Honesty

A soft sigh resounded under the moonlight. 

Mark looked at the young woman accusingly. 

"Hm?" 

She covered her face with one hand and shook it in disappointment. 

"Ah, nothing. I thought you were going to say something else." 

'Heh' 

Mark smirked at her dispirited expression. 

"Sorry for not meeting your expectations. But I would like you to answer my question." 

After removing her hand from her face, the bizarre brunette smiled while wistfully gazing forward.

Her eyes shone in a bold hue.

"Yes, I am a Blessed." 

She looked at Mark intently.

"It should be obvious. After all, you have been constantly experiencing my ability."

He pondered for a moment.

"Your name?"

The brunette nodded. 

"But that's-"

"A useless ability. It has created more problems than benefits since it started taking effect."

'...Damn.' 

As much as Mark doubted that such an ability existed, the facts were laid out before him. He knew that the woman had told him names countless times, yet all of them seemed out of his reach. It felt like her identity was concealed by a fog. It was so close, but nothing came to mind. 

"How do you deal with it? Isn't there some way to overcome the ability?"

She shook her head. 

"There is no method to fully fix it, but it can still be fought against. For example... I could have you memorize my name by instinct." 

"Then why don't you?" 

"Because I find it fun to be called by a bunch of different names. Like Cattleya!" 

Mark chuckled. 

"At least you seem to be used to it." 

Cattleya beamed at him. Her expression then turned calm as her moonlit eyes reflected on distant times. 

"When I first got the ability, it truly was a mystifying experience. The people closest to me- my family- at first took it for granted. I did too, it seemed like an amusing chain of coincidences."

Mark felt a tugging sensation on his shoulder. He was gently being pulled next to her. 

"But as time went on, they became increasingly worried. At that point, the truth had already become apparent to me. My friends couldn't remember my name, nor my teachers; not a single person I knew. It was like my identity had vanished into thin air. Only I could recall it." 

Her voice was tinged with remorse. Mark could understand how she felt. Though he was never forgotten, the idea of having something dear to him slip away was something he could emphasize with. 

While she had to watch as everyone close to her forgot her name, he witnessed his family fall apart. They both were powerless before the process. Trying to fight it would be as futile as trying to carry water with one's hands- it simply slips away despite all efforts.

Only with acceptance and creativity could one adapt.

She continued, her silky strands of caramel hair now lying on Mark's back. 

"It felt weird to have people suddenly call me with such distance, but it wasn't all too bad. Especially when people tried to ask me out, watching them realize that they didn't know my name and struggle to remember it. Their expressions were comical." 

Her eyes glistened with tolerance and satisfaction. Mark felt the warmth from her body as she held him close. 

"And it suddenly clicked. People knew me not by name, but by my actions, my qualities- everything else. At that point, my name felt like a dusty relic; it was nice to remember and reminisce, but otherwise didn't matter. I was then able to fully accept my ability."

She radiantly smiled at Mark. Their faces were close enough for him to feel the warmth of her breath. Perhaps he was absorbed in her speech, but only now did he realize how tightly together they were.

An arduous sensation erupted in him, he felt his mind clouded by a rash elation. 

'Too close!' 

Mark moved to the side, creating a bit of distance from the alluring woman. He silently took a few breaths as he regained his poise. 

Like a pond, calm returned to his mind and heart, clear and without ripples. 

"And what about you?" 

"Huh?" 

"Are you also a Blessed?" 

He trembled. Not knowing how he should respond. Even though he had asked the question to her, Mark himself was unable to answer it with the same confidence she had. It was how he lived, how he survived. If the government were to find him and witness his ability, he would be sent to the frontlines immediately. 

Fog covered the moon once more, its iridescent illumination coming to a halt as the city was bathed in darkness. 

And yet, he could still see the enchanting maiden beside him, her innocent eyes locked onto his face. 

