me putting on the “i love taivan but i also empathize with simone and those feelings can coexist. van also does to the point of feeling guilt just for being alive after others died in her place. being acknowledged by simone for the first time (“so you’re her, huh) and biting back tears. van feels that every moment she spends in taissa’s life left comes with others having to be disregarded or hurt, if not killed. taissa is not in the emotional headspace to think of anyone but van and their immediate safety now that they have survived yet another traumatic situation together. this further distances taissa and simone, leaving them both unhappy, unfulfilled, and disappointed—feeling like they are not enough for each other or their own child. simone’s frustration at finally being able to identify that she wasn’t what taissa wanted in the back of her mind (with taissa not even knowing this herself) is a tragic situation for everyone involved” hat