Forsaken Starfall-Chapter 157 - i love you

After the plates were emptied and the light chatter slowly subsided, they began to disperse to their respective rooms. Vakmi escorted them, carrying a floating magic lantern.

Upon reaching the bedroom corridor, Illya immediately pulled Fyar's hand, she led Fyar into her room.

The door closed softly behind them.

Illya sat on the edge of the soft bed. She patted the empty space beside her. "Come here," she whispered softly.

Fyar walked slowly. He sat by Illya's side, his shoulders slumped slightly. His gaze was unfocused, fixed only on the edge of the maroon velvet bedspread.

Illya reached for Fyar's hand, gripping it tightly, then stroked the back of his hand with her thumb,

"What is actually wrong with you, hm?" Illya asked softly, her eyes studying Fyar's side profile. "Don't lie"

Fyar fell silent. He looked down at the dark wooden floor beneath his feet. His eyes stared far away

. After a long silence, Fyar closed his eyes for a moment and let out a long sigh.

"I had a dream.." he said hoarsely.

"No, to be precise, it was a memory of my past..."

"I attended my friend's wedding.."

"There I met old friends.. we chatted, greeted each other happily." Fyar smiled bitterly, his eyes still closed. "Asking things like hey how are you, and where is your girlfriend? Like oh finally he's getting married too, and one of my friends asked oh right when is your turn?"

"Then we arrived at the handshaking moment.. and enjoyed the event.."

Fyar's voice began to tremble. "Then.."

"My friend who got married died right beside me.. He was killed at his wedding..."

"His wife died... and.. the last words he said were... 'is it hard to live a normal life for people like us, Fyar'.."

Illya listened seriously. She didn't interrupt. Her hand didn't stop stroking the back of Fyar's hand, providing an anchor so Fyar wouldn't drift away in that memory. Illya tilted her body, resting her head on Fyar's shoulder gently.

"So that's it..." whispered Illya. She released Fyar's hand for a moment to stroke his black-purple hair. She pulled Fyar's head slowly until it rested on her chest.

"So you're afraid a similar thing will happen to us?"

"Are you afraid you will suffer the same fate, Fyar?"

Fyar nodded slowly in Illya's embrace.

Illya then pulled her body back, lying down and leaning against the high headboard, bringing Fyar along with her. They lay on their sides, facing each other, but Fyar still hid his face in Illya's chest.

Illya kissed Fyar's forehead gently, her lips lingering there for a long time. "You're afraid you... cannot protect me.. so because of that you.. feel an urgency to become strong faster.."

"Is that so, Fyar?"

Fyar nodded again. Slowly, his arms wrapped around Illya's waist, hugging the girl tightly as if Illya would disappear if he let go.

"Yeah.. especially after I heard the scale of power in this world.. I have to become strong, as strong as possible.. as fast as possible... so I can protect you all and live a normal life.."

"Fyar.." Illya whispered again. "You once said whatever happens is destined to happen, right? Hm?"

"Look at us now, our levels rose quickly, tomorrow we will train with Hasya, after that we will fight one of the dungeon bosses to get out of here..." Illya smiled soothingly, her fingers playing with Fyar's hair.

"We just have to live through it all, Fyar, the path to becoming strong is already laid out in front of us.."

"You might be worried everything won't go smoothly.. you might be afraid that maybe the thing that happened to your friend will happen to you and me too.."

Illya lifted Fyar's face with both hands, forcing Fyar to look into her eyes. "We don't know the future that far ahead, Fyar.."

"Our focus right now is tomorrow's training, and getting out of here.."

"Don't think too far ahead just yet.."

"Even if bad things happen.. I'm sure you have the solution...."

"Remember we've been in life and death situations more than once.."

"And we always survived, right?"

Illya then gently pulled the man's face towards her and kissed his lips softly. "So please don't keep being gloomy, okay?"

"It hurts my heart seeing you like that..."

"Step 1 to making me happy is making yourself happy.."

Illya stroked Fyar's cheek with her thumb. "Understood, my handsome future husband?"

Fyar looked into Illya's calm green eyes. The corner of his lips lifted to form a thin smile. He nodded slowly. "Understood."

He then buried his face back into Illya's chest, inhaling the girl's soothing scent, and hugged her tightly. "I will try."

"I love you, Illya."

Illya stroked Fyar's head gently, her chin resting on top of his head. "I love you too, Fyar."

"More than anything."

Meanwhile, in another room.

