The cat's gaze was distant, almost as if he was lost in thought. After a moment, Alexius finally spoke, his voice laced with bitterness. "You know, it's quite something to see how useless each of these gods are. They abandoned Earth after humanity's fall, leaving us to deal with the mess. They only show up when it suits them, and then they're gone."
Alex listened, his expression neutral as he nodded occasionally. He was well aware of the gods' neglect, having experienced it firsthand. "They're not reliable. They act like saviors when it's convenient, but they disappear when they're needed the most," he agreed.
Alexius continued, his tone growing darker. "And you know what's even worse? I don't know why I've had to endure 397 regressions. Each time, I've been forced to relive the same agony, trying to fix what went wrong. It's like a never-ending cycle of futility."
Alex's gaze fell to the floor as he processed Alexius's words. He too had been dragged into this mess against his will, and the sense of being a pawn in a larger game was all too familiar. He had fought against his fate but was still bound by it. "I understand. We're both caught in this cycle, struggling against forces beyond our control."
Alexius let out a hollow laugh, the sound lacking any real mirth. "I guess I'm just as bad as the gods. I forced you to take my place, to carry the burden that was meant for me. It's not fair to you, but I didn't have a choice."
Alex watched as Alexius made his way to the bedroom. The cat's movements were slow and deliberate, a stark contrast to his usual playful demeanor. Alexius settled down on the bed without touching the dinner Alex had prepared, a sign of his inner turmoil.
As Alex stood alone in the kitchen, he felt the weight of their shared struggles more keenly. The gods were flawed, Alexius was flawed, and he was struggling to find his place in this tangled web of fate and responsibility. The dinner, now cold, seemed like a symbol of their unfulfilled promises and abandoned dreams.
He sat down at the table, eating quietly while Alexius lay on the bed, his mind heavy with thoughts of past failures and unfulfilled destinies. The apartment, once a refuge, now felt like a prison of sorts—one where they were both trapped in a cycle of unending trials.
Alex finished his meal, cleaning up in silence. He glanced toward the bedroom, where Alexius was already drifting off to sleep. With a deep sigh, Alex turned off the lights and headed to bed himself, the quiet of the night enveloping him as he lay down beside the cat, both of them burdened by the weight of their past and uncertain futures.
*****
The crisp autumn breeze blew gently through the school courtyard as Alex made his way through the gates. The summer vacation had passed, and with it, a subtle shift in Alex's demeanor had occurred. He no longer sought to blend into the crowd or hide in the shadows. His posture was straight, his steps purposeful, and his presence more commanding than ever before.
He spotted Natalia standing near the entrance, her usual aloofness in place as she surveyed the students around her. Alex approached her casually, no longer waiting for the crowd to mask his presence.
"Natalia," Alex greeted her, his voice steady and calm.
She blinked, clearly surprised by his direct approach. For a moment, she seemed to struggle with how to respond. After all, the Alex she knew always blended into the background, like a shadow barely acknowledged. This confident version of him was something new.
"Alex?" Natalia asked, her voice slightly hesitant.
He simply nodded, meeting her gaze with calm eyes. "I'm here. No more blending in."
Natalia studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, with a small nod, she acknowledged his change. "Noted," she said coolly, though there was a flicker of something deeper in her golden eyes—something that Alex couldn't quite place.
The bell rang, signaling the start of classes, and they both walked toward the building. But unlike before, there was a palpable distance between them. Natalia, who had once sought to close the gap, now seemed to be the one keeping a distance. She was quieter, more reserved, as though something was weighing on her mind.
Alex, sensing this shift, respected her space. He had always been able to sense when people needed to be left to their thoughts. So, he didn't press her for answers or try to bridge the gap that had opened between them. Instead, he let her be, giving her the room she seemed to need.
*****
Later that evening, Natalia sat quietly in her room, her thoughts distant as she replayed the events of the day. She couldn't shake the image of Alex standing before her, no longer hiding in the crowd, his presence calm but noticeable. Something about it unsettled her, and she wasn't sure why.
As the night deepened, Natalia found herself slipping into a restless sleep. Her dreams came swiftly, vivid and strange.
In the dream, she was in a grand concert hall, the soft sound of a violin filling the air. On stage stood a young man, his posture elegant as he played the instrument with haunting beauty. His face was partially obscured by the soft light of the stage, but Natalia's heart ached as she watched him play.
When the performance ended, she found herself standing in front of the stage, holding a bouquet in her hands. Without thinking, she handed the flowers to the young man, who took them with a gentle smile. His features became clearer now—the sharp lines of his face, the soft glint in his eyes, the calm yet intense expression.
It was Alex.
In the dream, she hugged him, feeling a warmth and connection she didn't fully understand. It was as though they had shared a bond for a long time, something deep and unspoken. The moment felt timeless, suspended in a strange familiarity.
Natalia awoke with a start, the dream still lingering in her mind. She sat up in bed, her heart racing. The young man in the dream had been Alex, and yet, he hadn't been. The warmth she had felt with him was foreign to her in the waking world. She shook her head, trying to clear the fog of the dream, but it clung to her like a shadow.
"What… was that?" she whispered to herself.
The image of Alex in her dream stayed with her, haunting her thoughts as she drifted back to sleep, a faint unease settling in her chest. Something about Alex had changed, and Natalia couldn't help but feel that her dream was trying to tell her something.
