Chapter Text
The night had swallowed the world.
The sky above the Karsten territory was an endless black ocean, illuminated only by the cold light of the full moon and the stars scattered like tiny glowing scars across the darkness. The wind drifted slowly through the fields, swaying the ancient trees and making the leaves dance in an unsettling whisper.
Everything felt… wrong.
As if nature itself knew.
As if the entire world was holding its breath.
Because tomorrow…
The White Whale would appear.
The legendary creature that reduced entire armies to nothing.
The monstrous beast that had flown across the skies for more than four hundred years, leaving behind only blood, mist, and disappearances no one could explain.
A monster so absurd that stories about it were told to scare children.
And yet…
All those stories were far too gentle.
Because the reality was worse.
Much worse.
The White Whale didn’t just kill.
It erased.
It erased names.
Memories.
Entire existences.
People vanished because of it as if they had never been born.
As if they had never been loved.
As if they had never lived.
And tomorrow…
Subaru Natsuki would stand before that creature.
The boy without talent.
Without power.
Without a sword.
Without divine blessings.
Just a broken heart desperately trying to protect the people he loved.
Crusch Karsten’s mansion remained silent that night.
Soldiers slept scattered throughout the rooms.
Mercenaries rested against the walls.
Knights checked their weapons one last time before dawn.
Everyone understood.
Many of them would not return.
Maybe none of them.
The tension hung in the air like a rope tightened around the neck.
Even the wind felt heavy.
But inside one particular room…
Subaru Natsuki’s greatest battle at that moment had nothing to do with monsters.
Or death.
Or fate.
It involved a blue-haired oni maid completely destroying his mental state without even being present.
Subaru turned over in bed for the twentieth time.
Then the thirtieth.
Then the fortieth.
At some point, he started suspecting the mattress was cursed.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
He suddenly sat upright in bed, pointing at the ceiling like a man losing his mind.
“WHY CAN’T I SLEEP?!”
The room remained completely silent.
Subaru widened his eyes dramatically.
“I’M GOING TO FIGHT A GIANT MURDEROUS WHALE TOMORROW!”
He pointed indignantly at himself.
“I SHOULD BE HAVING AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS!”
Silence.
“A HEROIC CRISIS!”
More silence.
“THEN WHY AM I HAVING A ROMANTIC CRISIS?!”
He collapsed backward onto the bed.
Defeated.
Destroyed.
Humiliated by his own heart.
Subaru stared at the ceiling for a long moment.
“Okay…”
He took a deep breath.
“Let’s think rationally.”
He raised one finger.
“I might die tomorrow.”
Another finger.
“Everyone might die.”
Another.
“There is literally a giant flying killer whale coming to erase our existence.”
A dramatic pause.
“So why the hell am I thinking about Rem?!”
His face immediately turned red.
“No, wait! This is completely normal!”
He pointed nervously at himself.
“Extreme situations cause emotional confusion! It’s science!”
But then…
A memory surfaced.
Rem smiling at him.
That gentle smile.
Warm.
Full of affection.
“Subaru-kun.”
His heart skipped a beat.
“…Ah.”
Another memory immediately followed.
Rem holding his hand while he cried.
Rem smiling while preparing tea.
Rem sleeping against his shoulder during the trip.
Rem saying she believed in him.
Even when he didn’t believe in himself.
Subaru instantly covered his face with both hands.
“AAAAAAAAAHHHHH NO!”
He started rolling across the bed like an emotionally condemned man.
“WHY IS SHE SO CUTE?! THIS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL!”
He abruptly stopped.
“…Wait.”
“I just mentally called her cute.”
Subaru slowly stared at the ceiling.
“It’s over.”
He dramatically placed a hand over his chest.
“My heart betrayed me.”
He closed his eyes.
He stayed completely motionless for several seconds.
Like a man who had just lost everything.
Then he took a deep breath.
“Okay, Subaru.”
He sat properly.
Crossed his arms.
“Emotional control.”
He closed his eyes.
“Your heart belongs to Emilia-tan.”
Deep breath.
“You love Emilia-tan.”
Another breath.
“So stop thinking about Rem."
Then Subaru slowly opened one eye.
“…Maybe counting sheep will help.”
He adjusted himself in bed.
Closed his eyes again.
“One Emilia-tan…”
Breathe.
“Two Emilia-tans…”
His body began to relax.
“Three Emilia-ta—”
Rem instantly appeared in his mind.
Smiling.
Wearing her maid uniform.
Saying “Subaru-kun” in that absurdly sweet voice.
Subaru’s eyes flew open immediately.
“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”
He jumped out of bed as if he’d been electrocuted.
“THAT’S CHEATING!”
He began pacing desperately around the room.
“I’M TRYING TO THINK ABOUT EMILIA-TAN AND MY BRAIN KEEPS THROWING REM INTO THE MIDDLE OF IT?!”
He pointed indignantly at his own head.
“WHAT KIND OF BROKEN ROMANCE ALGORITHM IS THIS?!”
He stopped dramatically in the middle of the room.
“…Maybe I’m cursed.”
He thought for two seconds.
“No, that already happened before.”
He sighed deeply.
But then…
The desperation slowly began to fade.
Because beneath all the chaos…
There was something real.
Something terrifyingly real.
Rem had always been by his side.
Even when he screamed.
Even when he failed.
Even when he was broken.
Even when he seemed useless.
She believed in him.
Always.
Subaru slowly placed a hand over his chest.
His heart tightened.
Hard.
Painfully hard.
“…Ah.”
His eyes slowly widened.
“I love her…”
The words slipped out softly.
Honestly.
Bare.
And immediately after—
“I’M TRASH!”
He dramatically dropped to his knees on the floor.
“CONGRATULATIONS, NATSUKI SUBARU!”
He pointed furiously at himself.
“YOU’VE UNLOCKED THE ‘ULTIMATE ROMANTIC DISASTER’ MODE!”
He started pacing back and forth again.
“You had ONE mission!”
He pointed at the mirror.
“ONE!”
He approached his own reflection.
“But no! The failed protagonist here decided to develop feelings for the MOST PERFECT GIRL IN THE WORLD at the WORST POSSIBLE TIME!”
He stopped.
Blinked.
“…Wait.”
“Did I just call Rem perfect?”
He slowly looked toward the ceiling.
“GOD, ARE YOU SEEING THIS?!”
He collapsed back onto the floor again.
Hands covering his face.
“I’m screwed…”
But despite the despair…
Thinking about her made him happy.
Ridiculously happy.
And that was the worst part of all.
Because no matter how much he tried to deny it…
His heart had already decided.
Subaru slowly took a deep breath.
“…I need to talk to her.”
And immediately another mental disaster began.
“Okay! Perfect speech!”
He dramatically pointed forward.
“‘Rem, I’m sorry for rejecting you.’”
He grimaced.
“No. That sounds like a corporate apology.”
He tried again.
“‘Rem, I realized my feelings.’”
He stopped.
“No. That sounds like dialogue from a character right before dying.”
Another attempt.
“‘Rem, I love you too.’”
Silence.
His face turned completely red.
“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”
He fell onto the bed, clutching the pillow.
“HOW DO PEOPLE SAY ROMANTIC THINGS WITHOUT DYING OF EMBARRASSMENT?!”
Nearly an entire hour passed.
An hour of Subaru pacing around alone like an emotionally destroyed lunatic.
At one point he dramatically pointed at the mirror.
“REM! YOU ARE THE HEROINE—”
He stopped.
Thought.
“No…”
More thinking.
“Maybe…”
Deeper thinking.
“…My God.”
He sat back down on the floor again.
“I’m REALLY screwed.”
Finally defeated by his own brain…
Subaru left the room.
The mansion hallway was silent.
Only moonlight illuminated the path.
And that was where he found Felix Argyle.
“Felix!”
The demi-human’s ears perked up immediately.
“Subaru-kyun?” Felix blinked. “I thought you were asleep~”
Subaru scratched the back of his neck nervously.
“It’s hard to sleep before a battle…”
Felix smiled softly.
“…Yeah.”
His smile weakened slightly.
“Tomorrow will decide a lot of things.”
Subaru remained silent for two seconds.
Then suddenly grabbed Felix by the shoulders.
“WHERE IS REM’S ROOM?”
Felix’s eyes widened.
And immediately curved into an absurdly mischievous smile.
“Ohooo?” He slowly leaned closer. “Subaru-kyun going to visit a lovely lady in the middle of the night?”
“WHAT?! IT’S NOT LIKE THAT!”
“Sure~”
“I’M SERIOUS!”
Felix started laughing.
“First room on the right, Romeo-k—”
Subaru was already running.
“THANK YOU!”
“Good luck, Pervbaru-kyun~!”
“STOP CALLING ME THAT!”
Felix watched the boy disappear down the hallway while quietly laughing to himself.
Then a deep voice appeared behind him.
“Ah… youth.”
Felix jumped so hard it was almost absurd.
“HYAAAAAH! OLD MAN WILL?!”
Wilhelm van Astrea calmly observed the hallway.
A faint nostalgic smile rested on his face.
“Young people truly shine brightest before battle…”
Meanwhile…
Inside a room lit only by moonlight…
Rem remained awake.
Sitting quietly on the bed.
Hugging her own legs as she stared out the window into the night.
The room was silent.
Peaceful.
But her heart wasn’t.
Because every time she closed her eyes…
She thought about him.
“Subaru-kun…”
Just saying his name made her chest tighten.
Rem slowly lowered her gaze.
The rejection still hurt.
A lot.
She remembered his words perfectly.
“I love Emilia.”
Those words had pierced her heart like a blade.
Even now…
They still hurt.
But the worst part…
Was that despite everything…
She still loved him.
Maybe even more than before.
Because Subaru was cruelly kind.
He hadn’t lied.
He hadn’t played with her feelings.
He hadn’t offered her false hope.
And even so…
He still protected her.
Still saved her.
Still looked at her with affection.
Rem slowly placed a hand over her chest.
She loved the way Subaru pretended to be strong when he was falling apart inside.
She loved his stupidity.
His dramatic breakdowns.
His exaggerated smile.
The desperate way he ran to save others even while trembling in fear.
Even his flaws.
Especially his flaws.
Because Subaru was imperfect.
So imperfect.
And yet…
He was the most incredible person she had ever known.
Rem slowly closed her eyes.
And then…
A memory surfaced.
That conversation.
That moment.
The moment Subaru asked her to run away with him.
Her heart tightened instantly.
“…What if I had accepted?”
The question came out softly.
Fragile.
Painful.
And then…
She imagined it.
A small village far away.
Far from the Royal Selection.
Far from battles.
Far from death.
A simple wooden house.
Small.
But warm.
With glowing windows in the early morning light.
She could picture Subaru dramatically complaining the moment he woke up.
Messy hair.
Sleepy voice.
“Remmm… five more minutes…”
And she would smile while opening the curtains.
The sunlight slowly spilling into the room.
“Subaru-kun needs to work.”
He would immediately start whining.
“CRUELTY! THIS IS DOMESTIC CRUELTY!"
And then he would wrap his arms around her waist from behind while complaining like a child.
Rem felt her face warming up.
She could imagine it all so clearly…
She could picture Subaru helping in the kitchen and ruining half the recipes.
She could picture him desperately chasing chickens while screaming.
She could picture the two of them walking together through the village market.
People smiling at them.
Calling them a couple.
Calling that house a home.
Rem slowly clutched the fabric over her chest.
Because it felt like…
Happiness.
A small happiness.
Simple.
But real.
She imagined peaceful nights.
Subaru lying in her lap while complaining about life.
Her slowly stroking his hair.
The two of them listening to rain falling outside.
No wars.
No monsters.
No blood.
Just…
Them.
Then her imagination wandered further.
Much further.
