I stepped out of the bedroom, Bell's shallow breaths still lingering in my ears.
I had laid her down gently, but even in sleep her body trembled, as though she was bracing for a storm that had already passed.
Luna stood waiting, her expression unreadable.
"Is she alright?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
I nodded, then shook my head. "She's… not. She looks completely drained. I don't think she's slept or eaten since yesterday."
The words felt heavy, like jagged stones in my mouth. "Her face… it was like she had been crying for hours. Maybe longer."
I sank into the nearest chair, guilt pressing down on me like chains.
"But why? Why did this happen? Why… did I forget about Bell?"
The thought twisted my stomach into knots. She wasn't just someone I knew—she was a part of me. And somehow, I let her slip away.
I turned to Luna, desperate for clarity. "Do you know anything? Anything at all?"
She hesitated, her gaze falling to the floor. "I think I do… but I don't."
Her words were a puzzle missing half its pieces.
Frustration bubbled under my skin as I leaned forward. "That doesn't make sense. If you know something, please—just tell me."
Luna closed her eyes, her voice trembling. "The bond between you and Bell… it's weakening. I told you before—she's connected to you. But now… I can feel it unraveling."
My breath caught. "Why?"
The word tore out of me, raw and desperate. I needed an answer. Something to fix. Something to fight against.
But she only lowered her head, her whisper barely audible. "I… I don't know."
The silence that followed was suffocating. The room itself felt colder, emptier. The events of the day blurred together like a half-forgotten dream.
Why couldn't I see Bell? Why did I forget her? She wasn't just important—she was everything.
Luna finally stood, her voice steadier than before. "I should go. I'll look into everything I know so far. If anything strange happens… message me."
And then she was gone, leaving only the thick silence behind.
I returned to the bedroom.
Bell lay there, her chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths.
Even in sleep, tears clung to her lashes, fragile as crystal.
I sat beside her and gently took her hand—and she clutched my finger tightly.
Just like she used to when we walked together.
That single gesture shattered me.
My heart ached. My eyes burned. My mind screamed. Everything inside me wanted to break down.
It felt like if I left her side now, I would lose her forever.
I still don't know how I managed to calm her at school.
The moment I truly remembered her, when her presence returned to me—she broke.
She cried uncontrollably, and her sobs echoed through me like thunder.
I held her close, tighter than ever before, terrified.
Terrified of losing her again.
Terrified of the silence that might follow.
I patted Bell's head and promised her… no, I promised myself—that whatever happens, I will protect her.
Even if it costs others, even if it means I have to suffer—no matter what, I will protect her.
Leaving the room so she could sleep soundly, I sat at my study table.
I picked up my notebook and pen, and wrote down everything I knew, everything that had happened up till now.
Again and again, I wrote—but nothing came together. My head spun until it felt like splitting.
I sighed to myself.
"If Aisha was here… she would be able to help me. Wait… who?"
I froze at the name that had slipped from my tongue.
Aisha.
Who was she? And why did I know that Aisha held the answer to all of this?
I squeezed my eyes shut, struggling to remember.
But as the thought crystallized, my head began to throb with unbearable pain, as if it were about to burst.
And then—memories struck me, flooding in with a girl's voice painted in blue.
"It's good for you, Bell. See? Your Papa always takes good care of you."
"What about me? I helped too, didn't I? Won't you reward me as well?"
"Mm-hm. Don't forget my dark deluxe chocolate cake."
"You're too greedy. Always asking for things, never giving anything back."
When my mind snapped back to the present, my body moved before I realized it.
I bolted to the rooftop of my apartment.
And without hesitation—
—I jumped.
Closing my eyes against the wind, a grin tore across my lips.
I shouted into the night with absolute conviction.
"I know you're watching, Aisha! And I know… just like Bell, something must have happened to you, too! If you don't appear quietly, then I have no choice—!"
I took a deep breath, clutching at my chest, and roared with everything I had:
"Aisha… I wish—no… it wasn't just a wish. I want you! Please… save me!"
As I fell, my eyes snapped open—and there it was.
A purple mist rising from below, coiling around me.
From within the haze, a hand reached out.
Slowly, a figure emerged.
Aisha.
As my body plunged downward, I reached for her.
And when her hand clasped mine, the weight vanished.
Gravity lost its chains; my body became light.
With her by my side, we floated and landed safely.
"Are you really stupid?!" Aisha's voice was sharp, dripping with both anger and worry.
"How many times have I told you not to act recklessly? What would have happened if I hadn't come on time? You would've been dead already!"
"Pfft…" I chuckled—then broke into laughter.
"Hahaha… haha…"
"Why are you laughing like an idiot?" she huffed, glaring at me. "Geez. I swear, what if Bell learns that kind of reckless behavior from you? What then?"
I kept laughing, almost choking on the tide of emotions inside me.
"Haha… yeah… Thank you. Thank—"
My voice broke mid-sentence. My strength. My facade. Everything.
Aisha blinked, her expression softening. "Hey… are you—"
"Don't worry… it's just…"
I tried to wipe the tears from my eyes, but as soon as I touched them, more streamed down, unstoppable.
I laughed and sobbed at the same time, my voice cracked and broken.
"What… why… why doesn't it stop…?"
The dam I had buried for so long burst.
For years I had endured. Suffered. Alone.
But now—after nearly losing Bell, after realizing how close I was to forgetting her forever—I finally broke.
My knees gave out, and I collapsed, sobbing harder than I ever had, whispering thanks to God through the tears.
Seeing me like that, Aisha knelt and embraced me gently.
She ran her hand through my hair and whispered softly:
"It's alright. You don't have to bury your emotions anymore. I know it hurts, and it's been so tough… but don't forget—there are still people who believe in you. Who love you. For their sake… don't lose hope."
She held me tighter, her voice trembling with warmth.
"And just like the day we first met… just like every path of your hardship… I'll always be there for you. Not just as the witch you once called me… but as a friend. A true friend who will always help you—whenever you need."
Her words wrapped around me like light in the darkness.
For the first time in so long, I let my tears fall without stopping them.
And for the first time in so long—I believed.