Seintenshi immediately opened her eyes, and there, stood El in front of her bedroom window, his shadow illuminated by the moonlight.
Seintenshi froze, a look of embarrassment mixed with relief clearly depicted on her face.
El stepped over slowly, taking a seat on the left side of Seintenshi who was still awkwardly silent.
El's gaze was momentarily drawn to the leader's pale face, before a faint, unfamiliar scent caught her attention.
El directed her gaze to Seintenshi's hand, which was tightly clutching a small test pack.
"That thing," El said, his voice calm but sharp. "Can I see it?"
Seintenshi looked down slowly, then handed over the test pack with some hesitation. El took it, examined it carefully, and saw a single line on its surface.
"So," El sighed softly, staring at the test pack expressionlessly. "I'm innocent, right? That means we don't have to get married." His voice was cold, emotionless, as if deciding an undeniable fact.
Having said that, he from his seat, preparing to leave the room. However, before his steps reached the door, Seintenshi's small hand gripped his wrist tightly.
"Wait... don't go," Seintenshi's voice sounded soft, almost pleading.
El turned his head slowly, looking at his with sharp yet calm eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked, his tone flat.
"Isn't our business over? There are no more misunderstandings, no reason to get married, let alone get further involved," El said, firm, cold, but without any intention of hurting.
Seintenshi bit his lip, his silence hanging in the air, leaving a tense silence between them.
Vaguely, El caught a familiar scent, a soft yet strong scent that he had recognized before. It was the same scent Kirai had once emitted, the scent of deep and sincere feelings.
El sighed, 'This girl... she's like Kirai... She's starting to love me,' El thought to herself, her gaze not changing from Seintenshi. 'But why? Our meeting was only for a moment. How could those feelings grow?'
The void in El's heart, like a black hole that swallowed all emotions, made him rely on his senses to understand the feelings of others.
The scent of feelings, like a cryptic language, became her clue. However, even though his logic tries to understand, love remains a mystery that he cannot decipher either when he can still feel, let alone now when his emotions have completely died.
For him, love is something invisible, untouchable, yet painful like a wound that does not bleed.
El knew that losing someone could feel so painful from his memories, but he could not feel it.
El looked at Seintenshi who was silent in front of her. Her face looked down, but the look in her eyes revealed a complex of feelings: sadness, desire, and perhaps a little fear.
The girl knew that El would soon leave this world, with no certainty of when he would return.
Letting out a long breath, El slowly let go of Seintenshi's hand, then turned and knelt before her. His eyes remained cold, but his tone was slightly softer.
"So, somehow... that brief encounter ended with you liking me, huh?" he said, his voice quiet, almost a whisper. "But I must apologize. I may not be able to answer that feeling."
El looked down for a moment before continuing. "My heart is completely empty. My caring is gone."
"All that remains is my sense of responsibility and old memories." El sighed again, a little heavier this time. "Even if you sincerely like me... I don't know how to repay you."
El's eyes looked at Seintenshi seriously, though there was no emotion left in them. "You are a beautiful and wonderful woman. I'm sure, in this world there are men who are much more worthy of you. Not me, a walking corpse."
El paused for a moment before continuing in a slightly softer voice. "You can take Satomi as an example. He's a hero, compassionate, and has a warm heart. Not like me, who only brings emptiness."
Silence filled the room again, while Seintenshi continued to look at El. His words may have wounded her heart, but she knew that a little hurt was better than false hope.
Their meeting had been brief, lasting only one night that felt like a flash of time in the middle of a long journey.
However, for Seitenshi, that night became more than just a fleeting moment. As he inherited El's experiences and memories, a world that was previously foreign to him suddenly felt familiar.
Through those memories, he witnessed El's struggles, sorrows, and determination as if experiencing them himself.
Their newly established relationship felt so deep, as if they had known each other for years.
For Seitenshi, El's presence left a mark that would never fade, like a story that continues even after the characters have left.
Seitenshi's eyes suddenly turned sharp, dispelling the doubts that had been consuming him.
In one decisive movement, Seitenshi grabbed El's collar, stood up, pulled the man closer, and pressed her lips to El's.
El froze for a moment, surprised by the sudden action. However, the next second he slowly released the kiss quietly, keeping a few centimeters away from Seintenshi's face.
"I see... So, this is your answer," El said, his voice remaining calm, but there was a hint of warmth that was rarely seen from him. A small smile was etched on her face. "You... remind me of a woman I once knew."
Seintenshi's face turned red instantly, a blush spreading across her cheeks like a newly bloomed rose. She turned her head slightly to the right, avoiding El's direct gaze, but still glanced at the man out of the corner of her eye.
"Hump! That woman," Seintenshi muttered softly, trying to hide her nervousness behind a tone of protest. "With a handsome face like yours, it's only natural that you're a play boy."
El chuckled, but did not reply. "I can't say," he replied casually, a warm smile still gracing his face.
Seintenshi snorted softly, his eyes returning to El with a look that seemed to want to pierce. "You're such a playboy! You're trash."
"It's a given that you deliberately make me like you only to be abandoned when you get bored. Like right now, for example!" Seitenshi's words flowed endlessly, full of anger and frustration mixed with shame.
Before Seintenshi could continue her tirade, El suddenly approached, cupped her face with both hands, and kissed her lips to stop the flow of words.
Seintenshi froze, her eyes widening in surprise, but she slowly closed her eyes, letting herself get lost in the moment.
Seitenshi's originally tense body now began to soften, letting herself sink into the kiss that grew deeper and more intense.
Seitenshi surrendered himself to every gentle yet passionate touch, as if time stood still as El's tongue slowly touched his lips.
Opening his mouth, Seitenshi let El continue, their tongues meeting meticulously, swirling slowly in an increasingly intoxicating rhythm, exchanging tastes and passionate desires.
Seitenshi's heartbeat quickened, rushed by the passion that was beginning to take hold. However, El remained calm, his feelings distant, only doing this to calm and give Seitenshi some solace.
When they finally parted, Seitenshi's breath sounded ragged, her drool hanging from her lips, like a thread stretched out before being cut off by the cold night wind.
The drool, as if he couldn't help himself, dripped slightly on his pajamas.
Seitenshi's cheeks flushed, warmth spreading from within her. However, instead of saying anything, she remained silent, her face downcast, hiding the embarrassment that was now overwhelming her.
"Sometimes, silence is better," El said with a faint smile, his voice full of a calmness that made Seintenshi even more embarrassed.
After a moment of silence, Seintenshi slowly looked up, revealing a face that was as red as the sunset on the western horizon. The look in her eyes showed the courage that suddenly overcame her.
With a quick movement, Seintenshi moved closer, returning El's kiss without hesitation. Her lips touched the man who was as cold as an ice sculpture, trying to channel all the feelings she had been holding back.
El didn't resist, letting the girl vent her emotions. He remained silent, not replying, but not stopping either.
Like a calm rock in the middle of the waves, he simply accepted without much reaction, letting Seintenshi take control of the moment.