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"I like you, Caelus."
The statement came from someone at a moment when Caelus was quietly gazing out the window of the Astral Express made him hold his breath instantly.
He couldn't believe what he had just heard. The stare of the person who had just spoken offered no answers. Caelus wanted to process the meaning of the words, but first, he needed to make sure he hadn't misheard. He paused and looked at the man.
"What did you just say?"
Caelus could only give a confused and stiff glance. At a time when Dan Heng had just finished dealing with Phantyllia, he wasn't supposed to say something so startling, was he? He didn’t know how to respond, so he chose to remain silent, lost in his own thoughts.
"Yeah. I mean … I like you too?"
Caelus wasn’t in a condition to think clearly—and really, what could Dan Heng expect to come out of his lips other than a reciprocation of feelings? The man chuckled softly, his tone sounding unconvincing, which made Dan Heng frown in displeasure.
"You’re lying."
"What?"
"About saying you like me too. Are you just pitying me?"
Caelus went silent. Even though he had said he liked Dan Heng as well—his forced reaction was, to be honest, a bit disappointing for Dan Heng.
Yes, Caelus once found in a state of amnesia. He didn’t know who he was—and somehow, their paths crossed here, leading to their closeness. Perhaps it was because the playful man asked Dan Heng so many questions. But that didn’t mean his cheerful demeanor could cover up what he truly felt—especially about matters of the heart like this.
"I—"
"Please just forget it."
Seeing no change in Caelus's reaction, Dan Heng finally sighed. He didn’t want to hear Caelus respond to his feelings in such an insincere way. It meant he wasn’t serious. He was treating Dan Heng’s confession as a meaningless joke.
There were several reasons why Dan Heng chose to stay silent after that. He wanted to calm himself. Meanwhile, the same awkward atmosphere made Caelus fall silent, not daring to say anything. This was unusual since he was typically so talkative.
"Alright. I think it’s fine," Dan Heng said finally. Caelus lifted his head slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Dan Heng sought a solution to make things go according to his intentions. If Caelus wasn’t ready to fully understand the feelings he had expressed himself, then Dan Heng would simply give him more time to figure out how such emotions worked. Wasn’t it simple?
Dan Heng suddenly raised his hand toward the young man. Caelus, who was still trying to process the situation, looked straight at Dan Heng—his calm gaze hinting at something still undiscovered. Perhaps the true meaning of the ‘like’ Dan Heng had expressed.
"Then I’ll be the one to help you understand the meaning of love," Dan Heng declared.
"Oh?" Caelus responded to the outstretched hand toward him with a smile. If that’s what Dan Heng wanted, he didn’t mind at all. "Alright, if that’s what you want."
Just like before, Caelus responded to the conversation with a wide smile without any thoughts. He still didn’t fully understand the meaning behind it. His unchanged perspective on how he observed the man remained the same—and perhaps it was only a matter of time until they became closer, whether as friends or something more.
As he had said before, Dan Heng was serious when he claimed he wanted to teach Caelus how to ‘fall in love.’
Ever since Caelus was found in a state of amnesia, he had never received excessive affection from anyone. Sure, people treated him kindly enough, even though he was odd and reckless—even rummaging through trash once.
Not once did it cross Caelus’s mind that Dan Heng would like him. A man who seemed utterly uninterested in matters of romance, focused on himself—rigid and respected by many. But, hey. Caelus knew well Dan Heng’s softer side. After all, he always gave Caelus answers whenever he needed something.
Dan Heng started meeting him more often, even before their status became officially ‘in a relationship’ or whatever it was. However, to say that Caelus fully accepted him—well, it couldn’t quite be described that way either. His feelings were still ambiguous.
Even so, Caelus didn’t reject the presence of that man around him—nor did he consider what the man had said as a reason to create distance between them.
“A letter?”
One day, Caelus found a letter without a sender. It was lying somewhere in the passenger area. Judging by its appearance, the letter was most likely from Xianzhou.
Xianzhou … Loufu. Wasn’t this the place where Dan Heng had been exiled? Before this, Dan Heng had shared many things with him. Including where he came from, how he was born a Vidyadhara imprisoned since childhood—and other things that troubled him. Maybe he was indeed trying to show his sincerity to Caelus. Who knows?
