We woke up to a gentle hand on our shoulders. It was Aura, leaning toward us with a smile.

—We’ve arrived. But before you get out, I need to talk to you about something important.

We exchanged confused glances, still groggy from sleep. She continued, her expression serious yet carrying a hint of mischief in her tone.

—It’s time you two have a space of your own. So, I’ve arranged a house for you at the academy, with separate rooms, of course.

I felt my face flush as I tried to respond, but before I could say anything, Aura interrupted me with a knowing smile.

—And besides, you have a lot to talk about —she added, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Luna, unfazed, looked at me and said with unnerving ease:

—I’m fine with that.

Her response only made my nervousness grow, though I couldn’t deny a sense of relief I couldn’t quite put into words. Eventually, I agreed.

When we arrived at the house, the first thing I noticed was that all my belongings were already set up. My books, sketches, and everything else from my apartment were perfectly in place. The moment I crossed the door, the exhaustion of the day hit me like a wave. I looked at Luna, who seemed just as tired. Without much conversation, we found our respective rooms and collapsed onto our beds, falling into a deep sleep within minutes.

The stillness of the house and the calm of the early morning wrapped around us until an explosive sound jolted me awake. Blinking in confusion, I heard a radiant voice echoing from the hallway.

—Merry Christmas, guys! —It was Aura, practically bouncing with excitement as she called out from our doorways.

Luna and I exchanged surprised looks, having almost forgotten amidst the recent chaos that it was Christmas. Aura’s voice filled the house with contagious energy, as if she were determined to bring cheer to every corner.

—Come on, get up! This only happens once a year. It’s Christmas! —she said, her eyes sparkling as she turned to me—. Oh, and Ángel, I almost forgot to mention: in three days, it’s the annual Anómalas gathering. As always, December 28th.

I froze for a moment, my surprise overtaking me.

—An annual gathering? Of the Anómalas? And you never mentioned this to me!? —I exclaimed, stunned.

Aura tapped her chin thoughtfully, as if trying to remember.

—Hmm... that’s true. I suppose I never did. Well, it’s an annual event where Anómalas from all over the world gather. It’s also when you receive a special language ability exclusive to us. Guess I must’ve forgotten.

I couldn’t believe it.

—How could you forget something so important!? —I said, exasperated and amused.

—Relax, you’re ready, so there’s nothing to worry about —she replied with a shrug—. And anyway, there’ll be a dinner in the evening, and I want to introduce you to someone special... someone who only shows up on this day.

With a mysterious smile and a quick “Happy Holidays!” she closed the door, leaving Luna and me in silence. We looked at each other, sharing the same mix of surprise and bewilderment over Aura’s whirlwind of news.

Turning to Luna, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sincerity welling up inside me.

—Luna... we need to talk —I said, breaking the silence—. There are so many things I need to explain to you... about what happened at your parents’ house, about me, about all of this.

Luna raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk forming on her face that completely threw me off balance.

—So, are you going to confess that you’re really the demon my dad kept talking about? —she joked with mock suspicion.

I smiled, playing along with exaggerated seriousness.

—Maybe... —I said, stepping a bit closer—. I could end you right here, and no one would know.

She laughed, holding my gaze as she stepped closer.

—Then do it, if that’s the case.

Her proximity unraveled me once again, and for a moment, I lost all composure. I simply wrapped her in an embrace, my heart racing, and whispered:

—If I ever kill you... it’ll be with love, Luna —I confessed, finally releasing what I had been holding back for so long—. Because yes, I like you. Though... I think it’s pretty obvious by now.

She met my gaze, her eyes shining with the same intensity as mine.

—It is obvious —she murmured, her words accompanied by a soft laugh—. And it’s mutual. I like you too, Ángel.

She took my hand with a softness that made me feel as if, in that moment, nothing else mattered again. We looked at each other in silence, every word unnecessary, as if time itself were granting us permission to stay like this, so close, as if just one movement would be enough to seal that feeling.

