Archive of Our Own

"Hasta la muerte y sin un pacto."

~Secreto, Anuel AA & Karol G

Drops of sweat fell from my chin as I kicked the ball for the nth time in the whole afternoon. However, the football still didn't get past through the "goal-keeping machine" guarding the net. I wasn't strong, not enough.

I walked to where the ball had bounced off, wiping the sweat from my face. Instead of picking it up, I kicked it and ran behind it, practising my dribbling. At least my dribbling wasn't bad, it was quite decent. I manipulated the ball to the goal opposite to the one I was shooting at. I stopped the ball placing my foot on top. I took a deep breath and focused all the energy that I had left, and kicked the ball towards the other end of the pitch.

I felt all the energy flowing out of my body, concentrating into my shot. The ball was flying full-power across the pitch, leaving a golden trail behind. My eyes followed the football intently, without blinking, hoping it would go inside the net.

I was not one to show much emotion, not anymore, especially not hope. But I couldn't help it, not after so much work and effort I had put into this. Unfortunately, the route the ball was following changed completely and my shot started losing power, flying lower and lower, until it touched the grass, a few meters away from the goal. As my shoulders fell, the image engraved itself in my mind, recalling some memories from past times.

✧. ✦

"Please, give me a chance to play the match!"

"No way! You're a girl and girls don't actively participate in sacrificial rituals."

"You don't understand" I lowered my body to keel down. "I have to play. I need to play" I pleaded.

"There's nothing I can do, girl. Unless you volunteer yourself to be sacrificed, you won't be participating. Go plead to the gods, maybe they'll help you." He scoffed.

Everyone around me started laughing at me, with mocking and obnoxious laughter, pointing fingers at me.

"I'll show you that I am strong enough to play in the match." I stood up, determined to prove my point. Fortunately, I always had a ball with me.

"First of all, the sacrifice ceremony is not something for you to play, it's a ceremony in which us humans participate to communicate with the gods."

I payed no attention to what he had just said and made my way stomping towards him. "See that basket at that embroidery stall?" I said out loud so that everyone could hear, while pointing at the basket I had mentioned, at a 50 meter distance. "If the ball goes in, I get to play."

Everyone looked curiously at me, while the head of the Sacrificial Ceremony Committee looked down on me. "Well, you can always try to impress me... But I make no promises."

I stood my ground confidently. The ball was right in front of me, all I had to do was concentrate all the power, all the energy, all the force from within my soul. I had done this before, longer distances even, it shouldn't be difficult for me. But, of course, I had never had an audience to satisfy. What's more, I had to prove myself to a man who would decide whether or not I was "qualified" to save her.

I took a deep breath. I braced myself and went in to shoot the ball. I scanned the crowd to look as self-confident as I could. Suddenly, my eyes made contact with a pair of familiar ones, just as my foot did with the ball. In that moment, I started to break down, my emotions getting the best of me, making my foot hesitate when I shot.

I couldn't take my eyes off hers; this could be the last time I ever saw her free (and alive), wandering around the village. I saw her face contort into a frown, directing her gaze to my shooting. Finally, I managed to tear my eyes off her and stared at the ball.

My shoulders fell, my fists clenched, my teeth gritted, and my gaze dropped while everyone around me laughed. The ball had stopped midway, powerless, as was I.

I couldn't look at her. I wouldn't look at him either.

Not after I had failed.

✧. ✦

Failure. I had failed again.

Frustration and anger were boiling inside of me, but I wasn't going to let a tantrum be recorded in the system's cameras. Therefore, I coolly strode across the court to fetch the ball, but suddenly, the lights went off. Curfew.

I could stay and keep on practising, but it'd be no use. The robot would not work, I would not be able to see if my shots went in or out, and, even if I was keen on becoming stronger, I knew I had to rest before I pushed myself even further.

As I walked silently back to the dorms, I picked out 3 silhouettes coming towards me in the dark. Shit. I couldn't be seen, it was past curfew and I would be punished if I got caught. It wasn't the first time I strolled around late, but never ever had anyone been around the corridors at this time.

I hid behind a column, trying to merge with the shadows, which was very easy for me. I had blended in the shadows for ages, keeping myself from actual living humans, until the gods assigned me this mission.

I could hear them whispering as their voices got closer and closer.

"I hope you adapt well and meet our expectations." I made out Commander's voice.

"I will, sir." My eyes widened at the familiar voice timbre.

It couldn't be.

"I'm sure you will."