And her heart nearly stopped.
Because she imagined children.
A little dark-haired girl holding Subaru’s hand while laughing.
A blue-haired little boy running around the house.
Subaru desperately trying to act like a responsible father while clearly having no idea what he was doing.
“REM! SHE’S CRYING!”
“Because Subaru-kun turned her upside down.”
“BUT SHE WAS LAUGHING!”
Rem covered her mouth, trying to hide her smile.
She could picture Subaru teaching their children how to walk.
Even while stumbling alongside them.
She could picture him crying dramatically during their first birthday.
She could imagine him proudly saying:
“These kids inherited my absurd beauty.”
And then getting hit in the head with a frying pan.
Tears slowly welled up in Rem’s eyes.
Because that life…
Felt too perfect.
She imagined Subaru falling asleep sitting upright while holding a baby in his arms.
Imagined their children running up to her saying “Mama.”
Imagined growing old beside him.
Their hair turning gray.
Their hands wrinkled.
But Subaru still smiling that exaggerated smile.
Still calling her beautiful.
Still holding her hand.
Even decades later.
Rem squeezed her eyes shut tightly.
Because part of her desperately wanted that.
Wanted to live beside him.
Wanted to wake up to his face every morning.
Wanted to hear his stupid complaints for the rest of her life.
Wanted to love Subaru Natsuki until the final day of her existence.
But then…
She smiled sadly.
Because the Subaru she loved…
Would never be able to run away.
Subaru would always run to save others.
Even broken.
Even terrified.
Even bleeding.
And that was exactly why…
She fell in love with him.
A tear slowly rolled down her cheek.
“Subaru-kun really is cruel…”
Because he made her heart ache…
And at the same time made her love him even more.
Rem slowly stood and walked toward the window.
The moonlight softly illuminated her blue hair.
She wrapped her arms around herself.
“If tomorrow…”
Her voice faltered.
“…is Subaru-kun’s last day…”
She clutched the fabric over her chest.
Her gaze trembled.
“Then I wish…”
Tears almost spilled over.
“…for just a little more time beside him.”
KNOCK KNOCK.
The sound echoed through the silent room.
Rem froze instantly.
Her heart pounded so hard that for a moment she genuinely thought she could hear it.
KNOCK KNOCK.
Once again.
Slow.
Careful.
As if the person on the other side was nervous too.
Rem lightly tightened her grip on her clothes.
“…Who could it be at this hour?”
But deep down…
She already knew.
Because her heart recognized that presence.
Recognized that feeling.
Recognized him.
“Subaru…-kun…?”
His name escaped almost as a whisper.
Fragile.
Hopeful.
She slowly walked toward the door.
Every step felt unbearably heavy.
Her heart beat so fast she could barely breathe properly.
Her hand touched the doorknob.
Hesitated.
“Calm down, Rem…”
She took a deep breath.
“Don’t get your hopes up…”
But her hands were already trembling.
Then she slowly opened the door.
And Subaru Natsuki was standing there.
And his brain immediately collapsed.
Because Rem looked beautiful.
No.
“Beautiful” was criminally insufficient.
She looked unreal beneath the moonlight.
The pale blue dress softly traced her delicate figure.
Her blue hair flowed over her shoulders like silk illuminated by the night.
And those eyes…
Those blue eyes staring directly at him completely destroyed the last remaining neurons inside Subaru Natsuki’s brain.
His mind immediately activated an emergency alert.
“Danger.”
Another alert.
“EXTREME DANGER.”
Another.
“IMMEDIATE RETREAT.”
His heart started pounding so fast it sounded like a war drum.
Subaru was absolutely certain he was about to die.
And the worst part?
It wasn’t because of the White Whale.
It was because of Rem.
“S-Subaru-kun…?”
She was blushing.
SHE.
WAS.
BLUSHING.
Subaru nearly dropped dead right there.
“Ah.”
His brain shut down.
Completely.
Turned into smoke.
An invisible hamster inside his head simply stepped off the wheel and resigned.
