Her Rebirth.

The car pulled into the circular driveway of the Song estate, its tires crunching softly against the gravel. The doors of the mansion opened just as the car came to a full stop, and Song Yue walked out, a smile on his lips.

"Welcome home."

Kai stepped out first, then turned to offer Amelia his hand. She took it with a small smile and stepped out beside him. The moment her heels touched the ground, Song Yue walked toward them and, without pause, opened his arms toward her.

"My future granddaughter-in-law," he said warmly, pulling her into a firm but gentle hug.

Amelia stiffened slightly from the suddenness of it, blinking in surprise then smiled as she returned the embrace.

"It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir—"

But before she could even fully relax, she felt Kai’s hand at her waist as he smoothly pulled her back toward him.

"That’s enough hugging, old man," Kai muttered under his breath.

Song Yue raised a brow, laughing heartily at his grandson’s barely restrained jealousy. "So it’s really true..."

Kai rolled his eyes and slipped his hand into Amelia’s, giving it a possessive squeeze. "Grandfather, this is Amelia Cosgrove."

Amelia offered a small, graceful bow. "It’s an honor to meet you, sir."

"And the honor is mine," Song Yue replied, his eyes softening. "Come, let’s talk inside."

---

Song Yue led them both into the study, and as they sat down, an older maid entered with a tray and silently poured tea for the three of them. Amelia accepted her cup with both hands, bowing her head slightly.

"Thank you," she said softly before taking a sip. She held the cup with elegance, with her pinky curved just slightly.

Song Yue watched her for a moment, then gave a thoughtful nod. She did carry herself very well and was quite refined. If not because he knew there were no royalties in Country A, he would’ve thought she was one.

"Tell me, young lady, do you play Go?"

Amelia blinked. "I’ve never tried, but I’d be happy to learn."

"Good," Song Yue said, already pulling a carved Go board from a cabinet behind him.

Kai leaned back with his arms crossed, watching as his grandfather gestured for Amelia to sit opposite him across the board.

"These are black and white stones," Song Yue began, placing them on either side of the grid. "Your goal is to claim territory by surrounding empty space. But the deeper part of the game is deception, knowing when to attack, when to retreat, when to sacrifice." He turned and looked at Kai. "This was the first game I played with my grandson and..." his lips curved slightly into a sorrowful smile, "...his mother."

Amelia smiled. "I am grateful that you gave me this opportunity to play with you."

Song Yue smiled but didn’t respond. Instead, he said,

"Black always goes first." He placed a stone in the corner. "You’ll be white."

"Because I’m new?" she asked.

"Because I want to win," he said with a grin.

That made her laugh.

They began to play slowly, Grandfather Song explaining each principle carefully, how to claim territory, the importance of influence, the balance between attack and defense.

At first, Amelia’s movements were hesitant, each decision carefully thought out and weighed. But soon she was moving stones more confidently, reading patterns, anticipating threats.

"You’re good at this," Song Yue said after a while. "Not in skill, perhaps, but in spirit. You don’t panic. That’s rare."

Amelia smiled. "It’s harder to panic when you don’t understand what’s going on."

He laughed again, genuinely pleased. "You remind me of someone with a sharp mind and a silver tongue. You’ll do just fine in this family."

The game stretched on, and as the board slowly filled, it became apparent that Amelia was losing but she never frowned, never showed frustration. She only grew more focused and curious.

When the last stone was placed, she leaned back and examined the board with a hum. "That bad, huh?"

"You lost," Grandfather Song confirmed with a smile, "but not badly. And more importantly, you didn’t play to survive. You played to win. I respect that. With practice, I daresay you’ll defeat me in time."

"Then I’ll make sure to challenge you again," Amelia replied, smiling warmly.

Grandfather Song only laughed again. "You’ve chosen well," he said to Kai.

Kai’s gaze softened as he looked at Amelia, and replied quietly, "I know."

---

Then Song Yue’s expression became more serious, his lips pressing into a straight line.

"Kai," he said suddenly, "leave us for a moment."

Kai frowned. He glanced at Amelia, then back at his grandfather.

"Why?"

"Because I wish to speak with her alone."

Kai didn’t move, not until Amelia gently touched his hand and whispered, "It’s alright, Kai. I’ll be fine." That, and only that, made him move.

"Fine," Kai muttered, rising slowly to his feet. "I’ll be right outside." He shut the door behind him with a click.

Song Yue exhaled quietly, then turned back to Amelia. For a moment, he simply looked at her, studying her carefully. Under his careful gaze, Amelia felt goosebumps rise on her skin.

Why was he staring at her like that?

Then he asked,

"Do you love him?"

Amelia blinked, quite surprised by the question. "Of course," she answered without hesitation. "Why wouldn’t I?"

"I don’t mean infatuation. I don’t mean admiration. I mean, do you truly love Kai?"

"Yes, I do."

Song Yue watched her again in silence as if he were trying to uncover her, searching for any trace of lie or secret in her words.

Then, after a moment, he leaned back in his seat, eyes growing soft. "Good," he murmured, folding his hands in his lap. "Because he’s never truly had someone who did. No one apart from me and his mother."

Amelia’s heart clenched.

Song Yue continued, his voice growing raspier. "I’ve done what I could for him since the day I found him. Took him in, gave him my name, a home, something to belong to. But I was too late to protect what really mattered." He looked down at the board, his eyes filled with regrets. "His soul was already broken when he walked into my office years ago. And all I could do was pull him out after the worst had passed."

Amelia remained still, her throat tightening.

"I won’t be around forever," Song Yue said quietly. Then, meeting her gaze again, he added, "So I ask you, if you can give him something real... if you can be the person he never dared to hope for... then maybe... just maybe... he would heal. And please, Amelia — please... protect him. Kai may look strong, but he is still a fragile boy underneath, and even I wish I could protect him forever. I can’t, and when I’m gone, there might be no one left who knows how to."

Amelia reached for her teacup, her hands steady even as her heart trembled. She lifted it toward him like a solemn vow.

"I will," she said, her voice soft but unwavering. "I swear it."

And Song Yue, for all the power and pride he carried, closed his eyes for just a moment in relief, like he had finally set down a weight and guilt he’d been carrying for far too long.

Then he gave a small, bittersweet smile. "Then maybe, just maybe... I can rest easy. My time is near, after all."