After carrying Vesperine to his house, since the incident occurred near his tribe’s territory, Kaelen took extra care to ensure his mother didn’t notice.
He knew that if she did, he wouldn’t live to see tomorrow!!
Once she finally calmed down, Kaelen handed her a few healing potions. As she sipped them, he asked gently, “What were you doing out in the middle of the forest? It’s dangerous, you know.”
Vesperine kept silent, her gaze fixed on the ground, her expression clouded with fear.
Kaelen frowned slightly but moved closer, settling beside her. He placed a reassuring hand on her head and gently stroked her hair. “Hey… you can trust me. Whatever it is, I’m here to listen,” he said softly, his voice carrying warmth.
Without a word, Vesperine leaned forward, her head resting against his chest. Her breathing slowed, and before he knew it, she had fallen asleep.
Kaelen froze, his heartbeat quickening in surprise. He instinctively wanted to move away, but her hands were tightly gripping his shirt, refusing to let go.
This was the first time a girl had ever been this close to him. Back in his tribe, the women always kept their distance, mostly out of fear of his mother. But now… this was different.
‘She smells… nice,’ Kaelen thought, a bemused smile spreading across his face. Without realizing it, he adjusted himself and lay down beside her, allowing sleep to eventually claim him as well.
While Liora busied herself with building their house, Kaelen devoted his time to tending to Vesperine, who was still recovering from the trauma of the monster attack.
Slowly but surely, Kaelen managed to break through her guarded exterior. She began speaking to him bit by bit, though she never revealed why she had been wandering alone in the woods.
Kaelen respected her silence. He figured she wasn’t ready to share that part of her pain yet. Deciding not to push her, he focused on enjoying her presence instead.
“You really need to eat something,” Kaelen urged, concern etched on his face as he watched her growing weaker with every passing day. “Your body can’t heal if you refuse to eat.”
“Ugh… but it looks so gross,” Vesperine whined, pouting like a child.
Kaelen sighed but remained persistent, holding up a spoon. “Just one bite. For me? Come on, it’s not that bad.”
Grumbling under her breath, Vesperine finally opened her mouth, letting him spoon-feed her. Her eyes widened slightly. “Wait… why does it taste… good now?” she murmured, her voice surprisingly soft and gentle.
Kaelen’s heart skipped a beat at the sweetness in her tone. He’d never heard anything so endearing before…. ‘Do women like her still there?’ he wondered… His tail swayed unconsciously, ‘Gods, she’s… cute,’ he thought, struggling to keep his composure.
But it wasn’t over yet.
Day by day, Vesperine began to open up more, her reserved demeanour giving way to something more lively. She followed him everywhere, her curiosity seemingly endless.
“Wow… you can cut down a whole tree with your bare hands?” Vesperine exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with genuine amazement as she watched him in action.
Kaelen flushed slightly, brushing off her admiration. “Well, yeah… I’m strong like that,” he muttered, flexing his arms in an attempt to appear nonchalant…. His tail betrayed him, however, swaying faster than before.
…..
One evening, Vesperine approached him hesitantly, holding out a small dish. “I… I tried cooking something,” she said, her voice uncertain.
Kaelen raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. No one had ever cooked for him before. He took the dish, his tail wagging even faster. “Thank you… It looks great,” he said, his voice soft, almost shy.
…
Another day, as Kaelen trained by sprinting at lightning speed, Vesperine stood nearby, cheering him on. “You’ve got this, Kaelen! Faster! You can do it!”
Breathing hard, Kaelen grinned at her encouragement and pushed himself harder, zigzagging through the terrain. When he finally stopped, Vesperine’s mouth hung open in awe. “You… you actually did it! That was incredible!”
“H-haha… well, I can go even faster,” Kaelen replied, flashing a smug grin. But then his expression faltered, and his tail stilled. “Not as fast as my mother, though. She could finish this in a second without breaking a sweat.”
Vesperine stepped closer, cupping his cheek gently, “Don’t say that. You’re amazing in your own right, Kaelen. No one else your age can do what you just did. Don’t compare yourself to others….. To me, you’re the best,” she whispered, her cheeks flushed with a soft blush.
Ba-Dump
Kaelen’s heart pounded wildly, his face heating up. His tail swayed furiously… resembling a helicopter blade.
Meanwhile, Vesperine’s eyes sparkled mischievously. She glanced above Kaelen’s head, where a heart-shaped symbol hovered, visible only to her!! Inside, a pink liquid slowly rose, displaying the words: ‘75%.’
[💗 ↑75%]
…
“Come on, Vesperine. There’s nothing to be scared of,” Kaelen said, now in his wolf form. He nudged her gently, urging her to climb on.
Vesperine hesitated, her fingers trembling, but she eventually climbed onto his back, clutching his thick fur. “Are… are you sure about this?” she asked nervously.
“Trust me,” Kaelen replied, his voice steady. “You’ll be fine. Ready?”
She gave a shaky nod. With a deep, echoing roar, Kaelen stomped the ground and surged forward at full speed.
“KYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAA!!” Vesperine screamed, her fingers gripping his fur tightly, eyes squeezed shut.
Kaelen chuckled at her reaction. “Come on! Open your eyes! You won’t regret it!”
