Aleria's eyes blazed with denial and fury. Her voice cracked as she shouted, raw with desperation:
"No! You're lying! Noah… he only cared for me ! I'm the one who mattered. Not you. Me!"
Ayumi stepped forward slowly, her voice steady, but there was fire behind it, a quiet, cutting truth.
"You're clinging to a past that's already gone, Aleria. You refuse to see what's right in front of you."
She turned, her hand brushing lightly against Noir's arm. Her voice sharpened, confident and cold.
"This boy standing here… he's my real and only love now. Yours is gone. Dead. "
Her eyes locked with Aleria's, unflinching.
"And the truth is… he only cares for me."
That final line cut deep. Aleria's whole body went rigid, her breath catching in her throat as rage surged behind her glassy eyes. She looked like she might explode. But before she could speak, Noir suddenly turned to Ayumi, his voice low, urgent:
"Ayumi...stop. Please."
His tone wasn't angry. It was full of fear. Pleading. Like he knew just how far those words had gone. And in Aleria's eyes… Something shattered. Aleria's breath hitched, her fists clenched tight. She glared at Noir, who stood quietly beside Ayumi.
"Noir? He's not Noah. He's not you."
Without hesitation, Ayumi stepped closer to Noir. She placed a hand gently on his arm, then leaned in and pressed a clear, deliberate kiss on his lips. Her eyes didn't leave Aleria's even as she did it.
The room fell completely silent.
Daiki looked away, jaw tight with discomfort. But as he turned, his eyes briefly met Aria's across the room. Her gaze caught his, and for a second, neither of them moved. Her cheeks flushed, a soft red blooming across her face.
And then… Daiki's own expression faltered, color rising faintly to his skin. He looked down quickly, clearing his throat, suddenly very interested in the floor.
Yona's eyes turned sharply to the far wall, unwilling to watch. But Aleria's gaze stayed locked on them..wide, stunned, filled with disbelief and a raw, growing pain.
Then...Snap.
Aleria lunged. She grabbed Ayumi's face and yanked her backward with terrifying strength.
"Get away from him!" she hissed, slamming Ayumi down onto the ground.
Ayumi hit the floor hard, wind knocked from her lungs. Before she could recover, Aleria was on top of her, fists pounding wildly, screaming in a fury that came from somewhere deeper than rage.
"You stole him! You STOLE him from me!"
"Aleria! Stop!" Noir shouted, rushing forward.
Aria stood, eyes wide in horror, and without thinking, she sprinted toward the chaos.
"Aleria..please!" she cried, reaching for her.
But Aleria spun and shoved her away with brutal force. Aria flew backward, crashing into the wall with a pained cry.
In that moment, the others moved. Noir and Yona grabbed Aleria from behind, trying to restrain her arms. She thrashed violently in their grip, tears pouring from her eyes, her screams cracking her voice.
"Noah! NOAH..NOAH, PLEASE!!"
Meanwhile, Daiki dropped to his knees beside Ayumi. Her lip was split, blood trickling down her chin, and a bruise was already blooming under her eye. She trembled, dazed, and shook her head slightly in answer to his unspoken question.
"Are you okay?" he asked, voice low, sharp with concern.
"…No," she whispered.
He gently slipped an arm around her back, helping her up. She winced, her legs unsteady. Daiki held her close, shielding her from the chaos. Behind them, Aleria screamed again.. louder this time. Desperate. Shattered. She no longer seemed aware of the others restraining her. She was screaming at the air, at the memory.
"NOAH..don't leave me again! Please! I'm still here!"
Her voice cracked into sobs. And for a long second, the room was filled with nothing but the sound of her heartbreak.
The corridor outside echoed with the sound of footsteps..rushed, urgent. A faint voice called out, barely audible over the sound of Aleria's sobs.
"…Aleria…?"
And then..
From the far end of the chamber, the heavy door slid open with a mechanical hiss. Lena stumbled through first, breathless, eyes wide at the sight before her.
Behind her, Diago stepped in slowly, his gaze scanning the chaotic scene..his eyes narrowing instantly as they landed on Noir holding the broken form of Aleria, Yona and Daiki nearby, blood and dust still hanging in the air like fog. But Lena didn't pause.
"Yona!" she cried, her voice breaking. She ran forward, tripping slightly as her legs buckled beneath her from exhaustion and fear, falling into his arms.
"Thank God… you're okay…"
Yona caught her, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist, steadying her. He pressed his hand gently against the back of her head, fingers moving through her hair as he whispered,
"I'm glad you're okay too, Lena."
