Chapter 04 — A Heart, A Choice, and A New Dream

Talian looked at the sleeping Saeyt, who had curled up in the blanket again, leaving only half of her head exposed to gaze at him as he gazed back at her. Her eyes were slightly teary, shimmering as they reflected him.

Once again, that feeling of doing something wrong hit Talian in Saeyt's innocent expression. But, driven by the strange dream, he pushed his emotions aside and opened his mouth to declare, "I will carry out my mission now."

Saeyt opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out was a yawn, making her small body curl up even tighter. When she finished and regained her ability to speak, she said to Talian, who was waiting for her response for whatever reason, "Can I join?"

Talian stared at her for a second longer before deciding to allow her to come along. He trusted his childhood friend, and her presence would make the mission much easier. Saeyt's parents were the castle's nobles, so she could roam as she pleased, and Talian would take advantage of that.

"But I want to eat first," she added before Talian could put his thoughts into words, as if she never even considered that he might refuse.

Talian didn't think much about it, but he should have. Of course, eating something before the mission would be helpful, but he couldn't shake the sense of urgency he felt after waking up from the strange dream, as if he was being pushed by some unseen force to act according to the shadowy man's words. It was a strange feeling, but Talian managed to brush it away in the face of Saeyt's innocent expression. A quick meal wouldn't hurt.

"Fine, but let's make it quick."

"Yay!" Saeyt cheered and leapt out of bed with surprising agility, as if she hadn't been the sleepy girl from moments ago.

Standing on the bed, she grabbed Talian's hands and pulled him up, seemingly forgetting about his injured leg. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

Talian sighed and let her drag him out of the room. His leg felt fine. Even though his expression read 'She just can't help herself,' the small smile on his face said plenty about his feelings.

••

After the delicious breakfast Talian and Saeyt had in the kitchen, they headed straight for the castle's depths, with Saeyt leading the way and Talian walking beside her.

Talian didn't bother sneaking around; Saeyt's presence was enough of a cover for his movements. It had been a good decision to bring her along, but the deeper they went, the more hesitation and guilt crept into him.

"So… what are you going to steal?" Saeyt asked, looking at Talian, her tail swishing with excitement.

Talian stared at her for a moment longer before answering. "I will retrieve something I've never had… time—or at least, that's what the mysterious man told me."

Saeyt's eyes widened with excitement, even though she didn't understand what he meant. To her credit, he didn't fully understand it himself. But in the face of achieving his dream, Talian would do anything.

"Alright then, let's hurry!" Saeyt grabbed his hand again, pulling him deeper into the castle.

As he walked forward, the world around Talian shifted. His vision blurred, his mind became hazy, and only his emotions remained connected, screaming warnings at him. Saeyt disappeared from his side, but the warmth of her hand in his remained—at least, the sensation of it. Even her ever-cheerful voice echoed beautifully in his mind, alongside his own unexplainable emotions. But more than likely, her voice was the reason for those emotions. And Talian didn't understand why.

When his sight returned, Talian found himself standing still, his green eyes turning black as he stared at what lay before him.

In the white space where he now stood, there was a small white heart, floating gently in the thin air without movement—only its steady, rhythmic beats. Every now and then, streaks of sky blue and natural green would shimmer and swirl together, merging into a beautiful turquoise color similar to Aqua but with a warmer touch of green.

It was the most beautiful thing Talian had ever seen. And also… it was his target.

Talian reached out to take it, but something inside him stirred violently, causing him to pull his hand back with force.

"Why am I hesitating?" Talian shouted in frustration at no one in particular—only what he perceived as weakness within himself.

At that moment, Saeyt, who had vanished, reappeared, standing between him and the white heart. And she was… crying!

"What!… Why are you crying?" Talian's face fell as he stepped toward her in concern, gripping her shoulders to make her look at him.

She did. She lifted her head to meet his gaze, her eyes overflowing with tears like an endless waterfall. No matter how much Talian tried to wipe them away, they only grew heavier.

"You… you don't… love me!" she finally choked out through sobs and hiccups. She looked truly heartbroken. But more than that, she looked disappointed. In him, of all people.

Talian was shocked by her words. Why would she think that? She was his dearest childhood friend—of course, he loved her. Why would she think he didn't? And why now?

"You want to… steal our time… our heart…!" Saeyt's voice cracked as she wept, her tears flooding the white room entirely.

Talian looked down, only to find that her tears had already reached his waist, and that realization clenched his heart with pain.

'I did this!' Talian looked back at Saeyt, still sobbing. 'I hurt someone I love!'

The realization hit Talian like a massive tidal wave, making the pain inside him even worse.

Why was this happening to him?… Talian didn't know. All he could do was wrap his arms around his childhood friend in an embrace, hoping to ease her tears—and his own black ones.

Talian's tear-soaked black eyes fell upon the white heart once more. On the surface, it hadn't changed. But deep within, something only he and Saeyt could feel—something had shifted. A new understanding made itself known to him.

As if the heart had spoken to him, that understanding became words Talian could comprehend.

"If you steal time, you will gain it. But you will lose your bonds."

Talian's eyes narrowed in frustration, even shock. What about his dream? He couldn't just give up on it!

Talian looked down at his childhood friend, still crying in his arms. Could he give her up?

The answer was as clear as the sun. He placed his hand gently on her head, tilting it up so she would look at him. She was still in pain, still crying, her tears nearly reaching Talian's neck, almost drowning them both. But he couldn't bring himself to care about that now. There were a few words he needed to say.

"Do you want... to play outside?"

The words came out easier than he had imagined.

For a moment, the tears stopped. Saeyt with her head up gazed at him with trembling eyes. She still looked hurt, but new hope flickered in her bright blue eyes.

Saeyt hesitated before nodding slowly, then spoke with uncertainty. "What about… your dream?"

Talian closed his eyes. His black tears had stopped, but they had left traces on his face—and deeper, in his heart. But he was at peace with his decision, and it didn't take him long to regain his clarity.

It wasn't that he was abandoning his dream—it was that his vision of it had changed. Talian still dreamed of becoming an assassin. But doing so at the cost of his bond with his childhood friend? That left him feeling empty.

There was no point in achieving his dream if he was the only one to witness it.

So, he looked at Saeyt and spoke.

"There's always another day."

At those words, Saeyt smiled—a radiant smile that bathed the world in a warm, white light.

Surrounded by that gentle glow, Talian felt he had made the right choice.

A new path had opened for him, and with it, a new dream blossomed like a beautiful flower.

At last, Talian's eyes returned to their natural green before he and Saeyt vanished into the light together.