Rem tilted her head slightly.
“Did you… need something?”
Subaru opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Because he had spent MORE THAN AN HOUR rehearsing.
ONE HOUR.
He had created speeches.
Impactful lines.
Dramatic confessions.
Even heroic poses.
And now?
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
His mind looked like a TV with no signal.
“Oh no.”
Panic.
“OH NO.”
Despair.
“MY BRAIN ABANDONED ME.”
Subaru stood there like an emotionally destroyed statue.
Rem blinked in confusion.
“Subaru-kun…?”
“YES!”
He answered way too fast.
“I mean— no— I mean YES BUT— NOT LIKE THAT!”
Silence.
Subaru wanted to die.
Rem blinked again.
“…Eh?”
“Calm down, Subaru.”
He screamed internally at himself.
“Act natural.”
Two seconds later—
“HOW DO PEOPLE DO THIS?!”
Subaru spiraled into an internal crisis.
He desperately tried to remember the plan.
“The plan!”
Right.
The plan.
He had a plan.
Maybe.
Probably.
“What was the plan again?!”
His thoughts started racing frantically.
“Okay! Say something cool!”
“Like WHAT?!”
“I DON’T KNOW!”
Subaru started sweating.
Rem silently watched him now.
And that somehow made everything worse.
Because she was looking at him.
She was REALLY looking at him.
With those absurdly beautiful blue eyes.
“Subaru-kun…”
Her voice came out soft.
Gentle.
And his heart took critical damage.
“Are you okay?”
“No.”
The answer came out automatically.
Subaru’s eyes widened.
“I mean— yes!”
Pause.
“Maybe.”
Another pause.
“I think.”
Silence.
Subaru wanted to dig a hole and vanish from existence.
Rem slowly brought a hand to her lips.
Trying to hide a small smile.
Because Subaru was completely panicking.
And strangely…
It was adorable.
Subaru noticed her smile.
And died a little more inside.
“She’s smiling.”
His brain collapsed again.
“She’s smiling at me.”
Another collapse.
“Oh my God I’m going to have a heart attack.”
Subaru took a deep breath.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
“Okay.”
Yes.
Now.
Now he would speak like a decent human being.
Subaru dramatically pointed at her.
“REM!"
She flinched slightly.
“Y-Yes?!”
Subaru opened his mouth.
Silence.
.
.
.
His mind went blank again.
“…I forgot.”
Rem stared at him for two seconds.
Then she started quietly laughing.
A small laugh.
Delicate.
But enough to completely destroy Subaru.
Because Rem rarely laughed like that.
And now she was laughing at him.
Not cruelly.
But affectionately.
Gently.
Lovingly.
Subaru dramatically clutched his chest.
“That was a critical hit.”
“Sorry…” Rem tried to stop laughing. “But Subaru-kun is acting very strangely.”
“VERY strangely?!”
“Yes.”
“I’m trying to be romantic!”
Silence.
Subaru froze.
Rem froze too.
The wind slowly drifted through the hallway.
Subaru’s brain slowly processed what he had just said.
“…Ah.”
Immediate panic.
“AH.”
Absolute despair.
“DID I SAY THAT OUT LOUD?!”
His face turned completely red.
Rem instantly turned red too.
Very red.
The entire hallway fell into deadly silence.
Subaru began emotionally combusting on the spot.
“Calm down.”
Deep breath.
“You can still save this.”
He tried again.
“I mean— not that I’m trying to be romantic!”
Pause.
“Because that would imply there’s romance involved!”
More pause.
“WHICH IS ALSO NOT WHAT I MEANT!”
Rem was now hiding her entire face behind her hands.
Her shoulders trembling slightly.
Subaru’s eyes widened.
“Is she crying?!”
Instant panic.
“REM?!”
“No…” she answered softly.
“…Are you laughing?!"
“…Maybe.”
Subaru died internally once again.
Because she was finding him funny.
And even worse—
Because she looked happy.
Really happy.
And that made Subaru’s heart tighten in a strange way.
Soft.
