⚠️ ADULT STORY - Magical Realism
In the quiet, lantern-lit streets of Matsushima, Sharva stumbles upon a small ramen shop hidden between towering buildings. Hungry and desperate for warmth, he steps inside-only to be captivated by Aika, the enigmati...
After that night, everything changed. Guilt pressed against his chest, heavy and unyielding, like waves pounding against a crumbling shore. Aika had bared her soul to him, exposing the deepest scars of her past, the fragile pieces she rarely shared with anyone. But him? He remained shrouded in shadows, his secrets locked tightly away. How could he tell her? How could he admit that it was his parents—his bloodline—that had destroyed her kingdom?
The thought twisted like a dagger in his chest, the guilt an ache that grew sharper with every heartbeat. Should he tell her? Could he risk breaking her heart? Or was it kinder to shield her from a truth that could tear them apart? He loved her with every fiber of his being, loved her so fiercely it frightened him. And he knew—oh, he knew—she loved him just as deeply. But would that love survive the revelation that he was the last Blue Dragon prince, the heir to the lineage that had shattered her world?
The fear of losing her was a noose around his neck, tightening with every passing day. He couldn't face the possibility of her walking away, her love turning into hatred. The memory of almost losing her once was a wound that had never fully healed. He couldn't go through that agony again.
Their days settled into a quiet rhythm, fragile yet comforting. Aika worked from home, filling their small apartment with warmth and the scent of her cooking, while he managed their modest fish shop. It wasn't much, but it was a life he cherished—a fleeting sanctuary from the chaos of the outside world.
But that peace crumbled one fateful afternoon.
The phone call came while he was at the shop, its shrill ring cutting through the low hum of daily business. He answered, and his world shattered.
Aika was in the hospital. Someone had tried to take her—kidnap her—but their neighbor had intervened. The kind, selfless man had given his life to save hers.
His hands trembled as he hung up the phone, his mind spiraling. Customers stared as he bolted from the shop, his feet pounding against the pavement. He ran faster than he ever thought possible, the burn in his lungs and the fire in his legs nothing compared to the searing panic coursing through him. The flashing lights of police cars and the wail of sirens blurred together in the distance, but none of it mattered. Nothing mattered except Aika.
When he turned the corner onto their street, the scene hit him like a blow to the chest. Police tape crisscrossed the building's entrance, a grim reminder of the violence that had unfolded. Officers spoke in hushed tones to bystanders, their faces solemn.
And then, he heard her name. Softly spoken by an officer. A confirmation of his worst fear.
Aika had been taken to the hospital.
His breath came in ragged gasps as he pushed past anyone in his way, his feet moving with a desperate urgency. The hospital loomed ahead, cold and imposing. He barely paused to demand directions, his voice hoarse with fear. The nurse led him through a maze of sterile hallways, the antiseptic tang clinging to his senses and twisting his stomach.
At last, he reached her room, and the sight before him nearly brought him to his knees.
Aika lay still on the hospital bed, her face marked with bruises, her skin pale as moonlight against the stark white sheets. She looked so fragile, so heartbreakingly vulnerable, like a porcelain doll that had been carelessly shattered.
His breath hitched, and a storm of emotions crashed over him—fear, sorrow, and a rage so fierce it threatened to consume him. The fury burned hot, clawing at his restraint, as though the beast within him—the dragon he had kept chained for so long—was awakening.
The air around him seemed to thrum, heavy with an invisible force. His fists clenched at his sides, his nails biting into his palms until blood welled. The fire in his veins surged, molten and unyielding, as the dragon stirred, roaring for release. He wanted vengeance. He wanted to find the ones who had dared to harm her and make them pay. To raze the world if it meant keeping her safe.
But he couldn't lose control. Not here. Not now.
He squeezed his eyes shut, forcing the beast back into its cage. It fought him, its chains groaning and rattling, but he held firm. Aika didn't need the monster. She needed *him*. The man who loved her. The man who had sworn to protect her, no matter the cost.
And then, through the roaring storm of his fury, he heard it. Her voice.
"... Don't... don't leave me..."
The faint, broken whisper sliced through the chaos, grounding him in an instant. His eyes snapped open, and he moved to her side, dropping to his knees. His hands trembled as he reached out, his touch impossibly gentle against her battered face.
Her lips moved again, her voice barely audible. "Don't... leave me..."
Tears burned his eyes, but he blinked them away, leaning closer. "I'm here," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm not going anywhere."
Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused but filled with relief. A trembling hand reached for him, and he clasped it tightly, as though she were the only thing keeping him tethered to reality.
"I'll never leave you," he vowed, his voice steady despite the turmoil within. "I'll always protect you."
The fire in his chest dimmed, its rage subdued but not extinguished. The dragon's chains held—for now. But as he sat by her side, watching over her fragile form, he made a silent promise.
If they ever came for her again, if they dared to harm her even once more...
There would be no holding it back.
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