"What happens when people open their hearts? They get better."_ Haruki Murakami.
Maeve woke to the sound of rain — soft, steady, and drizzling — paired with wind weaving through leaves.
She wasn't on the plane bed anymore.
This bed was bigger. Softer. It felt like her new hobby had become waking up in unfamiliar places.
Still drowsy, she shifted slightly, then froze. Her eyes caught something that stole her breath.
One side of the room, where a wall was meant to be, had been replaced with glass. Beyond it wasn't just a view — it was pure beauty.
An extravagant sea of green stretched before her. Towering coniferous trees rose peaking below. They must be on a cliff. The horizon shimmered with mist and the soft tremble of rain across leaves.
Maeve's throat tightened, her eyes stinging.
She tried to sit up, desperate for a clearer look. But her arms — bandaged and too weak — gave way.
That was when she broke. She sobbed hard. She felt frustrated and helpless. She just wanted to see it. Just wanted to be closer.
Then the door opened. Levi stepped in, dressed the most casual she had seen him. A light gray shirt with black sweatpants. He looked good in formal, but wearing a casual outfit he looked sexy. He had come to check in on her.
He stopped when he saw her crying, unsure if it was fear, a nightmare, or pain.
"Did you have a nightmare?" he asked softly, walking closer. "Or were you triggered by something?"
She shook her head, still crying.
"N-no. I can't get up. My hands are too weak to lift me. I want to go outside, but I can't."
Her voice cracked and trembled with each word. She hated feeling this helpless.
Levi stared for a moment, his lips tugging into a faint, almost invisible smile — not mocking, but soft. Understanding.
"Well, I'm here now, aren't I?" he said gently.
She gave a shaky nod.
"So tell me what to do for you, Maeve." His voice was warm. Steady. Patient. Like she was the only thing that mattered.
"Please… can you help me?" she asked, head bowed, unable to meet his gaze. "I really want to go over there."
"Then let's go," he replied.
He lifted her gently in his arms, cradling her like she weighed nothing. It was then she noticed his scent. A mix of eucalyptus and spice. With one hand, he pushed open the glass door and stepped outside onto the stone-floored terrace. The rain had softened to a drizzle — just mist in the air now.
He lowered her feet to the ground but didn't let go, his hand steady on her back, holding her upright.
Maeve gasped.
The view was even more stunning up close. The world looked untouched — raw, powerful, and free.
Tears streamed down her face again, but this time from memory.
She remembered the woods of her childhood — her father's laugh as they played tag, their tents, the way the sky peeked through the trees at night. She smiled through the ache.
"H-how did you know?" she whispered, eyes still locked on the trees.
"You said it," Levi answered, voice low. "When I found you, you were mummuring You said you missed the woods."
She blinked. Had she really said that aloud?
"Where are we?" she asked quietly.
"A city called Rotorua. In New Zealand," he replied.
A pause stretched between them, filled only by the hush of trees and rain.
"It's beautiful," she said. Then she looked up at him, tears still streaking her red face — but this time, her smile was wide and real. "Thank you… I—I'm so happy."
Levi's gaze didn't leave her face.
"You're welcome," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
---
They sat together on one of the gray couches, still outside, surrounded by the scent of damp earth and pine.
Maeve breathed in deeply, her eyes half-lidded with contentment. After a long pause, she spoke, voice soft.
"The woods… it's the one memory with my parents that's etched into my soul." Her gaze lingered on the treetops. "At some point, I thought I'd never be able to stand among trees again. But here I am… this is so beautiful. I can't believe we're actually on a mountain. When did we even get here? Didn't we land at a hangar? Did I sleep all the way through? Even while we were driving up?" She let out a small, almost embarrassed laugh.
Levi looked at her, a little surprised by her sudden talkativeness — pleasantly surprised. It was the most animated she had been in days.
"There's a hangar below the mountain. That's where we landed," he replied calmly. "We used a helicopter to get up here."
Maeve nodded slowly, her cheeks tinting a bit. Her curiosity was blooming again, and that was a good sign.
Just then, Levi's phone buzzed. He answered quietly, the speaker pressed against his ear. Maeve couldn't hear the conversation, but she watched him closely.
He ended the call quickly and turned back to her.
"Noelle's here," he said.
Maeve's eyes lit up with a small but genuine smile.
He stood and bent toward her gently, lifting her again into his arms.
"This is your room," he said as he carried her inside. "Mine is just past the kitchen."
He walked through the warm-toned hallway, lit softly by recessed lights, his voice calm and sure.
"Later, I'll show you around the penthouse," he added.
"Okay," she whispered, her smile lingering. The excitement of seeing Noelle, of feeling like she belonged somewhere again — it rested gently on her chest like a healing balm.
She didn't feel whole.
But for the first time in a long time… she felt safe.
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