When Caelus decided to have a conversation with Welt, he mentioned the same thing. The letter was an invitation for Dan Heng to go somewhere unknown, without mentioning a name or the location of the meeting.
Caelus couldn’t help but go to Dan Heng. His gaze seemed distant that day—in a passenger cabin, staring at a monitor screen with a few books arranged on the table.
“Ah, Caelus? What’s the matter?”
For some reason, Caelus felt reluctant to hand over the letter right away. But seeing how the man seemed to recognize that the letter was meant for him, Dan Heng’s expression shifted slightly. Caelus remained standing there, listening to whatever he had to say as part of his speculation.
Who could have sent the letter to Dan Heng? What was it, why, and what was the purpose of this ‘meeting’?
“This letter has no sender’s name or the meeting place. It seems they expect me to remember something.”
Dan Heng easily deduced it. Caelus nodded in agreement. When he first received and read the letter, Caelus thought the same thing. “So, what will you do?”
“Unfortunately, I might have to disappoint them—whoever sent it.”
“You’re not going?” Caelus opened his eyes slightly wider. Since the letter was suspicious, refusing it might be the most reasonable choice Dan Heng could make.
“What for?” Dan Heng deflected a little. Caelus furrowed his brows as he stared at him. He seemed more serious and sentimental this time. Perhaps the contents of the letter carried a meaning that annoyed him. “In that case, let me hold onto the letter. Everything related to Dan Feng’s past must be handled carefully.”
Caelus handed the letter to Dan Heng. He trusted Dan Heng to take care of it, and Caelus just needed to stay silent as usual. As part of ‘Dan Feng,’ Dan Heng had a special right to deal with matters related to Dan Feng. And regarding this letter too.
“Can I ask you something?”
“What is that?”
A few days after Dan Heng stored the letter away, Caelus invited Dan Heng to walk around the astral cabin after the man had gone somewhere.
The Seat of Divine Foresight. Dan Heng returned after meeting someone.
Dan Heng mentioned that he still had tasks to complete afterward. Whether it was heading to Stargazer Navalia or something else—he wouldn’t be meeting Caelus for a while because of it. That was why he didn’t mind spending some time with Caelus now, talking before leaving again.
Caelus searched for a place where they could talk privately without interruptions. Something was bothering him. After all that Dan Heng had done to make him happy by spending time together, the letter … and after meeting someone Caelus didn’t know about—it all seemed to point to something. And perhaps it could be dangerous.
Of course, at this point, it wasn’t that Caelus couldn’t trust Dan Heng to handle things on his own. It was just that Caelus, not fully understanding why he felt a little worried about the man, ended up asking unnecessary questions—and honestly, walking like this with Dan Heng felt awkward because of his own thoughts.
Caelus decided they should sit for a moment to discuss this. Just like before, Caelus hoped Dan Heng would always answer whatever he needed.
A gentle breeze blew strands of their hair. Then, there was a strange feeling Caelus experienced because their shoulders were touching as they sat. Caelus wondered why he was acting a little strange today. Maybe it was just a bad hunch?
“So … I’m curious about what makes you like me.”
If imagined, Dan Heng, who is always serious, must also have a reason why he likes Caelus. Caelus, who always acts recklessly and even eats without any sense of proportion. How could anyone like him so easily, right? Whatever it is, Caelus needs a reason. At the very least, before Dan Heng leaves again, Caelus doesn’t want to spend his time overthinking everything.
Dan Heng opened his eyes slightly, surprised to find Caelus finally questioning something crucial. His lips parted slightly.
“Honestly, I don’t know if this answer will satisfy you. Do you still want to hear it?”
Dan Heng sounded as though he was wasting his time. Caelus nodded firmly. “Yes.”
“Actually, I don’t know.”
“What? Seriously?”
Their eyes met. Dan Heng was serious about what he said. In that moment, Caelus truly wanted to argue. However, when he looked into the man’s eyes, it was as if something was amiss.
Dan Heng, for some reason; his gaze was no longer as soft as it used to be. Caelus chose not to respond. Perhaps it was his fault for starting their conversation that day with such an unimportant question.
Dan Heng had his own reasoning, and his words couldn’t exactly be called wrong. Meanwhile, Caelus hadn’t even properly reciprocated Dan Heng’s feelings. He left them hanging as if they had countless other chances to be honest with each other. But when Dan Heng became preoccupied with his tasks in Loufu, it was Caelus who felt uneasy and refrained from his usual cheerful demeanor.
