Inside the bathroom, the rustle of clothes silkily brushes against Amethely’s smooth skin. Her silver-gray hair cascaded down her shoulders as she pulled the jersey over her head. It was a little messy. Strands stuck to her cheeks as she met her gem-like purple eyes in the mirror.

 “Hnn… I’m so embarrassed…” she told herself.

 Her cheeks were hot, but seeing her flustered expression, a sense of shame shivered beneath her skin. She covered her face, trying to calm down. But equally warm were her hands, making it worse—her mind spun. As she recalled the day’s events, she thought—I got too carried awaaay!

 When she took a few deep breaths and washed her face, she thought of Alum, the one making her feel this way.

 I know I like him—no, love. But… is this normal? Whenever I see him, I think, “I love you,” and always get so giddy!

 Now that her reasoning was catching up to her, Amethely pondered and pondered—why am I so in love? It doesn’t make any sense!

 To her, love was something beautiful and also something she wanted to experience herself. Yet, she underestimated how hard she’d fall for another. She knew why she liked him and was attracted to him, but she couldn’t grasp why she was so in love.

 “It doesn’t make much sense… we’ve just met, but…” A smile sneaked up to her, her lips naturally curved. “But I went ahead and did all… that!” she squirmed, covering her face again.

 Once she recovered, she made up her mind. With a confident smirk, she looked into the mirror and loosened the bandages around her chest, puffing them proudly with a smug expression.

 “…” She silently stared at herself with a blank expression. “What am I doing…?” she began questioning herself, somewhat teary-eyed.

 Even though she was a saint, a renowned researcher, or even the princess of an influential lineage—she didn’t have the attire appropriate for herself.

 “…”

 The dress she wore at the banquet was something given to her by the clerics. Her personal wardrobe was filled with plain blouses, skirts, and dresses—yet none of them would fit her if she were to unbind her chest; thus, she now began to lament over the silly dilemma.

 “But… I don’t think he cares…” With a smile, she clasped her hands and clenched her chest, her gaze somewhat downcast but not solemn. “Mutual affection, is it?” she mused softly.

 A giggle escaped her lips as her gaze landed on the piece of red silk given to her. “I see. Of course, Al is aware of my feelings for him—even though we like each other, it might simply be too hastily to declare anything without more consideration,” she muttered somewhat proudly.

 “It’s as though we’ve gotten closer—aww. I’m so happy~” she calmly said.

 He seems so earnest in everything he does—it might appear contradictory since he’s acting nonchalantly with his effortless, stoic, yet warm face! But Ame knows!

 Just when she’d managed to calm down, her heart sprung into adoration. Her chest clenched tightly as fuzzy warmth enveloped her. She couldn’t help but recall how he’d keep up with her on their run—even she broke a sweat. But he quietly kept pace with a calm look despite all the gasp of air from the trainee paladins on the same run.

 And yet, even with that calm facade, she was fully aware. He was drenched in sweat. His breathing was even when she looked his way but uneven when she wasn’t—he even gave it his all during the sparring session with her, managed to pass out, yet relentlessly tried to learn how to wield a sword right afterward.

 Thinking about it made her grin and get giddy, she realized, “Oh—”

 I don’t need to understand. I just love him.

 With a brimming smile across her face, Amethely grabbed the silk. “Ehehe…” she squealed happily as she clasped it close to her heart. “I looove this silk ribbon. I like to wear it—Nnngh~! It makes me happy!”

 But as she was about to get changed and head out, she quickly glanced toward the bath, “Hmm… Oh!” she came up with an idea.

  ..

 Meanwhile, Alum quietly snacked on the treats laid out by Keilyn. They exchanged a few words, but…

 “So? Do you lust for her?” Keilyn bluntly asked while sipping her tea. “Is it simply love?” she added. But before Alum could reply, she shrugged. “Or am I asking difficult questions?”

 “No.” Alum lightly shook his head, glancing at her expressionlessly. Despite that, there was a faint blush on his cheeks. “It’s not a difficult question. Love and lust, you ask? Does it have to be either extreme?” he lightly inquired.

 “Hmm~ so it was a difficult question?” Keilyn teased as she brushed her hair over her shoulders, grinning.

 Alum quietly sighed. “I suppose. What I feel for her is love—but it’s perhaps too early to call it that. And I’m not so innocent to not feel some resemblance of lust toward the girl I like.”