With great hesitation, Vesperine cracked one eye open, and then the other. Her breath caught in her throat. “Oh… wow…” she whispered, awe washing over her. They were at the mountain’s peak, the city sprawling below in breathtaking beauty.
“It’s… stunning,” she murmured, her voice full of wonder. “Kaelen, it’s really beautiful.”
Kaelen’s heart swelled with pride as he watched her face light up. “I knew you’d like it,” he said softly, his gaze never leaving hers.
“It’s lovely… Kaelen… It’s really lovely,” Vesperine said softly, her eyes wide with awe as she took in the breathtaking view before them.
Kaelen exhaled deeply, his form shifting back into his human shape. His muscles relaxed, but his eyes still carried a sense of weariness. “This is my secret place,” he admitted, his voice calm yet distant. “Whenever my mother pushes me too hard with her training, I escape here. It’s the only place where I can breathe and just… watch the world. It feels like the weight lifts off my chest when I’m here. It’s… heartwarming, you know?”
Vesperine nodded, understanding the deep comfort this place must have brought him. She could feel it too—the serenity, the peacefulness. It was as if the world paused just for them.
With a gentle smile, Vesperine walked to the edge of the cliff and sat down, her legs dangling over the side. She patted the spot next to her, motioning for him to join. Kaelen hesitated for a moment before finally sitting down, his posture stiff at first.
Vesperine rested her head on his shoulder, her hair brushing against his neck. Kaelen flinched slightly but quickly relaxed, his lips curling into a small smile as his tail began to sway gently behind him.
They sat in comfortable silence, the view stretching endlessly before them. The only sound was the wind whispering around them. Minutes turned to nearly an hour until Vesperine finally broke the silence.
“Kaelen… I probably shouldn’t be saying this to the person who saved my life, but… I’ve noticed something,” she said softly, her tone cautious. “Sometimes, you seem… dejected. Lost, even.”
Kaelen turned his head slightly, his brow furrowing in surprise. “H-how did you…”
Vesperine smiled knowingly. “Come on… You saved my life. We’ve spent time together. It’s only natural I’d notice a thing or two about you.” but inwardly she thought, ‘Of course I knew about your current feeling’ as she looked at black screen which showing Kaelen’s true emotions.
Kaelen sighed heavily, “Well… it… is… hmm…”
Sensing his hesitation, Vesperine leaned back a little. “If it’s too uncomfortable to talk about with stranger like me, I understand—”
“You’re not a stranger!” Kaelen interrupted, his voice firm, almost urgent. His sudden intensity made Vesperine’s heart skip a beat.
“I-Is that so…” Vesperine stammered, her cheeks flushing. She averted her gaze, the heat rising in her face. Kaelen, realizing what he had just blurted out, quickly coughed to cover his own embarrassment. “A-anyway,” he continued, “I was just… thinking about something my mother said.”
Vesperine’s curiosity piqued. “What did she say?”
Kaelen hesitated, but the pain in his eyes was unmistakable, “Our tribe has always been ambitious. There have been countless wars, betrayals—everything driven by this relentless desire to rule the empire.
We’ve never succeeded. But then… I was chosen. The tribe believed I would be the one to finally lead us to the top.
My mother trained me relentlessly for it. I studied, practiced every etiquette, prepared for this position. My heart burned with the desire to achieve it. Yet…” His voice faltered, and his expression grew heavy with pain.
“Yet?”
Kaelen exhaled sharply. “Yet… I’m not sure I want it anymore.” He paused, then quickly shook his head. “Forget it. It’s nothing.”
Vesperine reached for his hand, her touch light but grounding. “Kaelen… look at me,” she whispered. He hesitated but eventually met her gaze. Her eyes glimmered with sincerity. “If ruling this empire is what you truly want… then go for it. Don’t hold back.”
“Huh?” Kaelen blinked, taken aback by her sudden encouragement.
Vesperine placed a finger on his chest, right over his heart, “This world is vast, Kaelen. You can become whatever you want!! Listen to your heart. Don’t let anyone else’s expectations define you. If this is what you want, then reach for it.”
Kaelen stared at her, his heart thudding against his ribs. Her words resonated deeply. For the first time, it felt like someone truly understood him. His lips parted, trembling slightly under the weight of her understanding.
Meanwhile, Vesperine’s eyes flickered mischievously. She could see the heart-shaped symbol above Kaelen’s head, visible only to her. The pink liquid inside rose steadily, now showing 90%.
[💗 ↑90%]
‘Time for the finale,’ she thought, closing her eyes as she leaned in, her lips inches from his.
Kaelen frowned in confusion. “What… are you doing?”
Vesperine froze, opening her eyes abruptly. She glanced at the heart meter—it had dropped to 85%.
‘Fuck!’ she cursed inwardly. Scrambling for an excuse, she stammered, “I-I didn’t mean to… I-I was just…” Her face flushed as she forced a shy, vulnerable look. “I… I love you.”
Kaelen’s eyes widened. “Come again?” he asked, utterly bewildered.
“I-I said…” Vesperine’s voice quivered with embarrassment. She clenched her fists, her face now a deep shade of red. “I’ve always loved you!” she shouted, her words tumbling out in a rush.
Kaelen stared at her, stunned. Meanwhile, Vesperine sneaked a glance at the heart meter—99%.
‘Tsk… too easy,’ she grinned inwardly, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes!