The nurses at Linkon Hospital had started a betting pool.
Not about whether Dr. Zayne Li would propose to his chaotic hunter girlfriend—that was a given at this point. Everyone with eyes could see how completely gone he was for her, despite his attempts at maintaining professional composure.
No, the betting pool was about who would propose first.
"I'm telling you, it'll be Dr. Li," Nurse Chen insisted, marking her bet on the hidden spreadsheet they kept in the break room. "He's traditional. Proper. He'll do the whole romantic setup—roses, ring, bent knee, the works."
"You clearly don't know Nana," Nurse Park countered. "That girl has never done anything the traditional way in her life. She'll probably propose during a Wanderer fight or something equally ridiculous."
"I have fifty yuan that says she proposes within the next month," Nurse Kim added. "She's been giving him these looks lately. Like she's planning something."
They were so engrossed in their debate that they didn't notice said hunter girlfriend had walked into the hospital and was standing right behind them.
"Actually," Nana announced cheerfully, making all three nurses jump, "I'm going to be the one who asks. Zayne is way too nervous about these things. He'd probably calculate the optimal proposal conditions for six months and then chicken out at the last second."
The nurses spun around, faces red with embarrassment at being caught.
"Miss Wang! We were just—"
"Planning my proposal for me?" Nana grinned. "Thanks, but I've got it covered. Where's my boyfriend? His shift should be ending soon."
Nurse Chen pointed down the hall, still too flustered to speak.
Nana bounced off in that direction, leaving three very embarrassed nurses and one updated betting pool behind her.
She found Zayne exactly where she expected—in his office, finishing up paperwork, his white coat pristine despite having worked a full shift. How he managed to stay so clean while dealing with medical emergencies was one of life's great mysteries.
"Zayne!" She burst through the door without knocking, because knocking was for people with patience and she had none.
He looked up from his desk, and despite having been together for over a year, his expression still softened when he saw her. Like every time was the first time. Like she was something precious that he couldn't quite believe was his.
"Nana. I thought we agreed you'd wait in the lobby."
"That was boring. I waited for like five whole minutes. That's basically forever."
"It's been three minutes since your text saying you were here."
"See? Forever." She crossed to his desk and perched on the edge, swinging her legs. "Are you done? You promised to follow me anywhere today, remember?"
"I remember promising to accompany you to the downtown festival. I don't recall agreeing to 'follow you anywhere' without parameters."
"Same thing."
"It's distinctly not the same thing."
"You're being difficult."
"I'm being accurate."
Nana leaned forward with a mischievous grin. "Are you almost done with your paperwork, Dr. Li? Because I'm about to do something very unprofessional in your very professional office."
Zayne's ears immediately turned red. "Nana, we are in a hospital. With thin walls. And nurses who gossip."
"Then you better finish quickly so we can leave."
He sighed but started gathering his papers with increased efficiency. "You're impossible."
"You love me anyway."
"Debatable."
"Liar."
Within five minutes, he'd finished his documentation and was standing to retrieve his coat from the hook by the door. But before he could put it on, Nana launched herself at him.
She'd perfected this move over the past year—the running jump that ended with her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, trusting completely that he'd catch her.
Zayne shook his head even as his hands automatically came up to support her. "We've discussed this. You can't just jump at me without warning."
"But you always catch me."
"That's not the point."
"It's exactly the point." She kissed his nose, making his ears redden further. "Plus, you secretly like it."
"I do not—" He cut himself off at her knowing look. "Fine. I don't hate it. But that doesn't mean it's appropriate workplace behavior."
"Good thing your shift is over then." Nana slid down from his arms and grabbed his hand, interlacing their fingers. "Come on! The festival has started already and I want to try all the food before the good stuff runs out!"
She dragged him toward the door, barely giving him time to grab his coat and lock his office behind them.
.
.
.
