Welcome to the Innocent World - Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Goodbye Athlea

I stood in front of the mirror, fixing the collar of my black shirt over the plain white t-shirt underneath. My reflection stared back at me—a mix of exhaustion came from remembering the heated night with Athlea yesterday.

The night had been wild, but today is for something else.

Satisfied with my look, I ran my hand through my hair and stepped out of my room. My footsteps echoed softly down the quiet hallway as I stopped in front of Athlea’s door.

*Knock* *Knock*

I knocked gently, hearing the faint rustle of movement on the other side.

The door creaked open, revealing her standing there, fastening the last piece of her earring. She looked radiant, the soft white of her clothes glowing in the light spilling through her window. Her eyes lit up when she saw me, and an unspoken warmth passed between us.

“You look beautiful,” I said, my voice soft but genuine.

She smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Almost done. Wait here.”

She turned back into the room, adjusting the folds of her dress and giving her hair one final touch. I leaned against the doorframe, watching her. There was a silent happiness to her movements, a quiet strength beneath her sadness.

When she was ready, she stepped forward and took my hand.

“Let’s go,” she said, her smile bright and infectious.

We walked through the bustling streets, hand in hand, the morning sun casting a golden hue over the city. It was refreshing to blend into the crowd, to feel like a part of something normal.

At a small street-side café, we found a corner table and ordered a spread of dishes. The aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air, mingling with the chatter of other diners.

Athlea picked up a fork and playfully nudged a piece of grilled meat onto my plate. “Try this one. It’s amazing.”

I obliged, taking a bite and nodding in approval. “Not bad, but I think this one’s better,” I countered, holding out a spoonful of something spicy.

She took a bite and laughed. “Okay, you win this round.”

As the meal went on, a rogue piece of food slipped from my plate and landed on my shirt. Athlea burst out laughing, covering her mouth to stifle the sound.

“Real smooth,” she teased, handing me a napkin.

I wiped at the stain, “You could help, you know.”

She smirked. “And miss this moment? Never.”

We teased each other endlessly, the banter light and carefree. Between bites, we snapped photos, capturing the laughter and the shared moments. In one of them, she leaned close, her hand resting on my shoulder, her smile as radiant as the sun.

The day slipped by in a blur of moments we wished could last forever. We tried so many things, each one more spontaneous than the last—laughing until our sides hurt, swaying to the rhythm of a local singer’s ballads. When the music picked up, we danced, letting loose in a way that made the world around us disappear.

For those precious hours, it felt as though time had stopped, and we lived as if this day was all we had, as if tomorrow would never come.

By the time the sun began its descent, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, we found ourselves walking along the flyover. The city stretched out below us, its lights beginning to flicker to life.

Athlea walked beside me, her steps steady, her gaze fixed on the horizon. There was a serenity to her, but also a weight that hadn’t been there earlier.

“Should you really have to leave?” I asked, breaking the silence. My voice was tentative, unsure. “You can stay here. Start over. Continue your life.”

She stopped mid-step, her white dress catching the golden light. I turned to face her, and for a moment, we just stood there, staring into each other’s eyes.

A small smile played on her lips. “Thank you,” she said, her voice soft but firm. “Thank you for asking me to stay. It means more than you know.”

Her smile faded, replaced by a wistful look. “But I can’t,” she continued. “This place… it holds too many memories. Memories of him. My husband. I waited for him for years, clinging to the hope that one day we’d be together again. Only to find out it was all lies.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy and raw. I wanted to say something, anything, but no words felt adequate.

She looked away, her gaze distant. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate what you’re offering. I do. But I need to move forward. I need to find something new. Somewhere new.”

I reached out, my fingers brushing against her arm. “I don’t want you to leave,” I admitted.

She turned back to me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I know,” she said. “But you can’t always get what you want, Mr. Hero.”

Her attempt at teasing was weak, but it brought a small smile to my face.

She reached up and gently pulled at my cheeks. “Thank you for everything,” she said, her tone light but her eyes filled with emotion.

“Ouch, ouch!” I protested, swatting her hands away.

We both laughed softly, the moment breaking some of the tension.

But then, as the laughter faded, she stepped closer. Her eyes met mine, and the tears she’d been holding back finally spilled over. Without thinking, I reached out, cupping her face in my hands.

Her lips trembled as she whispered, “I’m going to miss you.”

Before I could respond, she leaned in, her lips finding mine. The world around us disappeared as we lost ourselves in the kiss, a desperate attempt to hold on to something fleeting.

….

Far beyond the horizon, the city’s lights twinkled below, but far above, in the vast expanse of space, a shadow stirred.

A man sat in the center of a dimly lit spaceship, his figure shrouded in a black robe. His eyes glowed a sinister red, cutting through the darkness. The silence around him was oppressive, broken only by the faint hum of the ship’s engines.

“Zero…” he whispered.

Behind him, a woman stepped forward, her movements fluid and predatory. She wore a sheer, transparent lingerie set that did little to conceal her form. Her sharp nails glinted in the dim light as she dropped a set of photographs onto the table.

“It seems,” she said, her voice dripping with malice, “he’s been reincarnated again. The Shadow Mystics have summoned a new soul for the role.”

The man’s glowing eyes flicked to the photos, his expression unreadable. Images of the seven girls—each one distinct, each one deadly—stared back at him.

The woman leaned closer, a wicked smile playing on her lips. “What shall we do, my lord?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, the eerie silence returning.