A Date To Remember

Asta POV

We walked awkwardly, hand-in-hand, through the streets of Tekka. It was a strange kind of awkward, the kind where our fingers were intertwined in a nervous sweat, but neither of us wanted to let go. Despite the nerves, there was something undeniably warm about the whole thing. I glanced at Noelle from the corner of my eye, and her pink cheeks told me she was feeling the same.

Yuno had arranged this whole thing for us—dragging Noelle and me to this unfamiliar world after all the craziness we'd been through. Normally, I'd be annoyed at his meddling, but in this case, I couldn't really complain. After everything, seeing Noelle laugh again—really laugh—was worth all the awkwardness. It had been so long since I'd heard her laugh like that, especially after we'd been stranded in Earthland. Her laughter wasn't something I often heard, even back in our world, and now that it was happening, it was like music to my ears, making my heart race.

As we strolled from stall to stall, sampling treats, playing little games, and browsing trinkets, I couldn't help but feel like the day was worth it. Even if things hadn't been going our way, this moment felt special.

Still, I tried hard to keep the mood light after our encounter with Elefseria. That encounter had weighed heavily on both Noelle and Yuno. Despair seemed to cling to them, like a shadow neither could shake. I played the fool, like always, hoping to bring some levity. I begged Elefseria to teach me about the Spirit Archive, even though I knew it was a long shot. I let Natsu drag me into his ridiculous games and fights, all in an attempt to cheer up my friends. But no matter what I did, nothing seemed to make much of a difference. Our request for help had been rejected by the Fairies, and even though I understood they had their own problems, the rejection stung.

I had been in Earthland for just over a week, and it felt like I was slowly forgetting how to smile. But here, walking with Noelle, I found myself smiling again. Her energy was infectious, the way she giggled and grumbled in that adorable way she always did. I found myself laughing alongside her, my gaze constantly drawn to her. Her lilac eyes were mesmerizing, and for a moment, I realized that the image of deep blue eyes—like Sister Lily's—was starting to fade. Instead, all I could think about were those lilac orbs looking back at me.

Sister Lily.

A pang of guilt hit me hard, and I instinctively clutched my chest. Was she safe back in our world? With the Sinner wreaking havoc, she was in danger, and I wasn't there to protect her. But instead of worrying about her, I was here, on this... date. My attention was entirely on Noelle, and the guilt gnawed at me. Was I really such a shallow person? I had confessed my love to Sister Lily for years, and now, after being separated for just a little while, I found myself thinking about Noelle instead. Was my love for Sister Lily really so fleeting?

What if something happened to Noelle? Would I get over her just as quickly? Would she wait for me, only to find me with someone else when we reunited? I imagined her standing there, her eyes filled with pain as she saw me with another woman. The thought made my stomach churn, not with hunger, but with disgust at myself.

Unable to take it anymore, I rushed into a nearby alleyway, hunched over, feeling like I was about to be sick. Wizard King, Asta? I thought bitterly. A selfish idiot like you will never be fit for that title.

Before I could sink any deeper into my self-loathing, I felt a soft hand on my back. Noelle. Even though I couldn't sense mana, I knew her touch immediately. Cool water magic flowed through me, soothing my nerves and pushing away the dark thoughts. But even though she was trying to comfort me, I couldn't bring myself to face her. I had ruined our first date. When I should have been focused on her, I had made everything about me.

But Noelle didn't leave. Instead, she knelt beside me, her royal dress touching the dirty ground of the alleyway. My heart clenched at the sight of her—royalty, kneeling for a commoner like me. I wanted to tell her to stand up, to not dirty herself for someone like me, but before I could say anything, she cupped my cheeks with her hands, gently turning my face toward hers.

"Look at me, Asta," she said softly, but there was no mistaking the firmness in her voice.

I couldn't refuse. Slowly, my eyes met hers, and my chest tightened at the sight of her beautiful lilac eyes rimmed with red, tears threatening to spill. Gently, I wiped the forming tears away with my thumb, but she didn't pull away.

"Asta... I love you. I really, really love you," she confessed, her voice trembling.

I stared at her, dumbfounded, unsure of how to respond. But before I could say anything, she continued, sensing my hesitation.

