Just as the skies burned in a fiery color, my heart was inflamed with passion when I reunited with Haniel Calypso Astana. Despite the passing winds of autumn, I felt warm from his longing embrace.

"I finally found you," He whispered softly while cupping my face. "I missed you so much, Callie."

My eyes glistened with tears. I was overcome with happiness that I couldn't string my words properly. The sound of his voice, so low yet so soothing, made my head feel dreamy and light.

I was rendered speechless. I stared at Haniel in silence, etching his face on my mind. If this night is a dream, please don't wake me up anymore.

"Welcome back, Your Highness." Haniel greeted Princess Odette. "I see that your austere knight is alive as well. What a shame." He smiled to Ellis.

"Leave me alone, wizard." Ellis scornfully replied underneath her helm. She's so grouchy as usual.

Does Haniel know that we're the same person?

"Yo, Haniel." Princess Odette patted him on the shoulder. They seem close. "Anything new?"

"You have a guest. He arrived just a few moments ago." Haniel informed the princess. "You should hurry. It seems that he cannot stay for too long."

"I see," The princess gestured her knight and they walked back to our chaise. "Let's get going, then."

"I already scouted the area ahead, Your Highness. It should be safe for you two to head back to the camp." Haniel secretly held my hand behind us.

"What about you?" The princess inquired.

"I brought my own horse." Haniel eyed me with a small smile. "I'll take this beautiful lady with me."

Ellis made some weird gurgling noises, like she was throwing up from his cheesy lines. On the other hand, the princess seemed amused by him.

"Getting lovey-dovey as soon as you meet, huh?" Princess Odette chuckled. "Very well. Let us meet at the camp, then. I shall hear your report later."

The princess and her knight boarded the carriage then left right away. As soon as their chaise was out of our sight, Haniel and I faced each other.

He cleared his throat. "Shall we?"

The way he nervously spoke made me smile. He was trying to act cool, but Haniel was flustered.

He was just as endearing as I remember him.

We walked hand in hand as we approached his horse who was calmly mounted beside a tree.

The autumn leaves crunched beneath us with every step we took, with many of them falling over us at the same time amidst the sunset.

The moment I captured with my own eyes was perfect. The sky was ablaze with the fire of the setting sun. In front of me was Haniel Calypso Astana, whom I thought I have lost forever.

"Hold onto me, Callie." Haniel offered as we were about to mount his horse. He carefully held my waist then lifted me on the back of the animal.

I sat unmoving, gazing down on him. I thought he would let go, but his hands stayed on my waist for a while. The black-haired mage stared at me, the pallid glow of the sunset reflecting on his eyes.

"How have you been?" he asked sentimentally.

I teared up for a bit before answering. "Awful."

"I see." He took my hand then played with it. "It must've been hard. It was awful for me as well."

He slowly intertwined our fingers without breaking his gaze from me. It felt like I was drowning from his cavernous purple eyes.

"I thought of you day and night." His sonorous voice left me breathless. "The days that I spent without you were tantamount to hell, Callista."

Haniel gently placed my hand on his cheek.

"When I died, I only thought of you." A spasm of pain crossed his face. "It was so foolish. A sword was pierced on my neck, but all I could think of was a woman who never chose me until the end."

Tears streamed down on my cheeks.

"My love for you had hurt me in so many ways." He gave me a wistful smile. "Even so, my heart is immovable. I loved you, I love you, and I will always love you, so go hurt me as you see fit."

Haniel held my hands and closed his eyes.

"My heart is yours to destroy, Callista."

At that moment, I felt so undeserving of him.

From the beginning, Haniel has given me his heart unconditionally. No matter how many times it was crushed, he picked up those pieces all by himself.

While he was helping me survive and assisting me to live a happy life with Grand Duke Averill, Haniel was mending his broken heart in silence.

He never asked for anything.

He never blamed me at all.

Whenever I think of that day, my rancour for Alistair deepens even further. Haniel was the one who gave us a chance to reconnect, yet he betrayed him without an ounce of hesitation.

Alistair Kirsten de Averill was the lowest.

"I know that your heart belongs to another man." Haniel pursed his lips. "Still, would you allow me to stay by your side? You do not need to love me."

His words brought me into tears. No, Haniel...

"I am a witness to the love that you two shared." His voice cracked. "I know that there is no place for me in your heart, so could you please let me have a place in your life instead, as a friend?"

