The sun dipped low over the Goddess Continent, painting the sky in gentle streaks of orange and violet. Lanterns began to flicker to life across the holy city, casting warm halos of light on cobblestone streets. The day's noise slowly softened into the quiet hum of evening prayers.
Xesre moved silently through the city's back streets, his cloak fluttering lightly in the evening breeze. His long blond hair shimmered faintly under the lantern light, and his sharp blue eyes scanned every corner. He wasn't wandering—he was calculating.
Too many people in the main roads. Easier to avoid attention here, he thought.I just need to keep moving.
The encounter with the girl earlier lingered faintly in his mind. Her golden eyes. Her voice. The way she stared at his ring like she'd known him all along.
She shouldn't remember me… They erased everything.
He shook his head slightly, dismissing the thought. Sentiment was dangerous. Sentiment got people killed.
Not far behind, Sakura Mizuki trailed him at a careful distance. Her white hair was tied up to avoid drawing attention, and she'd swapped her usual ceremonial robes for a plain cloak. Still, she couldn't hide her aura completely; people naturally gravitated toward her, even without realizing why.
Why am I doing this? she wondered.Why do I feel like if I let him vanish again, I'll regret it forever?
Her special eyes shimmered faintly in the dark. She watched his movements, his posture, even the way he avoided stepping on noisy ground. He wasn't just cautious—he moved like someone who'd been hunted for a long time.
He's… different.Dangerous. But not evil.
Eventually, Xesre reached the outskirts of the city. Beyond the holy walls stretched quiet fields and the dark silhouette of a forest, bathed in moonlight.
He stopped.His sharp eyes narrowed.
…I know you're there.
Sakura froze. She'd been careful, but not careful enough.
"You've been following me for a while now," he said without turning around. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it—like a blade hidden beneath silk.
She stepped out from the shadows, holding her hands up slightly.
"You noticed."
"Of course I did," he replied flatly. "Why?"
"Because…" she hesitated. Her heart pounded in her chest. Why am I here? Why can't I just walk away?
"Because I feel like I know you," she finally said. "And because that ring… it's not something I can ignore."
The black ring on his hand caught the moonlight, glinting faintly like a dark omen.
Xesre's expression didn't change.
"You're mistaken. I'm no one special."
"That's a lie," Sakura shot back, surprising even herself with the firmness in her voice. "I saw your eyes. I've seen that ring before. You may not remember me—but I'm sure we've met."
"I remember everything," he said sharply. "And I've never met you."
Sakura flinched at his tone, but she didn't back down.
"Then why… why does my heart feel like it's known you forever?"
For a moment, his gaze faltered. Just for a second.Then the mask returned.
"You should go home, Saintess," he said coldly, stepping toward the forest. "Some memories are better off forgotten."
"Wait!" she called out. "At least tell me your name!"
He stopped at the edge of the woods, his back still to her.
"…Xesre."
And then he disappeared into the trees, leaving her alone under the moonlight, his name echoing in her mind like a forgotten song.
Xesre… she repeated softly.
She didn't know why, but her heart wouldn't let her walk away.And so, Sakura Mizuki took her first step into the shadows—toward the boy cursed by time.