FTP-86

The riverside without the moon was pitch dark, but the fireflies fluttering around the grassy area gave it a certain charm.

 

Anje crouched on a stone by the river, washing her hands and face under the faint, flickering light. The cold water on her cheeks, flushed for various reasons, felt refreshing.

 

“So cool.”

 

“Anje.”

 

“Kyaahh!”

 

As she dried her wet hands and face with a handkerchief, she nearly slipped in surprise at the voice coming from behind her.

 

Fortunately, Aiden caught her in time, preventing her from falling into the river and getting completely soaked.

 

She placed her hand over her chest to calm her pounding heart and turned to him.

 

“You startled me! You always sneak up on me so quietly.”

 

Why did he always approach like this without making a sound? He wasn’t a covert operative on a mission, after all. Though it might have been a habit from his military days, it was certainly not good for her heart.

 

“Is it true?”

 

He cut straight to the point, his voice devoid of any humor, in stark contrast to her smiling lips. Aiden’s tone revealed his desperate emotions without any pretense.

 

Was what she said true? Was it an act to hide the fact she’d be leaving soon, or just a playful joke?

 

Or even before that—was this even real?

 

He doubted reality itself. Maybe his broken mind had completely failed him, showing him an overly vivid illusion, a wishful delusion tailored to his desires.

 

“Do you really like me?”

 

Anje leaned against his chest and tilted her head to look up at him. His warm embrace was, as always, comforting.

 

“What about you?”

 

She’d always wondered. How did he feel about her?

 

“I…”

 

Aiden uttered one word before hesitating for a long time. Was it really okay to say this?

But he couldn’t hold back any longer. The hope that she might feel the same way made his heart feel like it was about to explode. The emotions he’d kept bottled up were about to burst forth.

 

“I really… like you.”

 

He chose his words carefully, stopping short of saying he loved her, thinking it was too soon. His words were less spoken and more squeezed out in a whisper.

 

Anje turned to face him as if she’d been waiting and looked directly into his eyes.

 

“I feel the same.”

 

TL/N: FINALLY!!! THEY CONFESSED TO EACH OTHER, I FEEL LIKE CELEBRATING RN.

 

She regretted the absence of the moon. She wanted to see his expression more clearly, but her unadjusted eyes could only discern the faint outlines of his face in the darkness.

 

Instead of relying on her eyes, she reached out her hand and gently touched his face.

 

“…Are you crying?”

 

“No.”

 

He did, in fact, have tears in his eyes, but he didn’t want to appear weak before her. He clenched his teeth, trying to compose himself as he answered.

 

“Liar, your eyes are wet.”

 

At her observation, he quickly came up with an excuse.

 

“It’s the water from your hands.”

 

Pulling her closer with his arms, he wanted to see her face more clearly. He was dying to know if she was wearing the same expression as he was. Was she as thrilled and happy as he felt?

 

‘If I could see her face, I’d know…’

 

His eyes, still adjusting after gazing at the campfire earlier, struggled to focus. Squinting, he tried to discern the emotions etched onto Anje’s face.

 

Misunderstanding his intent, Anje closed her eyes and leaned in toward him, her hands still cupping his cheeks.

 

Aiden, whose serious expression had unknowingly softened, chuckled.

 

“That’s not quite what I meant to do…”

 

“Ah.”

 

Flustered, she opened her eyes briefly, pinched his cheek hard, and then shut her eyes again. How annoying—why couldn’t he just play along?

 

“…Do you still not feel like doing it?”

 

“No, that’s not it.”

 

He reached out to cup her cheeks but stopped abruptly. Her face was clean, soft, and unblemished, while his hands were covered in soot, ash, and dust.

 

“Wait, let me wash my hands first—”

 

“No. I’m not letting go.”

 

Anje tightened her grip around him, refusing to let go. She couldn’t bear to break the atmosphere after all the effort it took to get to this point.

 

“You’re so stubborn.”

 

His laughter vibrated through her, sending ripples through her emotions.

 

“That’s one of the things I like about you, though.”

 

Instead of reaching for her face, he pressed his forehead gently against hers. Thanks to her earlier efforts to clean him with a damp cloth, his face was at least somewhat fresh.

 

“I… I like you too.”

 

“You like your own stubbornness?”

 

“That’s not what I meant.”

 

TL/N: AS I SAID BEFORE THAT SAYING “I LIKE YOU” (NOT ALWAYS THO) IS THE SAME AS SAYING “I LIKE IT” SO THAT’S WHY AIDEN SAID THAT HE KNEW THAT ANJE MEANT THAT SHE LIKED HIM TOO BUT HE WAS TEASING HER AS ALWAYS LOL.

