There wasn't much time yet Emma decided to take a power nap of an hour. She was, naturally, quite tired. Not only because of the battle yesterday, but also because she didn't sleep a wink last night. And not also on the train since well…she has some problems with being constantly moving.

But now that she knew that William was safe, her body started protesting, asking for some rest.

'Well, tonight, there is no stopping me from taking a long slumber,' The silver head muttered as she stepped out of the bathroom, freshly bathed.

Her eyes were no longer puffy, thankfully, and the drowsiness had vanished because of the cold water.

She looked at her uniform which was neatly resting on the bed.

She first wore her underwear, picking a blue set for today, before sliding the white shirt over her shoulders and buttoning it up.

Then came the dark blue skirt that reached her knees. It had a white streak tracing the edge and neat plaits made it look refined and adorable at the same time.

She loved her uniform.

Tying a dark blue bow on her collar, she pulled the cardigan since it wasn't cold outside.

Checking herself in the mirror, she gave a firm nod of approval.

Then came her hair.

She had already dried it enough to tie it in a bun and add a dark red hairclip to it, to add a little charm.

She didn't use to focus on such small things. For her, wearing clothes was just a necessity. Things like accessories and make up was far from Emma's focus.

However, things have changed recently.

Now, she wanted to be complimented. To make a certain someone mesmerized by her. And she was shameless about it.

She never thought that someone's opinion would matter so much for her, and now that she was at this stage, she felt no remorse, just a gentle flutter of her heart.

'I should get going.' It was already time and there was a high chance that William might not be ready. He never appeared to have any interest in this opening ceremony.

That's why Emma intended to knock on his door and remind him of the importance of this ceremony.

But the moment she opened the door, she froze — he was already there.

With his back resting casually against a tree and his hands tucked into his pockets, he looked effortlessly charming. His ruby-red eyes were fixed on the ground, his brows slightly tense, carrying an air of quiet thoughtfulness.

Emma took a moment to admire him — the man who belonged to her. She never imagined there would come a day when she'd be the one standing still, simply appreciating someone's beauty.

But love changes people.

"Did I make you wait?" she asked as she approached.

William flinched slightly. That alone told her he hadn't sensed her coming — a rare thing, and a sign that his mind was far away.

"Just arrived," he replied softly, stepping closer to take her hand. "Shall we go? I don't want to hear that baldy scolding us again for being late." he sounded like usual but there was a slight rush in his voice.

Emma tilted her head with a faint smile. "Have the others already left?"

He nodded, prompting a quiet sigh from her. "Such enthusiasm… well, let's go."

William chuckled at her tone. "How did your father react when he heard about your inclusion in the contest? I can only imagine my pops throwing a party once he had gotten the notice of my participation in the contest."

Emma smiled faintly. "He already congratulated me when I visited him a few weeks ago. The chosen ones weren't even announced then."

William grinned. "So he must've been pretty confident in his daughter." Then his brows furrowed. "Wait… that was the same time I got dragged into Kevin's group, wasn't it?"

Emma's smile faded as she nodded. "Yes. The reason Kevin could involve you in that mess was because I wasn't around." she was regretful that she left but at the same time, it was quite important.

William hummed quietly. He didn't show much reaction, but the memory wasn't pleasant. Kevin had endangered his life by taking him to that cursed mine. Yet William blamed himself more than anyone else — for not being strong enough back then.

Still, that didn't erase the grudge. He hadn't forgotten, nor forgiven. He simply chose to wait for the right time.

But there was something else he wanted to know more than revenge.

"Did you visit your father to ask about me? About my curse?"

Emma didn't hesitate. "Yes. As much as people praise me for my knowledge, there's still so much I don't understand. The curse you carry… I couldn't tell what it was, what its origin might be. So I turned to the one person I trust most — my father."

William sighed, attempting to lighten the air. "There goes my reputation in his eyes."

Emma giggled softly. "Don't worry. Father won't judge you for something like that."

William smiled. "So… what did he say?"

Ever since that encounter in the bathroom — that blood-soaked being, those cryptic words — he hadn't stopped thinking. It wasn't the first time he questioned who or what he was, but that night had stirred something in him again.

He was, once again, curious to know what exactly makes him different.

Emma's tone grew serious as she recounted what she had learned. "It's an ancient curse. I don't remember its exact name, but long ago, it was used to restrain creatures from Hell. The more they tried to break free, the stronger the curse tightened. It drained their strength slowly until nothing was left."

William rubbed his neck. "That explains a lot. Sometimes I still feel something… tightening around my throat."

Emma's expression darkened with concern. "Do you have trouble sleeping?"

He shrugged, trying to sound casual. "Nah, it's nothing—"

"William." Her voice grew firm, yet soft — filled with trust. "I believe you trust me. So please, don't hide it."

William let out a slow breath. "Yeah… sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat. My neck's covered in red marks."

Emma's eyes widened. "Does that thing still linger?"

He shook his head. "No. I've tried… to end myself before…choke myself to death. The curse wouldn't let me. These marks—" he smiled bitterly, "—they're just old habits."

Emma froze where she stood, her face turning pale.

William rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "See? That's why I didn't want to tell you."

She couldn't speak right away. The thought of him suffering like that — alone, night after night — made her chest tighten painfully.

All this time, when she thought of him as a minor villain, he had been fighting unseen chains, trapped and tormented by something far beyond his control. He wasn't cruel by choice — he had simply been cornered.

And when pain becomes unbearable, even death starts to feel like mercy.

Without a word, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.

Pulling him close, she pressed his head against her shoulder and whispered, trembling, "I'm sorry for being late."

William didn't reply. He simply stood there, eyes closed, listening to the sound of her heartbeat. The walls around his emotions began to crumble — just as they always did when she was near.

Emma had that effect on him. She didn't need to say much; her warmth alone was enough to reach the parts of him he had buried deep.

He never blamed her for his pain. She hadn't caused it, nor could she have known. Yet here she was, feeling guilty for not being there sooner — for not sharing his suffering before she even knew it existed.

It was strange, finding comfort in someone who wasn't family. Someone who had entered his life only weeks ago, yet already felt irreplaceable.

She had become the pillar he never asked for — but now, he couldn't imagine standing without her.

"Are you feeling better now?" Emma asked softly after a minute of silence.

William chuckled faintly. "I should be the one asking that. Are you okay?"

Emma's shoulders drooped. "I'd be lying if I said yes. After hearing what you went through…" she trailed off, unable to finish. Her eyes lifted to meet his. "If you ever feel suffocated again, or haunted by those nightmares… if you need someone to lean on — call me. No matter what's happening, no matter where we are. Even if the world is burning or we've just won our greatest victory — if you feel lost, I want my name to be the first one you say. Understood?"

William's lips curved into a helpless grin. He gave a small nod. "I understand."

She smiled faintly, her eyes glistening, and for a moment the world around them felt still — just two souls sharing a quiet promise.

°°°°°°°°°°

A/N: Getting a partner like her… haah~

Please leave a review and comment to motivate me and help the future readers

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.