Moonrise ✔ [Complete]

33 Heart (Part 1)

For the rest of the day, mortification forced Maeyune to avoid any encounter with the sun warrior. Not even the moon could provide her any comfort that evening.

Aerylis and Clover had noticed her silence at dinner, but she had feigned a reassuring smile. Meera had evaded dinner altogether. A disconnect with a friend only further creased the knot in Maeyune's stomach.

Maeyune now walked the facility halls alone, veering past any and all people in order to deter social interaction. It was easy for her to wear a demeanor of placidness. It was a facade that disguised the real turmoil inside.

Did I read the signs entirely wrong? she asked herself, biting the inside of her cheek. Was I imagining things with Reo?

She replayed their kiss for the hundredth time in her head, absently touching her fingertips to her lips. There had been a spark between them before she had made the move. There had to have been - she was sure of it.

And when their energies had touched, in the same way as when they had fought the Wobeck together, something bright inside her had come out from hiding. In those few seconds of her lifetime, she had felt more awake than ever.

It had been so long since she had last experienced such a tingling bliss. But even back then with Deiyu, it did not compare to the one shared with Reo.

Kissing Reo had felt so...right. At least, she thought it had been.

Her shoulders drooped, and her body heaved a depressing sigh. She had made a complete and utter fool of herself.

Had she kissed him wrong? Had he not liked it? Or...did he not feel the same way?

The memory of sensing his fear stung her mind. Is he afraid of me?

As she pressed a palm to her forehead, she heard the faintest chuckle and a familiar, warm voice in the back of her head.

It whispered, Soulmates.

The melodic voice and its word belonged to Trix.

Maeyune stilled, her mind whirling with further contemplation. Was that why she found herself so irrefutably attracted to Reo? Because she was under the impression that it was destiny?

She stopped in the corridor where she had chosen to perform her incessant pacing. Leaning against the wall, she covered her face with her hands and sighed again.

How am I supposed to face Reo now?

She lost track of how long she stood alone. Footsteps alerted her attention, and she noticed a group of lively celestials making their way down the hall. Fighting through her remorse, she gave them a friendly smile as they passed. Then, she started back toward her room to yell at herself some more.

It was too late when she came across the familiar, golden glow. She turned the corner of a hall and found him at the far end.

She was still too far for him to detect her presence. But he was not alone.