‘Don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic…’ Aether chanted inwardly like a desperate mantra, his mind a tempest of fear and anxiety. His face turned ghostly pale, and beads of sweat formed relentlessly on his forehead, glistening under the dim light.
His heart pounded in his chest like a war drum, each beat echoing his growing terror. He needed to come up with something…anything….to salvage the situation.
‘Damn it!’ Aether cursed himself silently, his thoughts spiralling into chaos. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t think of a single plausible lie to save himself from this predicament and lying to her might cause her to break later!!
Seeing his expression, Selene didn’t need to ask as she knew what he was thinking…
Selene leaned forward, her expression a mix of concern and tenderness that nearly broke him. She wiped the sweat from his brow with utmost care, her touch soft and soothing.
Her voice was a fragile whisper, trembling with the weight of unspoken fears and hopes, “There is no need to worry, Ether… I… I just want to know… did my love never reach your heart?”
Those words pierced through Aether’s defences like a dagger, making his heart ache with an intensity he could hardly bear, He lowered his head, unable to face her…. here he was thinking a way to lie to her…
Selene’s lips quivered, her breath hitching with the effort to hold back her tears. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words died before they could form. Her heart felt as though it might burst from the agony…. suffocating her with the need to be held…. to be understood….. to be loved.
Though she wouldn’t mind dying in his embrace!!
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, the liquid crystals reflecting the dim light. It seemed as if she might break at any moment, her vulnerability laid bare.
But then,
“I… am scared,” Aether mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper, as he clutched her hand tightly, his fingers digging into her skin as if letting go would mean losing everything.
“Ether?” she breathed, her heart tightening in her chest.
“I am scared of falling in love…
I am scared of getting hurt again…
I am scared of losing again…
I am scared of being loved by others…
and I am scared of you… not loving me,” Aether confessed, his eyes trembling with raw vulnerability.
Selene frowned, her confusion and pain evident in her eyes.
Not loving him?
How could he not see?
She loved him more than anything in this world, more than her own life, “I love you, Eth—”
“AETHER!” he interrupted, his voice cracking under the weight of his emotions, “I am not Ether… I am Aether from Earth, 28 years old, an unemployed guy living in a broken apartment, struggling to survive each day,” Aether revealed, his voice laden with the weight of his truth.
He knew who he was and what he was risking. But for her love, the love she showered upon him without expecting anything in return… it was worth every risk.
If she became disgusted, then so be it!
If she wanted to kill him for taking over Ether’s body, then so be it!
Because she had every right!
Selene’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief, her mind reeling from the revelation, “W-What are you talking about? I don’t under—”
“I’m sorry…”… That’s all he could say, Aether lifted his head, his gaze meeting hers. Selene was taken aback when she saw a single tear rolling down his cheek, glistening like a fallen star, “I felt wrong and disgusted with myself when I knew you loved Ether… not me!”
Selene’s heart shattered seeing the raw pain in his eyes. Without thinking, she threw her arms around him, holding him tightly, as if her embrace could shield him from all the hurt. She felt a desperate need to keep him close, to never let him go.
“Eth—Aether,” she murmured, her voice trembling with the intensity of her emotions. “Calm down, I am here, okay!”
Aether, momentarily stunned, wrapped his arms around her just as tightly, clinging to her like a lifeline in a stormy sea, “I’m sorry,” he whispered again, his voice breaking with the weight of his guilt.
He always felt shit whenever she calls him Ether and thinks of him as Ether!
Selene’s mind whirled, struggling to process this earth-shattering revelation.
Was she shocked?
Of course, who wouldn’t be?
But when she saw Aether’s tears, all she could feel was a profound, aching empathy. She knew he had been carrying this burden alone all this time, a weight that had been crushing him silently.
‘Aether… ah,’ she thought, her fingers gently ruffling through his hair, her touch tender and reassuring…. trying to convey the depths of her love.
They held each other in silence for what felt like an eternity, the world around them fading away into insignificance.
After nearly fifteen minutes, Aether slowly pulled back, his face flushed with embarrassment and vulnerability, “I showed something uncool…” he muttered awkwardly, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice.
[+4000 Affection]
Selene chuckled softly, her heart warming at his vulnerability, her love for him deepening even further, “You are always cool,” she said, her voice filled with affection and certainty.
Aether smiled a small, grateful smile that lit up his features. He wanted to say something more, to express the depths of his feelings, but the words eluded him, trapped in the labyrinth of his mind.
Did he love her?
…. Of course!!! There wouldn’t no man would ignore this lovely girl who would any length just for him!!
