John's fingers tightened around Nyx's hand as he prepared to activate the teleportation rune. His heart was heavy, weighed down by the sight of Yumina and the little boy he had mistaken as her son. The words he whispered—Sorry, Yumina… I let you down—still lingered in the air.
The rune began to glow faintly, light curling around his body like threads of escape. But then—
"...John?"
The voice was soft yet sharp, trembling with disbelief.
His body froze. The rune's glow faltered.
That voice… he knew it better than anyone. Slowly, unwillingly, John turned around.
There, only ten meters away, stood Yumina.
Her golden hair shimmered under the setting sun, her mismatched eyes fixed on him. But they no longer held the pure warmth he remembered. Instead, they were stormy, a mix of shock, pain, anger… and something deeper he couldn't name.
"Yumina…" John's lips parted, but no words followed.
Nyx glanced between them, sensing the invisible tension that made the air heavy. She took a step back, fading silently into the background, leaving them alone. But felt unwilling deep in her heart.
---
Without saying anything else, yumina walked into distance followed by john right behind her. Arriving at a quieter place, yumina turn around to face john once again.
A small stone courtyard, surrounded by tall hedges. The noise of the palace, the laughter of servants, the clatter of hooves—it was all gone. Only silence remained, broken by the sharp rhythm of Yumina's breathing.
She looked at him, and for a long moment, said nothing.
Then her voice broke the silence.
"Why, John? Why didn't you come sooner?"
Her words struck like blades.
John lowered his gaze, unable to meet her eyes. His lips pressed together.
"You promised me," Yumina continued, her voice rising, trembling. "You promised you would come back! You promised you would take me with you. Do you have any idea how long I waited? Every day, every night… wondering if you were alive, wondering if you had forgotten me!"
Her words cracked into sobs of anger. "I cursed you! I hated you! And still… I hoped. Do you know how cruel that is, John?"
John stood silent, his fists clenched at his sides.
Yumina's tears glistened in her golden-blue eyes. "I was a fool, wasn't I? Believing in you… waiting… while you lived freely somewhere else."
Something inside John snapped.
His voice, low but burning with suppressed anger, finally broke the silence.
"Then why didn't you wait a little longer?" His words came like thunder. "You think I didn't fight? You think I didn't bleed to come back here? You think I forgot you?"
He stepped closer, his eyes blazing. "I promised you, Yumina! And I kept walking forward because of that promise! Every day, your face was in my mind. Every moment, I held onto the thought of you and Alsie. Do you think it was easy for me?"
His voice cracked, raw with emotion. "I wanted nothing more than to come back. And yet… you tell me I should have come sooner? As if I had the choice?"
Yumina flinched, tears rolling freely now. She wanted to answer, but words tangled in her throat.
Silence fell again, heavy and suffocating.
---
Finally, John exhaled, his anger draining into something softer—something painful. His eyes flickered back to the image of the boy he had seen earlier.
"I saw him," John whispered. "That child… He looked like you. I thought—" His voice faltered. "I thought you had moved on."
For a heartbeat, Yumina just stared at him. Then, as if struck by lightning, she blinked and let out a shaky laugh.
"You… you thought James was my son?"
John's breath caught. His heart stumbled.
"James," Yumina said softly, wiping her tears, "is my little brother. My parents had him years after you left. He's only five."
John's world tilted. His chest tightened, a mess of relief, shame, and disbelief swirling all at once.
His knees nearly gave out. "Your… brother?"
Yumina's eyes softened, though still glistening with anger. "Yes. My brother. You really thought…" She shook her head, half-bitter, half-amused.
John pressed a hand to his forehead, closing his eyes. "I'm… such a fool."
When he looked at her again, his voice was hoarse. "Yumina, I'm sorry. I truly… I'm sorry. I doubted you, even for a moment. I let my fears cloud everything."
Yumina looked away, arms crossed. "Do you think an apology is enough after making me wait all these years?"
But John didn't stop. He stepped closer, his voice gentle, almost pleading. "I can't erase the pain I caused you. But I came back, Yumina. I'm here now. And if you let me, I'll never leave you again."
Her eyes wavered. She bit her lip, torn.
His persistence, his raw sincerity—it melted her defenses, little by little.
Finally, with a heavy sigh, she whispered, " it's not your fault."
And though she turned her face away, John caught the faintest hint of a smile.
Forgiveness—fragile, but real—had begun.
---
Later, John was brought before Yumina's parents.
The king and queen regarded him with cold eyes, their expressions a mix of disappointment and reproach. Little James clung shyly to his mother's dress, peeking curiously at John.
"So," the king said, his voice heavy, "you finally return."
John bowed deeply, his face solemn. "Your Majesty. I know I have no excuse for my absence. But I ask for your forgiveness. Circumstances beyond my control kept me away."
The queen's eyes narrowed. "Do you expect us to believe such words so easily?"
John didn't flinch. "No. But I hope, in time, my actions will prove my sincerity."
For a long while, tension hung thick in the air. But as the conversation continued, John's earnest tone and small explanations began to soften their anger.
When Yumina, sitting beside him, suddenly smiled—a smile bright and radiant, the first her parents had seen in years—their hearts eased.
The queen exchanged a glance with the king, and slowly, their expressions softened.
"It has been so long since she smiled like this," the queen murmured quietly.
And just like that, the atmosphere shifted.
---
Later, when John and Yumina found a quiet moment together, his thoughts turned to someone else.
"What about Alsie?" John asked gently. "Where is she?"
Yumina's smile faded, her eyes turning distant. "She isn't here anymore. She went with her sister, Lindsey, to another world."
"Another world?" John's brows furrowed.
"Yes," Yumina nodded softly. "Lindsey was pregnant. Alsie went to be with her. I also wanted to accompany her but she forced me to stay so that if you came back. There will be someone present here."
John fell silent, then exhaled slowly. "I see…"
After a pause, determination flickered in his eyes. "Then let's go to her. I want to see her too."
But Yumina shook her head, her gaze tinged with regret. "We can't. Only Touya has the ability to travel to that world. For us… it's impossible."
John's fists tightened slightly at his sides. But then he released a slow breath, calming himself.
"Then I'll wait," he said firmly. "No matter how long it takes. Just as I came back for you, Yumina… I'll come back for Alsie aswell."
For the first time in years, Yumina's eyes softened fully. She looked at him—not with anger, not with bitterness, but with quiet faith.
"John…" she whispered.