As they approached, I held my breath. I was still as stone, never blinking, never breathing.

"Hakuryuu will help you adapt and will show you around." His voice was heard right behind me.

"Yes, sir" Hakuryuu's voice answered. He was the best player in God Eden, but not as good as he was at being arrogant. It had been announced that he would be Unlimited Shining's captain, one of the ultimate teams of the Fifth Sector. I obviously disliked him. Unfortunately, I couldn't roll my eyes at him in that precise moment, since they were walking right past me.

"Thank you, Hakuryuu." The mysterious, yet familiar, 3rd voice had me on edge.

I could see their profiles. Only a minute for them to cross the whole corridor and clear the way. Just as I stared at their backs, I saw one of the 3 figures turn their head slightly around, looking straight at me. As if they had known I was there, hidden.

The faint lunar light coming through the windows dimly shone on his face, allowing my eyes to focus on some delicate features on his face. I couldn't see much, but it was just enough for me to know. His hair was dark, reaching his neck, with bangs falling on his forehead. He was wearing some traditional hair ornaments framing his face. His tan skin was glowing under the moonlight, as beautiful as I remembered. His eyes were big, almost child-like, but I knew them all too well; he was anything but innocent. They were a very dark shade of navy that used to shine like stars before, but now that blue was completely dull, vibrantless and hollow.

They were the eyes of someone who was dead. Just like me.

✧. ✦

"Hey!" A hand grabbed my shoulder. "How did it go?"

I had been avoiding him, but hiding was useless now that he had found me. I averted his shinning-in-hope navy eyes.

"Your mum was looking for you, you should go see her. She might be worried." It was a very bad excuse.

"I've just talked to her, what are you saying?" He was frowning. "What are you trying to hide? What happened?"

"Nothing. I swear your mother was looking for you."

"Don't lie, I know it's not true. Tell me what happened" he said exasperated, blowing his dark hair out of his eyes.

"Nothing happened!" I turned away from him in an attempt to run away. But to no avail, he had foreseen my actions, he always did. He knew me too well, being friends since forever, that is.

He held my shoulders and turned me around so that I was facing him. "Tell me what happened. How did it go?"

His eyes were looking right into me. His gaze was so intense it felt like a laser pointing straight at my heart. It was then when I couldn't fight him anymore. "I failed" I whispered, my voice breaking. "I failed to save her, just like I fail at everything I do!" I felt my sight become blurry and watery.

His gaze was no longer angry. His eyes softened. "Don't say that."

"But it's true! I can't do anything I-"

"It's not true" he cut me off mid-sentence. "Look, both of us knew it would be difficult. I already appreciate your concerns about my sister. You know how in this village girls can't do the same things as boys-"

"So, what you mean is I'm not strong enough to make it into the team because I'm a girl?" I was being petty, but I didn't care. I was very frustrated.

"No, absolutely not. I've told you about a hundred times how you are stronger than any boy around here. Do I have to repeat it again?" He took my chin between his fingers and connected our eyes. "You are the strongest girl in the world.  You're worthy of anything and everything.  I've never seen someone as special as you."

✧. ✦

I stayed frozen on the spot, escaping my memories. But as he kept walking further away from me, he kept his eyes fixed on me. Through the darkness, I felt his pupils meet mine and all the past feelings rushed back into my head; my heart pounding harder and faster inside my chest.

Dark eyes reminded me that I was strong, I was worthy, I was special.

The sun hadn't even risen completely, but I was already on my assigned pitch. I was determined to shoot the ball into the net, past the robot. I would accomplish my goal with this new-found strength. I would not fail today.

I took a deep breath and fixed my target, staring determined at the opposite goal. I moved my left leg backwards. I put my entire soul in this shot. As I exhaled, the impact on the ball was extremely powerful, as a current of electricity extended through my body . My eyes widened with expectation. This was the one, it had to go in.

The ball was stopped solely by the net, completely destroying the robot guarding it. It had gone in. I allowed myself to smile freely, euphoria overtaking my body. At last! After so much work, frustration, sweat and tears, I had made it.

I decided to level things up. I unleashed my kenshin, Her Majesty Goddess Nyx, easily. I readied myself to shoot, but I paused when I felt 2 pairs of eyes on me. I looked upwards at the glass see-through walls. And there he was, exactly as I remembered him. Only he was dead. Beside him stood Unlimited Shining's future captain, though I couldn't care less about him. My eyes were fixed on dark navy ones. They looked at me expectantly. I would give them something to expect.