Warm.
For several seconds…
He simply stared at her.
Rem kept trying to hide her smile behind her hand, but clearly couldn’t.
Her shoulders trembled lightly.
Her eyes sparkled.
And Subaru realized something.
She was genuinely happy he was there.
Even after the rejection.
Even after the pain.
Even after everything.
That completely shattered the last walls inside him.
The desperation slowly began to fade.
The jokes.
The breakdowns.
The panic.
Everything gradually disappeared.
And then…
A memory surfaced.
His father’s voice.
Calm.
Relaxed.
Filled with that irritatingly natural confidence Kenichi Natsuki always had.
Subaru blinked.
And suddenly…
He was back in Japan.
Late afternoon.
The sky was orange.
He remembered the smell of food coming from the kitchen.
The sound of the television.
His mother’s exaggerated laughter somewhere in the background.
And his father sitting beside him on the porch, drinking soda like the most relaxed man on Earth.
A younger Subaru slumped in his chair, sulking.
“Dad…”
Kenichi glanced sideways.
“Hm?”
“How do you normally talk to women?”
Silence.
Then his father slowly broke into a massive grin.
A dangerous grin.
“Ohhh?”
Subaru instantly regretted asking.
“Don’t make that face.”
“What face?”
“That face that says you’re going to tease me for the rest of my life.”
Kenichi dramatically placed a hand over his chest.
“Subaru, Subaru…”
He gazed toward the horizon like a wise old sage.
“Your father would never do such a thing.”
Two seconds later—
“WHAT’S HER NAME?!”
“I KNEW IT!”
Kenichi burst out laughing.
That loud exaggerated laugh.
Without a shred of shame.
Subaru sank deeper into the chair.
“There’s no girl!”
“So there IS a girl!”
“DAD!”
Kenichi laughed as if it was the funniest thing in the world.
Then ruffled his son’s hair.
“Relax, kid.”
Subaru crossed his arms stubbornly.
“You only say that because you can talk to anyone.”
“Wrong.”
“Hm?”
Kenichi proudly pointed at himself.
“I used to get nervous too.”
Subaru blinked.
“…Liar.”
“Hey.”
Kenichi feigned indignation.
“Your old man was once a pure and innocent young man too.”
“That’s the most ridiculous lie I’ve ever heard.”
“Cruel.”
Kenichi dramatically clutched his chest again.
Then he smiled once more.
But this time…
More gently.
“When I first met your mother… I was desperate.”
Subaru’s eyes widened.
“You?”
“Me.”
“You’re joking.”
“I’m not.”
Kenichi slowly looked up at the sky.
“I wanted to look amazing.”
“Did you succeed?”
“No.”
“…Wow.”
“I tripped over a bicycle.”
Subaru stayed silent for two seconds.
Then burst out laughing.
“HAHAHAHAHAHA!”
“She laughed too.”
Kenichi smiled nostalgically.
“But do you know what mattered most?”
Subaru was still laughing.
“What?”
“She looked happy.”
Subaru’s laughter slowly faded.
Kenichi looked directly at him now.
No jokes.
No exaggeration.
Just honesty.
“Girls don’t care nearly as much about perfection as you think they do.”
Subaru fell silent
“When you truly like someone…”
Kenichi gave a small smile.
“You stop trying to win.”
“Hm?”
“You stop trying to look amazing all the time.”
Subaru slowly lowered his gaze.
“But what if I do something embarrassing?”
Kenichi shrugged.
“Then do it.”
“That doesn’t help.”
“It does.”
He pointed at Subaru.
“The problem isn’t getting nervous.”
Then pointed at his own chest.
“The problem is running away.”
The wind blew softly through that memory.
Kenichi looked at the sky once more.
“When you really love someone…”
His voice grew quieter.
More sincere.
“There are moments when words only get in the way."
Subaru listened silently.
And then quietly asked:
“…So what do I do?”
Kenichi slowly smiled with confidence.
That absurdly masculine and natural smile that always made it seem like he could face anything in the world.
