After stealing my first kiss, Aurëalis opened the door to the hall and quickly stepped inside. However, before the door fully closed, I heard her say:
— We'll meet again tomorrow.
And then the door shut.
At that moment, I didn't take another step. I just stood there, frozen, with my arm still extended and my hand reaching for the doorknob. My gaze was fixed on the emptiness, replaying the scene of my first kiss, while my chest tightened more and more. No matter how much I tried to move, I couldn't. It was as if an invisible chain kept me rooted there until, suddenly, I heard someone call my name.
— Kyrion? There you are... — a voice said, muffled and distant, as if coming from another world.
Finally, I managed to move.
— Hu... huh? — I replied, startled, snapping out of that trance.
When I glanced to the side, I saw Karix waving at me with a carefree smile through the reflection of the door's mirror.
— K-Karix? — I mumbled, still processing everything that had just happened.
It was then that I remembered what I was about to do before all those events with Aurëalis unfolded.
— That's right... I was heading back to the hall before Aurëalis stopped me from opening the door and... — I thought, blushing deeper as my face heated up, while memories of that kiss flooded my mind.
— Tsk… damn it… Now that this happened… I won't be able to sleep for a while. — I thought, biting my lips and trying to control my thoughts.
I took a deep breath, trying to regain my balance.
— Sigh… Come on, Kyrion, get a hold of yourself. This… this isn't for us… Romance, relationships… marriage… those things aren't for us… — I repeated to myself like a mantra.
But the more I tried to suppress the thoughts of that kiss, the stronger they came back, like a wave crashing against a sandbar. It was impossible to ignore it all: the words, the gestures, and above all, Aurëalis' gaze.
Still, I had to keep going. Even though my mind was in turmoil, it was necessary to move forward.
— Why did she do that? — I wondered, while looking at her in the distance.
Aurëalis had already returned and was seated at her table again, near the prince of the Moon Wolves. She gestured elegantly and smiled. Yet to me, it all seemed like a performance. The sparkle in her eyes wasn't of happiness, but something dimmer, lifeless. It was as if she was giving her all to maintain that acting, but was already at her limit.
While I stood there, still watching Aurëalis and lost in thought, Karix, who had already called out to me, opened the door.
— Dude, where were you? We've been looking for you everywhere — he said, snapping me back to reality.
— Come on, Cristine is about to start singing, and you don't want to miss the look on Cédric's face when he realizes I was right... — he added with a mischievous grin.
Without much thought, I simply decided to move forward, even though the image of Aurëalis remained imprinted in my mind.
When I sat at the table with Karix and Cédric, they immediately started teasing me.
— Hey, Kyrion, where have you been? We thought you had ditched us — Cédric said, laughing.
— Ah… I ended up falling asleep outside. It was so nice out there… But I decided to come back. Sorry for the delay — I replied, trying to sound casual.
While we chatted, an announcement for the live performance was suddenly made.
— Dear spectators, good evening! We are now starting our long-awaited live show. On this beautiful starry night, we've brought someone truly special, known for her stunning voice, to make this moment even more memorable. Please, give a warm round of applause to Miss Cristine! — echoed through the hall.
Cristine appeared on the stage, dazzling in her blue dress adorned with crystals that reflected magical light, highlighting her brown skin and ash-gray hair. Her eyes, sparkling like stars, scanned the audience, captivating everyone's attention. However, when she saw me, her gaze stopped, and a smile lit up her face — a smile I knew would bring me trouble.
— Good evening, everyone! Before we begin, I'd like to make a special invitation. There's someone here whose voice I heard once and couldn't forget. I've been searching for this person for a long time, and today, I finally found him, — Cristine announced, with her eyes fixed on me.
— Please, Kyrion, come up here! — she said with a wide smile.
— M-Me? — I asked, embarrassed.
— Yes, you! Come on. I want to sing with you,— Cristine said determinedly, walking over to my table and taking my hand.
My heart raced. I felt all eyes turn toward me— some filled with anger, others with surprise.
Aurëalis, who had been sitting with perfect posture until then, dropped the glass she was holding with a loud clatter, spilling wine on the tablecloth. The prince of the Moon Wolves looked shocked, but she completely ignored his reaction, her eyes fixed solely on me. Her expression was a mixture of anger and disbelief.
I tried to hide under the table, but it was no use.
— Please, Kyrion, don't try to hide. I can see you. Come up here! — Cristine said, laughing.
Aurëalis clenched her fists so tightly at that moment that her fingers turned pale. Even with all the noise in the hall, the sound of the chair slowly cracking under her grip was audible as she squeezed it harder and harder.
