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Kofi.c om (slash) christophernagura
I've always wanted to express these words to you, but no matter how many times I try, I would always come up short. To be by your side just like how the others are was always something I dreamed off. But I was always afraid. Afraid of your rejection.
Both Kaori and Shizuku were brave and I was always envious of them for that. Envious that they had the ability to muster out their courage to carry on fighting to be by your side without any fear of being rejected.
I always thought it was unreasonable for me to fall in love with you. Back on Earth, you always looked like you were uninterested about anything else apart from your games or anime. A classic otaku.
Though I guess that all changed when we were all transported over to Tortus. However, it seemed you still drew the short end of the stick when you were granted the Synergist class, one of the weakest classes there is and it's even a non-fighter one.
Everyone in the class, sans a few, called you a liability and even made fun of you for that. Yet, you didn't let that deter you. You kept on trying to find ways to make yourself and would always push yourself to the limit.
That was probably the first time I became conscious of you. To see you with such a determined expression when you usually greet everyone with a lopsided grin? It changed my perspective of you.
Then came our trip to the Orcus Labyrinth, and everything would have been perfectly fine had it not been for Hiyama who activated a trap which sent us to the 65th floor, and it was there where you saved me from the Traum Soldiers.
After losing my weapon, I had been petrified when I stared into the soulless red eyes of that monster, a monster who was clearly at another level from me. Since everyone was occupied elsewhere, I knew that it was a certain death for me.
However, before they could deal the final blow, you came to save me…
You were known as the weakest among us all, not only did you have a non-fighter class, your stats were that of an average human, perhaps even lower! Yet, you didn't let that stop you in the face of impending danger.
You saved me despite all the ridicule you faced each day.
However…tragedy befell us the moment you fell deep into the Dungeon. A stray Fireball headed for your direction which caused you to fall down the bridge…into the depths of the unknown.
While everyone began feeling suspicious at one another, even going as far as to blaming one another for causing the accident. I couldn't bring myself to be like the others. The guilt I had was too painful to bear. I couldn't even thank you for saving my life because you were gone…
Of course I couldn't and wouldn't say that I was the most concerned about you, that belonged to Kaori, but there was no denying that I was hoping-, praying that you somehow managed to survive the situation. No matter how impossible it may have sounded.
A few weeks after the incident, Kouki and the others decided to take on the Labyrinth again, hoping for better results. However this time, I couldn't bring myself to join them.
I knew that if I joined them, I would be too unfocused and eventually lose the life you had saved. That day, not only did I develop a fear of death, but my spirit had also been completely crushed. I knew that I was nothing more than a liability.
Which is why I decided to be a part of Ai-chan's bodyguard team alongside Nana, Taeko, Noboru, Atsushi and Shimizu.
Fortunately when we were tasked at the town of Ul, we had plenty of work to do and it helped me take my mind off of you during those busy periods. Though occasionally there'd be times when I'd be thinking of you.
Wondering if you were still alive, and that if you were alive, where were you and what were you doing? I also wondered if we could ever meet again.
Though I never expected to be able to meet each other again that night at the restaurant…The moment I learned of your survival, I felt as if a large weight on my chest had disappeared. I was genuinely happy and relieved that you were alright and somehow, against all odds managed to survive.
However, a terrible feeling replaced the guilt I carried before when I saw you with Yue and Shia, even more so when they claimed to be your woman.
I didn't know what that feeling was, though I had no intention of finding out as well.
The battle you had against Tio in her dragon form really showed us just how strong you had gotten. I still remember the days when everyone insulted you about being the weakest among us.
Yet none of us were capable of harming her whatsoever, yet you were able to fight back on par, if not a level ahead of her the entire fight. Had it not been for you guys, we would have died there for sure.
When we learned about the monster attack that was soon to come, whether it was because I feared for the worse, I finally mustered out the confidence to speak with you that night before the inevitable monster attack, I saw you working on something at the top of the gate, and I approached you wanting to thank you for saving my life all those months ago, whether you forgot it or not.
I was mildly disappointed with how the conversation went, but seeing as I managed to say what I wanted to, I planned to head back when,
"You're strong, Sonobe. A girl like you won't die so easily." You said, without even facing me.