“Act.”
Silence.
“If you hesitate too much… you lose the moment.”
Subaru blinked slowly.
Kenichi ruffled his hair again.
“And one more thing.”
“What?”
“Confidence.”
Subaru grimaced.
“But what if I don’t have confidence?”
Kenichi chuckled softly.
Then answered with something Subaru would never forget.
“Then fake it.”
“Huh?”
“Even scared men can look strong.”
His eyes softened.
“Especially when they want to protect someone.”
The memory slowly faded away.
And Subaru returned to the moonlit hallway.
Rem was still standing in front of him.
Blushing.
Beautiful.
Those blue eyes watching him carefully.
Waiting.
His heart pounded hard.
But this time…
It was different.
Because the panic disappeared.
The doubts disappeared.
Subaru slowly took a deep breath.
Once.
Twice.
Then lifted his gaze.
Rem felt her heart skip a beat.
Because Subaru had changed.
Completely.
The desperate expression vanished.
The emotionally spiraling idiot disappeared.
Now…
His eyes were calm.
That intense gaze instantly stole Rem’s breath away.
Because for a moment…
He looked like a completely different person.
No.
He was still Subaru.
But he seemed…
More mature.
More dangerous.
More like a man.
Subaru stepped forward.
Without hesitation.
Rem felt her heart slam violently against her chest.
“S-Subaru-kun…”
Her voice came out weak.
Fragile.
Subaru didn’t answer immediately.
His eyes remained locked onto hers.
And that alone was already destroying Rem completely.
Then he slowly raised his hand.
Without nervousness.
Without trembling.
His fingers gently touched her face.
And Rem nearly lost all strength in her legs.
Because his touch was unbelievably gentle.
But at the same time…
Firm.
Confident.
As if he knew exactly what he was doing.
Subaru slowly brushed his fingers against her cheek.
His gaze softened.
“You really are cruel, Rem.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
“Eh…?”
Subaru gave a small crooked smile.
Calm.
Beautiful.
Dangerously beautiful.
“How am I supposed to sleep after seeing you like this?”
Rem’s brain completely stopped functioning.
Entirely.
Her face instantly turned red.
Very red.
Subaru moved closer.
Slowly.
Without breaking eye contact even once.
And it was destroying her.
Because his eyes were different.
Deep.
Warm.
As if he could see only her.
As if in that moment...
The entire world had disappeared.
“Subaru-kun…”
She could barely breathe now.
Subaru slowly leaned his face closer to hers.
So close that Rem could feel his warm breath.
Her heart was going insane.
And Subaru remained absurdly calm.
As if he had done this a thousand times before.
As if it came naturally to him.
He looked dangerously confident.
Subaru tilted his head slightly.
His fingers softly caressed her skin.
Then he spoke quietly.
Almost in a whisper.
“Look at me, Rem.”
She obeyed immediately.
Her blue eyes met his once again.
And that destroyed him.
Because she was looking at him as if he were precious.
As if he were loved.
Subaru felt his heart tighten painfully.
Then finally closed his eyes.
And kissed her.
Slowly.
Without rushing.
Like someone completely in love.
His lips touched hers softly.
Gentle.
Warm.
But overflowing with feeling.
And Rem completely lost the ability to think.
Because Subaru held her face with such tenderness…
That it felt like she could break.
The kiss lasted only a few seconds.
But to Rem…
It felt eternal.
Because in that instant…
Subaru Natsuki seemed like someone capable of stealing her heart completely.
And honestly?
He did.
Subaru gently rested his forehead against hers.
No masks.
No jokes.
No exaggeration.
Just Subaru.
“Good luck tomorrow, Rem.”
He slowly brushed her hair back.
“I promise…”
His eyes softened.
“That I’ll come back alive.”
Then he left.
Slowly closing the door behind him.
Rem stood frozen.
Completely frozen.
Her fingers slowly touched her lips.
Her face turned red.
Very red.
And then—
“T-The Subaru-kun…”
Her legs gave out beneath her.