 “Wow? You can say all that with a straight face, huh?” Keilyn seemed genuinely surprised. “Hmm, it was unexpected since you were, y’know? More flustered before? Or was that an act?” she questioned.

 “No…”

 Alum didn’t want to admit it, but he had no issue saying whatever to strangers or people not close to him—only when he was secure with someone his emotions would leak and show—hence, the feelings of bashfulness around Amethely.  

 “Mm-hmm~” Keilyn yawned lightly. She gasped, then smirked; her blue eyes turned mischievous. “So? What do you like about Ame?”

 “I don’t know. The reason doesn’t matter to me,” Alum said.

 “…Huh?” Taken aback, Keilyn raised her eyebrows. “Doesn’t matter? Uh… sure, care to elaborate?”

 “Why? I don’t need a reason to like her. I just do. But if I was to give you one, then she’s expressive. She’s cute. She makes me think, I love you. She’s clumsy, but now I know how graceful she can be. She’s way tougher than I expected. And… she warms my heart in a way family or friends haven’t before.”

 “…”

 Woah… there were actually more innocent reasons than I thought. But… I see. He’s never viewed her as someone she isn’t. But… is that really it? Doesn’t he seek power? From what I know, he has a bright future ahead if he keeps his position under Sir Rigeld, but why does he seem like he could care less about that when he speaks about Ame?

 “Hey… Mister Alum. Do you want power?” Keilyn thought about being discrete about it but asked bluntly instead. She felt that she had to be direct with him.

 “Of course,” Alum replied, looking her straight in the eyes.

 “Hmm, you don’t seem like the type to be interested in things like that. Is it perhaps because Ame?”

 “No. But it isn’t to say she has nothing to do with it.”

 “Hmm, I suppose that makes sense. You are, after all, in an unfamiliar world and have people to protect.”

 “Mm.”

 Unsettled with Alum’s casual to indifferent demeanor and responses. She couldn’t help but ask, “Were… you in a position of power?” reluctantly.

 Instantly, Alum’s eyes turned hollowed as if she saw him recall memories deep down the abyss. Shivers bolted through her spine.

 ..

 At a certain hidden lab facility in California, blood draped the usually clinical metal walls. Corpses of OPS lay marinated in their fluids. The stench of death was fresh, but decomposition had already begun.

 Seeing all the red would undeniably make most people’s lunch revisit them. Yet, a youth of barely ten continued to walk, dyeing the soles of his boots crimson.

 “You… seem used to this, YB…” A man named JA-Y spoke. He pinched his nose as he walked slowly behind the youth.

 “Can’t handle it?” Clouded eyes from YB gazed his way.

 “Ah… well…” JA-Y replied, shaken. “…I’ll get used to it,” he gulped.

 YB paused, then quietly moved on. The halls loomed in death, yet empty they were. Wet echoes and sticky footsteps reverberated until the faint noise of barraging bullets cracked through the heavy door.

 JA-Y gulped, bracing himself as YB placed a palm on the heavy metal door. It bent, scrunched, and screeched—instantly, it collapsed—THUNK!

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

 At that moment, the bullets stopped flying. People dressed in white lab coats hid behind a row of rough-looking mercenaries eyed the two who’d just entered.

 “Who are you?!” one of the men yelled.

 YB, completely ignoring them, briefly glanced toward the target they’d been shooting. When smoke and debris cleared, a young boy in white robes came into view. He’d been cornered, curled up, shivering. He held his head and screamed in agony as electrical discharge levitated the fired bullets in the air and bent the surrounding metal.

 “Y-YB… does that boy…”

 JA-Y tried to voice something, but his words got caught in his lungs. Marks of Stigmata were all over the boy’s body—it had spread out of control, pulsating rapidly, indicating the presence of an artificial Esper Core. But it was out of control and was killing the host.

 Meanwhile, bullets were suspended in the air. The man who looked like the leader gulped, realizing that among the intruders, they’d sent an actual esper. He looked at the researcher, who desperately pressed a button to access a secret tunnel. But it was all in vain.

 “Fuck fuck fuck! I didn’t hear anything about this!? When did the government employ espers!?” a scientist screamed desperately. “And it’s him out of all of them!” another dropped their tablet.

 Instantly, the mercenaries turned their weapons towards the scientists. “You assholes! You told us Espers were your fantasy to make a reality! Why the fuck is there a living one over there!?” the leader yelled as he cuffed The Lead Researcher’s throat.

