“Traitor! How could you betray us like this?”

Saori’s hands tighten around my neck. I fall down onto my back.

“It was the only… way.” I say to her.

“I’ll kill you! How could you do this? I never wanted this!”

Tears fall from her face. They fall down on me. Her pain. Her sorrows. Doesn’t matter, though. Even if time flows back. No matter how the river flows. I will make the same choice.

“Why won’t you speak? Do you not care about our friends?”

As I touch her cheek, with my last breath, I say.

“I only care about you.”

My eyes open. From them, you can see a hint of madness. A burst of life appears as my hand moves to caress her cheek. A short-lived respite… and then it came for me. Death.

Like a puppet with no strings, my whole body loses control.

“No! Why? I can’t!” she then laughs with tears falling from her face. Her mind broke. The story ends.

…

..

.

“Atlas. You are good at this.”

I don’t move. A corpse. I am a corpse. It was a perfect act.

“This is amazing. You’re even cold.”

She moves her ear near my chest.

“Even your heartbeat! I cannot even hear it!”

After a while, I then feel something heavy fall on my neck. It’s her elbow. Did she pull a wrestling move on me? My body lurches forward, and I cough.

“Why would you do that?”

“Sorry. It was part of the script.”

“I read the script! That was not part of the script!”

I laugh, and she laughs as well. What was the problem again?

“You’re pretty good as well,” I say.

“Thank you,” says Saori

“There’s a big problem, though. This.” I point at her face.

“I recognize that too.” She slaps my hand away.

She’s great. Her body language, her voice, and tears. All of it was on point. I’m biased, but she was even better than some professionals. But…

There’s a blur on her face. This is a bigger problem than even censored ‘videos’ and ‘games’. Not that I even watch those. They give the second most significant pain increase, right after my dates. I’m getting off-topic here.

“I once had a teacher tell me. My acting was a bigger tease than censored hentai.”

She stands up and acts like she’s adjusting her eyeglasses.

“I can imagine a dick and pussy. Your face I cannot! Find a new career. No one likes censored hentai. No one will like your censored face!”

“Haha!”

That teacher was not a good instructor. Funny though.

“She even gave me my money back….”

“That teacher was pretty good.”

“Yeah… she was a wonderful teacher.”

“I was talking about her jokes.”

Her hands started hitting my shoulders. Damage was negligible.

“It has been a week. I have enjoyed your company.”

“Me too.”

I made the hospital extend my stay. Made up some excuses about the pain and they accepted it. Not gonna lie; I kinda wanted some pity points. Lucine visited me every morning. That guy Dewey and gramps, though…

I cannot wait to show them my shooting skills.

“It is quite amazing, though. How you can hide something so…”

She looks down at my groin area. She’s talking about my spear again.

“Yeah. Without it, I won’t be able to walk around without looking weird.”

“You bumped into me looking all weird, though.” Both of us laugh.

We’ve hit it off and gotten close. Our sense of humor is very similar as well.

“I’m also amazed at how you decided on your dream.”

It’s time to poke back at her. She scoots away, and I don’t let her move out. Moving closer to her and putting my arm around her shoulders.

“Can you say it again?”

“It was logical!”

“I know. I know.”

Her body slumps. It looks like she’s trying to hide.

“I’m amazed by your determination. Even with the world going against you! You stuck through it all and never forgot your dream!”

My hand thumps against my chest. I try to stare at her.

“We really have to thank that TV show and its writers. Even society and its expectations!”

“You are teasing me too much.”

“What was it again? The quote that helped you through the tough times!”

“Cel… eb… don… p….” It was hard to hear her, and she made her voice sound small on purpose.

“AGAIN!”

“CELEBRITIES DON’T POOP!”

“Let us forget about this. Okay?”

My laughter reaches the skies. I still can’t believe it. Made my day.

“I was four years old. I have never done number two in my whole life. My parents were anxious about it.”

“I have the same problem. But can’t you search for that? Also, that’s not the best part. Haha.”

It’s hard to breathe. I can’t stop laughing.

“You thought celebrities didn’t poop all this time? You only noticed it this year, hahaha!”

“Let us drop this, please!”

“You asked if idols were the same.”

She turned her back on me. I tap her on and apologize.

“Alright, sorry for you teasing you. I’m stopping.”

“We are even now.”

We’ve hung out together for quite a while now. How long has it been? A little over the week? It seems longer than that. It’s a fantastic experience. Not hiding anything from each other. Learning from one another. I feel close to her. I hope it’s not just me.

“We should meet up after. It was quite fun being with you, Atlas.”

She handed me her phone.

“Give me your number and email.”

With her phone in hand, I type my number and email.

“Thank you. Let me call you.”

I don’t give her back the phone.

“Can I have it back?”

I go down on one of my knees and look at her.

“Atlas?”

I tried to deny it, and it was too early. There are always unexpected things in life.

“I’ve enjoyed our time. I hope it’s not only me.”

This burning passion in my heart can no longer be stopped. Delay it? No. I can’t. 

I’m out of my mind. She was looking at me in silence. In my heart, I knew. Both of us felt the same. The time is now.

“A… are you really?” says Saori.

Inside my pocket, there’s a box. I take it and hold it tight in my hand.

“I may be out of mind. Saori.”

My bond. I found her. The words leave my mouth. All my hesitation dissipates. No second thoughts. This is just right.

“Will you marry me?”

“Wait… this is too fast!”

I look at her in silence.

“You kn—know we have time.”

Does she need more time? Was I too early? No.

“This is crazy!”

A pair of hands clasps mine. She goes down on her knees.

“Now we are on the same level… I really am crazy because I realize… The time is just right.”

We both hug each other. Hands join. Close.

Something deep within my soul moves. For a moment, my pain was gone.

“Yes! I love you!” says Saori.

“I love you too!” I say

We stay close. Our arms envelop each other. How long? I do not know.

…

..

.

We release our hug. I put the ring on her finger.

A simple gold ring with a small pattern.

A perfect fit.

Just right.

“Does this make me easy?”

Just right.