She clung to him, burying her face into his chest. The tension in his body softened slightly as he held her. A few steps away, Diago had stopped walking. He stood stil..expression unreadable..as his eyes locked onto Daiki.
And Daiki… froze.
Their matching faces stared at one another across the room. For a moment, no words passed between them. Just the mutual realization..mirror images standing in the same space for the first time. Same frame. Same eyes. But where Diago stood tall, cold, and controlled… Daiki's stance was loose, guarded, edged with fire and unpredictability.
Daiki's eyes narrowed.
"…So you're him."
Diago's reply was quiet, firm.
"And you're me."
A beat passed..something unspoken settling between them. But the moment was broken by the sound of Aleria still crying..wracked, uncontrollable sobs as Noir continued to hold her, seated now on the floor, arms wrapped tightly around her trembling form.
She clung to his jacket like it was all that was left of reality, her tears soaking the fabric.
"Noah… please… don't let go… don't leave again…"
she whispered over and over, lost in a world of memory that had already crumbled.
Noir held her close, but his eyes were shadowed with sorrow. He didn't speak. He simply held her tighter, one hand gently smoothing her hair, his jaw clenched hard to keep from shaking.
The room remained hushed..too stunned to speak, too heavy to breathe..as each of them faced the fracture in front of them. Aleria's grief.
The twisted fates of the two Daikis. The pain Ayumi still bore quietly as Daiki supported her in his arms. And the truth none of them could avoid any longer: Not all of them would make it through this whole.
Noir held Aleria close, but his gaze wasn't on her..it was fixed on Ayumi. She stood a few steps away, her face shadowed with a storm of jealousy and pain, her eyes burning holes through him.
The sight of him cradling Aleria..his arms wrapped around her, comforting her with such tenderness..stung deeper than she could hide. Noir saw it. He understood. But he didn't let go.
He knew this was the only way to calm Aleria..to ground her through the spiraling collapse of her mind. There was a reason, a weight behind his actions, one he couldn't yet explain... not to her, not to anyone.
Their eyes met..just for a breath. Then, his lips moved, silently forming words only for Ayumi. No sound came out, but she caught the shape of them.
"Trust me."
Ayumi's jaw tightened. Her fists clenched at her sides. The jealousy and pain flickered into something colder. She looked away sharply, refusing to acknowledge the plea in his eyes.
Noir offered her a soft, strained smile..one only she could see. But Ayumi didn't return it. She turned her back on him, silent, her chest rising and falling in slow, bitter restraint.
A trace of sorrow passed over Noir's face. He looked down, exhaling through his nose, his expression tightening as if bracing against an unseen blow. One hand brushed against the side of his head, fingers lingering there for a moment..trying to steady himself..while the other remained wrapped around Aleria, who still clung to him like a lifeline.
And the room stayed hushed. Each of them frozen..cracked in ways words couldn't fix. The fracture between them was growing. And something deeper still was beginning to break.
After several long minutes, Aleria's sobs began to slow. Her body softened in Noir's arms, though her grip on him remained weak but clinging. He stayed still, gently rubbing her back, steady and quiet..until her breathing evened out, and her tears turned to faint, broken hiccups.
Across the room, Aria's gaze hadn't moved. She stood still, eyes flickering nervously toward Daiki. He noticed...Their eyes met.
Instantly, both their faces flushed red..Daiki looked away, flustered, rubbing the back of his neck. Aria hesitated for a moment, then, gathering her courage, took a deep breath and began walking toward him. Her steps were hesitant at first, but once she was only a breath away, Daiki looked at her fully, and his blush deepened.
Diago noticed, tilting his head slightly. Yona raised an eyebrow, lips curling into an amused smile. Noir glanced over and smiled faintly, catching the quiet tension unfolding.
Daiki darted a glance at the three of them watching and quickly looked back at Aria, almost pleadingly, as if hoping they wouldn't say anything.
Aria, avoiding eye contact now, spoke just loud enough for him to hear, her voice small and rushed,
"I need the…"
"What?" Daiki blinked, confused, leaning in slightly.
"I need to… bathroom…" she mumbled again, still not looking him directly in the eye.
Daiki scratched his head.
"But… you're identical, shouldn't you know..?"
"I know where it is," she cut him off quickly, grabbing his hand. Her cheeks were scarlet. "Just..come with me."