I didn't know why those words came out but it was thanks to those words that I was able to find my courage again. It was your words that helped me carry on each day with a smile on my face.
It was because of those words that I am able to keep moving on.
However, that all changed the moment you killed Shimizu. While we were all angry that he betrayed us to join the Demon Army and would have killed Ai-chan, I didn't think any of us would have the courage to be able to kill a classmate.
Of course, it was safe to say that everyone was scared of you after what you'd done. Though could you blame them?
You had enough power to fight off a large scale monster attack, and your willingness to kill a person, even if they had been your classmate before, was frightening.
However for some odd reason, I couldn't bring myself to feel that way. While I can agree that you were much scarier and stronger than the last time we saw you, for some odd reasons, I didn't feel the same way the others did.
While you may have killed Shimizu but you were also willing to save the townspeople of Ul from the monster attack, you even saved Ai-chan when she was poisoned.
Whatever the reason was, I couldn't see you in a bad light.
The moment we returned back to the castle, I never expected to deal with such an outrageous situation. Just remembering the fact that both Eri and Hiyama betrayed us all still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Though I couldn't help but feel slightly guilty about the situation. I already knew that there was something wrong when I couldn't find Ai-chan anywhere within the castle, though I had never expected something of this level to happen.
Majority of the castle guards, including Captain Meld, were all under Eri's control, and all of us were practically at death's doorstep as well.
However, that was when Kaori arrived. And the moment I saw her enter the battlefield, I knew you were somewhere around the city as well.
And like I expected, you arrived. Though it was a fraction too late considering Hiyama 'killed' Kaori. Yet, you didn't seem to let that perturb you at all, and in a flash, not only did your kill all the guards being controlled by Eri, but you also seemed to have killed almost all the monsters who were residing outside the castle as well.
That day as I could only watched as you took them all on, I couldn't help but think that you really looked like you were invincible. And you just kept on surprising me when you somehow managed to bring Kaori back to life.
On that day, you revealed about the entire reasoning behind you acquiring ancient magic, it was safe to say that we were all surprised.
The very being who summoned us to this world in the first place was only using us as his pawns for a game? It was unbelievable and hard to stomach the fact. Though it made sense as to why they suddenly kidnapped Ai-chan in the first place.
Of course after learning this, and with Lili needing to head to the Empire in order to discuss about forming alliances, the strongest members, Kouki and the others, decided to join you on your adventure.
I always wondered to myself, if I had followed Kouki and the others on your journey…would I be able to be as close to you just like the other girls were?
Would I have been able to get you to fall in love with me like you did them?
Though it was nothing more than a fantastical dream… with majority of the guards killed that night, and practically the strongest members of the Apostles leaving, there was no way I could leave the city with how defenceless it was. However, there was still a part of me couldn't help but imagine what could have been.
Besides, at the time I didn't think I was even worthy of being with you. With Yue, Shia, Tio and Kaori by your side, why would I be needed anyways?
What could I possibly be able to give you that they couldn't?
Of course, I hadn't expected to be comforted by an old man, who was later revealed to be the new pope that Lili had personally requested for, but it was through him that I finally knew what I could do. Perhaps there was something that I could do for you to repay you for all the times you've saved my life.
Eventually after the final fight, which was dubbed by the residents of Tortus as the "Legendary Great War", their love alongside Ai-chan sensei and Lili, were accepted and they eventually became known as your wives by everyone.
While my friends pushed me to join up with them, I couldn't find the will to do even if they asked me to.
If I had, it wouldn't have been fair to the others who had worked tirelessly to earn your affections. So I decided to just forget about it and think about the future.
…
…
…
…
…
I couldn't.
No matter how hard I tried to forget about you, you would always resurface in the back of my mind without fail. It was almost as if you had secured a place in my heart without even trying.
I was always infuriated with how you always managed to make my heart flutter with only your words, how you'd make my mind would think of things I normally don't. Though I can't deny the happiness that would well up in my chest in those situations.