The truth is, he didn't need to beg like that.

After all, the day that I lost him was the same day that I fell in love with him. The moment his heart ceased from beating, mine started beating for him.

But, for the first time in my life, I couldn't say it.

I have always been vocal with my feelings. I know what I want, and I know who I want. This time as well, I know that all I want is to be with this man.

However, I couldn't help but fear.

What if he thinks that I'm fickle, that I'm frivolous, that I jump from one man to another? What if he thinks lightly of my love, that it is but insincere?

What if he feels insecure, that I fall out of love easily? What if my love hurts him even more?

How could I tell him that I no longer love Alistair, and that he is now the subject of all my affection?

"Callista?" He called me, slightly confused.

"I also thought of you day and night, Haniel." My lips dithered. "And the days that I spent without you were tantamount to hell." I restated his words.

He stared at me, completely dumbfounded.

"I cried for you in my sleep, then I cried for you even more when I was awake." I clenched my fists. "I just couldn't get you out of my system."

"Callie," A glimmer of hope lit up his eyes, but he immediately hid them. "If you say things like that, I'm afraid I might misunderstand your words."

"Go ahead." I told him bluntly.

I stared at him intently. His lips parted.

"Go ahead and misunderstand." I told him bravely without batting an eye. "Whatever it is that you're thinking, it's true. So just think what you want."

Haniel opened his mouth, but he seemed to be at a loss of words. After a moment of silence, he buried his face on my lap, mildly embarrassed.

"There's no way what I'm thinking is true, Callie."

I bit my lower lip. "Try me, Haniel."

He flinched. The black-haired mage lifted his gaze to me. As soon as our eyes met, his cheeks flushed.

"What do you think?" I said impatiently.

"Well, that's..." He inhaled sharply. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but... by any chance, do you like me?"

Haniel stared at me nervously, but his face was so expectant, like he was hoping to hear something.

"No." I whispered to him. "That's not right."

His shoulders fell. He looked so devastated.

"You're wrong," I held his cheeks and leaned down on him. "Because I love you, Haniel. Indisputably."

The sunset was merely a prelude to the dawn, but it marked the reunion of two wistful souls who got separated by life and death. Taking its sweet time, the sun went down slowly while our lips touched.

It felt as if my heart would burst from happiness.

The surprise on his face was palpable, and it was evident that Haniel never saw this coming. For a moment, I saw tears forming on his purple eyes.

After hesitating for a bit, he finally held my face and moved his lips. His hands brushed through my hair as we deepened our kiss passionately.

Feeling restrained, I slid down from the back of the horse without breaking our lips. Haniel wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him and kissing me like a hungry beast.

After a while, we pulled away with bated breath.

"Do you truly mean what you said, Callie?"

Haniel looked like he was about to cry.

My tears fell. "Yes."

I'll stop thinking of hypothetical questions and worrying about things that have yet to happen.

I already lost him once, and I don't want to lose him again without being able to convey my own feelings. He might think that I'm fickle, that I'm frivolous, and he might think lightly of my love.

If that's the case, I just have to prove him wrong.

"Haniel," I smiled sentimentally. "I love you."

His face softened at my words.

"I'm not the main character of this story. I might die again, and being with me would only cause you heartache." My lips quivered. "Despite that, will you still love me for the rest of my lives?"

Haniel lovingly leaned his forehead on mine.

"I am the protagonist of this story now." He smiled. "Doesn't that make you my heroine?"

If I had my own novel, Haniel would have been the second male lead. I met him halfway through the story, and I was in love with somebody else.

Still, my life isn't a cliche book written like that.

I choose who I love, and when it comes to love, it's not about who came first, but who makes you the happiest. Even though this world is a novel that strictly follows the plot, I only have one wish.

To end the story with this man by my side.

Regardless if this novel ends with a tragedy or a happily ever after, I want to witness its end with Haniel Calypso Astana. That is my only wish now.

---

It has only been eleven days since I took a break but my writing already feels somewhat rusty lol.

Anyway, dropping this fanart here of Callista as a maid, created by sab-rille. She looks so pretty! Thank you for this, I really appreciate it. Follow her on twitter and insta for more wonderful art!

Stay safe and healthy, everyone!

Yours Truly,
Aomine-san