A PROMISE(2)

The next day, Yana was in her room, wearing a stylish dress made of soft fabric that flowed gently over her small body. The dress was decorated with layers of rippling fabric that stacked on top of one another, giving it a magical touch, resembling the overlapping waves of the sea. Its color reflected the clarity of the sky before sunset, a mix of light blue and pale pink, which enhanced her delicacy and innocence.

The short sleeves were adorned with delicate lace edges, while the dress flowed gracefully down to her knees, swaying with every step she took. A thin silk belt wrapped around her waist, accentuating her slender figure in an elegant way. Her hair was left to fall freely over her shoulders, with wavy strands that added to her charm.

Yana stood in front of the mirror, nervously braiding her hair and turning her body slightly to ensure everything was perfect. Then, she smiled shyly, imagining how Noah's face would look when he saw her in this dress for the first time. Despite her anxiety and nervousness, she gathered her courage and slapped herself lightly to snap out of her worries, leaving her cheeks red.

"Everything will be fine! Yes, everything will be fine!" Yana thought to herself silently, when she heard a knock at the door. Her anxiety increased as she turned the handle and opened the door to Noah.

He was wearing a long black coat that fluttered with his movements, made of shiny fabric that reflected the light like a sea of dancing shadows. Underneath, he wore a tight black shirt that flowed smoothly over his body, accentuating his details effortlessly.

His pants were the same dark color, perfectly tailored to give him freedom of movement, clinging to his legs as though they were made to carry the dangerous aura surrounding him. His long sleeves revealed slender wrists, and his long fingers extended gracefully, as if playing on invisible strings around the world. His entire appearance screamed dark elegance, like a shadow moving between light and dark, blending with both but belonging to neither.

Yana's cheeks turned bright red, and she smiled awkwardly as her heart raced wildly, feeling an indescribable warmth rise from her chest to her head.

"H-he's so... hot?!" Yana thought to herself silently, feeling as if her knees were about to give out, and she was on the verge of collapsing. She felt a little ashamed of herself as strange, fantasy-like thoughts crept into her mind, thoughts that were inappropriate. How could she think of her brother in such a way? This was what she would have thought, but the feeling of scandal, taboo, and excitement only grew stronger and flowed within her. The first thing that came to her mind was that it was good that they weren't blood-related, so feelings like this weren't that bad after all.

"Yana, are you okay?" Noah asked, unaware of his effect on Yana, and he looked at her, concerned by her deep blush.

Yana snapped out of her daydream when she heard Noah's voice and looked up at him, examining the details of his face, only to notice how much more handsome he looked. She then smiled nervously, realizing she had made him worry about her.

"Uh, I-I'm fine! Just...uh, n-nothing," Yana said nervously, realizing deep down that she had messed up. She knew that her nervousness and redness had probably exposed how she truly felt, but she secretly hoped Noah would overlook it.

"Um, okay, if you say so," Noah said, unaware of Yana's feelings, and ignorant of the chaos swirling in her mind.

"He didn't say anything about how I look..." Yana thought to herself as she looked at Noah, who had turned his back to her, ready to leave and waiting for her to follow.

"Wait!" Yana said, her voice louder than usual, causing Noah to turn back to her in confusion and silence. Yana blushed slightly and nervously fiddled with her hair.

"H-How do I look?" Yana asked, her face turning even redder as her heart raced faster, not quite believing she had really asked such a question.

"You look beautiful, as always. Maybe I should take a picture to remember this moment," Noah said with a gentle smile, causing Yana to blush deeply and feel weak in her knees. All she could think about was how much she loved him in that moment. Noah extended his hand to Yana.

"Let's go," Noah said.

Yana hesitated for a moment but then took his hand, walking beside him as they left the house and stepped onto the street. After a while, they walked together on the sidewalk, but their path wasn't filled with important conversations, only Yana's continuous feeling of nervousness and the chaos in her mind. The gentle breeze played with Yana's hair as she focused on her steps, her heart pounding strongly, yet she felt like she was walking in another world, a world full of hope and hesitation at the same time.

They reached the edge of the local park, where the trees shaded the path leading to the peaceful green space. Yana's soft steps faded away among the noise of life around them. The place was filled with many people, from parents with their children to couples, and even the elderly. This was expected, as the park was famous for its beauty, filled with cherry trees whose blossoms gently fell to the ground, carried by the wind. The tulips in red and purple added a touch of joy, and the sunflowers, with their yellow faces, lifted their heads toward the sky, while the roses in red and pink created an intimate atmosphere. Above, wisteria flowers in purple and blue hung from branches and trellises, forming a magical canopy of dangling flowers.

With every step, the sense of relief grew stronger as Yana stood in awe and admiration of the enchanting nature before her.

"This place is still as beautiful as always," Yana said happily, looking at the beautiful horizon before her. Cherry petals flew around, carried by the wind, creating a lovely atmosphere, and the fragrant smell of flowers could be inhaled from miles away, calming the mind and even soothing the soul. Noah and Yana walked along the stone path, decorated with rocks of different shapes and colors, still holding hands tightly.

"We used to come here a lot when we were kids," Yana said, reminiscing about the past.

