Day had turned night in the blink of an eye. Noel lay restlessly on the bed, gazing at the nothingness called a blank wall.
"…What's wrong?" Daniel asked as he looked up from his journal. "Did you sit too long in the sauna?" he added.
Noel stirred, yawning. "Yeeeah~ a little. It's so hot. I should maybe take some fresh air."
"Do that. I'll probably have gone to bed when you return."
"Hmm. I see. It must've been draining being dragged around by Kevin and the others."
Daniel leaned back on the chair. "Not really—I've been getting to know people outside our group for a while now. They're all nice, but I think I went a little too hard at that game, haha," he chuckled.
"…" Noel softly smiled. "That's totally understandable," he replied.
Just as he went out to get some air, he saw a familiar figure in the hall walking toward him. It was a girl with silver ash-brown hair and light emerald eyes. Though she wasn't in the feminine outfit she'd been wearing as of late.
He raised his hand, calling out to her. "Yo," he said, flashing her a bright smile.
"Yo?" Chely chuckled softly. "Yo, I guess?" she returned his energy.
"…"
Seeing her mimic him and smile left his heart all gooey, melty, and squishy. He didn't need to think it or say it—but he was atrociously down bad for this one girl.
"What are you doing out at this time?" she asked, doing her usual relaxed arm crossing.
"Nothin' much, just getting some fresh air."
Chely nodded, her eyes darted around, which Noel found suspicious. On a closer look, her armor wasn't as heavy as it used to be—rather, most of it was underneath her green cloak. It was more lowkey, though; his eyes were hard locked on the gloves. It wasn't as though he was ogling her chest; rather, he found the gloves kinda cool—he basically zoned out. Just as when they first met, she seemed knightly and more stoic than usual tonight.
"Noel Karlsson, are you not staring too much? I am a Lady and will become bashful at such a prolonged gaze," Chely politely voiced out of the blue.
"Whaaat~ accusations much…" Noel's eyes widen; there was this feeling of déjà vu. "Sorry. You're pretty, and I couldn't help but stare." The words came out naturally; it was as if he'd said it before…
—Wait… Noel came to a realization and couldn't help but softly laugh.
"Is that so? I wasn't looking for a compliment," Chely said, her shoulders lowered as her lips curved into a gentle smile.
"Are we really rehearsing it all?" Noel couldn't help but tease, leaning on the wall with crossed arms.
"So you do remember…" Chely sighed lightly. Then, casting a glance toward the window. "Miu told me her side."
"…?" Noel's eyes widen a little. "When? When you were alone in the pool—"
"Do you like me?" she asked, gazing directly into his surprised eyes.
"Yeah… Yeah, of course I like you," Noel replied smugly, shaking off her sudden teasing.
Taking his words, Chely took a few steps, slowly closing the distance until she grabbed his collar. "I've been thinking. And thinking... For a while now," she calmly spoke as she pulled his face closer to hers.
"…"
Left speechless, he couldn't process what just happened, but… the lingering warmth of her lips still lingered on his.
—H-huh? Why's she so assertive? How is she so calm?
"I like you," Chely said calmly, staring into his silver-blue eyes after what seemed to be a silent eternity. "I've thought about it, and with what I know about relationships from your world…" Her words slowly trailed off before he felt her fist clench. "I… I don't want to tie you down. So, if this remains between the two of us, you won't be."
"…"
Even though his heart was racing so badly, about to pound of his chest, her voice seemed hurt.
—Does she think I'll get tired of her?
"…"
Admittedly, he didn't know himself. It's never a certainty—love is fleeting, and its flames can die out just as easily as they burst to life.
He didn't know the answer, but this girl… no, woman before him decided to profess, ready to remain by his side for life—or that was how it usually went in The Lesich Empire. Out of consideration for him, she'd chosen…
"No way," Noel flicked her forehead. "There's no way I'm not bragging about this!" he exclaimed.
It was only fair if he returned it earnestly.
Chely's eyes widened, shaking as her lips slowly parted. As she was about to tell him not to be rash, he pulled the collar of her cloak, pulling her into a kiss.
