing to do with Sirin. She walked silently, her gaze empty and lifeless, as if the noise and prosperity around her belonged to another world. People holding hands and smiling brightly hurried past her. The aura of happiness they emitted was like a sharp sword, stabbing painfully into Sirin's already riddled heart.
Family harmony, reunions with loved ones… these things that were commonplace for others were an unattainable luxury for Sirin. She didn't know where she truly belonged, nor did she know if anyone in this world still cared about her existence. On this cold winter night, Sirin felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness and loss, as if the entire world had forgotten her in a dark corner.
In Sirin's memory, the last Christmas, although it had been very ordinary, now seemed unexpectedly happy… At least back then, Shun and Mom were still by her side.
Sirin walked with light yet slightly weary steps past the magnificent Kursk Railway Station. The building was tall and grand, imposing and majestic, like an eternal giant standing witness to the joys and sorrows of countless people coming and going.
Every day, whether heading to work in the morning light or returning home under the evening glow, Sirin would always pass by this all-too-familiar place. Every time she reached here, she would feel as if pulled by an invisible force, involuntarily directing her gaze into the station. Her eyes were filled with expectation and longing, as if hoping to catch sight of that figure she missed so dearly among the crowd.
However, most of the time, the person she hoped to see did not appear. But this did not stop Sirin from continuing the habit. She would still stubbornly glance into the station every time she passed by, even if it was only for a few brief seconds. Because for her, this small expectation had already become a part of her life, giving her warmth and comfort.
"Today… is it the same again? Yeah, such a naive thought shouldn't have been kept in the first place…" Sirin thought. If she still gained nothing after this Christmas ended, she planned to leave Siberia.
She had not yet seen the scenery along the way that she and Shun had once fantasized about, and there were also the people he had mentioned in his letter.
Friedrich von Schariac. It seemed that little Shun trusted him very much. Even though the other party did not know him yet, he knew a secret that was very important to the other party.
In the past half year, in order to understand Shun, Sirin had even learned a bit about profiling, but she still couldn't remove the personality mask Shun wore on his face.
The only definite gain she had was that little Shun had known her a long time ago. He had a natural kindness and sense of familiarity toward her. Other than that, his sense of alienation from this world was too strong.
He almost never spoke to anyone except her and Mom. He always had a sense of worry about the future, and the look in his eyes when he looked at her was very complicated—entangled, regretful, hesitant… and so on. Looking back now, the former Sirin had never truly understood Shun at all.
Sirin couldn't help but mock herself. She recalled how she had once shamelessly claimed to be his older sister! In reality, back then she had taken it for granted and naturally enjoyed all the meticulous care he gave her. Looking back at her past self now, Sirin felt that she had been incredibly lame! How could she have been so childish and ignorant?
If only her past self could have woken up earlier and realized the hidden secrets in the church school sooner… Schicksal Church…
Sirin couldn't help but think of her greatest enemy again. Unfortunately, she had no power. But if one day she gained power, she would definitely… make them pay the price!
Unknowingly, Sirin realized she had been standing at the entrance of the railway station for so long that she hadn't even noticed the parade team had already come up beside her.
Mm, it was time to go home. Sirin shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. At that moment, a voice she had been longing for in her dreams suddenly called out to her.
"Sirin? Is that you?" The voice from behind sounded very tired, but the surprise in its tone could not be hidden.
Sirin's steps, which had just been about to move forward, paused. In that instant, many thoughts flashed through her mind.
It was Mom's voice, without a doubt. The mother who had disappeared for half a year had appeared in front of her once again.
But… she absolutely could not acknowledge her. Why? If her mother had been trapped somewhere for as long as half a year, and after Schicksal had been hunting her for so long without results, what was the purpose of releasing Mom?
With the little bit of scheming Sirin had just started to develop, she knew this definitely involved a conspiracy. Therefore, whether for herself or for Mom, she could not expose herself.
Sirin slowly turned her head. Beneath her gem-like sparkling blue contact lenses, a pair of large golden eyes covered underneath blinked a few times. A trace of doubt appeared on her delicate face. She gently raised her slender, delicate fingers, pointed at herself, and softly asked the extremely excited Dalia behind her:
"Miss, are you calling me?"