— What does she think... she's doing? — Aurëalis murmured softly, watching me as Cristine pulled me toward the stage.
When I reached the stage, Cristine adjusted the magical sound amplifier on me with an encouraging smile.
— Don't worry, Kyrion. It'll be fun. Trust me, — she said as the audience murmured in anticipation.
She then reached for a divine music box, placed her hand on it, and selected the first song we could sing together.
— I noticed you really like songs from the human dimension, so I chose one of theirs that I'm sure you'll recognize and enjoy... — she whispered near my ear.
At that moment, I could feel Aurëalis glaring at me with such irritation that, honestly, I didn't understand how she hadn't killed me on the spot.
— Shall we start? — Cristine asked, smiling at me.
The murmurs grew louder as Cristine began to sing. Her voice was crystalline, captivating, and everyone seemed entranced. When it was my turn, I hesitated, wondering why I was even up there. But when I looked at Cristine, I saw in her eyes a determination and faith in me that prevented me from backing out. So, I took a deep breath and let my voice flow.
The hall fell completely silent. Each note filled the space almost magically. Every word I sang seemed to deeply move the audience, as if the melody carried a piece of my soul.
Aurëalis, despite her reluctance, couldn't look away. Her expression, previously dominated by anger, now seemed torn between irritation over what had happened and the admiration she had already shown for my voice before.
When the song ended, the hall remained silent for a few seconds, stunned by what they had just witnessed. Then, it erupted into applause. Cristine held my hand and raised our arms in a victorious gesture.
— That was Kyrion, ladies and gentlemen! Let's give him a big round of applause! —
she announced, beaming.
At that moment, I didn't even know where to hide my face. But before I could escape, Cristine pulled me closer and gave me a light kiss on the cheek.
— Thank you for accepting my invitation, Kyrion. You were incredible. I've wanted to sing with you since the day we competed, but I couldn't find you anywhere. Finally, today, I managed to, — she said, smiling.
— I hope we can sing together again, — concluded with a big smile as she returned to the stage to continue her performance.
The hall buzzed with whispers and murmurs after that.
Aurëalis, meanwhile, was furious. Her breathing seemed heavy, and her eyes burned with a fire I had never seen before. Then, suddenly, the chair she was sitting on broke under the strength of her grip. However, she seemed unfazed by the chair breaking or by the people around her, who stared at her in shock. The only thing she seemed to care about was everything that had just happened between Cristine and me, even though it had been nothing significant.
Then, standing up, she turned toward me without saying a word and walked toward the exit, which was just a few meters from where I stood. At that moment, I couldn't do anything but watch her comming towards me, while I was paralyzed from a fear that even I didn't know how to explain.
However, before she completely left, I noticed that she wasn't looking straight ahead anymore. Her eyes were locked on me, filled with something I couldn't quite identify. Then, as if a telepathic connection linked our minds, I heard her voice echo in my head:
— Tomorrow, we'll have a proper talk.
And with that, she left the hall, leaving everyone intrigued by what had just happened — especially the prince of the Moon Wolves, who watched her with a confused expression.
As for me, I felt a chill run through my body and broke into a cold sweat. I dreaded what the next day would bring because, knowing Aurëalis, even if I hid in the primordial void, she would find a way to reach me there. And from then on, may the heavens help me.
When I finally returned to the table, Karix was outraged.
— WHAT ?! Why did Cristine do that? And with you?! — He exclaimed, gesturing frantically.
Cédric, sitting beside him, just laughed, patting him on the shoulder.
— Honestly, Karix, Cristine is very beautiful and an amazing singer, but you barely know her, and she's already into Kyrion, — he teased with a grin.
— That's not funny, Cédric! I... I won't even be able to sleep now! — Karix whined, lowering his head.
I, on the other hand, just wanted to disappear. The emotions of the night had been so intense that, upon returning to the table, I quickly sat down to catch my breath, only to decide moments later to leave. I apologized to Karix and the others for leaving so suddenly, saying I wasn't feeling well, and hurried back to my quarters.
When I arrived in my room, I quickly closed the door, lay down, and began replaying every event from the night in my mind: Aurëalis' kiss, the jealousy in her eyes, the way she left the hall angry, the audience's applause, and, of course, Cristine's kiss on my cheek.
It all felt like a distant dream, but my heart was still racing.
— Why... Why is this happening to me? —
I wondered, staring at the ceiling until sleep eventually found me amidst the whirlwind of thoughts.