"You were two years old, how do you remember this?" Noah asked, surprised that Yana had memories of this place.

"I have a strong memory!" Yana said, puffing out her chest proudly about her memory, but then she stopped and looked down.

"We all used to come, me, you, Mira, and Dad... and Mom too," Yana said with a sad tone, making Noah remain silent.

"All I really remember is her voice and her touch. I don't think I have a clear memory of her face, except in family photos. Although I'm sure she's changed a lot now, it's been 10 years since I last saw her," Yana said, though her voice didn't indicate sadness. She had only known her mother for two years, and never saw her again.

"...Yana and Mira's mother, and Adonis' wife, Ariana Moreau, an S-rank hunter known as 'The Pioneer of the Blush Horizon,' was a hunter feared by everyone despite her beautiful feminine appearance. But she is now known as 'The Sleeping Queen.' Ten years ago, a monster appeared in human lands, capable of swallowing the souls of those it defeated. It was known as the 'Soul Eater.' Even Adonis and Ariana couldn't defeat it together, and in a moment of recklessness and negligence, this monster swallowed Ariana's soul. When many hunters arrived, the creature fled. Ariana remained in a coma for ten years. A doctor later discovered that the reason those whose souls were eaten by the Soul Eater didn't die was that it stores their souls inside itself, rather than consuming them. The only way to free these souls is by killing that monster, which is nearly impossible. It has completely disappeared from human lands, and it is believed to be living in the deepest parts of Antarctica, in demon lands. As for Yana, she's always in a state of near-collapse, having lost her mother at the age of two, living alone with a workaholic sister, a brother who will soon leave, and a rarely present father. She was destined to live alone from the moment she was born, holding onto 'patience' as her hope. She believes that if she waits long enough, everything will stop, and she will someday live happily with her family… Truly, thinking about it makes me feel hopeless," Noah thought to himself silently while looking at Yana from the corner of his eye.

"I was looking forward to this date, but I can't believe I ruined it by bringing up bad memories..." Yana thought to herself, feeling a chill in her heart and emptiness in her chest. She felt despair and loneliness, as though she had been completely isolated from the world around her, as if she were walking alone in the dark. Just then, Noah tightened his grip on her hand. He was looking ahead at the horizon, and Yana realized he was by her side. The dark world she had been walking in alone didn't fade, but Noah appeared in front of her, holding a lantern that lit the path ahead of her. Yana looked at Noah.

"It's okay, everything will be fine," Noah said, reassuring Yana.

Yana's pink eyes sparkled with hope and innocence as she heard Noah's words. In that moment, Noah felt like a savior to her, rescuing her from the darkness and loneliness. She gripped his hand tighter, afraid that he might disappear at any moment, and then smiled brightly at him. She held his hand and pulled him behind her, running energetically and cheerfully through the crowd without bumping into anyone.

"Y-Yana, slow down a bit!" Noah said nervously, trying to avoid accidentally running into someone.

But Yana continued running, laughing, carefree about everything around her, enjoying the moments of freedom, the gentle breeze, and the beauty of the scene before her. Seeing her smile and hearing her laughter made Noah smile in return, then laugh along with her, feeling at ease and lighthearted.

Without thinking, Noah grabbed Yana and lifted her high, placing her on his shoulders. She was a little surprised but clung to his hair, while he kept running until they were out of the crowded area. After that, Noah began slowing down his pace until they were walking again.

"T-That was fun," Yana said, smiling, her cheeks slightly flushed from laughing. Then she added, "You didn't need to carry me; I can walk on my own."

Yana pouted slightly, her cheeks puffing out a little, leaving a cute and innocent impression despite her attempt to seem annoyed.

Noah noticed a nearby ice cream cart on one of the nearby sidewalks, with no crowd or line in front of it.

"Do you want some ice cream?" Noah asked, looking up to see Yana sitting on his shoulders.

Yana glanced toward the cart, feeling her mouth water just thinking about the cold texture of the ice cream on her tongue and its sweet, delicious flavor. Her stomach growled loudly, making her blush, which made Noah chuckle softly.

"Y-Yeah, a little is fine," Yana said, embarrassed.

A few minutes later, Noah and Yana sat on a bench shaded by a thick cherry tree, each holding a chocolate ice cream cone, enjoying its coldness and sweet flavor.

Yana took a big bite, sending a cold shiver through her body, and she felt the freeze in her brain.

"It's really cold!" Yana said, clutching her head tightly.

"Of course it's cold, it's called ICE-cream for a reason," Noah said sarcastically in a playful tone.

Yana pouted a little and playfully hit Noah on the shoulder.

"That's not funny!" Yana said, expressing her annoyance at Noah's teasing.

"I'm sorry, madam," Noah said, though his tone still held a hint of sarcasm.

Yana sighed in annoyance and leaned on Noah, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Anyway, where are we going now?" Yana asked curiously.

"Where do you want to go?" Noah asked.

"Are you really going to leave the choice to me? That's a bad move for a date," Yana said, disappointed, though she was secretly happy that Noah had left the choice to her. Then she added, "Well, if you insist, let's go to the mall, there's something I want to buy," Yana said, excited.

"Alright then," Noah said.