Chapter 7

Celestia woke up with a gasp, her chest rising and falling rapidly. The morning light had enveloped the room, but her heart was still clouded by the strange dream she had just had.

She turned to the side, but the bed was empty. Lean was not there.

For a moment, Celestia blinked, trying to comprehend what had just happened. The dream had felt so real—the secret cave, the glowing pool, the mysterious voice that said they had met in a past life.

Before she could think about it any further, however, the sound of the door opening jolted her awake.

Celestia turned, and in the doorway, Lean appeared with a shopping bag in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. A small smile spread across his face when he saw that Celestia was awake.

"Are you awake?" he asked casually, stepping into the room. "I bought some food and—oh, this is for you."

Lean held up the bouquet, handing it to Celestia. The flowers were soft colors—white, blue, and a little purple, as if depicting a calm ocean. The petals looked so fresh, with a faint pleasant scent.

Celestia was still a little surprised, but slowly accepted the bouquet. "For me?"

Lean nodded as he placed his shopping bag on the small table. "I saw these on the street and for some reason… I immediately thought they would suit you."

Celestia's heart beat faster for no apparent reason. She stared at the flowers with an indescribable feeling.

"Lean…" she finally spoke, her voice a little soft. "I just had a strange dream."

Lean looked at her, his expression changing slightly. "A dream?"

Celestia nodded, her fingers still gripping the stems of the flowers tightly. "I dreamed that I found a secret cave in this house, with a pool of light. Inside, I saw my reflection… and someone who looked like you. Then, there was a voice that said that we had met in a past life."

Lean fell silent. His eyes stared at Celestia with an indecipherable look.

After a while, he sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, right next to Celestia. "Hey, it's just a dream, don't mind it. Let's eat and maybe go for a walk together later, what do you think?

Celestia turned to him, curious about the gentle expression that now adorned the man's face. "Okay. But I want to try the crepes again like at the previous festival."

Lean looked at her, chuckling and stroking her hair. "You can do it, princess."

Lean looked at Celestia who looked confused. He lifted the fresh fish he had just bought, then placed it on the kitchen table along with a sharp knife that had caught Celestia's attention.

"This is called a knife," Lean said as he casually took the object. "It's used for cutting food, not for fighting."

Celestia stared at the knife warily. "I don't understand. Why do you have to cut the fish? Can't we just eat it like that?"

Lean held back a laugh. "We can, if you want to eat raw fish. But I'll cook it to make it tastier."

Celestia still looked confused, but she nodded slowly. "Okay, I trust you."

Lean got to work, deftly cleaning the fish, slicing it, and preparing a simple seasoning. Celestia sat at the kitchen table, watching him with interest.

"Do you often make this dish?" she asked.

Lean nodded. "Yes, it's one of my favorites. Do you want to try cooking it too?"

Celestia seemed to think for a moment before finally shaking her head. "I'm afraid to ruin it. I've never done this before."

Lean smiled warmly. "No problem, I can teach you. You just have to try."

He took a small piece of seasoning and handed it to Celestia. "Try sprinkling this on the fish."

Celestia took the seasoning carefully, then sprinkled it according to Lean's instructions. When she saw how easy it was, she smiled slightly. "It's not that hard."

Lean chuckled. "Of course not. But what makes food delicious is not just the technique, but also the heart that cooks it."

Celestia looked at him, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "The heart that cooks? That sounds like magic."

Lean smiled faintly. "Maybe so."

Soon, a delicious aroma began to fill the kitchen. Celestia closed her eyes, enjoying the strange yet inviting scent.

"This smells amazing…" she said in awe.

Lean took a plate and served the cooked fish. "Alright, princess, breakfast is ready."

Celestia chuckled. "Thank you, Chef Lean."

They began to eat together, and Celestia immediately felt a different warmth in her heart.

This world, with all its strangeness, began to feel more beautiful in her eyes. And Lean… was part of that beauty.

Celestia carefully put a piece of fish into her mouth. As the soft and savory taste touched her tongue, her eyes widened.

"This… is really delicious, I swear!" she said with an expression full of admiration.

Lean smiled contentedly as he leaned back in his chair. "I told you, didn't I? Food made with the heart tastes better."

Celestia nodded slowly, still savoring the taste of the food in her mouth. She never realized that food could have so many different flavors. In her previous world, she had never really eaten like a human—only felt the essence of the ocean flowing through her.

"Do you like it?" Lean asked, looking at her expectantly.

Celestia put down her chopsticks and looked at him earnestly. "Not only do I like it, this is one of the most amazing things I've ever tried."

Lean chuckled. "I'm glad to hear that. But be careful, you might get addicted to human food."

Celestia smiled. "Maybe that's not a bad thing."

They continued eating in a calm and comfortable atmosphere. Celestia occasionally glanced at Lean as he enjoyed his food leisurely. There was something calming about this togetherness—something she couldn't quite put into words.

When they were done eating, Lean started to clear the table, but Celestia held him back.

"Let me help you," she said.

Lean raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? You don't even know what a knife is."

Celestia pouted, but then giggled. "I may not know much about this world, but I can learn."

Lean smiled warmly. "Okay, then, you can start by washing the dishes."

Celestia nodded eagerly and followed Lean to the sink. However, as soon as she put her hand in the soapy water, she was shocked.

"Why is the water like this?" she asked, looking at Lean in confusion.

Lean laughed. "It's soap. It'll help clean the dishes."

Celestia still looked hesitant, but she tried scrubbing the dishes like Lean did. It took a few tries before she finally got it right.

Lean watched her with a small smile. "You're a fast learner."

Celestia glanced at him proudly. "Of course. I'm smart."

Lean laughed softly. "A sea goddess who is now a girl can wash dishes."

Celestia laughed softly. For the first time since she came to this world, she felt… normal. Not as a divine entity far removed from the mortal world, but as someone who could enjoy the little things with others.

When they were done, Celestia dried her hands and looked up at Lean. "Thank you, Lean."

"For what?"

"For giving me this experience. For letting me see the world from a different perspective."

"Anytime you want, Celestia. This world still has so much for you to explore."

Celestia's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Then… show me more."

Lean nodded. "With pleasure."

On that bright morning, in the small, humble kitchen, something deeper began to grow between them—something no longer just curiosity, but something that could be more.