The Kaituna River rushed below them, wild and unpredictable. The dense forest that surrounded them seemed to pulse with life, the vibrant greenery a stark contrast to the chaotic water. Their raft sped down the river, the sound of the water louder than anything else.

As they neared the waterfall, Jon felt his heart race. The raft plunged over the edge, and for a split second, everything was a blur. Audrey was thrown into the air and then back into the water, while Jon was quickly swept into the current as well. The cold shock of the river hit him hard as he fought to stay above water.

“Audrey!” Jon yelled, trying to hear over the roar of the river. He saw her flailing in the water, struggling to keep her head above the surface. She was in her life jacket, but the strong current kept pulling her down.

Jon’s heart pounded as he reached out to grab her. She slipped under the water for a moment, and Jon’s chest tightened with fear. But then she resurfaced, gasping for air. Her wide eyes locked onto him, but instead of panic, a grin spread across her face.

“That was... amazing!” she shouted, still catching her breath.

Jon pulled her toward him, relief flooding through him. “You’re insane,” he muttered, but his voice was soft with worry.

Before they could get to safety, the stand by emergency kayak appeared, and the rescue team quickly helped them back into the raft. Theo, their bodyguard, had also been thrown into the river. He climbed back into the raft, dripping wet but looking unbothered. “That was crazy, but let’s not do it again anytime soon.”

Jon shot him a dry look. “I’m with you on that.”

Audrey was still smiling. “This is the type of story we love to tell back at home!” she said, shaking her hair out.

Jon shook his head. “I think I’ve had enough adventure for one day.”

After the chaos of the river, they made their way to the riverbank, the warmth of the sun drying their skin. Jon had packed a simple but delicious lunch—flaky pastries with cream cheese and spinach, soft bread with smoked salmon and cucumber, and fresh berries that burst with flavor. It wasn’t the usual luxurious meal they had grown accustomed to eating, but it was still presented nicely, and after that adrenaline-surging experience, it was more than delicious enough to satisfy.

Audrey took a bite, savoring it. “This is incredible.” She murmured with a mouthful, her expression as though she didn’t just tumble through a waterfall and onto crashing water.

Jon smiled, wiping his hands on a napkin before laughing. “You live like you’re always in a story, don’t you?”

“Of course,” Audrey replied, glancing up at the sky. “Everything’s better when you have a good story to tell.”

“I guess that does make for a good story. Or an interesting one at the least.” Jon replied as they finished up lunch.

After they finished eating, Jon stretched out and looked at the river, the water still moving swiftly. “So, about earlier…” He turned toward Audrey, who had been standing a little off to the side, watching the water. “I noticed you, uh, flailing around a bit when the kayak tipped over. You don’t know how to swim, do you?”

Audrey hesitated, then shrugged sheepishly. “Not really. I’ve never learned.”

Jon’s brow furrowed in concern. “You were in the water for a while. Why didn’t you say something before we tried kayaking?”

Audrey smiled, her expression light and carefree. “I knew you wouldn’t let anything happen to me,” she said, her voice playful. “Besides, it was kind of fun.”

Jon gave her a skeptical look, still not entirely comfortable with how close the experience had come to being dangerous. “Well, if you’re serious about having fun, maybe I should teach you how to swim.”

Audrey raised an eyebrow. “You want to teach me?”

Jon nodded, a grin forming on his face. “Yeah. Why not? I’m a pretty good swimmer.”

Audrey laughed. “Alright, teach me then. What do I need to do?”

Jon led her into the river, the cool water rushing around them as he began showing her the basics—how to float on her back, how to paddle her arms, and how to keep her legs relaxed. Audrey was paying close attention, nodding along.

At first, she seemed awkward, trying to keep her balance and stay calm in the water. But after a few tries, Jon started to notice something strange. She was picking it up faster than he expected. Before long, she was gliding through the water, floating effortlessly on her back and swimming in smooth, even strokes.

Jon blinked, surprised. “Wait a minute… you really don’t know how to swim?”

Audrey grinned, swimming circles around him. “I guess I’m just a fast learner.”

Jon stared, half impressed and half confused. “That’s way too fast. How are you swimming like you’ve been doing this for years?” He then narrowed his eyes and laughed. “You’re… you’re messing with me.”

Audrey shrugged with a grin. “Nope. Guess I’m a natural.”

Jon shook his head, still trying to make sense of it. “You’re insane,” he muttered, watching her swim like she’d been doing it her whole life. But then, he couldn’t help but smile. “You really do surprise me, don’t you?”

Audrey gave him a playful wink. “That’s what I’m here for.”

Later, as they dried off and relaxed on the grass, Jon lay back, staring at the sky. His mind was still racing. Audrey sat beside him, looking thoughtful, her gaze focused on the river ahead.

Jon couldn’t help but think back to when he saw Audrey slip under the waterfall after the kayak. The sense of fear he felt, then the immense relief when she rose back up.

He reached for her hand, his voice steady. “Audrey… I love you,” he said, the words feeling like an echo of what had been building in his chest.