Rasie lay on a mattress that was too soft for her taste. She rolled to the left, then to the right. The thick blanket was already a mess.

"Agh.. that was so embarrassing, so embarrassing!!"

Rasie kicked her blanket. "I can't sleep!!" she said in frustration. She tossed and turned like a fish just pulled out of water.

Knock knock knock.

Rasie froze. "Huh??!"

"It's meee!" Hasya's voice was heard from behind the thick wooden door. "Sorry but I want to talk to you.."

"H-Hasya?!" Rasie panicked slightly. She immediately sat up straight, feeling her messy red hair. "Wait, you idiot, wait!"

Rasie combed her hair with her fingers as fast as lightning, then tidied up her oversized shirt. After feeling neat enough, she cleared her throat loudly. "Come in! Try anything funny and I'll kill you!"

The door opened slowly.

Hasya poked his head in, then waved his hand at Rasie while smiling widely. "Yo."

Rasie reflexively grabbed a pillow and hugged it tightly in front of her chest, covering her body. Her eyes darted around nervously. "W-what? Why? What do you want to talk about? Are you still offended about the meal earlier??" she asked shyly.

Hasya laughed lightly while shaking his head. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "I want to talk about our relationship."

"Relationship.." Rasie repeated the word softly.

She bit her lower lip. Her eyes dimmed slightly. "So I suspected, you were just jok—"

"No no no!!" cut Hasya quickly while waving his hands in panic.

Hasya then walked towards Rasie's bed and sat on the edge of the mattress, keeping a polite but close enough distance.

"I just want to ask.."

"Ask what?? Don't ask anything weird!" Rasie tightened her hug on the pillow.

"Do you really like me now?" asked Hasya, his voice turning a bit serious, his eyes remaining warm.

"Can I consider you my girlfriend now?"

Rasie's face turned bright red instantly. She buried half her face behind the pillow. "O-obviously!!" her voice was muffled but firm.

"If I didn't like you, there's no way I would have kissed you earlier, stupid!!"

"Y-you're strong but stupid!"

"Hmp!" Rasie turned her face to the side.

Hasya laughed lightly, his shoulders shaking in relief. "Sorry, sorry, I just wanted to make sure, I've never dated anyone before."

Rasie didn't say anything. She waited for Hasya to say something else. Her heart was beating fast behind the pillow.

But only silence filled the room.

Rasie glanced at Hasya. "Is.. is that all you wanted to ask?"

"No!" said Hasya firmly. He straightened his back, his face turning serious. "I have a request as your boyfriend now, and I can only sleep if that request is fulfilled!"

Rasie swallowed hard, saying nothing, waiting.

"I want you to tell me that you love me! And als—"

Thud!

Rasie slammed the pillow in her hands into Hasya's face, silencing the young man's mouth. "Stupid, there's no way I can do that!!"

Hasya didn't fight back. He gently held the sides of the pillow and lowered it slowly from his face, making their faces stare at each other again without obstruction.

"Please, Rasie," he said softly, his eyes looking straight into Rasie's pupils.

Rasie's mouth opened slightly, words of protest stuck in her throat. She looked into Hasya's eyes nervously. She looked right, left, trying to find an excuse to escape, but finally, she sighed in resignation.

"Alright.."

She stole a glance at Hasya. Her usually sharp gaze now softened drastically. The blush on her cheeks deepened.

"I-I..."

Her voice choked. She squeezed the bedsheet nervously.

"I-I love..."

"I love you, Hasya.."

Hasya's pupils dilated slightly. For a few seconds, he just stood frozen, recording Rasie's face and that soft voice in his memory forever.

He then smiled thinly, very sincerely.

"Last thing..."

"May I hug you?"

"If you don't want to, it's okay, I'm satisfied enough."

Rasie didn't answer. She fell silent, looking down to avoid Hasya's gaze.

Hasya sighed softly, thinking it was a rejection. He then prepared to stand up from his seat.

"Oi."

Hasya flinched. He looked back at Rasie.

Rasie had spread both her arms wide. Her face was bright red like a boiled crab, she looked at Hasya with an shy gaze.

"After this, go to sleep."

Hasya smiled widely, so widely his eyes squinted. He sat back down and immediately embraced Rasie's body. He hugged the girl tightly, burying his face in Rasie's shoulder, inhaling the scent of her hair deeply. Rasie slowly returned the hug, wrapping her arms around Hasya's broad back.