"I love you for never looking down on me, even when I was an arrogant royal idiot when we first met. I love how you never give up, no matter how hard things get. I love how you always stand up for others, even when they don't deserve it. And most of all, I love you for who you are."

For who I am? Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. How could she love someone like me? But Noelle wasn't finished.

"I don't love you despite your flaws, Asta. I love you because of them. You're not perfect, but neither am I. I don't need some perfect, flawless hero. I need you. The guy who fights with everything he has and isn't afraid to lean on others when he needs to. That's the Asta I fell in love with."

I opened my mouth to argue, but she cut me off with a sharp glare. "Shut up, Bakasta! I'm still talking!"

I gulped and nodded, not daring to interrupt her again.

"Someone once told me that there's no shame in being weak. The shame is in staying weak. So why don't we just be each other's strengths? You can be my strength, and I'll be yours. Just like how you're my courage, I'll be your magic. What you can't do, I'll do for you, and you do the same for me. You'll be my brash, muscle-headed idiot, and I'll be your stuck-up royal. Got it?"

She looked away quickly, her face bright red, clearly embarrassed by her own words. But I couldn't help it—I started laughing. She had no idea how much those words meant to me. God, I am an Idiot.

Before she could say anything else, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her to her feet, holding her tightly against me.

"A-Asta! What are you doing?!" she squeaked, her face turning even redder.

But I didn't let go. Instead, I rested my chin on her shoulder, letting the silence settle between us before I finally whispered into her ear

"Noelle?"

"Y-yeah" She squeaked out a reply.

I guess I...I like Noelle, I guess! Those words I said to Kahono, in front of her, I never really fully processed till, now. The feelings I was always afraid to return, running from her like a coward, despite how shameless it'll be I'll forgive myself for hurting her in the past and forgive myself for every way I might hurt her in the future.

As long as she's willing to have me, I'll do whatever it takes to make this work. Looks like I found a new number one dream. I chuckled, being wizard king can take the back seat for now.

"I love you too, Noelle."

She stiffened for a moment, then melted into the embrace, wrapping her arms around me in return.

At that moment, everything felt right. Liebe, who had been silently watching from within my grimoire, reached out to me.

"Asta?"

"Yeah, Liebe?" I replied, letting down the mental barriers I had put up.

"You're an idiot, but... just don't do it again, alright?" he said, his voice a mix of exasperation and concern.

I chuckled softly. "Yeah, I promise."

Pulling back from the hug, I took Noelle's hand in mine again. "Let's get you some new clothes and find Yuno," I said with a smile.

Noelle didn't say anything, but the way she rested her head on my shoulder spoke volumes. She was my strength, just as I was hers. And in that moment, I knew one thing for sure—being Wizard King could wait. Right now, Noelle was my number one dream.

We walked out of the alleyway hand in hand, but this time there was no awkwardness. No embarrassment. Just a quiet, shared warmth between us. As we made our way through the bustling streets, looking for a clothing store, I made a mental note to myself—Buy something for Yuno as thanks. He deserved it for setting this whole thing up, even if he'd probably brush it off with that usual calm, indifferent attitude of his. Still, I owed him.

Pulling Noelle a little closer, I couldn't help but smile. Today was the first time in a long while I'd felt truly at peace. No matter what challenges Earthland threw at us next, I knew we'd face them together.

---

An hour later

An hour later, we made our way toward the train station, where we had arranged to meet up with Yuno and the Fairies. The streets were buzzing with activity, but the clamor of the crowds seemed distant compared to the thoughts swirling in my head. My right hand was comfortably intertwined with Noelle's left, a subtle reminder of the closeness we'd gained today. In our free hands, we each carried a few shopping bags filled with new clothes. What started as a trip to get Noelle a wardrobe had turned into a full shopping spree for all three of us—her, Yuno, and myself.

Stranded in another world with only the clothes we had on after that chaotic transport, and thanks to Elefseria (who somehow had perfectly fitting clean clothes ready for us), we had to be prepared. I could almost hear his smug laugh in my head. There was no way that old man didn't use some kind of magic to get our measurements just right.