 

Their cheeks and noses brushed against each other. The face she’d cooled with river water had grown hot again. She couldn’t tell if the heat was coming from within or from him.

 

“I like every part of you, Aiden.”

 

Though she was embarrassed by how loudly her heart was pounding in the silence, feeling his heartbeat racing just as quickly soothed her nerves.

 

Their lips were now only a hair’s breadth apart.

 

“Really?”

 

Did she truly like every part of him? Even the ugliest parts of him? If he showed her the worst of himself, would she still feel the same way? Ignoring the voice in his head that dismissed his doubts as nonsense, he pressed her for an answer.

 

“Yes.”

 

The moment he heard her unwavering response, Aiden couldn’t hold back any longer. He captured her lips in a deep kiss.

 

It was hard to believe that these small, lovely lips had confessed feelings for him. If this was a dream, it was the happiest dream he’d ever had.

 

Even if it was a dream, he wished to stay in it forever.

 

Fireflies, circling around them as if to bless their union, formed glowing rings in the night.

 

* * *

 

“The three brightest stars over there form a large triangle. Two of them are Vega and Altair.”

 

Anje, sitting on Aiden’s lap, gazed up at the night sky he pointed to.

 

The blazing campfire had almost died down, and her eyes had fully adjusted to the darkness. The stars in the summer sky seemed bigger and clearer than ever.

 

“Does that star over there have a name too?”

 

“Of course. It’s called Antares, part of the Scorpius constellation.”

 

He gently guided Anje’s hand to point toward another star in the southern sky.

 

“The six smaller stars beside it form the shape of a dipper. It’s right next to the Milky Way, so it’s often called the Milk Dipper.”

 

“The Milk Dipper? How adorable.”

 

Anje chuckled softly and leaned her head closer into his chest. After finishing grilled fish and even marshmallows, her stomach was full.

 

Combined with the warmth radiating from Aiden’s body and the late hour, sleepiness naturally began to take over.

 

“If you’re tired, shall we head inside and rest?”

 

He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead as he asked. Anje shook her head and nudged him.

 

“I’m not that sleepy yet. Tell me more about constellations.”

 

Listening to him talk about stars was immensely enjoyable. Whether it was their nicknames, the myths tied to constellations, or how to navigate using stars in places without a compass, it was far more fascinating than studying astronomy from drawings on a wall with a tutor.

 

“Which constellation should I talk about next? Ah, do you know the legend of Perseus?”

 

It was a story she vaguely recalled but pretended not to know.

 

“No, what is it about?”

 

“He’s said to be a hero who founded a dynasty long ago…”

 

Even if it was a well-known story, hearing it in his deep, resonant voice felt completely different.

 

Occasionally, he would glance at her, stroke her hair, or brush his lips against hers, making the moment even more fulfilling.

 

‘Ah, I wish I could stay like this forever.’

 

But her body betrayed her intention, succumbing to fatigue. Her eyes kept closing, and her head nodded forward.

 

Aiden, still eagerly explaining the myth of Perseus, noticed her half-asleep state and whispered softly, “Anje, are you asleep?”

 

“…No…”

 

Her faint response lacked credibility. He chuckled quietly, lifted her in his arms, and began walking back home.

 

Each step felt light and joyful. It didn’t feel like he was carrying a person but something sacred and precious, like a shooting star.

 

He climbed the stairs to the second floor slowly and carefully, ensuring she wouldn’t wake. Once there, he laid her gently on the bed.

 

“My precious Anje.”

 

How happy he was to finally call her that. He knelt halfway by her bed, reminiscing about the tender moments they had shared, eating marshmallows and laughing together. It helped him realize that her earlier confession of affection was indeed real.

 

Yet, a part of him was still afraid. The fear of happiness being shattered at its peak—a fear only those who had experienced great misfortune could understand—lingered in his heart.

 

He traced the lines of her sleeping face with his fingers. Even in complete darkness, it didn’t matter. He wanted to keep watching her, ensuring she wouldn’t disappear, not even for a second.

 

Anje, feeling his touch, slowly woke up. Her tightly shut eyelids quivered slightly.

 

‘Aiden.’

 

The tenderness in his cautious touch revealed the depth of his feelings for her. How could she not have noticed such desperate and passionate love before?

 

Without opening her eyes, she reached out and intertwined her fingers with his.

 

Aiden, startled for a moment, quickly tightened his grip, reinforcing the connection between their hands.

 

TL/N: AAAAAAAH. I REALLY LOVE THIS CHAP SM FR AAAAAAAAAAAAAH

 

* * * *

 

If you want to support the Translator, Translator’s Ko-Fi: