"I see, it certainly is weird."
Nephis's voice was calm and understanding, with a hint of curiosity that lingered in the air between them. The theory Sunny had presented was unlikely, but not impossible in the grand scheme of things. A regression of soul and mind, while the body remained unchanged-it was the stuff of ancient myths, yet here they were.
Sunny only nodded in response, his throat suddenly dry, words failing him. He had presented his theory about the supposed regression, yet something felt fundamentally wrong, as if he were assembling a puzzle with a piece deliberately hidden from view.
He'd examined every detail he could think of, scrutinized every memory, and still, the answer eluded him. Like trying to catch smoke with bare hands, the truth seemed to slip through his fingers the moment he thought he'd grasped it.
He had hoped that confiding in Nephis would lead to an epiphany, that she might observe something he'd overlooked-some glaring, vital detail that would make everything fall into place. But the revelation he'd been waiting for never came, and the silence that followed felt heavier than before.
A weary sigh escaped his lips. The situation was far from ideal. On the surface, it appeared he was "getting another chance at life," but how could he know it wasn't all an elaborate illusion? How could he be certain that his mind and soul had truly regressed? And if they had, what had become of his original body? Was it destroyed? Was it wandering the waking world or the dream realm? Was it still in the temple, an empty vessel awaiting its owner's return?
Questions cascaded through his mind like water over stones, smoothing some edges while leaving others jagged and unresolved.
Sunny lay back on the bed, letting his feet touch the floor, staring absentmindedly at the ceiling. The intricate patterns carved into the ancient wood seemed to shift and flow as he watched, much like his own tumultuous thoughts. Deciding there was no point in dwelling on questions without answers, he sighed again, his frustration evident in the sharp exhalation.
He had time enough to consider his next steps in the days following the wedding. The wedding-it was still difficult to comprehend fully. He was going to marry Nephis, the one person he truly loved, and yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that it had somehow been forced upon her.
She was his girlfriend, yes, but did she truly love him? Was she merely pretending, building a foundation of trust only to use him later for her own purposes? No-Sunny knew Nephis, whether this reality was a dream or not. She was incapable of such manipulation; it wasn't in her nature.
He was certain of her love, though it was often difficult to discern from her actions. She went about daily life with quiet diligence, treating him no differently than before they'd confessed their feelings. Sunny was convinced this stemmed from her lack of experience with romance-an area in which he was equally deficient.
They were deeply in love, two souls drawn together by forces beyond their understanding, yet both were utterly incapable of expressing it properly. How could they be expected to know the language of love? An orphan from the outskirts who had fought for every scrap of food and dignity, and a girl who had grown up without anyone to show her how emotions were meant to be expressed-they were learning to love in a world that had taught them only survival.
This was just one of the many challenges they would have to overcome if they hoped to defeat the sovereigns who threatened everything they held dear.
Nephis looked at him, her gaze a tangible weight. Slowly, she lay on the bed beside him, her eyes never leaving his face. Sunny, lost in contemplation, hadn't noticed her presence; the slight depression in the mattress went unregistered as he continued to wrestle with his thoughts.
The wedding might be arranged, perhaps even forced by circumstances beyond their control, but their feelings were undeniably real-a beacon of truth in a world of uncertainties.
Sunny was determined to make their wedding authentic, a celebration of what they had found in each other rather than a political necessity. He would do whatever it took to keep from losing her. Even if this reality proved to be nothing more than an elaborate dream, he would fight for their happiness with every fiber of his being.
Plans were already taking shape in his mind. First and foremost, he needed to ensure that their wedding day-what should be the happiest moment of their lives-would remain with him forever. He would create a memory so vivid, so perfect, that nothing could ever take it from him, not even if the world itself conspired against them.
In a reality where even the past seemed uncertain, Sunny would forge a future with Nephis that no power in existence could erase.
Sunny was swiftly pulled from his reverie by an unexpected warmth against his cheek. The sensation bloomed across his skin, making his heart flutter as blood rushed unbidden to his face, staining his cheeks with a telling crimson.