Audrey blinked in surprise, her expression softening as she processed his words. She wasn’t caught off guard by his feelings; she had always known, deep down, that he felt this way. But hearing it—hearing him say it—still made her heart race. “I feel the same,” she whispered. “I love you, too.”

They were silent for a moment, both of them smiling with flushed faces, the sound of their footsteps the only thing filling the quiet space between them as they began walking away from the river and back toward their hotel.

As they neared the hotel, the towering structure came into view, its glowing windows casting a warm light into the evening haze. Jon’s steps slowed, his thoughts still tangled in the conversation they’d had by the riverside. He glanced sideways at Audrey, who had gone quiet again. Her fingers fidgeted with the strap of her bag, her face thoughtful, almost distant.

The quiet between them wasn’t uncomfortable, but Jon could sense that something was brewing in her mind. He nudged her shoulder gently. “Hey,” he said, trying to lighten the mood, “what’s got you all quiet? Planning your next adrenaline stunt?”

Audrey smirked faintly, her eyes flicking up to meet his. “Something like that,” she replied.

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Jon chuckled, shaking his head. “Well, whatever it is, try not to get me thrown into another raging river, alright?”

Her smile grew, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. They stepped into the hotel lobby, the blast of air-conditioning brushing away the lingering warmth of the evening. Audrey led the way to the elevator, and as they stood in the quiet hum of the rising car, Jon stole a glance at her. She seemed restless, her weight shifting subtly from one foot to the other.

When the doors opened onto their floor, she didn’t wait for him to follow. Instead, she strode toward their room, her movements brisk but measured. Jon trailed after her, his curiosity piqued.

“Audrey,” he called, his voice calm but questioning.

She stopped just outside the door, the key card in her hand. For a moment, she didn’t look at him. Then, with a deep breath, she turned, her expression soft but serious. “Jon,” she said, “there’s something I want to show you. But I need you to trust me, okay?”

Jon blinked, caught off guard by her sudden intensity. “Show me what?”

“You’ll see,” she said, unlocking the door and pushing it open.

Inside, the room was quiet, the faint scent of lavender lingering in the air. The curtains were drawn back, revealing the sprawling cityscape outside, its lights twinkling like stars. Audrey crossed the room, setting her bag down on a chair. Jon followed, his brow furrowed with curiosity.

“Alright,” he said, leaning against the wall. “You’ve got my attention. What’s this all about?”

Audrey turned to face him, her hands clasped in front of her. “I’ve been thinking a lot about us,” she began, her voice measured. “About what it means for you to be with me. And… about what it would mean if you stepped into my world.”

Jon raised an eyebrow, his arms crossing over his chest. “Your world?”

She took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. “How do you think you’d handle being in a place where… you don’t quite fit? Where nothing feels the way it’s supposed to, and everything around you is just... too much?”

Jon frowned slightly, clearly giving the question more thought than she’d expected. “Like... being out of my comfort zone?” He shrugged. “I guess I’ve done that before.”

Audrey smiled faintly, though her gaze turned serious. “What if it wasn’t something you could ease into? What if it was... immediate? Everything different, all at once?”

Jon chuckled, though there was a nervous edge to it. “You’re being pretty cryptic right now. Are you talking about a place? Or… something else?”

Audrey stopped walking, pulling him gently to a halt as well. She turned to face him, her grip on his hand tightening slightly. “I think I should just show you,” she said softly.

Before Jon could respond, he felt a strange, dizzying shift. The walls stretched upward, the furniture expanding and towering over him like skyscrapers. Jon gasped, stumbling backward as the carpet beneath his feet turned into an endless expanse of textured fibers. The bedside lamp now loomed like a massive lighthouse, its soft glow casting vast shadows across the room.

“What the—” Jon’s voice caught in his throat as he stumbled, his balance thrown completely off. He turned to Audrey, his heart racing, and saw that she was now his size—or rather, that they were both tiny.

“Welcome to a different perspective,” Audrey said with a playful smile, though her tone carried a note of seriousness.

Jon turned in a slow circle, his breath shallow as he took in the massive scale of everything around them. The carpet he stood on, now felt like jungle brush and the doors they were just standing beside loomed like the gates of a fortress. His stomach churned as his brain struggled to make sense of the shift. “This... this isn’t real,” he muttered. “What did you do?”

Audrey stepped closer, steadying him with a gentle hand on his arm. “I wanted you to see what it’s like,” she said softly. “To be somewhere that doesn’t feel like it was made for you.”

Jon’s breathing quickened as his eyes darted around. He felt vulnerable, exposed, small. “This is insane,” he said, his voice shaking. “How is this even happening? Audrey, this—”

His words faltered as a wave of nausea hit him. The sheer scale of his surroundings, the disorientation—it was too much. He staggered, his knees buckling slightly. Audrey caught him, her expression shifting from playful to concerned.

“Jon,” she said, her voice firm but soothing. “Breathe. Just focus on me.”

But Jon couldn’t. His head spun, and his stomach churned violently. The world tilted, and before he could say another word, everything went black.

Jon woke up to the soft glow of the hotel lamp, the hum of the air conditioner a steady, grounding presence. For a moment, everything felt normal—too normal. His head throbbed faintly, and as he sat up, flashes of the strange, surreal experience he’d just had flickered through his mind: towering furniture, massive shadows, the disorienting weightlessness of being tiny. It had been so vivid.

