winter in greenland

XNUM X Year X NUM X Month.

Northern Ireland, Belfast.

Since the beginning of autumn, the temperature here has dropped rapidly. Mia caught a cold a few days ago and had a low-grade fever. Jason was not at ease, and half-forced to send her to the hospital.She had just finished her IV and fell asleep when Dan came.

"Is the fever gone?" Dan said while putting the fruit he brought on the cabinet next to the hospital bed.

"Retired, you came just in time, there is still a bottle of vitamins to take in a while, and I have classes in the afternoon, so I have to go first."

"It's okay, go to class, I'll send her back later."

Jason gave Dan a grateful smile, got up and left.

Dan sat on the chair next to the bed and played with his mobile phone for a while, his eyes were attracted by the gilded hard shell exposed under Mia's pillow, he hesitated again and again, but he couldn't help but gently pulled the thing out.

It was a family photo album, with dates and events carefully noted on every page, and from the time the two babies were babbling until they entered high school, it was clear that Mia's eyes were very similar to those of the other teenager in the album. Like, it's a very clear gray-blue.Starting from one third of the album, almost every page is related to that young man——

"Mia ranked first in the class in the final exam, and August gave her a very beautiful doll."

"Halloween party, August helped Mia carve a cool jack-o-lantern."

"Mia's 15th birthday, she participated in the school graduation party for the first time, and August was her dance partner."

Etc., etc.

Dan turned around for a while, and his eyes were involuntarily attracted by the young man in the photo. He stroked the photo lightly with his fingers, and his eyes were thoughtful: he always felt that he seemed to have seen this face somewhere.

"That's my brother, August." Mia's weak voice came from the side, interrupting his thoughts.

Dan closed the album apologetically: "Sorry, I...uh...should not have taken your personal belongings without authorization."

Mia shook her head: "It's okay, it's just a photo album."

As she spoke, she took the photo album from Dan and flipped through a few pages, with a look of nostalgia on her face.

"We've known each other for so long, I don't seem to have heard that he came to see you?" Dan asked hesitantly.

"It's true that he hasn't come to see me." Mia's voice was very weak.

"But... I thought you two should be very close." Dan pointed to the photo album.

Mia's eyes became a little sad: "To be precise, we 'used' to be very close. He is actually a good brother."

Dan couldn't help being curious: "What kind of person is he? I mean, I heard you mention it sporadically before. He learned the piano in order to accompany you to learn the cello, and the song "Silent Night", like this little things..."

Mia was silent for a while, then turned to Dan with a smile in her eyes: "Do you still remember the first time you came to me, I didn't want to agree, but you played a piece of Liszt's "Sigh"?"

Dan raised his eyebrows: "Of course I remember, I was ready to be rejected by you."

Mia turned her head with a smile, and looked at the album with nostalgia: "It's because of the song "Sigh", you remind me of August, your piano sounds are so similar."

"So I have to thank this August I've never met?" Dan joked.

"Actually, August is a very soft-hearted person, although others think he is very serious," she shook her head: "He can give his all to the people he loves. I don't want to be the person who hinders him, and I don't want him to make any sacrifices for me one day, so... I just know that he is somewhere more than 3000 kilometers away, performing his duties, completing his work, and thinking about me occasionally. enough."

Dan was a little moved. The introduction to August in his mission materials was only a few numbers, but until this moment, it seemed that this person had escaped from the shackles of black and white, and became a living, three-dimensional "person". He also had a family. , There are also feelings, emotions, sorrows and joys, and they are also concerned about others.

August...I'm suddenly curious about you.

……

Denmark, Copenhagen, Military Headquarters building.

August couldn't remember how many days he had been here, and he seemed to have lost track of time since their helicopter landed and the paramedics took Arthur's cold body away from him.

Funerals, blackness, churches, psychologists, endless conversations, monotonous rooms, the same problems.

He suddenly felt ironic. He always thought that he chose the military academy to realize his ideals and to protect the country, but now he suddenly found that he couldn't even protect the closest people around him.

First the father, then Arthur, who will be next?

"How self-righteous have I ever been?" he murmured, burying his head in his palm.

In the meeting room at the end of the same corridor.

"I think he should be allowed to go back. Returning to the environment he is familiar with will be more conducive to his recovery."

"Go back? What about his mental state? If he finds out that he is no longer qualified for this position when he goes back, who will bear the consequences?"

"But his psychological evaluation report has passed."

"Don't forget the advice given by the evaluation team. He is his own person. He knows the evaluation process. It is very likely that he has already mentally prepared for the possible questions and possible situations before coming here!"

"Do you mean he can predict in advance what questions we're going to ask him? Or do you think our evaluation team is unprofessional?"

"Enough is enough. I didn't come to listen to your quarrel! Doctor, what do you think?"

"I don't think there's much point in keeping him here at this stage now that he's passed our usual tests. I'd suggest giving him some time off and coming back for another test."

"Okay, let's do it."

……

Early October, Belfast.

He had a week-long vacation, but he rarely felt a little lost. Even if he came to the place where Mia was, he didn't know what he should do.

He didn't contact Mia immediately, and subconsciously felt that he couldn't let her see his current appearance.

...I...I just want to look at her from a distance, just like when I was a child, knowing that she is there, knowing that I cannot fall down, even if it is for her, I must hold on...

……

Jason's birthday was on the first weekend in October. Dan and Mia made an appointment to have dinner with him. Because Mia had classes in the evening, the three chose a restaurant near the school.

The table they reserved was on the second floor, and the pre-dinner desserts were delivered quickly. Jason poured wine for the three of them and raised the glass first: "Thank you for coming to help me celebrate my birthday today."

Dan looked at Mia meaningfully: "It's actually Mia's idea, I think you should thank her more."

Mia blushed a little, raised her glass and touched Jason without saying anything.

Dan smiled and turned his eyes away. After taking a sip of the wine, he put the glass aside, and his eyes inadvertently glanced at the street downstairs. Among the crowd, he felt that he seemed to see a somewhat familiar figure.

Downstairs, beside a camphor tree, stood a man in a dark long coat, and he seemed to be looking in their direction as well.

Dan narrowed his eyes slightly, and just as he was about to get a better look, the man seemed to sense his sight, turned around and walked down the street.

"Dan? What are you looking at?"

Mia followed his gaze and looked out with some doubts.

He withdrew his gaze, smiled and shook his head: "It's nothing, I must have read it wrong."