The next couple of days were filled were.. boring to say the least - questions about the Forgotten shore, filling out forms and even buying a new house for him - things that felt utterly mundane compared to fighting for his life in the Dream Realm.
But they had to be done.
Sunny had bought a house relativetly close to Rain, just as he had planned. It was nothing extravagant, just a small house with 3 floors. An underground basement with an expensive pod allowing Sunny to travel to the dream realm whenever he needs to. A normal floor and a balcony.
Moving in had been its own ordeal. He had spent an entire afternoon dragging furniture inside, setting things up, and helping Effie in living with him due to her circumstances.
Well, he didn't really help her move in. She just came in and set all her stuff and demanded that she was going to live with him.
Still, despite the effort, he found himself enjoying the calm.
His new fridge, for example. It was large, sleek, and, most importantly, his. He had filled it with food he actually wanted to eat, a luxury he hadn't even considered before. Every time he opened it, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
His balcony, too. He would stand there at night, watching the distant city lights flicker against the darkness, the world stretched out beneath him.
It was peaceful.
For once, he had a moment to breathe.
And yet…
There was one person on his mind.
No matter how much he tried to enjoy the stillness, no matter how much he told himself to focus on this new life, he couldn't shake the thought of her. The weight of what she had done. The look on her face when he had walked away.
Cassie.
He had shouted at her. Spat venomous words.
And she had taken it, standing there, silent and still.
He had wanted her to fight back, to say something, to justify what she had done. But she hadn't.
Because there was no justification.
And yet…
Sunny exhaled and leaned against the balcony railing, his fingers drumming lightly against the metal.
Why was he thinking about her so much?
'Why do I feel bad.. No! Sunny! She took your freedom! Get a hold of yourself!' He hurridly shook his head to get rid of any positive thoughts.
After finishing with his daily balcony moongazing, he went back to the kitchen and took a seat at one of the small tables. He poured himself a coffee and quietly stirred it.
The apartment was quiet, aside from the occasional hum of the fridge - his beloved fridge - and the faint sound of the city beyond the windows.
Across from him, Effie sat in her wheelchair, a grin plastered on her face as she scrolled through her telecommunicator.. She was in a good mood.
'What's gotten her all happy?'
"So, you're gonna love this," she said, her tone far too amused for Sunny's liking.
"I doubt it," he muttered, taking a sip of his coffee.
Effie ignored him. "They made a movie about the Forgotten Shore."
Sunny froze mid-sip, lowering the cup slowly. "They what?"
"A movie." Effie smirked. "Some guy wrote an anonymous report on the Forgotten Shore and they already made a movie on it. Big-budget, full CGI, dramatic monologues and all that. I heard they made you short like you are now."
Sunny's eye twitched.
"Oh, and they got some famous actor to play Cassie. And apparently her love interest in the movie is Kai."
Clench.
Sunny clenched his free arm under the table. Why did he not seem to like that idea.
'With Kai? Why the hell... I mean I could understand but.. Damn Kai and that stupid movie. Why should I watch this..?'
He felt as if, if he watched it, he'd be more heartbroken then he already is.
Effie cackled. "You'll hate it even more when you see the trailer. I'm hosting a watch party, by the way. Everyone's coming."
He sighed, but ultimately, he didn't have the energy to argue. "Fine. Whatever. Just don't expect me to enjoy it."
Effie grinned. "Great! Cassie's fine with it too, so-"
CRACK.
The ceramic cup in Sunny's hand shattered.
Effie flinched at the sound, her smile fading. Coffee dripped onto the table, the jagged pieces of the cup lying in his palm.
Sunny didn't move. He just stared at them, his jaw clenched, the muscles in his arm tense.
Effie was silent for a long moment. Then, cautiously, she leaned forward. "…You, uh, okay there, champ?"
Sunny exhaled slowly, setting the broken pieces down with deliberate care. "Yeah." His voice was calm, too calm. "I'm fine."
Effie's eyes narrowed slightly. She wasn't buying it. "You sure?"
Sunny forced himself to relax, shaking off the tension in his shoulders. "Yeah," he repeated. "Just slipped."
Effie didn't say anything, but she was watching him now, her usual carefree expression laced with something sharper.
Sunny ignored it.
He stood up, grabbing a cloth to clean the mess.
"So. When's this watch party?"
Effie hesitated before answering.
"…Tomorrow night."
He nodded, throwing the broken pieces in the trash.
"Great."
Effie kept looking at him. But, after a moment, she let it go, stretching her arms with a lazy yawn.
"Well, it'll be fun. You'll see."
Sunny hummed noncommittally.
Somehow, he doubted that.
--------
He layed on his bed and stared at the ceiling.
His room was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the city outside his window.
He wasn't tired, not really. His body was still, but his mind refused to be.
He thought of her.
Cassie.
The memories came unbidden.
He remembered the early days, when it was just the two of them struggling to survive. The constant reassurance she used to do to him. The way her smile affected something inside of him. Her ocean-like eyes that was kept underneath the blindfold. The way she listened, truly listened, when he spoke, as if every word mattered.
He remembered the way she trusted him.
And then, he remembered the other things.
The weight of betrayal. The realization of what she had done. The cold, suffocating anger that had gripped him when he understood.
Why?
That question had haunted him ever since he found out.
Why had she done it?
Why had she forced Nephis's hand?
Why had she sacrificed his freedom for some plan that he still didn't fully understand?
He clenched his jaw.
He almost felt like apologizing. Almost. But no.
He steeled himself. He wouldn't let himself go down that path. He had every reason to hate her for what she did. For taking away his choice.
But still…
Still, there was that warmth in his heart when he thought of her.
Why?
Why did he feel this way?
Why couldn't he just forget?
Sunny exhaled, turning onto his side, shutting his eyes.
'It doesn't matter,'
He told himself.
'Just leave it alone.'
But deep inside, a quiet, nagging curiosity refused to be ignored.