At some point, Caelus himself remained uncertain about what he needed. Dan Heng—serious, a little arrogant, a man with uniqueness surpassing anyone else—did he truly deserve the affection of this man? Even if it came without reason. Even though there was an odd feeling lingering after receiving that answer, Caelus ignored it, still trying to think positively.
“Oh. Sorry. Just forget about my question,” Caelus sighed slightly. “By the way, isn’t it time for you to leave again?”
Dan Heng turned to him briefly. It was indeed time to return to his duties. But that didn’t mean he could leave Caelus here alone without doing anything.
“Do you think I’m going to leave you here?”
“Yes.”
Caelus rejected Dan Heng’s offer to escort him back or anything else. He didn’t want Dan Heng to stay here too long either. Even though deep down, it felt like Caelus was the one losing something.
“I’m sorry. Once I’m done, I’ll come see you again as soon as I return from Loufu.”
Caelus merely looked at the man for a moment. He didn’t seem bothered by anything. “Alright.”
Time brought Caelus closer to the man. What Caelus felt every time he interacted with him wasn’t necessarily a bad thing either. But Caelus had to admit, the closer he got to the man, the more uncertain he became about his own feelings since then.
Something inside him felt restless after Dan Heng was rarely seen on the Astral Express. Everyone said he was busy, nothing more. And Caelus couldn’t figure out the cause, except that it likely had something to do with that invitation letter. Whether Dan Heng managed to fulfill someone’s request to meet him or not, he didn’t know.
Caelus only sighed. Even during their last meeting, Caelus had sensed an unusual strangeness.
Dan Heng … felt unfamiliar. As if he didn’t even know him. He often went out, visiting Scalegorge Waterscape or speaking with Jing Yuan. That mysterious letter seemed to erase the Dan Heng Caelus knew. And Caelus felt like the man’s personality was no longer the same as before.
Something … something might have happened. As Caelus suspected, there was something odd about that invitation. Wherever their meeting actually took place, Caelus knew nothing except that Dan Heng had changed after returning from that mission. He didn’t know what had caused the man to behave differently. And it made Caelus feel uneasy and abandoned.
What’s going on? What happened? Why does it feel like Dan Heng has truly left him without reason—has he grown tired of Caelus, who hasn’t given him any certainty about his love confession? Dan Heng likes Caelus, doesn’t he? Did that feeling finally change after he received that letter?
Caelus began to feel anxious about Dan Heng’s changes, even though others didn’t seem to mind o feel anything. He didn’t feel like he could let this go just like that. Even if these changes didn’t lead to any future progress, Caelus worried he would face difficulties that wouldn’t be easy for him either.
So, what would Caelus do? He needs to investigate, gather information … but where and with what?
"Have you tried asking Jing Yuan?"
Caelus opened his eyes slightly, taking in Welt's suggestion. Ah, that’s right! He had never thought to ask that man before. From what Welt knew, the two had a past that was intertwined. This indicated that Jing Yuan might know something. In fact, if Welt was correct … Jing Yuan had been present at that meeting as well.
The Highcloud Quintet. In the past, Dan Heng often spoke about someone named ‘Dan Feng.’ He would talk about how it led him to bear the sins of his predecessor—something that wasn’t Dan Heng’s doing at all. Caelus understood the source of that grievance and could empathize with Dan Heng's circumstances.
"That sounds like a good idea. But isn’t he currently recovering?"
"Yes … but I mean, maybe he wouldn’t mind being questioned even while recovering, right? You should try!"
Welt had a point—Caelus should muster up the courage to do something for the sake of his goal. That included directly asking Jing Yuan about Dan Heng. Jing Yuan, whom Caelus often saw speaking with Dan Heng. Though Caelus couldn’t deny feeling a tinge of jealousy—he had thought Dan Heng would stay close to him alone—it wasn’t fair to think badly before having any real proof.
So, with a nervous gulp, Caelus headed to Jing Yuan’s quarters to see if the man could truly help him in this situation.
Perhaps Dan Heng just wanted to be alone to rest or maybe he had other matters to attend to? The answers Caelus received every time he searched were always the same. For one reason or another, it was beginning to frustrate him.