But... it couldn’t have been real, could it?

He glanced over and saw Audrey sitting at the edge of the bed, her hands folded in her lap. Her eyes were wide, watching him carefully, as if trying to gauge his reaction. “You’re awake,” she said softly.

Jon rubbed his temples, letting out a low groan. “Yeah. Barely. I had the weirdest dream…” He trailed off, squinting at her. “Audrey, I think you were in it. And—” He hesitated, a sheepish laugh escaping him. “You’re gonna think I’m crazy, but you shrank me down to, like, the size of an ant or something.”

Audrey’s lips twitched, but she didn’t laugh. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. “Oh?” she said, her tone carefully neutral. “And how did you feel about that?”

Jon blinked at her, frowning. “I felt... weird. Dizzy. It was like the whole world was too big to handle. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain. Everything just... overwhelmed me.”

Audrey exhaled softly, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “That’s an interesting dream,” she said, standing and walking over to the window. She looked out at the city lights for a moment before turning back to him. “But you’re okay now, right?”

Jon nodded slowly, though the unease lingered. He studied her closely, something about her demeanor setting off alarm bells in his head. “Yeah, I guess. Still, it felt so real... Almost like you were trying to teach me something.”

Audrey crossed her arms, leaning casually against the window frame. “Dreams can be funny like that,” she said lightly. “Sometimes they tell us things we’re not ready to hear when we’re awake.”

Jon frowned, the fog in his head beginning to clear. “Wait a second,” he said, sitting up straighter. “You’re being weirdly calm about all this. You don’t think it’s... possible, do you? I mean, that wasn’t real, right?”

Audrey hesitated, then laughed softly. “Of course not, Jon. What could possibly shrink you to the size of an ant?” Her voice carried a teasing lilt, but there was something in her eyes—a flicker of something he couldn’t quite place.

Before he could press her further, she changed the subject abruptly. “Jon,” she said, her tone more serious now, “what would you do if someone told you they weren’t who you thought they were? If... their whole world was different from yours?”

Jon raised an eyebrow. “Audrey, where is this coming from?”

She sighed, walking back to sit beside him. Her fingers brushed against his hand, and she looked down, as if searching for the right words. “It’s just... a hypothetical,” she said softly. “If someone you cared about told you they weren’t... ordinary, would you still want to be with them?”

Jon tilted his head, his lips quirking into a lopsided smile. “Audrey, I’ve known you long enough to know you’re anything but ordinary. And honestly? That’s part of why I’m crazy about you.”

Audrey’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn’t smile. Instead, she looked him straight in the eye. “Even if it meant your whole life might change? Even if it meant stepping into something you don’t understand?”

Jon hesitated, her words stirring something deep in his chest. “Audrey,” he said slowly, “I don’t know what you’re trying to say, but... yeah. I think I’d handle it. Whatever it is. As long as it’s with you.”

She stared at him for a moment, her expression unreadable, then let out a breathy laugh. “You’re a lot braver than you think, you know that?”

“Or just reckless,” Jon joked, though the tension in the room was impossible to ignore. “Seriously, though—what’s this really about?”

Audrey stood, pacing slightly. “Okay, fine,” she said finally, turning to face him. “You want the truth?”

Jon nodded, though part of him wasn’t sure he did.

She took a deep breath. “I’m a fairy,” she said, her voice steady despite the absurdity of the words. “I came here from the Fairy Realm to retrieve an artifact—and to gather a story to bring back with me. But things... got complicated.”

Jon stared at her, his mouth opening and closing as his brain scrambled to process her words. “Wait... What?” he said finally, his voice faint.

Audrey continued, her tone firm despite his reaction. “Your right-hand man, Luca? He’s the reason I’m stuck here. He caught me, thought I was some kind of crazy woman, and now my portal is closed. I’ve been stuck here ever since.”

Jon blinked at her, his mind flashing back to the day they’d met. “Luca told me... He said you were tipsy, trying to climb a building or something. He said you almost fell, and he saved you.”

Audrey rolled her eyes. “I was trying to go home through my portal! But your friend grabbed me, and we both fell. That’s the real story, and I’m sticking to it.”

Jon rubbed his temples, trying to make sense of everything. “So you’re telling me... you were going to fly off into some magical portal without even meeting me?”

Audrey’s face softened. “Jon, I didn’t know you then. But... I saw your posters. I felt drawn to you. I couldn’t explain it. And now... every day, I feel more connected to you. Like we were always meant to meet.”

Jon let out a shaky laugh, leaning back against the headboard. “This is... a lot. But if you’re a fairy, that explains... the shrinking thing. And wait—” He looked at her, wide-eyed.

Jon shook his head, letting out a half-laugh, half-sigh. “You’re wild, Audrey. But... I guess that’s part of why I’m here.”

Audrey grinned, leaning closer. “So you’re not mad?”

“Mad? No,” Jon said, wrapping an arm around her. “Terrified? A little. But if this is the price of being with you, I think I can handle it.”

Audrey smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. “Good. Because this is just the beginning.”