“SUBARU-KUN KISSED ME?!”
She immediately collapsed onto the floor.
Her brain incapable of processing anything.
Rem covered her face with both hands.
Her heart beat so fast it felt like it might explode.
“H-He kissed me…”
Her face grew even redder.
“He… he really kissed me…”
She squeezed her own cheeks, trying to determine if it was real.
Then suddenly stood up.
“Calm down, Rem.”
Deep breath.
“You need to maintain your composure.”
Two seconds later—
She buried her face into the pillow and silently thrashed around like a hopelessly lovestruck teenager.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Her legs kicked desperately against the bed.
“SUBARU-KUN KISSED ME!”
She buried her face even deeper into the pillow.
“HE KISSED ME!”
Rem slowly lifted her face.
Her eyes sparkling uncontrollably.
Her heart completely out of control.
A smile slowly spread across her lips.
Happy.
Silly.
In love.
So deeply in love it hurt.
Then she remembered the way Subaru had held her face.
The gentleness of his fingers.
The way he looked at her.
As if she were precious.
As if she mattered.
As if he truly saw her.
Rem immediately buried her face into the pillow again.
“AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”
She started rolling across the bed completely emotionally destroyed.
“WHAT WAS THAT?!”
She desperately hugged the pillow against her chest.
“SUBARU-KUN IS GOING TO KILL ME WITH A HEART ATTACK!”
Her legs kept kicking the bed like a girl incapable of controlling her feelings.
And in that moment…
She didn’t look like the perfect demonic maid.
She didn’t look like the calm and elegant warrior.
She looked like nothing more than…
A girl in love.
A hopelessly, absurdly in-love girl.
Rem slowly sat back down on the bed.
Her face still red.
Her fingers touched her lips once more.
And her heart warmed.
Because his kiss was still there.
Soft.
Warm.
Real.
She hugged the pillow tightly against her chest.
And started smiling to herself like an idiot.
A small smile at first.
Then bigger.
Then completely lovestruck.
“Subaru-kun…”
Just saying his name now made her chest feel like it would burst.
She fell sideways onto the bed while hugging the pillow.
Her legs moving nervously.
Part of her face hidden.
“He kissed me…”
She whispered softly.
As if repeating it could prove it was real.
“Subaru-kun kissed me…”
Her heart raced every single time.
Rem buried her face into the pillow again.
“AAAAAAAAAH!”
If anyone had entered that room at that moment…
They would never have believed that was Rem.
She looked like nothing more than a young girl experiencing the happiest moment of her life.
And maybe that was exactly what it was.
Because for the first time since the rejection…
She allowed that small dream to return.
That tiny hope hidden inside her chest.
The hope that maybe…
Just maybe…
Subaru truly could love her too.
Meanwhile…
Subaru walked down the hallway back toward his own room.
His face completely red.
His soul in critical condition.
His heart utterly destroyed.
But his eyes…
His eyes were determined.
“Tomorrow…”
He slowly clenched his fist.
“I’m coming back.”
His footsteps echoed softly through the empty corridor.
And that night…
Before the battle against the White Whale…
Two hearts in love finally began reaching toward each other.
.
.
.
The room was silent.
Too silent.
No laughter.
No gentle “Subaru-kun.”
No warmth.
Only the sound of Subaru’s trembling breathing.
Rem lay motionless on the bed.
Her blue hair spread softly across the pillow.
Her eyes closed.
Empty.
As if the world itself had stolen something precious from her.
Subaru slowly fell to his knees beside the bed.
His hands shook violently as he reached for hers.
Cold.
Not dead.
But gone.
And somehow…
That hurt even more.
His lips trembled.
The promise from that night echoed inside his head.
“I promise… that I’ll come back alive.”
He had returned alive.
But too late.
Subaru lowered his head against her hand.
His shoulders shook.
“I failed…”
The words came out broken.
Small.
Weak.
Tears slowly hit the bedsheets beneath him.
“I’m sorry, Rem…”
His voice cracked completely.
“I’m so sorry…”