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The Downtown Linkon Festival was in full swing by the time they arrived. Strings of lights crisscrossed the streets, creating a canopy of warm golden glow. Food vendors lined both sides of the pedestrian walkway, their stalls emanating smells that made Nana's stomach growl despite having eaten lunch only three hours ago.
Music played from somewhere—a local band covering popular songs, the sound mixing with laughter and conversation and the general buzz of a crowd having a good time.
"Oh!" Nana spotted a takoyaki stand and immediately pulled Zayne toward it. "We need to try this!"
"You don't even like octopus."
"I like it when it's in little balls with sauce and bonito flakes."
"That's still octopus."
"But it's *festival* octopus. Completely different."
Zayne bought her the takoyaki—because of course he did, he always did—and watched with fond exasperation as she took one bite, declared it "interesting," and then offered him the rest.
"You don't like it," he observed.
"I like the idea of it. The reality is just... very octopus-y."
"Which is what I said."
"Yeah, but I had to verify experimentally."
He ate the remaining takoyaki without complaint, because that was apparently his role in this relationship—being Nana's official food disposal system whenever she ordered things that looked better than they tasted.
They moved through the festival like that, with Nana trying every interesting-looking food and Zayne finishing whatever she couldn't. Candy apples that were too sweet, grilled meat skewers that she actually loved, bubble tea that had way too many toppings, fried sweet potato that was perfect and she ate the whole thing herself.
"You're going to make yourself sick," Zayne said as she eyed a cotton candy stand.
"I have a hunter's metabolism. I burn calories just standing still."
"That's not how metabolism works."
"It is when you fight monsters for a living."
He opened his mouth to argue—probably about to launch into a medical explanation of digestive processes—when Nana stood on her toes and kissed him.
It was a quick kiss, just enough to stop the lecture she could see building. When she pulled back, Zayne was blinking rapidly, his train of thought completely derailed.
"What was that for?" he asked.
"You were about to go into doctor mode. I could see the medical terminology forming."
"I was simply going to explain—"
She kissed him again.
"—the process of—"
Another kiss.
Zayne's lips twitched like he was fighting a smile. "Are you just going to keep kissing me every time I try to provide relevant medical information?"
"Yes."
"That's not a sustainable communication strategy."
"Works pretty well from where I'm standing."
This time when she moved to kiss him, his hand came up to cup her face, holding her there for a longer, slower kiss that made her forget they were standing in the middle of a crowded festival.
When they broke apart, both slightly breathless, Nana noticed several people watching them with fond smiles. One older woman gave her a thumbs up.
"We're making a scene," Zayne said, but he didn't sound particularly bothered by it.
"Good. Let them watch. Let everyone know you're mine."
"I don't think anyone doubts that at this point."
"You'd be surprised. Your fan club is relentless."
As if summoned by the mention of them, a group of young women approached. Nana recognized the type immediately—the kind who showed up at Zayne's medical conferences with banners and flowers.
"Dr. Li!" The leader of the group—a pretty girl in her early twenties—stepped forward with a phone raised. "Could we get a photo with you? We're such huge fans of your work!"
Zayne looked uncomfortable immediately. "I'm not really—"
"Just one photo! Please? We've been following your career for years!"
More girls joined in with similar requests, surrounding them in a way that made Nana's protective instincts flare. They were being polite, technically. But they were also clearly hoping Zayne was here alone.
One of them "accidentally" didn't notice Nana standing right there and stepped between them, breaking their joined hands.
Oh, absolutely not.
Nana's jealousy kicked in with the force of one of her Wanderer-killing kicks.
She marched forward—because Nana Wang did not do subtle—and wrapped herself around Zayne like a koala to a tree. Arms around his waist, face pressed into his chest, legs... okay, she couldn't actually wrap her legs around him while standing, but she pressed as close as physically possible.
"Hi," she said brightly to the fangirls, her voice muffled against Zayne's shirt. "I'm the girlfriend. The one who's dating him. The one who has kissing privileges and hand-holding rights and who he buys chocolate milk for. Just so we're all clear."
