"I must say, I'm flattered." Aether showed me his terminal screen, where my invitation had filled the entire display with densely packed text.

Grabbing my ear, I felt the blood rush to my face and averted my gaze slightly.

"Also, you look great in black," he said earnestly, putting away his terminal. "You should put more effort into your wardrobe."

The warmth of the blood in my face intensified. I cleared my throat, adjusting my tie and the cufflinks on my suit jacket. I doubted I'd ever get used to being the subject of compliments.

"You too," I replied sincerely, meeting Aether's eyes. "You look really good in white."

I wasn't trying to flatter him; I was just stating the truth. Aether's well-fitted white shirt perfectly highlighted his mysterious, alluring figure with every movement. He wasn't wearing a tie or any purely decorative accessories. The open collar, with the top button left undone, and the jacket casually draped over his arm gave him a somewhat... relaxed yet elegant vibe.

My gaze wandered to his tail behind him, slowly swaying with a subtle curve, almost like... a flowing darkness.

"Hurry up!" Momus suddenly grabbed my tail from behind, tugging at it a few times.

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"Oh, sorry." I patted pup on the head to soothe him before turning back to Aether. "Where's your pack?"

"They went ahead," Aether said. "Except for Zelus, of course. He's never been a fan of balls." He shrugged. "Though I always thought you didn't like them either."

"Oh," I replied awkwardly. "Well, it's always good to experience new things." So that's why he didn't invite me? Why didn't I think of that?

The wolf cub tugged at my tail again but was stopped by a low growl from Aether. I gestured soothingly to both, letting them know I wasn't offended.

As we walked toward the ballroom, I found myself between the two Nyxes. "You're going to spoil him," Aether murmured, while the wolf cub turned his head away, one hand still gripping my tail.

"Hmm..." I glanced at the wolf cub, who stubbornly refused to meet his brother's gaze. "Let's call it my compensatory behavior." I ruffled Momus's head, but he still wouldn't look back.

"Are you not on good terms with Piqsirpoq?" Aether asked quietly.

"I suppose you could say there's 'a lot of room for improvement,'" I murmured in response. "If I could seize the chance to talk more, it might help... but as you know, that's not so easy." One doesn't need the Nyxes' powerful logic to understand what I meant. "So, I guess I'm a bit envious of you two, being able to..." I couldn't finish the sentence, unsure how to describe this bond or relationship--something I might never fully comprehend.

Am I incapable of treating others with kindness? After being so accustomed to being ignored, can I still connect with others genuinely? To avoid inevitable disappointment and failure, I've stopped caring about anything. After all this time, is it even possible for me to feel anything deeply? Do I have a chance to learn how to... love?

How can I know I'm not just clumsily imitating something I'll never truly understand?

I felt Momus gently squeeze my tail, and I looked down at him. The wolf cub's ears and gaze were lowered, staring at the floor. I glanced back at Aether; he sighed softly, his ears drooping slightly, his tail giving a small, brief wag. Momus kept staring at the ground, but I noticed his eyes quickly flicked to Aether and then back. The little pup began wagging his tail in sync with his brother's rhythm, and his grip on my tail tightened a bit more.

Maybe... there's nothing wrong with imitation. Imitation is a start, and if we're willing to move forward with determination, facing all obstacles honestly, perhaps we'll each find our own answers at the end.