As I entered back in the presidential suite, I saw all four of them waiting for me. There was a tense silence hanging in the room, broken only by the crackling of the fireplace.
Sera was the first to break the silence, her normally tsundere personality clearly flustered. "Chang, you... why didn't you tell us?" she asked, her violet eyes wide with surprise and a hint of hurt.
Aurelia, usually the fiery and prideful one, folded her arms and fixed me with a pointed stare. "Did you really think you could hide your true identity forever?" she asked, her red hair gleaming in the firelight, "Did you think we were not worthy of your trust?"
Kuroko, typically feisty and daring, looked almost amused as she said, "Well, this is a plot twist I didn't see coming. Our seemingly humble Chang is actually Wang-Yi-Fei, the third strongest in the world."
Meanwhile, Lila, ever the kind and introverted one, seemed more worried than anything else. "Master, you're not... you're not planning on leaving us behind, are you?" she asked, her voice quiet but firm, "Because we became stronger too. And we will continue to stand by your side, no matter who you really are."
I looked at each of them, feeling a mixture of guilt for not telling them sooner and relief that they didn't seem to be mad, just confused and worried. I cleared my throat, preparing to explain everything.
I looked around the room, meeting each of their gazes before I began speaking. "I'm sorry," I began, my voice steady but soft, echoing around the opulent room, "I'm sorry I hid my real identity from you guys this whole time."
I shifted, leaning back against the headboard of the bed. "I wanted... I needed to feel the thrill of adventure again," I confessed, running a hand through my hair, "And I didn't want it as Wang-Yi-Fei. I wanted to be treated as an equal again. As someone who didn't stand at the top alone."
The room fell quiet as I paused, collecting my thoughts. After a moment, I continued, "This isn't the first time I've restarted my journey, you know. I've done it several times. I started just like you, inexperienced and excited. But time passed and I grew stronger, eventually reaching the pinnacle of power."
I shifted my gaze down, staring at my hands as I spoke, "And you know what? It's lonely. People look up to you, admire you, but they don't see you. They see a hero, an idol, but they don't see the person behind that title. And it becomes a distance, a gap that you can't bridge no matter how hard you try. Being at the pinnacle is lonely because even if they're physically close, they're miles away in every other way."
As I finished, I let my body slump against the headboard, exhaustion seeping into my bones. The revelation hung heavy in the room, casting a somber mood over the usually lively group.
There was a weighted silence following my confession. Then, after what felt like an eternity, Sera, the most guarded of them all, broke the silence. "Why didn't you tell us sooner, huh?" she said, trying to sound angry but the concern seeping through her voice was palpable. "Did you really think we would treat you any differently?"
"I can't believe I didn't see it," Kuroko added, her fiery personality clear even in her shock. "I mean, you were always ridiculously strong, but I just thought you were some sort of prodigy."
Aurelia, with her free-flowing blue hair shimmering under the room's soft lighting, scoffed, but her eyes held a gentle understanding. "I should have suspected something, you were always so... distant," she admitted, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I...I understand," Lila finally spoke, her soft voice barely audible. She clasped her hands together in her lap, her kind, introverted nature making her the most understanding. "I don't think any less of you, master. If anything, I respect you even more now."
Each of their reactions was true to their personalities, and it filled me with a sense of relief. I knew that this confession wouldn't drive them away, but would instead bring us closer together. They saw me, not as the legendary Wang-Yi-Fei, but as their friend and partner.
"Really Lila?" I looked up at her and the other girls.
The girls nodded in unison, their expressions showing their honesty.
"Really," Lila said, her face softening. "We've been through so much together. This doesn't change anything."
"And don't think for a second we're going to let you have all the glory now," Kuroko added with a grin. "We're all in this together, remember?"
Sera rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "You are such a drama queen sometimes," she said, though her words held no bite. "But yeah, what they said. You're stuck with us, whether you like it or not."
Aurelia, her pride seemingly soothed, gave a curt nod. "I suppose it's not the worst thing in the world to have a legend on our side," she said with a slight smirk.
Their words were a balm, easing the tension and uncertainty that had clouded my heart. In this moment, I realized how fortunate I was to have them by my side on this journey.
"Thank you girls..." I found myself unable to control the tears falling from my cheek, they just kept on coming, like water breaking from a dam.
The girls, seeing my vulnerability, responded with empathy and compassion.
"Oh, come on," Kuroko said, a touch of teasing in her voice as she passed me a handkerchief. "Don't start crying now, we can't have the strongest human in the world bawling like a baby."
Lila, ever the empathetic soul, moved closer to me. "It's okay to cry," she said softly, reaching out to pat my back. "You've been holding onto this secret for so long. It's okay to let it out."
Sera, as aloof as she might come off, was clearly touched by the scene. "We're with you, remember that," she murmured, a rare gentleness seeping into her voice.
And Aurelia, usually so fiery and fierce, showed a side of her I rarely saw. "Crying doesn't make you weak, it makes you human. It's alright," she said in a firm, comforting tone.
As they rallied around me, their words were like a warm blanket, reminding me that I was not alone on this journey. Their friendship was a precious gift, one I had not anticipated, but which I was incredibly grateful for.
As I continued to cry, the girls wordlessly moved to comfort me. Sera sat down next to me on the bed, her shoulder pressed against mine in a solid, reassuring presence. Kuroko, normally so bold and brash, looked slightly awkward but nevertheless made her way to my other side, her warmth seeping into me.
Aurelia, ever the proud one, seemed hesitant at first, but then she too joined us on the bed, sitting down with an air of defiant comfort. And Lila, gentle Lila, knelt in front of me, her soft hand reaching up to tenderly brush away my tears.
They didn't speak. They didn't need to. Their presence, their unwavering support, said more than words ever could. It was a powerful moment of camaraderie, a silent promise of togetherness, as we all sat there, surrounded by the comforting silence and the profound bond that had formed among us.
Q: How would you support a friend?