My kenshin was strong, I was confident about it, but I felt like playing around a little. A rush of adrenaline flowed through my veins. I shot the ball as hard as I could, using my hissatstu technique Dark Prophecy. The ball flew at full speed across the pitch, surrounded by black mist and smoke, leaving a trail of dark glowing violet runes. Then, my shooting went in. But what might have impressed them was the way the hissatsu technique, the black clouds and dust, swallowed the entire goal. The ball had broken the net.

I decided not to look at them, at him. But I really hoped I had left an impression. I guessed that he remembered me, that he knew who I was. Because I certainly did.

Today, we would be selected to be part of the 2 ultimate teams of the Fifth Sector. Their purpose was to end with Raimon and the Resistance once and for all. I had to make it into one no matter what. This was the mission I was given by the gods to redeem myself from my failure when I wasn't able to save her, and the sorrow when I couldn't save him either.

I walked together with every SEED in the base to the principal hall. Most of them would just be tossed away, but 22 of us would be part of this project, this movement, this motive to fight against something so horrible called football. It had to end; it had taken away too many lives.

"As you all know, we are here to form 2 winner teams to put an end to the Revolution" said Commander Kibayama, future coach of Unlimited Shining, standing on a podium. We just knelt and looked down.

"It has already been announced before, but I will say it again for formalities" he said. "Hakuryuu will be the captain for team 1, Unlimited Shining."

None of the names that followed was mine. At first, I panicked that I wouldn't make it. But then, I remembered there was still another team left and that I'd rather not be in the same team as Hakuryuu. So, I waited, showing no trace of emotion on my face. We hadn't heard anything about the second team at all. It was a mystery to everyone.

"Next, team number 2, Dark Ancient. Shuu will be leading it. Although, he is a newcomer at the God Eden base, he is perfectly qualified to take on the title."

He stood up and walked to the front. He took the light blue captain band and placed it on his right arm. I couldn't stop staring at him. He was already wearing the team uniform black shirt. The captain band looked like it belonged with him. I couldn't help but admire from afar how it was wrapped nicely around his lean arm.

It was really him.

But I couldn't bear to say or think his name. It brought too many painful memories.

I tore my eyes away from him and listened carefully at the names that were coming out of the Commander's mouth. And, finally, my name was called. I was relieved. I stood up coolly and lined up behind my captain with the rest of my new teammates. I couldn't help but glance at his back every now and then.

I was dead, but my heart felt very much alive.

Training with our new captain was much harder than expected. He had taken us to the forest. The forest made me feel very nostalgic. How the careless days back then, playing football, meant happiness. I remained stoic on the outside, but my insides were churning and twisting, wanting to cry in agony.

His training plan consisted on nature lessons. His goal was to make us connect with nature, to establish a bond.

"Now that you have understood nature, I'm guessing you'll be a bit more decent at football."

I had discovered that he had changed, he wasn't the same. He would make mean comments about us not being strong enough, how all that mattered was power. He had become stronger as well, physically and mentally. I understood where he was coming from, after all we had gone through the same situations together. We were both bitter in our own way.

Nevertheless, I still felt the same way about him. I couldn't stop my heart from speeding up every time I saw him. My breath would hitch every time he made a shot. I might have had a chance back then, but now things have changed, he has changed and so have I. It wouldn't happen, not now, not between two broken souls.

Besides, my focus was now on the mission I was sent to carry out by the gods.

"I want you all to show me your kenshins, I'm guessing you all have one, right?" he smiled his nicest smile, even though his words hadn't meant niceness at all. However, I found my heart melting at the sight of it.

Everyone else was put off by his passive-aggressiveness, but complied regardless. I did too.

When he unleashed his we all in awe. Admiration turned into respect. Seeing God of Darkness, Dark Exodus emanate from him was an enthralling sight. I was mesmerized. I felt the urge to collide my own Goddess Nyx with his, which I had to resist.

After we had all shown him our strength he seemed quite satisfied. "I underestimated you all, you are actually very...interesting" he smiled.

✧. ✦

"Brother, watch out!"

"Huh?"

"You're going to hurt the poor goat!"

He ran at full speed, trying to stop the ball from hitting the animal. I stood there, watching him get creature out of the way.

She ran towards him. "A real goat!"

I still couldn't believe she was one of the sacrificial offers for the ritual that month. Her brother was strong, but there were stronger in the village. She wouldn't be here anymore in some weeks time. I wish I was allowed to participate in the game. He and I together would stand a chance saving her, we would be invincible. But I couldn't help him, he would have to fight on his own. The only thing I could do to help him, help her, was to support them.