The source of this pleasant disruption was Nephis, whose lips had just brushed his cheek in a gentle kiss. Her spontaneous plan to calm his troubled thoughts had worked remarkably well. When Sunny turned to look at her, he found a curious smile playing at the corners of her mouth-not her usual restrained expression, but something almost mischievous that made her look like a satisfied chess master who had just executed a brilliant move.
Despite his embarrassment, Sunny felt his heart leap at the sight. Her attempts to fluster him may have succeeded, but he gained something precious in return. For him, the rare gift of her smile was sustenance enough to carry him through life's hardest trials.
When she spoke, her voice maintained its customary calm and measured cadence, as if she were entirely unaware of the smile that transformed her face. Perhaps she truly didn't realize how radiant she appeared in that moment.
"Are you alright? You're quite flushed," she observed, her eyes studying his face with analytical precision.
A smile curved Sunny's lips as he recognized the opportunity before him. He wasn't about to let such a perfect opening slip away.
"I'm fine," he replied, his voice taking on a teasing quality. "But why are you smiling so much? Could it be that you're pleased your little scheme worked?"
The moment his words registered, Nephis's entire body went rigid, as if she'd suddenly been carved from stone. Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly-the only indication of her surprise.
Sunny's opportunity extended beyond mere words. With deliberate slowness, he leaned forward, closing the distance between them.
His lips pressed against hers with gentle pressure. He had intended only a brief contact, a fleeting demonstration of his affection. However, he had gravely underestimated the depth of her feelings for him.
In the next heartbeat, her hands rose to cradle his face, fingers splayed against his jaw and the nape of his neck, refusing to allow even a hairsbreadth of separation. Both of them silently wished this perfect moment could stretch into eternity, but the limitations of their human forms made such desires impossible.
Eventually, they were forced to part, their breathing ragged and uneven, as if they had sprinted across vast distances. Though the kiss seemed to exist outside of time-simultaneously an eternity and the briefest of seconds-it had opened a door to something deeper, something more profound.
More. It was a primal call that resonated within both of them, drawing them together with magnetic intensity. Before Sunny could fully process what was happening, he found himself pinned to the bed, his wrists gently but firmly restrained by Nephis's hands, his torso immobilized beneath the weight of her upper body.
They gazed at each other in a moment of suspended time, a silent question passing between them. Then, as if by mutual unspoken agreement, they surrendered to the mysterious force that had ensnared them both. Their lips met again, and neither showed any inclination to retreat.
The kiss guided them toward something foreign yet instinctual-terra incognita on their emotional map. They moved with deliberate patience, exploring this new territory together. Nephis lowered herself until she was level with Sunny, drawn inexplicably to the vulnerable curve of his neck.
She began planting delicate kisses along his throat, each point of contact igniting sensations Sunny had never before experienced. He found himself powerless to resist her, though resistance was the furthest thing from his mind. Had he the capacity to form coherent thoughts, he would have acknowledged that this surrender was exactly what he desired.
Both of them felt as though their bodies had been transformed into living flame, burning with pleasure and the sheer intoxication of their intimacy. It wasn't merely physical heat but the manifestation of emotions too powerful to be contained within mere flesh and bone.
Just as Nephis's fingers found the hem of Sunny's shirt, poised to strip the garment from his body, the distinctive creak of the bedroom door intruded upon their private world. She immediately withdrew, pushing herself up and turning toward the source of the interruption.
Standing frozen in the doorway, jaw slack with shock, was Rain. She remained motionless, a statue of disbelief, her eyes wide and unblinking as she tried to process the scene before her.
Her mouth worked silently, attempting to form words that refused to materialize. The reason for her presence was straightforward enough-when Sunny had been teaching her to harness her Aspect, he had inexplicably collapsed. Concerned, she had sought out Nephis, hoping they might together discover the cause of his sudden weakness.
What she hadn't expected to find was Nephis straddling her brother, engaged in what appeared to be a decidedly intimate moment. Rain was aware of Sunny's ability to create "clones" of himself, though she had never witnessed the phenomenon firsthand. This, however, defied her understanding of his capabilities, and she struggled to reconcile what she was seeing with what she knew to be possible.
The air in the room grew thick with tension as three sets of eyes met in a triangle of confusion, embarrassment, and dawning comprehension.