Even though I told Simon what I could do to repay you for everything you've done for me, I have never actually attempted to invite you over. Even though I knew your number and where you lived, I couldn't bring myself to do so. Not when everyone was already calling me your mistress.
I didn't know who started that rumour, but whoever it was deserved a knife headed their way. Since because of that, everyone-, and I mean EVERYONE, had suspected our relationship to be something more than what we claim to be. Though you would always shrug it off like it meant nothing to you, Yue and the others would always keep a close eye on me whenever we're at school or in the shop.
I'm only grateful that I didn't drop massive hints about the feelings I had for you whenever we're together. (Or to my knowledge at least)
It has already been years since we returned to Japan and while I was not given the ownership of my family's restaurant, Wisteria, yet. My parents had made it clear that they were planning on leaving everything to me soon based on how they would drop out hints every now and again.
When the day came to fruition, it was safe to say I almost broke down right there and then.
Nervousness would cloud my judgement each time and I would begin making simple mistakes that I would have never made before. Handing the food over to the wrong table, handing wrong food to the right table. In short, I was a complete mess.
While I already knew that I would be Wisteria's successor, that hadn't meant I was prepared for it.
Somehow, whenever I looked to be troubled or had completely lost hope and given up. You would always come crashing in to save me, and I was always enamoured by your reliable figure.
Your crimson mana, while it danced dangerously around you, was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
You were just like a hero from the fairy tales, always appearing in the nick of time to save the day.
This hadn't been any different as well the moment you stepped in to the shop that day.
I didn't know how you managed to find out about my struggles but when you called me over and had me sit with you, it was almost as if all the nervousness I had disappeared as if it were never there in the first place.
"You know, this might sound weird, but I think the girl who managed to scare the Haulia Clan is a much better waitress than the one I'm seeing now." You told me with a teasing grin on your face. While I may have snapped back at you, I was grateful as it was through your words that I was able to regain my composure.
That's why-
*Switch to Normal POV*
A lone brunette sat in her room, sighing as she placed her pen down right next to the book she was writing on. Reading back the contents of what she wrote, she couldn't help but release a blush the moment she read the last line.
"Yuka, it's time for you to get down!" a feminine tone yelled from below.
"Coming!" The girl proceeded to fix her attire in order to suit the working environment she was about to handle. Only after she was certain she was ready did she exit her room.
Though before that, the girl slapped her cheeks before a determined expression was now etched on her face. It was another hard day of working again.
Much like any other day, the girl made sure to work hard both in and out the kitchen alongside her parents. So much so that an orange hue was now painted across the skies as the brunette waved goodbye to a group of customers who were now exiting the shop.
The girl sighed tiredly and just as she was about to enter the shop again,
"Yo, Sonobe." A familiar tone resonated in her ears. The brunette didn't even need to turn around to know whose voice it belonged to.
"Oh, it's you again." Without even turning to face the customer, the girl shook of her head before she turned away from him. Though the moment her back faced him, a smile managed to find its way to her face.
If anyone were to look at her then, they would claim she looked like a maiden completely in love.
"Oi, oi, is this how you greet a customer?" he said with an exasperated look on his face, though if one were to closely look, he didn't even look bothered by it.
After all, it was always how the two greeted one another.
"Well, are you going to keep staying outside in the cold or head on inside?" she asked as Hajime sighed before proceeding to walk inside the store, making his way towards the seat located at the edge of the counter, a spot that was completely reserved for him.
Ever since their return, the Demon King had been going to the shop almost every single day, either with his wives or by himself, and he would always choose to sit at the exact same place each time without fail.
It was safe to say that the restaurant had made it well known that only one person would be allowed to sit at that particular spot.
"So, what can I get you today?" she asked whilst walking up to him, with a smile adorned on her face.
*Switch back to Yuka's POV*
Of course I'm not oblivious to how my parents, friends and even your wives would discuss about how close the two of us are, but of course I would always try and remain oblivious to it, fearing to break whatever connection we had right now.
Even though I can't stand by your side as your wife, I was already plenty happy with our current connection. Seeing you each day always gives me the strength to keep going. That's why let me just say this here-
I love you, Hajime Nagumo.
I always have, and always will.
End Story