"I didn't know goats were this...interesting."

Little did we know, the Goddess of Victory had already made plans for us.

✧. ✦

"You are all dismissed."

We were all sweating like waterfalls. I couldn't wait to take a shower. We all ran off into the base's direction. Well, I tried, but I was suddenly grabbed by the elbow forcing me to turn around.

My eyes met dark blue. Tan button nose barely touching mine. "Let's meet, just like we used to" he whispered.

I stared right into his eyes, trying to find something that gave away his real intentions. I wasn't going to get carried away by my feelings for him.

He then realised I wasn't going to react to him, not like I used to, and sighed. "God statues, moon at its highest point."

Oh, just like the old times. How nice they were.

✧. ✦

"You know, you have really pretty eyes." He took my cheek in his hand and caressed my face softly.

I squirmed and blushed. My feelings were very obvious, but I didn't care in that moment, because he was there, touching my face. That had made my heart go crazy. All that mattered was him. He might not return my feelings, but I could perfectly live in moments like these forever.

"E-eyes? I-I d-don't have eyes." I was extremely nervous. When I realised what I had said, I internally face-palmed myself at how stupid I became whenever he did things like that.

I turned my face away from him so he didn't see my embarrassed face and obvious blush. I just sat there staring at the statue of a god holding up a ball on his head. Even so, I wanted him to look at my eyes forever and think they were pretty every time he saw them. I felt him smile right beside me, and that was everything.

✧. ✦

The air was chilly, but I was used to it. After all, I had spent so many midnights here in nothing but a dress. Besides not being alive kinda helped a bit. I had spent the whole evening wondering what to do. And finally, here I was, full moon at its highest point, beside the god statues, waiting. I was feeling kind of nostalgic. The place brought back so many memories... I felt a bit vulnerable.

"Seems like I made you wait."

I turned around upon hearing a familiar soft voice. I saw him approaching me from the woods. He was wearing his signature sweet smile on his lips. I couldn't tell if he really meant it, so I just looked at him skeptically, trying to still my heart. Even though I was no longer that naïve little girl who would stutter every time she saw him, he still managed to make sparks burst in my stomach.

"You came" he said once he was right beside me.

"Um, yeah? You kinda forced me to come." Sarcasm and cynicism had become very important armors that held my broken pieces together.

He just smiled back at my snarky comment. "I just didn't think you would come."

"Why not? You basically grabbed me and told me to come. You left before I could say anything."

"What? You didn't want to come?" he furrowed his brows. Cute.

"I mean, it's not that I didn't want to come, but you made it sound as if we were partners in crime or some shit. When in reality, all there's between us is hatred and a ghost." If I couldn't silence my feelings, I would have to shield them behind being mean.

His face darkened immediately. "But we are partners in crime, indeed. The thing is, you were only covering for me, while I was the one doing the killing."

✧. ✦

I was standing at the patio where the ceremony was taking place. The match was already halfway through. Shuu's team was winning with a 4-point difference. Although I was happy to be winning, I felt there was something weird happening, there was something off. Shuu and I knew the other team was way stronger than us. We were almost sure they would win against us. Nonetheless, it was us who were on the lead. That was strange, considering he had spent the whole month mortified about not being strong enough to save his sister.

During the break, I decided to approach him. I knew there was something wrong and I had to know what it was. I was really unsettled and worried. I found him sitting at the left corner of the area. I sat quietly next to him.

"Hey" he said softly.

"Hey! Umm, I-"

"What's wrong?"

"W-well, I don't mean to be discouraging, I'm actually very very happy, but... Wasn't the other team supposedly stronger? How come we are winning by 4 points?" I was confused.

"Ah, don't worry. I got everything under control" he laughed lightheartedly.

"What?" I felt lost. I didn't understand anything

"Listen" he said while leaning closer to me. "I have a little secret. You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"What? No, I won't tell anyone."

"I made a deal. I offered 40 pieces of gold for my sister's safety" he whispered nervously.

I covered my mouth not believing anything he had just said. "You bought your sister?"

"You don't like it?" He was taken aback.

"You just bribed the will of the gods and you expect me to be okay with it? Look, I'm not going to tell anyone, but know that I disagree with your actions-"

"But why? We'll save her."

"What about the losing team? The other girl that will be sacrificed? Haven't you stopped to think that it's not fair that she will be sacrificed because you made a deal beforehand?"