 “H-he was born… w-with it!” The Lead Researcher gasped for air, trying to pull away.

 “Well, shit! If you guys didn’t use such dirty tricks on the OPS, then maybe they wouldn’t have sent this bastard and we would’ve had time to relocate! Look at him! Your ‘special’ bullets ain’t done shit to him, let alone pass his force field!”

 “Y-you lowlife! Get your hands off me!” The Lead Researcher exclaimed.

 “Huh!? What did you say?! Say that again!”

—BANG!

 Before the scientist could utter another word, one of the mercenaries shot, but the bullet was suspended. “A-aah!? H-huh? I’m alive?” the scientist looked in disbelief at his hand and touched his face. Then, the cold and chilling voice of a child echoed in the facility.

 “I still need to ask him questions,” YB told the mercenaries dismissively. He glanced at JA-Y. “Neutralize the core,” he added.

 JA-Y gulped and glanced at the intense electricity the boy discharged—even the steel had melted. His heart thumped—the pressure got him lightheaded, and he began to sweat profusely.

 “I-I can’t… kill that boy…” JA-Y clenched his fists and averted his eyes, staring at the floor and biting his lips.

 “He’d be gone either way. Put him out of his misery,” YB calmly spoke, then headed toward the scientists with light steps—each step sticky and draped in blood.

 But when the scientists tried to back away, they were caught by the mercenaries they’d themselves hired. “D-do your job!” one protested.

 “You fucking liars—if I’m going to die, I rather kill you myself—ugh!! What the fu—”

 Suddenly, the mercenary leader felt immense pressure, broke his knees, and fell onto the floor. He howled in agony as the bones protruded out of his flesh, horrifying the others.

 “I told you. I have a few questions for him.”

 YB’s voice was cold. His inorganic golden eyes lacked any sign of hostility. The total indifference drove his men to despair. The boy in front of them couldn’t care less if they lived or died. In his eyes, they were neither human nor monster—they were just insignificant.

 “…”

—FUCK… SHIT! Get used to it my ass! I don’t think I can… If having powers like him makes me a monster. Then I don’t want it, JA-Y, though.

 While finishing the job, he saw YB extract information before burning it all up—everything and everyone. YB watched it all burn. To cinder. And to ash.

  ..

 Seeing Alum’s brief melancholy, Keilyn became increasingly flustered. “Ne-never mind… y-you don’t need to answer!” she fussed.

 It was a stupid question… I should’ve known by the way he acts, Keilyn thought.

 And she was right. Typically, Alum would’ve thought callously, “Answer? Why would I bother?” But he’d changed a little—at least, that is what he believes.

 “Mm, I once was was,” he finally replied in a neutral tone.

 “Y-yeah… um… So, do you like the treats? Ame made all of it!”

 Keilyn abruptly changed the subject cheerfully, and it seemed to have worked as Alum perked up with interest.

 “Is that so? Must be difficult,” he said, smiling faintly.

 Keilyn placed a palm on her chest, heaving a light sigh. “Mmm, Ame likes to cook and bake. I bet you can’t tell the difference between hers and a professional’s!” she grinned before taking a cookie for herself.

 “Perhaps. But I would always prefer anything she makes,” he chuckled softly.

 “Ah! I didn’t take you for the romantic kind, Mister!” Keilyn teased.

 “Mm? Was that romantic?”

 “Absolutely!”

 Alum tilted his head to the side and seemed to ponder a little before flashing her a smile. “Perhaps I am. Is that bad?” he inquired.

 “No,” Keilyn shook her head. “I think she’d like that, actually,” she added, followed by an amused chuckle.

 As the two continued to converse lightly, Amethely came out of the bathroom, now wearing plain pants and a light brown sweater that was slightly loose. Her hair was also free but somewhat damped.

 “…” Keilyn’s eyes widen in disbelief.

 Using the long sleeve. She covered her mouth, her eyes shyly darted sideways. “S-sorry, I took my time…” Amethely said. “I took a bath…” she added, turning even more red.

 Ame you… are you trying to kill him?! Keilyn exclaimed at the sight after having eyed her from head to toe.

 “Mm, it’s okay,” Alum calmly voiced.

 At first, Keilyn thought he didn’t notice, but judging but his increasingly reddened cheeks and ears, she realized Alum, too, was boiling inside. She thought—I should probably leave. And that’s what she did.

