TIARA’S FORGOTTEN MEMORIES - HAPPILY EVER AFTER

7,324,867TH TIMELINE

It’s a cool Saturday morning, and I was surprised when my only friend visited my apartment in Dradecim.

“Hey Tiara, let’s eat in that new restaurant. My treat! B-Because… w-well…” Rikkun scratched his head and turned away from me, an attempt to hide his blushing face. “I-It’s my birthday… S-So I owe you a friendly date...”

Everytime Rikkun blushes, it makes my heart throb. He’s really cute whenever he tries to hide his embarrassed face.

His friends Chrisprel, Ranley, and Daughty doesn’t exist in this timeline. On the other hand, Heushac is not aware of Rikkun’s existence because he’s already a Gate Guardian serving a Legion in Heightsburg City. And he just got friendzoned by his love Jeannette two weeks ago, so they are in cold terms.

So to wrap it all, Rikkun in this timeline is a full-pledged antisocial... like me.

“I-Is that the all-you-can-eat Mongolian barbecue buffet!?” I excitedly exclaimed. It took me a while to realize that I’m already drooling.

“Y-Yeah. Let’s go!”

<>

The best thing about Rikkun is that he doesn’t care if I eat a lot. He would just sit there, entertained, watching me as I chomp all the meat on my plate. He would even turn generous and give me delicious treats every time I save him from an Eidolon.

This trait of Rikkun never changes even if I switch timelines.

After we ate all the delicious barbecue, I made a surprise to my beloved friend

“Happy Birthday, Rikkun!” I made a smile as I presented him with my hand-baked blueberry black forest cake.

“T-Tiara…” Rikkun sniffed three times and then his green eyes produced crawling tears. He used his arm to hide his expression, but his nervous yet happy voice made me realize that it is a genuine tear of joy. “Y-You’re the first one...who surprised me… on my birthday…” He hollered. “...I’m so happy!”

“Stop crying now, my dear Rikkun~” I patted his head like a dog. “I told you, you are always dear to me.”

That bright smile and happy tears of your loved one is the best. I wouldn’t mind being imprisoned in an infinite time loop as long as I can see him like this.

Suddenly, Rikkun turned to a serious expression. He looked at me in the eyes with his swollen dried up eyes and his face became red. Then he held both of my hands.

“Tiara!” He shouted with all the courage in his heart.

“E-Eh?” Because of this sudden surprise, that’s all the word I can mutter. Those reddish cheeks of him are contagious!

“Please stay with me forever! Toujours et a jamais! Forever and ever!”

For seven million timelines, he never said those lines to me.

I don’t know if that counts as a confession, but this is the right time to release all the feelings I have stored in my heart! I mustered all the bravery and shouted.

“Rikkun! I… I… !!!”

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Suddenly, everything disappeared. The restaurant turned into an abandoned room painted red. Everything is red. There is the blood moon which makes it clear that we have been transported to Yami.

And then there is a cloaked man behind Rikkun. A silver-haired man with red irises and triangle sigil on each of his eyes. He has this dark katana-shaped sword on his right hand. His face... is a lot similar to mine. I am fully aware that he’s my twin, Diadem!

“...Sluttiest line on the book.” My evil twin said.

And then he made a swift hack, severing my precious friend’s head away from its body.

Just before my dead friend’s body fall to the ground, blood rose to my brain.

I was consumed by anger...hatred… wrath.

With my power as the witch, I summoned five whitetails on my back, and my hair converted to white.

“!!!” With my blinding speed, my dragon claws sank in my evil twin’s heart. I pushed him until his back hits the wall as he cries for agony.

Diadem coughed several chunks of blood, and then he smiled. “My dear sister… You know you’ve been doing nonsense all the time…”

“Shut up!!!” I cried as I squeezed his heart further.

“Aaaaah!” Diadem cried in excruciating pain, but he still managed to laugh. “Hahaha… Look at you… You’re worse than us Cursed Guardians. You’re too selfish for repeating the timeline over and over again just to have a precious moment with your Rikkun…”

“YOU!!! YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO KILL RIKKUN!!!” I cried once again as I crushed my twin’s heart. And there, he fell lifeless on the ground.