"I thought this was about my sister. Since when do you care about the other sacrifices? Besides, if they took the gold, they must know the consequences."

"The match was about your sister. But, this? This is cheating. You're going against the gods."

"But what if the other team had lost anyways? I wouldn't be doing anything wrong."

"That's right, you wouldn't because it would have been a fair game and the chosen girl would have been legitimate to help the village. Our fairness and honesty would've made it right."

"You make no sense. I thought you wanted to save my sister at all costs. I've just made sure that she will come back to us."

"I want to save her, but by being righteous. I don't know what's wrong with you. You aren't like this, Shuu. You aren't the kind to buy a game, to cheat."

"What kind of guy am I, apart from a brother who's desperately trying to save his sister?"

"You're the kind of guy who tries to protect his beloved ones by being honest and fighting until the end, trying his best no matter how powerless he is."

"But being powerless won't save her."

"But being fair and courageous would have." I turned around to leave. "Good luck, Shuu."

"The punishment for defying the gods will be your sister's death, regardless of what the result of the match would have been."

The image of the little girl struggling against the sacrificial knife, that would eventually pierce through her, would forever be embedded into my mind.

"IT WAS YOU! YOU TOLD THEM!"

I was being pointed at by Shuu's accusing finger and shot by his now-full-of-tears deadly eyes. I couldn't do anything, I just kept frozen on the spot. I didn't say anything to defend myself even if it wasn't true. I would never be able to live past this tragedy. I felt my soul being torn apart in immense pain. I couldn't feel my heart beat anymore.

2 tears rolled down my face, falling onto this damned land.

2 tears for the 2 people I had lost forever.

I should've felt anguish, but I was just numb, unable to feel. I should've bid my farewells, but now it was too late.

My empty body was falling into the depths of a cliff and my soul was flying up into the gray sky, in an attempt to rid off the ever-haunting guilt.

It was the end.

✧. ✦

I hadn't realised that 2 tears were rolling down my cheeks as I relived those painful memories. I didn't bother to wipe them off as they dropped onto the sacred ground. Even though I was looking at the moon, my senses were far more concentrated on the brunette boy sitting beside me. Then, I noticed he was silently crying as well.

We stayed silent for a bit. I turned my face to look at his face, kissed by the silver rays of the moon. It was a sight that couldn't be described as beautiful because it wouldn't be enough to express such perfection. Enchanting, alluring, breathtaking, mellifluous, charming, dazzling, dream like, stunning, gorgeous, bewitching, ethereal, and all those words that fell into the same category. He was out of this world. He always had been out of my reach.

"Well, fuck." I had said that to distract my mind off that spell of his, but I couldn't stop staring.

He turned his face and stopped to level those eyes of his to mine. My heart stopped. "We're such a mess, aren't we?."

He didn't bother smiling this time. I was glad, that new smile of his was annoying as fuck, because I knew it wasn't real, no matter how pretty it was.

"Why are you here?"

"Um… You okay? We've just established that you had told me to come" I answered confused.

He let out a weak laugh. "What are you doing here? On the island."

"Oh, that. Well, I live here." I wasn't in the mood to make much conversation, to be honest.

"This small island will always be our home." He was smiling at the starred sky.

"Home to our demons."

"Home to my sister" he said in a hurt but steady voice.

My eyes widened. I hadn't expected him to say that. He wasn't over it, over her. I could tell it from his voice. Neither was I, but never would I have guessed he would be blunt enough to say that.

"You know" he trailed off while turning his face to make eye contact. "I'm sorry."

"Pardon?" I blinked repeatedly. This conversation was moving way too fast for me to process it correctly.

"I apologise for what I did that day" he said gently.

"Better late than never."

"I know you would never break the promise. You never did. I was just looking for someone to blame for my weakness. I had to save her, no matter what the cost was. Bribery is wrong, cheating is wrong, but I was willing to do anything to save my sister. But when you didn't approve of my decision I went off at you, because deep down, I felt the same way too. I had one job and I failed. I… I even hurt you in the process." He never stopped looking me in the eye. His voice dark and raw.

"Well, the past is past. We are both dead now, our souls are destined to wander around this home of ours, in hope of… in hope of what?" I laughed, bitterness filling me. "Look, cheating is off-limits. But sacrificing young girls is a horrible crime. It's completely normal that you wanted to save your sister. I was too blind to see that it is impossible to ask for fairness of an unfair world. I'm sorry for not trying to understand your feelings."