She tugged him along without waiting for a response, pulling him through the door with hurried steps. As the door shut behind them, Yona snorted lightly, shaking his head.
"Guys, be quick. We still have to leave."
Noir leaned his head back with a soft sigh, closing his eyes for a moment.
"It's quiet enough now," he said. "Let them have a few minutes. We could all use a breath."
Diago didn't say anything. He was still staring at the door, the smallest twitch of curiosity in his otherwise unreadable face. His arms were folded, his eyes unreadable, but something in the way he stood made it clear: he wasn't used to watching himself fall in love.
Yona chuckled softly and leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
"This day's been weird."
Noir's hand was still resting gently on Aleria's back, his eyes still toward the floor, but his thoughts were clearly far away. Something had shifted. And none of them yet understood where it would lead.
---------------------------
The hallway outside the room stretched long and quiet. Dim light filtered in from high windows, casting soft golden lines on the floor. Daiki followed Aria silently, her hand still wrapped around his, small and warm in his grasp.
They walked further than he expected..past corners, through corridors where no sound followed them. Then, suddenly, Aria stopped. Her fingers slipped from his hand.
Daiki blinked, confused. He glanced around, noticing the quiet emptiness of the hall.
"Huh?" He turned back to her. "What… what is it? Why did you stop here? I don't think the bathroom's anywhere near.."
"Kiss me," she said suddenly, cutting him off.
He froze. His eyes widened, heart stumbling.
"W..what?"
"Please," she whispered,
her voice barely audible, but her gaze didn't waver. Her wide, vulnerable eyes locked onto his, shimmering with emotion, with hesitation, with a quiet kind of courage.
Daiki's breath caught. He stared at her, at the way she looked at him, not with flirtation or mischief, but with something softer. Something more fragile. Her chest rose and fell in quiet rhythm, lips parted, waiting for him.
He stepped closer. Not with suddenness or boldness, but with care, with a kind of awe, like he was stepping into something he didn't fully understand but didn't want to break.
"Aria…" he murmured.
His hand lifted, slowly brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered at her jaw, gentle. Her skin was warm beneath his touch. His other hand found her waist, hesitant at first, but she didn't pull away. Her eyes fluttered closed.
And then, he leaned in..closing the space between them like a breath being drawn, and kissed her. Soft. Delicate. Like a secret passed between their lips.
There was no rush in it. No fire, no frenzy. Just warmth. Just connection. A kiss that said I see you, and you're safe here.His lips moved against hers with a reverent gentleness, as if afraid the moment might shatter if he breathed too hard.
Aria melted into him. Her hands found his chest, resting lightly against the fabric of his shirt, steadying herself not because she was weak..but because she felt everything all at once. When they parted, it was slow. Their foreheads rested together, eyes still closed, breathing each other in.
"I didn't think you felt the same," she whispered.
Daiki chuckled softly, voice shaking just a little.
"I didn't think you'd… ever ask."
Their smiles were quiet, shy, and full of things left unspoken.
Aria still had her forehead resting gently against his, her breath warm against his lips. Her cheeks were flushed, her hands clinging softly to the fabric of his shirt. Then, almost in a whisper, she spoke.
"Sorry, Daiki… I just couldn't hold it anymore."
Daiki's eyes searched hers, his expression melting into something warm, calm, and full of affection. He didn't pull away. Instead, he let his fingers glide along her cheek, brushing back a strand of her hair.
"Don't be sorry," he murmured. "Aria… I've wanted to kiss you since the first time your eyes locked with mine."
Her eyes widened slightly, a breath catching in her throat. She didn't move, only listened.
"I know a lot of bad things have happened," Daiki continued softly, his voice carrying both sadness and sincerity. "We didn't get a chance… not really. No real moments, no time to just be with each other."
He paused, gazing at her as if memorizing every detail.
"But when we go back..when this is over..I promise…" His hand slid down to hold hers gently, "I'll make it up to you."
Aria's breath hitched again, but her eyes glistened with something different now. Hope. Emotion. She pressed closer, heart against his, her head nestling into the crook of his neck.
"I don't want to run from this," Daiki whispered into her hair. "Not anymore."
His arms tightened gently around her, holding her like she was something precious.
"You're not just someone I want to protect, Aria… you're someone I want to be with. Really be with."
Aria smiled through the mist in her eyes and wrapped her arms around him fully, resting there in the comfort of his words and warmth.
For that quiet moment, the world faded away, and all that remained was the promise between them, glowing gently in the silence.
To be continue ..