 “Ame, let’s have tea later!” she grinned and rushed out.

 “…” Alum and Amethely looked at one another, and Keilyn’s remark only made it more awkward.

 “A-Al… it’s still two more hours before you meet up with your guards, correct?” Amethely sheepishly asked.

 “Mm,” Alum nodded.

 Amethely took a deep breath, calming herself. She smiled warmly and sat beside him, nudging herself closer. Her head leaned slightly to the side, her half-open gentle eyes; her smile caused Alum palpitations—which was an exaggeration, but that was how much she affected him.

 “I was thinking of cooking for us,” Amethely said, her eyes sparked with determination.

 Her words hung in the air—but he didn’t know where to look. Her face was too adorable. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips were slightly parted, and her pupils dilated, shaking ever so slightly. And the killing blow was her slightly leaning to the side so that she could see his face more clearly.

 “I… would like that. Do you need help?” he finally replied, his gaze lowered slightly. But they soon widened—huh? Was she bothered by that? He wondered, finally noticing how she’d unbind her chest.

 “Oh… I’d be glad, but I was hoping you’d want to get changed and take a bath while I prepared everything…” she said, covering her mouth shyly with her sleeve.

 “Mmh? But I was cleansed by Ms. Keilyn already.”

 “…”

 “Do I smell?”

 Alum began to sniff himself, causing her to blush as he was still in her clothes.

 “N-no… you have a nice scent, Al—w-wait, that’s not it! I was just thinking you could relax a little… You know, I notice.” Amethely frowned, pouting slightly. “You’re tired, aren’t you?” she asked.

 “…” Alum averted his eyes. “Thanks. Then. I will. However, should I dry your hair? I can’t tie it if it’s damped,” he softly voiced.

 “O-oh… I can dry and tie it myself…”

 “You can?”

 “Hmph! Of course, Kei taught me how to tie a cute ribbon, after all!”

 “Pfft… I see. Then why did you have me tie it earlier?” Alum lightly teased.

 “Mhgh… I-I wanted you to pamper me a little—is that bad?” Amethely innocently asked as she leaned closer.

 “Mm, then, would you let me pamper you, Ame?”

 “But…”

 “C’mon, I’m not so tired I wouldn’t be able to comb and dry your hair.”

 “O-okay… Ehehe… then, please pamper me, Al!” Amethely eagerly replied, smiling brightly.

 Seeing it, Alum gently placed his palms on her soft cheeks, cupping them with a light squish. He’d unconsciously done it, but when he thought she’d blush ferociously, she warmly smiled, blushing but less flustered than he’d expected. She began to melt as she pressed and rubbed her warm face against his palm. Strands of her damped hair ticked as they brushed against his hands.

 Her purple half-open eyes shook like twinkling stars. Slowly, she rested her hand on his. “Ehehehe…” she giggled happily. He imagined that if the ribbon were tied, it’d sway back and forth. “I’m so happy… do you know you make me happy, Al?” she dizzily told herself in a murmur.

 Awestruck by the indescribable feelings of affection, Alum’s usually calm heart thumped, contracted, and jumped. The sweetness was almost brutal, yet he downed it all in one gulp.

 “You make me happy too…” Alum confessed bashfully.

—Squish, he then playfully squeezed her soft cheeks like it was an addiction.

 Seriously, what am I doing? He questioned himself but was unable to stop.

 Meanwhile, in Amethely’s head.

 I’m so happy, awww. Al, ehe-ehehe~ I love hiiiiim~ sooo much! —How is it even possible to already love someone this muuuuch?! W-wait! Ame! Get it together—b-but… he-eheheheeee~♪ 

 The situation continued for a while. Afterward, Alum found himself dazed in the bathtub, and Amethely happily hummed while cooking them a meal.

A/N

I’m still alive!

Sorry, the chapter was supposed to have come last week, but I deleted that chapter lol, I was not happy with it. It suuucked.

Still, I’ve been resting and think I can write again. Who’d thought playing horror games with friends could help?

Oh, and Dying Light had its 10-year anniversary, so I started up the second game, which I hadn’t finished, and—yup, even with all the improvements to the game they made, the first game is still better. Who knew murdering zombies could help me write such a saccharine novel? Then again, the story has its own dark and gritty elements.

Anyways, I think I’m back! So you could expect more consistent updates, at least once a week, on either of the days listed!

Fri-Sun or Wen.