It had been a heat-of-the-moment incident. The freedom she had felt on the mountain had made her feel amazing, and the anger she had felt at Mao Mao for "holding her back" had led to her utterly ripping the necklace away and throwing it out to who knows where. 

Of course that wasn't true. He had tried so hard! She knew now that if she hadn't tried to hold her powers in, if she hadn't been so scared of them, maybe, just maybe....!

Still, with all that had happened, she hadn't considered, had even forgotten about it. It was a small thing anyway, and Mao Mao had forgiven her, so there was no need for it! 

That... didn't seem to be the case when he asked about it. 

"Hey, Rose, where's the necklace?" he asked her as the two walked on the streets. 

She blinked. "The necklace?" 

"You know, the one I gave you when we were kids?" he clarified, hoping it would jog her memory a bit. 

Rose paused, her footsteps slowing as she recalled the mountain. "About... that..." 

He paused as well, turning around to face her. "Rose?" 

She wasn't sure how to phrase this, but tried anyway, "I think... I may have ripped it out when I was on the mountain." 

Mao Mao's eyes widened. W-What?

"You... Y-You did WHAT?!" His voice was raised higher than he expected. 

Rose flinched at that. "M-Mao Mao I swear I didn't mean to, I was just really, feeling so free, and-" 

"So what?! That didn't mean you had to throw away the necklace! Back then, did you just see me as an obstacle?! As someone who held you back!?" He snapped. "I can't believe you would...! I can't believe you just threw it out so carelessly!" 

"I swear I have a good explanation...!" Rose knew she was grasping at straws here. Truth be told, she had no explanation. Accident aside, she knew what this action had meant. 

To her, back in those cold, windy walls, she had seen it as something to dispose of...

It had been a sign of their friendship, a reminder that they were friends (and lovers) even though she had...

She couldn't bear to look at Mao Mao's eyes anymore. She knew that she would be faced with a look of disappointment, of betrayal that she had, at one point, treated their friendship, their love, as a joke when it was this connection that kept her sane growing up. 

But right now, not even she knew how to explain herself for what she had done. 

Mao Mao's fists tightened. He couldn't... He couldn't believe her. He had worked so, so hard just to get her to come out and play again... He had done so much for her, and yet, and yet! She had not only treated it lightly, but even... 

Just who was he in her eyes? What was their relationship in her eyes?

Turning around, he marched forward once more. 

"W-Wait, where are you going?" Rose stammered. 

"I'm going to go look for the necklace," he muttered. "You're welcome to join me, but I..." 

She froze when she saw the tear streaking down his cheek from behind. "I don't expect you to." 

Mao Mao's footsteps grew heavier. Faster. He just... Was he really nothing but a joke to her?! He thought... He thought he finally meant something to someone. 

But did Rose truly... Even if it was an accident... Did she truly love him as much as he did her? 

He didn't actually know, and that notion scared him more than he would like to admit. 

The mountain was cold and chilly as per usual. Rose was okay with the cold, since it never bothered her, but Mao Mao was shivering. It reminded him of when he was close to being frozen fully. Nothing but cold anywhere. It was... really hard back then. 

Still, he forged forward. No true hero backed down from any circumstance. No, they embraced it and made it work regardless of the odds! Plus... If he looked back, he would have to face Rose, and he didn't know how to do that yet. He was still so new to relationships; as much as he wished he could cut through the confusion like it was an enemy, that wouldn't work here. 

Ugh, feelings were so complicated! Why did they exist in the first place!? 

He groaned as he padded forward, refusing to deal with this now. He channeled all his energy to moving forward, wrapping his cloak around him for now. He couldn't lose the necklace now! 

"Do you wanna build a snowman?"

It had all their precious memories together... He couldn't... He couldn't afford to lose it! Not after everything! He refused to! 

"Mao Mao, please stop!" Rose finally spoke up, worry in her tone as she saw him continue to trudge up even as he hugged himself for warmth. He hadn't even stopped to get his winter gear, so of course he would be freezing! She had to do something, but what?...

He didn't reply. If anything, she could see him speeding up. As if the sheer thought of being with her was unbearable... 

How heartbroken had he been when she revealed she had thrown it out? 

She couldn't help but feel horrified at herself back then. She knew it was blameless but now... now it was going to cost her the only friendship she had-

Wait. 

She paused. It was about their friendship, because it reminded Mao Mao of the good times. 

But those times had been barely anything. That had barely been good with how she just ignored him for so long...

She had messed up because of her powers, and after saving Mao Mao she had vowed never to do it again. 

She... She understood now, what she had to do. 

A deep breath. She grabbed his arm and YANKED him, making him face her eyes. "I know I messed up. But both of us can't hold onto the past. We've made it past that stage. We've renewed our friendship, Mao. Why would we need a necklace? As much as it was a memento of our childhood, it's... not worth hurting yourself over."

"Then tell me if you really love me," he demanded. His tears fell down his cheeks as he roared, "THAT NECKLACE WAS A SIGN OF OUR LOVE AND YOU THREW IT AWAY!" 

"THAT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS NOT HEALTHY FOR BOTH OF US! WE KNOW BETTER NOW!" she pleaded. "BACK THEN, IT WAS BARELY A FRIENDSHIP! IT WAS BARELY ANYTHING RESEMBLING A RELATIONSHIP!" 

His eyes widened.

"And I know I can't turn back time. I can't go back to that time and change anything. I would have liked to keep that memento as well. I'm sorry for that, Mao. I really am. But... this time, I think we can leave that necklace behind." 

"B-But..." 

"We won't leave those memories behind us. We'll carry it with us to the future. That, I promise. I won't forget again, Mao. You can count on it," she said with a determined smile. 

And as her powers pulled in some snow from her surroundings, 2 matching solid ice pendants was created. It was heart-shaped with a snowflake and katanas enclosing it, and Rose gently took one of them and gave it to Mao Mao. 

His eyes widened at the gesture, but as he saw the beautiful smile on her face, he couldn't help but smile back. He... He really had been jumping to conclusions, hadn't he? Rose still loved him more than he could ever imagine... 

He took the pendant, and grasped it as he said, "I... I'm sorry too, Rose." 

She laughed a bit, hugging him. "You're forgiven, Mao." 

He didn't pull away. He only brought her closer as he said, "So are you, Rose." 

The two would stay like that for a while before the cold truly kicked in for Mao Mao, prompting them to leave that snowy mountain and head down back home for some tea before getting some ice cream. 

Sure their past was sweet, but holding onto anything never did anyone any favours. Moving forward to the future was better than dwelling on the past.

The growth in their relationship was signified by these matching pendants, to be carried for the rest of their days together. 

Fangirl_332 I admit I wasn't expecting to finish today, but here we go! I hope you like it!