We leaned closer, the air in the room completely suspended between us, and although neither of us spoke a single word, we both knew what was about to happen. Barely a couple of centimeters separated us, my breathing had slowed and grown heavy, and Luna softly closed her eyes. I was about to do the same when, suddenly, the door burst open.

—Ah! I almost forgot to tell you dinner will be at eight —Aura said with her characteristic enthusiasm.

Luna and I jumped apart in an instant, our cheeks burning. I looked down at the floor, noticing she did the same, trying to stifle a nervous laugh. Aura only glanced at us with a completely neutral expression, as if she hadn’t just interrupted anything, and gave us a slight nod.

—Well, I’ll leave you two again —she added, smiling and calmly closing the door.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

We stayed in silence, still trying to process the moment. Finally, to break the awkward but amusing atmosphere, I turned to Luna and gestured toward the couch.

—Maybe we should sit down, don’t you think? There’s so much we need to talk about…

She nodded, and we both settled into the living room, ready to have the conversation that would finally bring clarity to everything we had been through together.

I took a deep breath, preparing to tell her everything that had happened since I last saw her.

—When you left, Luna, it felt like they ripped a part of me away —I began, my voice a bit tense as I tried to hold back the flood of emotions—. It was hard... really hard, but after a while, I decided that if I were ever going to see you again, I had to become someone worthy of that.

Luna listened in silence, her eyes reflecting understanding and tenderness.

—I trained every night, no matter how exhausted I was or how tough the day had been. Then I started field training, and that’s where I met Aura. She was the one who helped me refine my skills. She taught me to control my emotions so I could channel all that energy into something greater. That’s when I began to understand the anómalas and anomalies. And all of it... I did it thinking about this day.

She smiled softly, a little shy as she listened to everything I had been through and all I had learned until now.

—I… don’t have as much to say in comparison. My life was a constant routine. I tried to find some way out, but I couldn’t. Every day I felt like a version of myself that I didn’t like. But there was one thing that never changed, something that kept me alive, and that was you, Ángel. Every second, in every corner of my thoughts, it was always you. There wasn’t a single day that I didn’t miss you.

We gazed at each other in silence, as if our eyes were saying everything that words couldn’t. In that moment, I realized that all the time we had spent apart had been worth it. Everything, for this moment, for this mutual understanding, and for knowing that the feeling had always been shared.

I smiled as I remembered what Aura had mentioned about dinner and said to her, a spark of excitement in my voice:

—We should start getting ready for tonight, don’t you think?

She raised an eyebrow, slightly amused, crossing her arms as she responded with a light laugh.

—Don’t you think it’s way too early? Not that much time has passed.

I chuckled softly, shaking my head in disagreement.

—Trust me, time flies, and I want us to be ready when the evening comes. Besides, you left all your things at your house, and I was thinking of taking you shopping to find something special.

Immediately, Luna shook her head, surprised.

—Shopping? No, Ángel, that would be too much... it’s not necessary.

But I leaned in a little closer, speaking in a serious and sincere tone, making it clear how I felt:

—Luna, money is just paper. Next to you, everything else becomes completely devoid of beauty or value. Because honestly, what could there possibly be in this world that’s more precious than you?

She looked at me, her eyes filled with astonishment and a hint of restrained emotion. I felt like I had managed to convey, even in a small fraction, how much she meant to me. Being by her side made all material and superficial things fade away, leaving nothing else that mattered.

Luna bit her lip as if debating something internally. Finally, she let out a sigh and, with a serious expression, said:

—If I’m so precious to you, what would you do if I... if I tried to... end my life right now?

Her words hit me like a punch to the chest. However, I stood firm, without hesitation, and responded with calm and decisiveness:

—Then I’d support you... as long as you let me die by your side.

She stared at me, her eyes wide open. Then, a small smile began to form on her lips, her eyes sparkling with a glimmer of emotion. She let out a soft laugh and, as she wrapped her arms around me, whispered:

—You’re crazy, you know that? You’re supposed to stop me.

I smiled, relieved to see that smile on her face, and replied without hesitation:

—And contradict you? Besides, after everything, I’ve seen that life isn’t worth much, but with you by my side, it becomes bearable.