To be honest, it wasn’t just about Dan Heng constantly being away. Caelus felt lonely. He missed the Dan Heng who cared for him, the Dan Heng who greeted him warmly whenever they crossed paths—the Dan Heng who promised to come see him as soon as he returned. Yet, in reality, Dan Heng was meeting with others more often before disappearing again. And Caelus hadn’t had a single chance to ease his longing. But the problem didn’t end there.
Dan Heng was different. He wasn’t the person Caelus once knew. Caelus needed to know if the man who had once loved him was still the same—or, worse, if he had become someone else entirely. If that were the case, Caelus needed a reason why Dan Heng had changed so drastically. That was all.
And for that mission, here he was now.
Caelus made his way to where Jing Yuan was recovering, with endless questions racing through his mind. Whether meeting Jing Yuan would actually help or not, there was no harm in trying.
He arrived at Jing Yuan’s quarters unannounced. Whether Jing Yuan would welcome him or not, Caelus was caught off guard to find Bailu there as well.
"Caelus?" Bailu blinked when she saw him standing at the door. "What brings you here, Caelus? Are you unwell?"
"Ah, no!" Caelus quickly corrected her. "I wanted to see Jing Yuan. Is he inside?"
Bailu gave an ’oh’ in response to his explanation. "Yes, he is. Come on in!"
Without further delay, they entered. Jing Yuan appeared somewhat surprised by Caelus's sudden visit but welcomed him nonetheless.
"Ah! I’m sorry for showing up like this unannounced."
Jing Yuan shook his head, signaling that he didn’t mind Caelus’s unexpected arrival. However, Jing Yuan was currently being examined by Bailu, so it seemed their conversation wouldn’t be a private one, with Bailu inevitably involved as well.
"So, what brings you here?"
Jing Yuan got straight to the point, skipping any pleasantries. Caelus averted his gaze for a moment, visibly hesitant to voice what had been troubling him.
What if Jing Yuan didn’t know anything, and Dan Heng was truly gone …? That question loomed over Caelus, feeding his anxiety. His visible distress caused Bailu and Jing Yuan to exchange a brief glance before they asked him again why he had come. He looked like he was in a rush.
"Well—I wanted to know if either of you might have any information about Dan Heng."
"Dan Heng?"
Ah, that Vidyadhara. As far as Jing Yuan remembered, Dan Heng often visited him just to chat. “What happened to him? The last I heard, he was on some business in Loufu, wasn’t he?”
Bailu glanced briefly, not finding anything odd about Dan Heng leaving their group. “Maybe he just wants some time alone or is busy with his own matters.”
"Exactly, that's the problem!"
Caelus interjected for the first time, startling both Bailu and Jing Yuan. The usually playful and carefree Caelus suddenly became serious and desperate, an unusual sight for the two. After all, Dan Heng’s departure wasn’t a particularly pressing issue for them.
But for Caelus, it was different. He was genuinely afraid Dan Heng might leave the Astral Express.
“Am I wrong? I feel like something’s off with Dan Heng,” Caelus said earnestly. “Jing Yuan, you must know something. I’ve seen him talk to you more often lately and even go to the Scalegorge Waterscape. Surely, you’ve noticed something strange about him recently, haven’t you?”
Jing Yuan fell silent for a moment, not because he was unwilling to reveal anything, but because he too had felt it. Even Jing Yuan admitted that Dan Heng had been acting quite strange recently—almost like someone else entirely. It made him nostalgic. This wasn’t the Dan Heng he knew;
Lowering his gaze and folding his arms, Jing Yuan began to speak slowly. “Dan Heng has been unusually friendly with me. You’ve seen it yourself, haven’t you, Bailu?”
"I’m not sure." Bailu looked uncertain as she tried to offer an answer. She mentioned that she, too, had noticed Dan Heng suddenly becoming more approachable, though his demeanor wasn’t usually like that. However, Bailu wasn’t confident in her own assessment, so she didn’t elaborate further.
Dan Heng was someone they knew as stiff and reserved, rarely socializing unless necessary. He rarely spoke unless it was important and otherwise kept to himself, though he never ignored his surroundings entirely.