""…"" Both of them stared at one another, unsure of what to say next.
"You'll… be stuck with me, you know…?" she said, half sulking and half mock-annoyed.
"Pffts…" Noel laughed, hugging her shamelessly.
"Nn-nh…" Chely softly gasped, but quickly relaxed.
'Not quite… I'm not stuck with you—you're the one stuck with me,' he whispered. "Oh, by the way, what were you doing out this late?" he casually asked as if he wasn't squeezing her tightly.
"I was heading out for a patrol…" she replied, resting her head just underneath his chin.
"Huh? Why were you heading this way then? The exit was just around the corner you came from…"
"…" Without a word, Chely pushed him away, escaping the embrace. "Wh-whatever…"
"Whaat? Whatever doesn't really fit in this situation, you know?" Noel groaned.
"Whatever! I don't care, tell people what you want—I'll head out now!" Chely exclaimed, her face beet red. Then headed toward the exit.
"…"
"Don't follow me!"
"I mean… I'm heading the same way," he teased, taking her hand.
"R-right…" Chely replied, wanting to dig a hole and never crawl out. But she shook his hand off and removed her glove.
"…What's this? Something's soft squeezing me," Noel chuckled smugly, finding her absolutely adorable.
"You mean this?" Chely replied—
"O-o-oww-ouch!" Noel yelped—my hands, my hands! He exclaimed inwardly.
"Hmph, you're insufferable," she relaxed, giggling warmly.
..
"So, basically, she wanted to see me before going on a patrol—we reminisced a little, and well, I'll keep the rest to myself!" Noel told the girls, beaming with energy.
Thinking back, he melted into a puddle; the air around him was all warm, pink, and flowery. Amethely lightly giggled while Miu cringed, looking away.
..
Somewhere over the ocean, Chely sneezed; shivers ran down her spine.
..
"Oh, I see, so it was right after that talk, huh?" Miu said, resting a finger on her chin as she tilted her head. "But I'm happy for you. Congrats!" she cheered. "But… how did you find out, Ame?"
Amethely scratched her cheek. "I happened to be at the entrance and saw them hold hands," she replied warmly. "Of course, I had to ask since their fingers were intertwined!"
"That's kinda cute," Miu teased, poking his arm.
"Haha… okay now I'm actually getting a little shy…" Noel said, scratching his neck.
"Nji-hihi~, you are?" Miu giggled sweetly.
She cupped her drink, taking a sip of the hot chocolate. The foam clung to her pink, soft lips. With a small lick, a slight head tilt, and her soft, snowy hair brushing her cheek, her tender ruby eyes looked up from the cup.
"…"
With an innocent expression, she asked, "What's wrong?" to the two of them.
"Nothing…" Amethely and Noel replied as they met her gaze.
Miu didn't think much of it as she yawned. She raised her arms above her head, intertwining her fingers as she stretched with one eye open. "Mm-mmh, aah~" she sighed. Tension broke as she released, her arms fell down as she looked content.
—Bounce-bounce-bounce…
""…""
I've noticed… but is she always like that? Amethely asked Noel with her eyes.
Not always, but… I mean, there's a reason tons of guys always glance at her, he replied.
"…" Amethely stared at the nervous Noel with a deadpan expression. Really? You included? Her eyes seemed to ask.
I don't try to! His eyes exclaimed.
"Hmm~" Amethely hummed a soothing melody.
For some reason, they sounded like wardrums for Noel, thus he swiftly averted his eyes, all the while receiving a complicated expression filled with judgment from Amethely.
"Nani? Aren't you going to keep flipping the page, Ame?" Miu asked.
Swiftly shifting her gaze, she replied, "O-oh. Nn. I am. But before that, can I ask you something, Miu?"
"Yeah~ go ahead," Miu smiled warmly.
"I've wondered… I know you and Noel used to pretend, but is there someone you like?"