Yet…. He was still feeling insecure…
“Aether, look into my eyes,” Selene urged, her voice gentle but firm, guiding him back to the present.
“They say eyes are the windows to the soul.” She gazed deeply into his shining blue eyes, eyes that had seen so much pain yet still held so much life, hope, and love,
“I already told you before… You are my Ether, Aether, Victor—whatever you call yourself. I still see the same person who once took my heart… My lovely man,” she declared, her voice unwavering, her expression fiercely possessive, her love an unbreakable shield.
No matter what anyone said, she knew this person was her Ether…. Even if he denied it, she knew deep down in her heart that those eyes, those same eyes that had looked at her with such love, belonged to him and him alone. She had no proof other than her love and gut feelings, but she didn’t need any more than that.
Aether shook his head, his heart aching with the weight of her unwavering love and belief in him. “No, I am—”
Suddenly, Selene grabbed his collar, pulling him close, her eyes dark with intensity and fierce, “Don’t ever question my love for you… Got it?”
Aether gulped, nodding weakly, unable to find his voice, ‘I cannot win against her love…’ Selene smiled, her expression softening, before she hugged him tightly once more, her embrace filled with love and reassurance, “So, you’re from another world… what’s it called, Merth?”
“Hah… Earth,” he corrected, a small laugh escaping his lips despite everything.
“Tell me more about you…” Selene demanded, her expression stern and unwavering. She needed to know everything about him, every single bit of information. The need for clarity was so intense that she felt she might go mad without it.
“Are you–”
“~hmm~”
“..What are–”
“~hmm~”
“…Let me ask wh–”
“~hmm~”
Each time Aether tried to object, Selene silenced him with a firm kiss, making it impossible for him to speak. He sighed heavily, frustration mingling with resignation, and asked with a stern face, “Do you truly believe that I am your Ether?”
“Yes, I believe you are my Aether,” Selene replied, her face serious and resolute. The slight name difference? She didn’t care in the slightest.
Seeing her resolute expression, Aether sighed again, the weight of her unwavering belief pressing down on him. He began to tell the tale of his previous life, every painful detail laid bare.
Selene, while hugging him tightly, listened intently to his story, making mental notes of everything he said.
First, his parents. She felt a burning rage towards them, worthless pieces of humanity who had failed him so utterly. If she ever encountered them, she wouldn’t hesitate to fry them in a pan.
Second, his little brother. She wanted to push him into the deepest ocean, ensuring no one would ever find his remains.
Third…. a woman who left him just because he was infertile. She wanted to kill her, to make her suffer for causing him so much pain.
Lastly…
“You suffered a lot, Aether,” Selene’s eyes filled with tears. The more she heard, the more she realized there was no difference between Aether and Ether.
They both suffered… Suffered….. Suffered and endured relentless pain.
Aether smiled gently, patting her head softly. He felt an unexpected lightness as if a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders. For the first time in a long while, he felt he could breathe freely…. He finally felt happy.
!~Ding~!
[Survival rate: 32.4↑%]
‘I suppose telling the truth is the right choice’ he thought with a gentle expression and he was truly glad she turned norm—
Aether looked at Selene, who gazed back at him with tender eyes….. But then, her eyes darkened the night sky and she asked, “Now tell me, who is that bitch? And most of all, you didn’t answer my question earlier… are you still a virgin?”
‘Fuck!’ Aether blinked, taken aback by her sudden change in demeanour. He swallowed hard, his throat dry, “Well, I had done it in my previous life…”
The question again circled like a snake!!
“No, no, no,” Selene interrupted, waving her finger with a dark expression,
“I am talking about this life, Aether. I know you doubted your love for me. Of course, you love me so much that you don’t want to hurt my feelings and got scared…. Hmm, Hmm… I understand that” as she zoomed into his face,
“Still, you have the nerve to stick your dick that belongs to me into someone else… Tell me, how many bitches have you fucked?” She asked with a small smile that didn’t reach her eyes, her expression anything but friendly.
Though Selene believed his unbelievable story, her love for him was so deep that she accepted it in her heart and noted everything….. She even understood why he was scared of her, as she always called him Ether, which made Aether feel insecure about his identity.
There was nothing wrong with Aether!!
Everything was understandable. She was a remarkably good and understanding woman, you know!
However, that didn’t mean she would tolerate him fucking others while her heart ached solely for him.
“…”
“Aether~” Selene’s voice was a sing-song, but it held a dangerous edge.
Aether realized he needed to control this yandere side of her, or he might find himself locked away in here…. forever!