And frankly, all of this was a noticeable change in behavior. Caelus knew it well, and his instincts about Dan Heng were proving accurate. Caelus pressed Jing Yuan for more details about what he meant by ‘knowing’ Dan Heng from long ago.
There was a past connection between Jing Yuan and Dan Heng’s previous incarnation, though Dan Heng himself might not be aware of it. Even though Caelus understood that Dan Heng carried a past that tied him to people from his previous life, it didn’t mean their memories were perfectly aligned with the present.
“But again, keep in mind that I can’t draw any conclusions just yet. Whether it’s just my hunch or not.” Jing Yuan finally broke the silence. “But I do admit, something strange is going on with him.”
Caelus nodded in agreement, grateful that Jing Yuan shared the same perspective.
“I’ve also noticed Dan Heng getting headaches. But he always refuses whenever I offer to check on him,” Bailu added. Immediately, Caelus shifted his attention to Bailu.
“He always says the pain will go away if he ignores it. But …”
Caelus could only bite his lip in frustration. What truly confused them was the worst possibility—that Dan Heng had lost his memories and had become someone else entirely.
This was still just speculation, especially after hearing Jing Yuan’s input. Jing Yuan mentioned that ever since their last meeting—during the reunion with the Highcloud Quintet—Dan Heng had already begun to show signs of change.
There was something Jing Yuan had been holding back from saying, though it was clear he was hesitant. Finally deciding to speak, Jing Yuan took a deep breath before continuing.
“All right. This is just my assumption. But have you ever considered the possibility that the one who’s been speaking to you—to us all this time—is Dan Feng?”
Caelus stared at him in disbelief. “What?”
“Wait, are you sure about that?” Bailu was equally shocked. Vidyadhara could only retain fragments of memories from their past lives, and there had never been a case of a previous incarnation taking over a current one.
Bailu’s question was something Jing Yuan hesitated to address, but it wasn’t entirely out of the question. His statement gave them a fresh perspective. Moreover, Caelus vividly recalled his last encounter with Dan Heng not long ago.
His gaze … clouded. He didn’t smile even once in Caelus's presence. He turned his face away and said that meeting Jing Liu was far more important than talking to Caelus. The worst part? Caelus remembered the moment he reached out to ‘Dan Heng’—only to be blatantly rejected by the man.
Caelus felt a pang in his chest. He didn’t want to confirm whether what he heard at the time had been a mistake. What Jing Yuan had just told him—Caelus hoped it was a joke, a fabrication that would never come true. Unfortunately, reality proved otherwise.
“I …” Caelus grew increasingly uneasy. If it was true that Dan Feng had ‘returned’ and taken over Dan Heng’s consciousness, did that mean the ‘Dan Heng’ they had all known would disappear and be permanently replaced by that man?
“Calm yourself, Caelus. This is just part of my speculation; nothing is certain yet, right?” Jing Yuan tried to reassure him. Seeing Caelus so distraught made him regret mentioning anything unnecessary.
“Don’t worry, Caelus. Something like that must be impossible, right?” Bailu added in an attempt to console him. “Maybe he’s just unwell. Drag him over to me if you see him again later.”
Sadly, their voices barely reached Caelus.
But why? Why did Dan Heng suddenly have to become ‘Dan Feng’ just because they were connected through the same extension? The past … and the future. For the Vidyadhara, who lived through cycles of reincarnation, their past selves shouldn’t have anything to do with their current bodies and memories.
Caelus couldn’t think anymore; his world felt as if it were spinning. Perhaps it would be easier if he could quickly uncover the truth, but that was impossible. He needed to ask ‘Dan Heng’ directly—if his efforts bore any results, that is.
“What if you confront him directly? Scalegorge Waterscape … there’s a high chance he’s there now,” Jing Yuan suggested. Even for Jing Yuan, this situation felt complicated. He didn’t want Dan Heng to revert to his past self.
“Are you sure?” Caelus looked at both of them, needing confirmation of what he had just heard. Jing Yuan nodded, and Bailu seemed supportive of the suggestion. “Thank you. I’ll try.”
Essentially, they were the same person. A mirror reflecting memories that differed—an identity reborn while leaving remnants of the past. What resided within Dan Heng was something inherited from Dan Feng. They were still connected, within that single soul.