"It's all good." This time he smiled for real. He meant it.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I allowed myself to genuinely smile. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, I had missed him. A whole fucking lot. I couldn't stop looking at him in wonder and I wasn't even trying to cover up. I had missed this —seeing his face— for an eternity. I couldn't stop my face from lighting up, even if seconds ago I was painfully miserable. All it took was an apology and the sincerest smile, for me to become undone.

Acting on impulse, I brought my hand to the back of his head and pulled his face towards mine, bringing his lips to mine.

It's fascinating how, being spirits ourselves, we were able to feel something so physical; call it attraction, call it a pull. This was nowhere near my wildest dreams as a little girl. I'd always liked Shuu, I was sure of that, but I'd never dared to imagine what kissing him would be like. Well, kissing him was something I would've never expected.

As soon as my lips touched his, I could have melted right there and then. Any sort of heat radiating off our bodies was impossible, but his mouth —oh, God— it was heavenly warm.

It was a gentle kiss. Lips caressing each other, like we weren't sure it was real, like we didn't dare turn it into something real. I feared it would all fade once I opened my eyes. Only the moon to witness and testify for us, its silver rays showering us.

It could've been a sweet loving movie-like kiss, but it was rather bitter-sweet. It was a kiss that remembered the old times, it was a kiss that made up for the old mistakes, it was a kiss that marked our reencounter, it was a kiss to move on, to start over, to rewrite our destinies. We could make it right.

I separated from him to look at him, checking whether he would fade way. He looked at me in the same way, and that was the moment I knew it was real. He was real. We were real.

"You know, I mean, it's meaningless to say this now, but I've liked you since... forever." I could see my smile in his glimmering eyes.

"Meaningless? Well, I had the biggest crush on you" he softly laughed.

"A crush? On me? Can you stop lying to my face?" I joked. But, to be honest, I didn't quite believe that. It had always been one-sided through my eyes.

"I'm not lying. I still do." His gaze was so intense a chill ran down my spine.

"If I could I would've blushed" I told him sarcastically. "Seriously, you've kind of lost your touch to make a girl blush. Back then I would've been as red as a tomato, but, now, I think you're getting old."

"You sure? I think I can make you blush harder than ever" he smiled cheekily.

I didn't trust his smile, "well, that's technically impossib-"

On of his hands cupped my cheek and his lips crashed into mine.

He had caught me mid-sentence with my mouth half open, so he wasted no time slipping his tongue inside of my mouth. He was kissing me passionately, as if letting out emotions he had suppressed for a long time. The surprise was wearing off and I immediately responded to his lips with the same amount of passion.

I could feel every single line and crack on his lips as he engulfed my breath with his mouth. I couldn't keep up with him, my mind was hazy, as he claimed my mouth. I was dumbfounded, feeling like his lips were tightly embracing mine.

He placed his other hand on the small of my back, deepening the kiss. The contact left my skin tingling, making me sigh into the kiss. I brought one hand to his shoulder and the other to his silky dark hair. I carefully tugged on the roots of his hair. He groaned lightly and grazed my lower lip with his teeth. I moaned quietly, feeling sparks light my chest on fire.

Hands on both of my hips, he lifted me up and placed me on his lap. The contact with him made me feel alive in an impossible way. He made me forget all the sorrow from the past. I hoped I affected him the same way. All I wanted was to kiss the pain away.

Only when we felt the Sun rays tickling our faces, did we part the kiss. We both opened our eyes, to close them again; sunlight attacking our irises. While my eyes were getting adjusted to the light, I noticed Shuu was grinning.

"What is it?"

"Your face is all red" he pointed out.

It downed on me that he had kissed me like that just to make me blush. "Whatever. It's probably my skin burning from the Sun."

He tightened his hold on my waist and leaned in. I leaned backwards as a natural reaction, I still wasn't used to being this close to him. He pecked my cheekbone lighlty sending a current of electricity down my body.

"Hey, Shuu! What're y-"

I felt his soft warm lips brush against my ear, and, immediately, I tensed up. "This is the first time you say my name since we met here again..."

Against the force of nature, I felt my whole face heat up even more if possible.

He moved back and smiled at me, he was glowing. "See? You're beet red, I've not lost my touch."

"Oh, shut up, Shuu" I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't hide the smile that slyly crept into my face.

"What can I say? You've always been very... interesting."

"Stop making fun of me."

I took his chin between my fingers and shut him up with a hungry kiss.

It was a kiss that sealed our legend forever.