Zayne's chest rumbled with suppressed laughter. "Nana—"
"Take off your coat," she demanded, pulling back to look up at him.
"What?"
"Your hospital coat. Take it off. I need to wear it."
"Why do you need to wear my coat?"
"Because it has your name tag on it. And if I'm wearing your coat with your name tag, everyone will know you're taken. Specifically by me. The hunter. Who kicks things."
The fangirls were starting to look defeated, but Nana wasn't done establishing her territory.
Zayne looked at her for a long moment—at her determined expression, her slightly pouty lips, her possessive grip on his shirt—and started laughing.
Really laughing. The kind of genuine, unrestrained laughter that transformed his entire face, made him look years younger, made Nana's heart squeeze with how much she loved this man.
"You're jealous," he said, still laughing.
"I'm not jealous. I'm territorial. There's a difference."
"There really isn't."
"Just give me the coat, Zayne."
Still smiling, he shrugged out of his white doctor's coat and draped it over her shoulders. It was way too big—the sleeves hung past her hands and the hem fell to her knees—but she pulled it on anyway, making sure the name tag was clearly visible.
**DR. ZAYNE LI - CARDIOLOGY**
"There," Nana announced, turning to the fangirls with a satisfied smile. "See? Taken. Very taken. Extremely unavailable. Sorry not sorry."
The leader of the fan group looked between them, sighed, and managed a smile that was only slightly disappointed. "You're lucky, Miss...?"
"Wang. Nana Wang. S-class hunter. Professional Wanderer-kicker and official girlfriend of this doctor." She pointed at the name tag. "In case the coat wasn't clear enough."
"We get it," another girl said, laughing despite herself. "Congratulations. He's clearly very happy with you."
"He is," Zayne confirmed, wrapping an arm around Nana's shoulders. "Very happy. And very taken. She's not exaggerating about that."
The fangirls took a few photos from a distance—clearly just wanting pictures of Zayne at the festival—and then dispersed, their disappointed whispers fading into the crowd.
Nana burrowed deeper into the coat that smelled like antiseptic and coffee and him. "I know I was being ridiculous."
"You were being adorable."
"That's not better."
"It's much better." Zayne turned her to face him, his hands on her shoulders. "But you know you don't have to be jealous, right? Those women could throw themselves at me all day and I wouldn't even notice. I only see you."
"I know that logically. But the emotional lizard brain part of me wants to mark my territory."
"By wearing my coat."
"By wearing your coat with your name tag. It's very official."
"Very official," he agreed solemnly. Then, quieter: "Though if you want something more permanent than a borrowed coat... I could arrange that."
Nana's breath caught. "What?"
Zayne's ears were turning red, but his expression was serious. Determined. "I'm saying that if you want everyone to know I'm yours—permanently, officially, in a way that can't be disputed—I'm ready to make that happen. Whenever you are."
"Are you..." Nana's voice came out as a squeak. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Are you saying you're going to propose?"
"I'm saying I want to marry you. The timing and method are details we can figure out."
"But you... you'd want me to propose? Not you?"
"I know you, Nana. You've probably been planning it for months. You have a spreadsheet somewhere with optimal proposal locations rated by romantic potential versus likelihood of Wanderer interruption."
"I do not have a—" She cut herself off at his knowing look. "Okay, I have a list. But it's not a spreadsheet. It's just... notes. Very organized notes."
Zayne kissed her forehead, his smile soft and genuine. "Then I'll wait. Take your time. Plan it however you want. I promise to act surprised and emotional when you finally ask."
"You're just going to wait? While I plan my proposal to you?"
"Yes."
"That's not how this usually works."
"Nothing about us has ever been usual."
Nana threw her arms around him, not caring that they were in the middle of a crowded festival, not caring about the people who were definitely watching and taking photos.
