Melly didn't appreciate Kade's nonchalant attitude toward the situation. His detached and indifferent demeanor rubbed her the wrong way. It wasn't just that he spoke with a lack of urgency; it was also the way he carried himself, as if nothing mattered at all.
"Normal?" she raised an eyebrow, skepticism etched on her face as she continued to rub her arms. "Normal doesn't feel like this."
Kade paused, his gaze distant, like he was measuring her words. For a fleeting second, something flickered in his eyes—hesitation? Curiosity?—but it was gone before she could grasp it. His tone remained steady as he replied, "It's harmless."
She wasn't convinced. She glanced back at the empty space where the barrier had stood, the forest now stretching out uninterrupted. The feeling persisted, a subtle, nagging sensation that refused to dissipate, like an unfading echo in her mind.
"Let's move," Kade said, his tone signaling the end of the discussion. He turned without waiting for her reply, his footsteps light on the forest floor.
The forest wasn't just quiet; it was unnaturally still. No rustle of leaves, no distant calls of night creatures. Just the sound of their breathing and the faint, rhythmic steps of their boots against the earth.
Kade, however, moved as if the silence didn't bother him. He walked normally, relaxed and watchful. He paused occasionally, tilting his head, as if listening for something only he could hear.
She couldn't help but steal glances at Kade as they walked, her curiosity growing more intense with each step. [How many layers does this guy even have?] she wondered, trailing behind him.
After a while, unable to stand the silence any longer, Melly finally spoke up. "You ever think about sharing what's going on in that head of yours?
Kade didn't break stride, but the faintest smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. Just for the sake of keeping the conversation going, he asked, "What exactly are you curious about?" Almost teasing, but there was an underlying current of seriousness that suggested he was ready to engage with whatever Melly had on her mind.
Melly tilted her head, her curiosity igniting as Kade's question reached her ears. She hadn't expected him to actually want to share. "I don't know," she said, feigning nonchalance. "You could tell me a bit about yourself. That'd be a start."
Kade stopped so abruptly that she nearly bumped into him. The sudden motion triggered her instincts, and she dropped into a defensive stance before she realized there wasn't any threat. Her shoulders only relaxed when she noticed him tilt his head, as though considering how much to reveal.
"I grew up on the streets," he said at last, his voice quiet but firm. "It wasn't a life I'd recommend."
The simplicity of his statement made her narrow her eyes. "That's it? Streets where? What about your family?" she wasn't about to miss her chance so she pressed on.
He didn't answer immediately, instead shifting his weight and tucking his hands into his pockets. His voice remained even as he continued, "No family. No home. Just... surviving."
Melly frowned but remained silent, sensing there was more beneath his words. Kade resumed walking, his pace slower this time, as though the weight of his memories was dragging him down.
"I was different," he said after a long pause. "Too different. The way I looked, the way I learned things—magic, techniques—it all made people wary. Kids, adults, it didn't matter. They didn't trust me. Some whispered that I was from the Yamikō clan." He glanced at her, gauging her reaction.
"Yamikō?" she echoed, falling into step beside him.
"Shadow Path," he explained. His voice was steady, but there was an edge to it, a bitterness that hinted at old wounds. "A clan people fear. A name they use to rationalize their hatred. But I never knew if it was true. I didn't know where I came from. I still don't."
She examined him closely, her brows knitted together. "So, no one took you in?"
"There was someone," he said after a moment. "A Fushen. He worked for the White Kingdom. Took me in when I was four. Taught me how to survive, how to control what I could do."
His voice softened, and for the first time, she heard something unfamiliar in it—vulnerability.
"What happened to him?" Melly asked, her voice softer now.
"He was taken," Kade said flatly. "The Emperor's aides raided our home when I was eight. He was... executed. Publicly."
Melly faltered, struggling to find words. The cold detachment in his voice made her chest tighten. "And you?" she finally asked.
"What do you think? They wanted me dead too," Kade continued, his pace unwavering. "The same people who had once ignored me demanded it. So I ran. Changed villages. Lived in the outskirts. Survived however I could."
He stopped walking, his hand resting lightly on the trunk of a nearby tree. The dim light filtered through the leaves above them, casting shadows across his face. "That's all you need to know for now," he said softly, glancing over his shoulder at her.
Melly wanted to argue, to press him for more, but something in his expression stopped her. There was a vulnerability there, fleeting but real, and she didn't want to shatter it. Instead, she nodded, letting the silence stretch between them.
As they resumed their trek, Melly's mind raced. She couldn't shake the image of a young Kade, alone and hunted, forced to survive in a world that seemed determined to crush him. And yet, here he was—strong, unyielding, and still somehow human.
The forest began to thin, the oppressive darkness giving way to faint traces of moonlight. The hum beneath her skin had faded, but it hadn't disappeared entirely. She glanced at Kade, who moved with the same calm efficiency as always, his focus unwavering.
"What's it like?" she asked suddenly.
He glanced at her, one brow raised. "What's what like?"
"Being you," she said, her voice quieter now. "Carrying all of that."
Kade didn't answer right away. When he finally spoke, his words were well thought up, measured. "It's like being the sun in a world that worships the moon. They curse your light, not because it burns them, but because it reveals what they wish to hide."
His words hung in the air between them, heavy and raw. Melly didn't press further, sensing that any more would be too much for now.
They reached the edge of the forest in silence, the faint glow of their destination visible in the distance. As they crossed into familiar territory, Melly realized
she still didn't trust Kade entirely. But for the first time, she understood him—just a little.