It crossed her mind a few times, but even as a girl herself, Amethely found Miu incredibly beautiful. She'd heard from Chely that Alum seemed close when she met them in the southern Ilifelen plains, but Amethely hasn't personally seen them interact that much. At most, greetings, waves, or small casual exchanges.
Maybe… Amethely thought.
"Nji-hihi, I'll tell you about it next time, but today's Noel's day, right?" Miu teasingly replied, poking her childhood friend. "Right? Right?" she repeated.
"You're right," Amethely smiled.
"…"
Miu returned a smile, but in all honesty. She didn't want to answer that question; her feelings might leak. She clenched the hem of her cloak under the table.
—How can I say I like your fiancé? Especially after he rejected me, picking you over me? I like him… I liked him first, he liked me too… Mou… when will this heartache go away?
I… I don't want to tell you. All that I know is mine—they're mine. The way he briefly checks before every bite he takes, the stars he likes, the small habits and gestures.
..
"Whoa! The night sky's so pretty out here, isn't it?" I said as I reached out toward the sky.
I glanced to my side. There, Alum leaned back; he, too, reached for the stars. So… I just had to ask him.
"Do you like stars?"
"…I don't know," he replied flatly.
"Hmm~ do you find them pretty?" I asked, and our eyes met.
"…I suppose? They're naturally pretty," he scratched his cheek.
Now that I've noticed this, he tends to scratch his cheek whenever he's unsure of how to reply or is caught, huh? Mmnh! That's so cute…!
"Nji-hihi~ then isn't that enough?" I replied.
"…" he smiled softly. "Perhaps. I guess I do like them—they're colorful, like a pretty monochrome painting."
For some reason, he sometimes speaks as if he's colorblind, describing colors as if they're foreign—even though the birds he himself paints are so vibrant.
I couldn't help but lean closer, I mean… we're around a campfire, inside the same blanket—he wouldn't find it strange, right?
..
Miu smiled quietly as the two continued to flip through the pages. Amethely would tell stories and Noel listened—they'd come to an agreement that, next time, it was his turn to tell stories about Alum.
"…"
—At least. Just for a little longer, I get to keep all this to myself.
…
..
When morning came, Alum opened his eyes. His body was awfully heavy, but it never really mattered. If he could move, he would.
"…"
As he got up from the bed, his heart thumped, his head throbbed as pain coursed through his body. Without looking, he materialized the caramel pouch and flicked a soft, creamy caramel into his mouth, letting the sweetness melt.
—Thanks, Ame, he thought, picturing her inside his head. Shy, happy, unintentionally lewd, annoyed but not really, clingy, adorable, lovable—all of her filled his mind.
The medics glanced at him, giving a small nod. But as they saw that he was okay, smiling gently with sweets in his hands, they let him out of the tent. He'd learned that most of the survivors weren't grievously injured and had all recovered.
When he looked up, a ship hovered above. People were on the move, taking precious things out of their homes.
Then, a blonde girl with silver eyes approached him with a few youths. "Thank you…" The green-eyed boy said, smiling. His name was Dhan, and the girl was Amelia; next to her was her brother Landen, who seemed a little troubled by how Amelia wasn't letting go of Dhan—she'd start panicking without him, and he'd go cold without her.
They got to say thanks and wave goodbye. The blonde girl flashed a somewhat sorrowful smile at him.
"While you couldn't save them all, you did great, Little Artillery."
"Thanks, Boiling Soup."
"…" Reminded of when she was fed hot soup; it was the first time the soldiers saw her flustered, fanning her tongue. The girl chuckled a little. "That's not my callsign," she retorted.
"So? What's with the get up, Boiling Soup(Luna)?" Alum inquired, looking at her from head to toe. Her attire was simpler, lightly armored, too.
"Guess…" she said plainly.
"…"
Alum didn't say it, but when he saw that Night Ouen wave, gesturing for him to get over there, he knew.
"Let's go, Ailz," Luna giggled softly.
"…What should I call you?" Alum inquired, smiling softly.
Luna seemed to ponder, scratching her cheek, then ultimately said, "Pick for me."
"Sigh… let's get going, Selene."