<>

Because of violating the laws of the universe, repeating the timeline over and over again, and mercilessly killing my twin, I was corrupted by greed, lust, and wrath. I am now a Cursed Guardian, bearing the same mark of the black triangle on my eyes.

Every Gate Guardian hunts me. The Kozukata Shrine Maidens completely became my enemies. Jeannette even blamed me for killing Rikkun.

But I have a greater sin than any of those.

Since I’m already a Cursed Guardian, my powers have greatly increased. I learned a spell to use my to satisfy my selfish wish.

I summoned Rikkun’s soul and sealed it on his severed head. I used to fuse both his mind and soul in order for him to live on permanently, until the end of time. As long as his catalyst brain remains intact, he will never die.

It is the most forbidden way to revive a dead loved one.

I kept his head in an underground room hidden in the burnt remains of the Brightmore Shrine.

I thought that it would be our happily ever after.

But as soon as I assimilated his soul to his severed head, he would only stare at me with distrust.

“W-Why… Why did you do this to me!?” Rikkun’s nervous scream echoed.

“I’m sorry Rikkun... “ I made a smile. “I-It’s the only way to keep you alive… I’m getting tired too, you know?… I don’t mind you falling in love with somebody else… but please, just don’t leave me... I’ve spent an eternity just to be with you, trying over and over again just to keep you alive… and happy…”

“Do you think that I’m happy in this state!?” Rikkun shouted. “Kill me! Kill me now! I’d rather die than to be forever with you!”

“B-But Rikkun-”

“KILL ME!!! KILL ME!!! KILL ME NOW!!! I HATE YOU!!!”

“No, you don’t understand. I’m doing this for you! I sacrificed everything for you!”

I just realized that you don’t truly love someone until they’ve hurt you over and over again but still think of them as the greatest person in the world. Love is extremely cruel.

My hands moved on its own and transformed into dark dragon claws. My monstrous strength squeezed his brain out as I finally grant him his eternal wish to die.

After killing my only friend, I fell down on my knees. My eyes are all dried up to produce any tears. The sorrow, the hatred, and the endless pain sank through my heart.

“...I...I just wanted Rikkun...to... to have a happy life…”

Why…

Why…

Why is this happening!!!?

Are my sufferings not enough!? Are my sacrifices always in vain!?

Is my love for him… the wrong thing?

<>

“Are you willing to trade everything just for your loved one to be happy?” A voice said.

I looked up and saw a blonde woman with green eyes. I have met her on a certain timeline before, but I couldn’t remember her name. She is wearing a white valkyrie-like outfit and she is wielding a white bow and a short sword. She has eight snow-white wings on her back.

She is a literal goddess of light.

“...I… I do.” I muttered.

“I have heard your cries. I have watched you for all seven million timelines. Your love for Alaric Eisenhower is more than infinite, way beyond good and evil. You have proven your worth to become the Frozen Soul.”

Then the lady continues to talk. “Sadly, all I can do is to reverse your destinies. Are you willing to trade your lifespan to him? He will have a good love story with somebody else and have a happily ever after, and you will be reduced to ashes as soon as you turn sixteen. Are you willing to accept this predetermined fate?”

“I do. I’ll give everything to the man I love.”

The angel smiled. “Well then… Rejoice, young girl. Your wish for your loved one’s happiness shall truly be granted.”

The woman fixed her sword to the bow and aimed at my heart. Slowly, light particles gathered as the sword reforms itself into a golden arrow.

“!!!”

As my heart was impaled by the dazzling arrow of purity, I was covered in an endless stream of light. I closed my eyes as the curse and sins fade away in my heart.

I will meet Rikkun again for sure. I will not end up with him, but at least I know…

...He will have a happily ever after.

<>

That’s what I thought.

I was supposed to be killed at the Kozukata Shrine, right after the first .

But Rikkun negated all odds and prevented my death.

And now, he will pay the ultimate price for defying fate.