Caelus understood this concept the first time he met Dan Heng. ‘Dan Feng’ didn’t feel unfamiliar to Caelus, and neither did Dan Heng … even though Dan Heng constantly denounced the fragments of his past self.
And yet, somehow, Dan Feng managed to take control of Dan Heng—through means that remained entirely unclear.
Of course, Caelus had already heard this testimony from others. Over and over again. He couldn’t deny it; Caelus grew increasingly worried that the truth would lead to Dan Heng’s disappearance. If that happened, Caelus would be heartbroken. Because he hadn’t even had the chance to confess anything to the man before losing him.
Dan Heng, who wasn’t Dan Heng—he would become something else entirely, carrying memories that were completely different. He wouldn’t be the ‘Dan Heng’ Caelus loved. It was a heavy realization to grasp—because the man who had stayed by Caelus’s side all this time was Dan Heng, not Dan Feng. Even so, Caelus struggled to believe it initially.
After the earlier conversation, countless negative thoughts trapped themselves in Caelus’s mind. And he wouldn’t stop dwelling on them until he resolved the mystery with his own two hands.
When Caelus questioned where he might find Dan Heng, Jing Yuan told him there was a high chance Dan Heng had gone to Scalegorge Waterscape. It was merely a hunch, and Jing Yuan couldn’t guarantee its accuracy. However, he trusted his intuition, especially since Dan Heng himself had visited him not long ago.
Scalegorge Waterscape … of course Caelus knew it. The sacred place where the Vidyadhara’s reincarnation took form. A location that—perhaps—held profound significance. For Dan Heng’s very existence?
Caelus couldn’t even remember the last time he had truly seen the man. Perhaps it was only recently—or maybe it was far longer ago than he could guess. That feeling floated within him. All he knew was that he didn’t often come to this place unless he had a specific purpose.
Steeling himself, Caelus firmed his steps toward the location.
Would he find Dan Heng there? He could only hope.
But he wasn’t here to enjoy the scenery at all. There was too much to be done, and with that thought, he walked again, hurriedly tracing the path in search of Dan Heng. As the darkened sky began to unsettle him, he decided to head deeper into Scalegorpe Waterscape quickly.
Taking a few steps toward untouched ground, he saw—someone.
Dan Heng.
It was Dan Heng.
Caelus’ eyes widened. Whether it was a miracle that brought him to someone he had been searching for all this time, one thing was certain—Caelus would thank Jing Yuan for it. He couldn’t afford to waste any more time. He had to catch up—to the man standing at the far end.
“Dan Heng!”
The man didn’t move. He didn’t even turn toward him. Caelus thought perhaps it was because his voice still couldn’t reach him. But no—when Caelus approached him, the sky suddenly plunged into darkness.
“Dan Heng!?”
His gaze … was lifeless? Where had the man’s consciousness gone? Even after Caelus called his name repeatedly to get him to turn around, he didn’t budge—his hand, when touched, felt as cold as ice.
Fear began to seep into Caelus. Was this truly the same man he had loved for so long? Was he no longer the same person, the soul he had known in the past? Dan Heng—he was the Dan Heng he knew, wasn’t he?
“Say something.”
Caelus embraced Dan Heng. The corners of his eyes feel burned. He wanted to cry. With the darkness growing heavier and the wind roaring, Caelus couldn’t leave him there alone. And he broke—hoping whatever was happening now was nothing more than part of a nightmare.
“I—”
“Dan Heng?”
Suddenly, Caelus felt as if he were sinking into water.
He fell. His body floated. The sight of Dan Heng staring at him coldly, without blinking—pierced him with the sharp sting of loss. Everything spinning in his head became blurry and painful. What happened next was unknown—why and how, in a place where everything felt empty to him.
Caelus struggled to open his eyes once more, even though the stabbing pain made everything dissolve into something undefinable. Dan Heng … Dan Heng! His lungs felt tight. The light within grew dimmer. Caelus could see nothing.
Yet when he thought of giving up, surrendering to the depths that were swallowing him, he vaguely saw Dan Heng beneath him, sinking as well. Caelus widened his eyes again—like a glimmer of hope under the darkness he had been searching for.
“Dan Heng!”
Those were the only words he could utter. Caelus called out to Dan Heng, trying to reach him. Even though calling his name a few times wouldn’t mean they’d be saved, the second chance Caelus was given to refuse defeat couldn’t be wasted.