The dream enveloped Natalia again, but this time it was even more vivid, more real than before. She found herself standing on a grand balcony, overlooking a beautiful city that was unlike anything she had ever known. The skyline was dotted with tall, elegant spires, and the streets below were alive with the sounds of music and laughter. The air was warm, and the sky was a soft shade of twilight, with stars beginning to peek through the fading light.
Beside her stood Alex, but not the Alex she knew from school. This Alex was older, his posture more refined and his expression filled with warmth. He was dressed in formal attire, a dark suit that gave him an air of grace and confidence. He looked at her with a tenderness that made her heart ache in ways she didn't understand.
"We have a concert tomorrow," he said softly, his voice filled with a quiet joy. "Our last one before we finally get some time to ourselves."
Natalia glanced at him, confused yet somehow comforted by the familiarity of his words. "The last one? You mean... after that, we'll have time for the wedding?"
Alex? smiled a small, gentle smile that reached his eyes. "Yes, our wedding. It's all arranged, and then we can start our life together properly."
Fiancée. Wedding. These words danced in her mind, but they felt strangely right in this dream. In this world, they were natural, as though they had always been destined for each other. She could almost feel the weight of a ring on her finger as she looked at him, her heart swelling with emotions she couldn't quite place.
They were in love.
In the dream, Natalia did not doubt this. She had always known it, from the first moment they had met in this strange and wonderful world. They had been partners, not just in life but in music as well. He was the concertmaster, leading with his violin, and she was beside him, supporting him with her talent.
And together, they had shared countless stages, played for countless audiences, but none of that mattered. What mattered was that they were together, united by something deeper than music.
The dream shifted again, and now they were standing on a stage. The hall was vast, filled with an audience that Natalia could barely see through the bright lights. Alex stood at the center, his violin in hand, ready to play the final piece of the night.
He looked at her one last time before he began to play, his eyes filled with a deep and abiding love. And as the first notes filled the air, Natalia recognized the melody. It was a piece they had often played together in this dream world, a hauntingly beautiful composition that spoke of eternal love and undying devotion.
The violin's song was his confession—every note a promise of the future they would share, every stroke of the bow a declaration of his feelings for her. The music seemed to wrap around her, pulling her into its embrace, and she couldn't help but feel the depth of his emotions through every sound he produced.
As the final note faded into the silence, Alex lowered his violin and stepped toward her. The audience disappeared, and the world narrowed to just the two of them. He took her hand in his, his touch gentle and warm.
"Natalia," he whispered, "I've loved you for as long as I can remember. And I will love you for as long as time allows."
Tears welled in her eyes, not from sadness but from the overwhelming feeling of love that surged through her. She felt it, as clear and as strong as the music they had just played. This love was eternal, unbreakable.
In the dream, she reached up and touched his face, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath her fingertips. "I love you too," she whispered, the words feeling as natural as breathing.
The scene shifted one last time, and now they were alone again on that grand balcony, the city stretched out below them. The stars shone brightly above, casting a soft glow over the world. Alex pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her as they gazed out at the city.
And as they stood there, Natalia knew that this was what their life would be—together, forever, their love as eternal as the stars that watched over them.
In Natalia's dream, the day was bright and full of promise. The church bells rang softly in the distance, their echoes calling out to the world. The streets were lined with flowers, and the air was thick with the scent of blooming roses. Natalia, or rather, Lee Chae Rin, was dressed in an elegant white gown, standing in front of a grand mirror, her reflection radiant with anticipation.
She was ready. This was the day she had waited for her entire life. Her heart was light, filled with excitement as she imagined the life she and Kim Min Hyun—the man she loved, the man who resembled Alex—would build together.
As the dream shifted, Natalia saw Kim Min Hyun driving toward the church, his hands gripping the steering wheel. He was smiling, looking forward to the moment when he would finally see his bride. But something felt off. Natalia felt an overwhelming sense of dread, though she couldn't explain why.
Suddenly, the world seemed to slow down. Out of the corner of his eye, Kim Min Hyun noticed a truck barreling through a red light, heading straight toward him. There was no time to react. The impact was sudden and brutal. The truck crashed into his car with a deafening roar, crumpling the metal like paper. Glass shattered, tires screeched, and everything went black.
Back in the church, Chae Rin stood at the altar, waiting for him to arrive. But something was wrong. The minutes ticked by, and her smile began to fade, replaced by worry. She glanced at the clock again, her heart beating faster with each passing second. People began whispering, but she couldn't hear them. All she could think about was him. Why wasn't he there?
Then the news came. Someone rushed in, pale-faced and trembling, delivering the message that would shatter her world. Kim Min Hyun was dead.
Natalia fell to her knees in the dream, her mind and body unable to process the overwhelming grief that crashed over her like a tidal wave. The beautiful day, the perfect moment she had envisioned, had been ripped away from her in an instant.
"No! No!" Chae Rin—Natalia—screamed, her voice hoarse as she sobbed uncontrollably. She clutched her chest, gasping for air, the pain inside her too much to bear. People around her tried to comfort her, but she could only push them away, her world collapsing in on itself. The love of her life was gone, stolen from her before they could even begin their life together.