To anyone else, he would have instantly lied while manipulating their emotions to make himself seem believable. Yet for her... it felt like a war had erupted in his body. His mind was trying to suppress the truth, and his heart was struggling to pump it out.

An incorporeal heaviness seemed to be pushing him to talk. 

"Yes... I am." 

She lightly laughed. Her melodic voice swept through the streets. 

"It became pretty obvious after that pause." 

Mark felt his cheeks burn.

"I could just be trying to impress you!" 

"And with what ability would you be trying to do that?"

He held his chin high as he replied with feigned pompousness.

"Utterly overwhelming charisma!" 

It was the truth. He could definitely mimic such an effect by manipulating people's emotions. However, he wasn't just about to reveal his ability to exploit. It might create unnecessary doubt in her mind. 

"Ugh-" 

The brunette elbowed him in the ribs. Mark was driven back a few steps, almost tripping as he entered the streets.

"Are you trying to show off? What kind of ability is that? It's so much better than mine!" 

"Hahah- but you already have an outstanding allure." 

Mark said that earnestly. From his short yet meaningful time with her, he could tell that she had both the looks and personality to be well-liked and respected by everyone around her. 

"Ah, I guess so..." 

From her tone it seems she cheered up a bit. 

"...Could you please come back, I don't think I can walk by myself anymore" 

'Oh right, she's drunk.' 

Mark took her arm, and they continued their midnight journey. 

Time seemed to fly as the two eventually found their way under the starless sky. 

"Here." 

Amidst a conversation, she pointed to her right. A large house outlined itself as they approached the door. 

Mark knocked on it. Shortly after, he heard dreadfully heavy footsteps approach. 

A muscular, intimidating man- even more so than Royce, opened the door. A domineering voice reverberated through the street.

"You better have a good fucking explanation for why you're out so late!" 

'Oh shit.'

Mark realized, just now, that holding someone's drunk daughter might not make for the best appearance.

He immediately tried to placate the old man, holding on to a thread of hope that he might be able to avoid getting beat up. 

The man at the door swept his gaze, looking at his daughter first, then at Mark. Upon seeing the man's riotous red eyes focus on him, he immediately bowed, his body making a perfect right angle. 

"I'm so sorry sir please have mercy I beg of you I accept all responsibility please don't kill me!"

He breathed in. 

"Please forgive me!" 

Mark heard euphonious laughter beside him. 

'You careless drunk! This is all your fault!' 

He clenched his fist, his eye twitching a few times as the expression on his face soured. Luckily there was not enough light to make out his feint movements. 

And then, a commandeering voice resounded above him.

"Explain yourself." 

Mark cleared his throat.

"Despite all my efforts to stop her, your daughter downed 10- maybe even 20 shots of alcohol! Now I'm no heartless scoundrel, of course I had to look after her after she fell unconscious in the bar. Then she asked me to walk her home... So here we are!"

To Mark's relief, understanding seemed to dawn on the old man's face as he vaguely recanted the prior events of the night. 

The old man sighed as his daughter left Mark's side. 

"It seems my daughter did something reckless again, but she has good senses when it comes to trusting people. Thank you." 

"Please, it's the least I can do." 

Mark looked back.

A dark sky and a pitch-black city awaited him. Who knew how many gangs were roaming around in the nocturnal streets? The worst part is that he had no idea where he was. 

Worry engulfed him as he began to frown. 

'Looks like it's going to be a rough night." 

He turned around and prepared to walk into the shadow-cast streets. 

With each step he took, a sense of unease permeated him. The young man may have walked home past curfew before but never had to do so when lost.

The prospect of wandering around the lightless city was truly daunting.

"Wait." 

Mark paused and turned about once more. He saw the nameless girl smiling, her father by her side. Thoughtfulness lined the old man's face as he appraised Mark once more. 

"Unless you live right next to us, you will probably end up lost or beaten if you try to go home." 

He paused. 

"As an apology for the troubles my daughter caused you, would you like to stay here for the night?"