Dan Heng, at the same time, didn’t respond. He remained silent—and the expression on his face was something Caelus couldn’t define. Despite Caelus’ efforts to save him, they both sank deeper into the cold ocean floor.
Dan Feng, why are you doing this?
A voice. But it wasn’t from Caelus’ thoughts.
Why did you take this path?
Wasn’t it all your fault?
The deeper they sank, the more terrifying the words rang in his ears. What was all this? Dan Heng’s inner thoughts? His feelings?
Dan Heng, from now on, you are a part of the Astral Express.
No, this was a memory.
A memory. It traced the lines of someone’s past, contradicting their future. It was something that trapped Dan Heng, leaving him unable to escape the darkness that kept pulling him down. Caelus opened his eyes. Then, at a point in the memory where his face appeared, it was Dan Heng’s recollection … of him.
Dan Heng, why ... do you love me?
There might be many reasons. Perhaps it was how Dan Heng saw things all along. But that wasn’t something Caelus needed to think about now—he would save Dan Heng!
“DAN HENG!!”
His shout reverberated. Dan Heng, who had been on the verge of closing his eyes, opened them again—his gaze unreadable, devoid of any emotion. It wasn’t the reaction Caelus had hoped for. Meanwhile, Caelus felt a tight, painful pressure in his chest. He needed something—anything—to help him breathe again.
He didn’t know what else he could do to fix the situation other than continuing to call out the man’s name. But this couldn’t go on. Caelus waded further through the frozen water, adding more words to his pleas in hopes that Dan Heng would turn his head and care once more. What Caelus needed was Dan Heng’s presence by his side, nothing more, nothing less. He longed for Dan Heng to come back.
Caelus wouldn’t lose to this memory. His brow furrowed deeply as his breath ran short—this place felt suffocating. The watery manifestation of Dan Heng’s memory loomed before him, and Caelus shattered it. His determined gaze burned bright as he drew closer to Dan Heng. Then, with all his strength, he called out once more:
“Let’s go back to the Astral Express!”
Caelus poured his heart out to Dan Heng. In that moment, he refused to entertain the thought of losing him—losing the man whose laughter had become so familiar—to become nothing but a memory when he disappeared.
“The others are waiting for you …”
He remembered that it wasn’t just him who would lose Dan Heng. The others would feel the loss too. Dan Heng had smiled on many occasions, thanks to them—not just because of him, right?
“Don’t leave me, March, and the others … please!”
This was his plea to Dan Heng. Caelus didn’t want to be left behind, truly. Yet the irony was that his voice still didn’t seem to reach Dan Heng, who continued fading away. Without realizing it, tears welled up in Caelus’s eyes, streaming down his face. He cried, mourning the worst possible outcome he couldn’t bear to imagine. What had happened between them was something he couldn’t fathom living without—losing Dan Heng by his side was unbearable.
“Don’t disappear … I’m sorry if this is too late, Dan Heng. But I love you.”
The noisy whirlpool roared around them as Caelus saw Dan Heng open his eyes. Their gazes locked for what felt like an eternity. The feelings Caelus had poured out seemed to work at the most unexpected moment.
“Caelus …?”
“Dan Heng!”
Caelus felt a wave of relief wash over him. Hearing Dan Heng call his name like that made all the worry in his chest vanish in an instant. That was all he wanted—to hear Dan Heng call his name just this once, and it had come true.
Dan Heng struggled to swim upward, toward Caelus, who was waiting for him. Caelus managed to grab his hand—something that no longer felt like a mere dream or hallucination.
Dan Heng pushed himself with all his might to swim. He didn’t know how much effort it took to reach where Caelus was. When they were close, Caelus reached out to him as well, their hands finally clasping tightly. Caelus’s eyes widened, and at that moment, Dan Heng didn’t waste the chance to pull him into an embrace, even for a moment, before they surfaced together.
“You’re right … he is my past.”
Dan Heng whispered this into Caelus’s ear as the latter processed the dreamlike moments that had just unfolded. Caelus’s body trembled. After resigning himself to the possibility that he might lose Dan Heng forever, he now realized it wasn’t true. Dan Heng could still hear his calls. Dan Heng could still respond to his voice … Dan Heng could still touch him.