Luna clung to me with an intensity so tender it felt like she wanted to melt into that moment.

—It certainly isn’t worth it, you’re right —she whispered into my ear, her tone revealing just how much she cared.

—See? You’re crazy too —I replied softly, knowing she wouldn’t take it as an offense at all.

—True, that makes two of us —she added. —And, Ángel... don’t you dare die without me.

—Nor you without me —I answered, and in that moment, I understood that, above all else, nothing in this world mattered more to me than her.

We stayed like that, holding each other in silence, sharing a moment of peace and promises. Finally, Luna and I stood up, our connection stronger than ever, and began preparing for the special evening.

I asked an informant to take us to the mall, and our shopping day began, with every choice made to further highlight Luna's beauty. Every second, every smile she gave, was a renewed promise of what being together truly meant.

The shopping day was everything I had imagined and more. Luna, after a few attempts to tell me it was "too much," eventually let herself enjoy it. We went from store to store, picking dresses, accessories, and details that enhanced her natural beauty—something that seemed entirely new to her. Every smile, every light laugh we shared as she modeled the outfits, was a reminder of how much we had missed moments like these. Finally, satisfied with all we had chosen, we returned to the academy, ready to prepare for the night ahead.

Back at the academy, we got ready with the same excitement and nervousness that two teenagers might feel before their first date. Once dressed, we headed to the address Aura had given us, following her instructions until we arrived at what could only be described as a mansion. The enormous façade loomed before us, surrounded by an aura of mystery and elegance. When we rang the doorbell, a camera scanned us, and immediately, the doors opened. On the doorbell screen, golden words lit up: "Welcome, Ángel and Luna."

We stepped inside slowly, admiring every detail of the luxuriously decorated entrance hall. From afar, we spotted Aura’s silhouette, radiant and full of enthusiasm. When she noticed our arrival, she rushed toward us, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

—You’re here! —she exclaimed, embracing us both warmly—. Just in time, because the special guest I mentioned is about to arrive.

She winked at us and guided us to the main hall, where Axel, Ángeles, and other anómalas chatted and enjoyed elegant music in a lavish atmosphere. It all felt like something from another world.

After spending some time in the hall, I noticed that Luna seemed a bit uncomfortable. The mansion’s decor and atmosphere bore a resemblance to her own home, which seemed to remind her of uncomfortable and rigid moments in her life. Seeing her expression, an idea came to mind to lift her out of that mood.

I approached Aura and, with a small apologetic smile, asked to speak privately. Once we were in a quiet corner of the hallway, away from everyone else, I shared my idea: taking Luna to the Other Side and giving her a special surprise there, in a place that felt much more like ours. But as soon as I finished speaking, Aura shook her head firmly, her eyes reflecting the gravity of what that place meant.

—That’s not possible, Ángel. That place is exclusive; not just anyone can enter it —she replied with conviction.

Still, I stood my ground, pleading with her to trust me and understand how much Luna needed this. For a moment, Aura seemed thoughtful, evaluating my words. She murmured to herself as though considering something.

—Well, something similar happened in Japan a few days ago... —her gaze drifted briefly to a memory—. Rio let lower-ranked anómalas enter with him.

I looked at her, confused by what I had just heard. I didn’t know who Rio was or what she meant. Before I could ask further, Aura sighed and, after a brief pause, smiled slightly.

—All right, it’ll be our little secret —she said at last, giving me a light push with a touch of camaraderie—. Just don’t do anything reckless.

Hearing her words, I couldn’t help but smile.

After speaking with Aura, I returned to where Luna was and gently took her hand.

—Come, I want to show you something —I whispered, trying not to draw anyone’s attention.

She looked at me, a little puzzled, but nodded, following me to the mansion’s grand patio. Feeling the fresh air and moving away from the formalities of the party, her expression softened. When I noticed her relaxed smile, I knew we were in the perfect place for the surprise. I stopped and, gazing at the starry sky, extended my hand and opened a portal to the Other Side.