"I love you," she said fiercely. "So much. More than you can possibly imagine."
"I think I can imagine quite a lot." His arms tightened around her. "I love you too. In this life and whatever other ones we might have shared."
Something in his phrasing made Nana pull back to look at him. "What do you mean, 'other lives'?"
Zayne looked thoughtful. "I've been having more dreams lately. Clearer ones. About ice caves and impossible creatures and fighting beside you in places that don't exist. And I keep dying in them. But it never feels like nightmares. It feels like... memories. Of things that happened. To us."
Nana's heart was pounding. "Do you believe that? That they might be memories?"
"I don't know. Logically, it seems impossible. But..." He touched his chest, right where the Roman numeral VI would be carved if they were in Avalon. "Sometimes when I wake up, I expect to see marks here. Scars or brands or something. And I'm always surprised when there's nothing."
"What kind of marks?"
"I don't know. Numbers, maybe? Tally marks? Something that counts... I can't explain it. It's like my body remembers something my mind doesn't."
Nana pressed her hand over his heart, feeling it beat steady and strong. In Avalon, this was where his death count had been marked. Six deaths. Six rebirths. Six times he'd lost everything and started over.
"If they are memories," she said carefully, "would you want to know? Even if knowing might be painful?"
Zayne considered this. "Yes. I think so. Even if they're painful, they're mine. Ours. I don't like feeling like there are pieces of myself missing." He cupped her face gently. "And if those memories involve you—involve us—then yes. I want to know. All of it."
"Okay." Nana took a deep breath. "Then someday, when you're ready, I'll tell you everything. About the dreams. About what they might mean. About all of it."
"Someday," Zayne agreed. "But not today. Today, I just want to enjoy the festival with my jealous, territorial girlfriend who steals my coat and kisses me to avoid medical lectures."
Nana laughed, the heavy moment breaking into something lighter. "Deal. But I'm keeping the coat for the rest of the night."
"I assumed you would."
They continued through the festival, Nana swimming in Zayne's coat, both of them eating too much fried food and laughing at terrible carnival games. Zayne won her a stuffed bear at the ring toss through what Nana suspected was some kind of physics calculation rather than luck.
"You mathed your way to carnival victory," she accused.
"I applied the principles of projectile motion and angular momentum."
"You're such a nerd."
"You love me anyway."
"I really, really do."
As the evening deepened and the festival lights grew brighter against the darkening sky, they found themselves at a quieter edge of the festivities. A small garden area with benches and string lights, away from the main crowds.
Nana was bouncing slightly, unable to contain her excitement. "You really meant it, right? About wanting to marry me?"
"I really meant it."
"And you're okay with me proposing?"
"More than okay. Eager, even."
"Because you know I'm going to make it ridiculous and over-the-top and probably somehow involve kicking something?"
"I would expect nothing less."
Nana bounced higher, practically vibrating with joy. "I'm going to propose to you. I'm going to ask you to marry me. And you're going to say yes!"
"I am definitely going to say yes."
"This is the best day ever. Even better than the day I kicked three Wanderers at once!"
"I'm honored to rank above triple-Wanderer-kicking."
She grabbed his hands, swinging them between them like an excited child. "We're going to get married. We're going to have forever."
"Forever," Zayne agreed, pulling her close. "However many lifetimes that takes."
And as they stood there in the quiet garden, surrounded by festival lights and the distant sounds of celebration, Nana thought about forevers and lifetimes and loves that transcended memory.
She thought about the Zayne who'd loved her in Linkon before Avalon.
The Zayne who'd died six times and still found his way back to her.
The Zayne who stood before her now, with no memories of their shared trauma but all the love they'd built anyway.
They were all the same person. The same soul. The same love.
And soon—very soon—she was going to ask him to marry her.
And he was going to say yes.
And they were going to have their forever, memory or no memory, in this life and whatever other ones might come.
Together.
Always together.
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To be continued.