When they finally reached each other and that moment turned into a happy ending, Caelus faintly heard Dan Heng say something else:
“And he can no longer follow me into the future. Thank you, Caelus … for reminding me of that.”
Much had happened to Dan Heng—and at last, the shadow of Dan Feng that loomed above them completely disappeared.
Dan Heng stood before him, still somewhat dazed, his consciousness adrift. Caelus, witnessing the terror of what had just transpired, could hardly believe that Dan Heng had survived and was now within reach.
“Caelus—”
Caelus embraced the man. The Dan Heng standing before him was real. His heart beat as it should, allowing him to breathe like any ordinary existence. Caelus cried his heart out. Tears streamed down his face as he clung tightly, trembling from the fear of losing him again, just like before.
The sky, which had been black and stormy, pouring rain from the vortex of power, had now calmed. A faint light illuminated their surroundings, blending hues of pink and blue into a serene, beautiful harmony. The air felt cool—peaceful and tranquil. As Caelus looked upward, petals drifted gently, falling onto their heads.
Dan Heng might need time to realize that he had rejected Dan Feng—his past self—entirely with his own strength. Yet, with the proof that he could now stand here without being overtaken by Dan Feng’s consciousness, which sought to dominate him completely, Caelus was confident it would not happen again.
“Thank goodness, Dan Heng. Thank goodness …” Caelus felt he couldn’t let go of his embrace just yet, holding on even tighter. “Don’t disappear; please. I love you. I love you … Dan Heng.”
Dan Heng could only offer a faint smile, one that didn’t fade, as Caelus continued to express his endless gratitude toward him.
“Do you mean it now? Are your feelings real? Are you serious about saying that to me now?”
“Yes. You can’t doubt it.”
It was true. Caelus loved him, just as he was. There was no difference between what was perfect and what wasn’t.
Dan Heng had once been someone who carried a great sin. No—that was Dan Feng. Everything related to Dan Feng was not his responsibility. His relationships, his alignments—his personal grudges. Dan Heng had decided to leave it all behind.
And faintly, Dan Heng could recall Dan Feng surrendering, telling him to do whatever he wished from then on.
All of this lifted a heavy weight from Caelus’s heart. But what about Dan Heng himself? He wasn’t sure—was being free something he would enjoy forever?
“Thank you for saving me, Caelus.”
Dan Heng didn’t need to thank him for that. Caelus wasn’t playing around with his feelings anymore. Not like before. He would do anything to save that man. And surely, he deeply regretted ever taking him for granted.
Caelus had done everything he could to prevent any loss. So, he would say it. Over and over—as many times as it took for Dan Heng to understand.
“I love you.”
“I know.” Dan Heng chuckled softly.
“I love you!”
It seemed Caelus was still shaken by the fear of losing him. Dan Heng could only laugh quietly, gently stroking his head for a moment. Caelus needed to calm down. Dan Heng wasn’t going anywhere anymore, as long as he knew that.
“I’ve known for a long time. Don’t cry anymore. Come on.”
Caelus could only let out a broken laugh. Even so, despite Dan Heng’s words, he couldn’t hide his happiness.
Though he expressed it through tears of joy, they gazed at each other for quite some time—Caelus’s cheeks reddened from the closeness of their faces.
Dan Heng’s warm breath, like the life still present in his body, filled Caelus’s embrace. Then, just moments after they had spoken, Caelus felt a gentle pressure on his lips.
The kiss was soft and meaningful, with a faint, tickling warmth. In those seconds that sent his mind spinning, Dan Heng, who continued to brush against his lips, eventually stopped the madness for a moment.
“That just now … what was that for?” Caelus stammered.
“To calm you down,” Dan Heng replied nonchalantly. “You can stop crying. I won’t disappear again.”
Caelus hoped those weren’t empty words for the future of their relationship.
In the end, they found solace in the sound of waves from the nearby sea. They set aside the reality of the terrifying event that had just occurred not long ago—and Dan Heng could finally breathe more freely. But he still had to bear the sins committed by Dan Feng. He couldn’t run from them.
Even so, Dan Heng would make it clear—they were not connected as one and the same individual.
In that fleeting moment, Caelus suddenly felt his hand tightly clasped. Dan Heng whispered softly, still standing beside him.
“Let’s go home to the Astral Express together for now.”