Still, having a proper wardrobe now would make this long journey a bit more manageable. I knew Yuno's measurements well—growing up in the orphanage, it was something we all had to keep track of when Sister Lily or Father took one of us shopping for clothes. Not to mention, as much as it irked me, Yuno's tall height was always the standard against which my smaller stature was compared. Out of spite, I made sure to remember every detail about him.

As we approached the station, it didn't surprise me that the Fairies were nowhere to be seen. They had a habit of being elusive, and punctuality wasn't exactly their strong suit. But I quickly spotted Yuno, slouched on a bench in the distance. A strange sight. He was always so rigid with his posture, always standing tall as if the weight of the world couldn't touch him. Seeing him like that sent a ripple of unease through me.

I was about to wave when I felt it.

A wave of raw, suffocating despair washed over me, hitting me like a punch to the gut. Yuno's ki radiated defeat, a thick, oppressive aura that made it hard to breathe. I knew Noelle sensed it too—her grip on my hand tightened as we slowly approached him, the mood around us shifting like a storm cloud rolling in.

"Asta..." Noelle began, her voice barely above a whisper, laced with concern.

"Yeah... I feel it too. This is Yuno's wind..." I muttered, my eyes narrowing as I felt subtle gusts of air circulating around us, carrying the heavy gloom he was radiating throughout the station. The passersby and onlookers shivered, casting nervous glances toward him. Some looked on in fear, too scared to approach or even speak. The station guards stood frozen, trembling, afraid that any wrong move or word would set off the simmering storm that was Yuno.

One guard in particular had collapsed, his eyes rolled back in his head, frothing at the mouth as he slumped into unconsciousness. A mage, no doubt—he must have sensed the immense power swirling in Yuno's presence and couldn't handle it. His reaction wasn't an exaggeration; even I could feel the weight of Yuno's mana, thick with malice and frustration, suffocating the air around us.

"I can't breathe..."

I heard the murmurs from the crowd, their fear palpable. They didn't know what was happening, but the danger was unmistakable.

"Just a moment," I whispered to Noelle, gently releasing her hand.

I summoned Demon Destroyer from my grimoire, its oddly shaped, otherworldly form emerging with a soft hum. "Causality Break," I murmured, and dark blue and purple tendrils unfurled from the sword's edge, snaking through the air toward Yuno. The spell gently eroded the cause and effect of his leaking mana, dissolving the oppressive atmosphere. I watched as the tendrils neutralized the malice, dissipating it until the crowd could breathe again.

The looks of gratitude from the bystanders were subtle but visible. We acknowledged them with a nod, silently reassuring them that we had this under control. Slowly, they began to disperse, eager to get as far away from the scene as possible.

I glanced at Noelle, and we shared a grim look before continuing toward Yuno. As we got closer, his head slowly turned to face us. His eyes, usually sharp and filled with a quiet intensity, were dull—lifeless. For a brief moment, they flickered with recognition, but the spark was gone as quickly as it came.

"Yuno..." I couldn't help but ask, the question burning in my throat. "What happened—"

Before I could finish, Yuno flicked his wrist, sending something my way with a gentle breeze. Startled, I caught the small object—a slip of paper.

Noelle and I exchanged puzzled glances as I carefully unfolded it. The moment I saw the message scrawled across it, my heart dropped. My eyes raced over the words again and again, desperately trying to make sense of them.

I read it. And read it again. Noelle, beside me, was doing the same, her face growing paler with each passing second. But no matter how many times we reread the message, the meaning didn't change.

"Please... let this be some sick joke..." I whispered, my voice trembling as I looked up at Yuno, hoping—begging—for him to tell us it was a mistake.

But he didn't. Instead, he gave us a slow, dead shake of his head. Noelle and I dropped our bags at our feet, the weight of the paper in my hand feeling like a thousand pounds. We wordlessly sat down beside him, slouching in defeat, our shoulders heavy with the same despair that radiated from Yuno. My gaze dimmed, the color draining from the world as the truth of the message sank in.

Noelle was the first to break the silence, a deranged laugh escaping her lips. "The bright side is... looks like we'll get our reunion after all," she muttered, her voice tinged with a hollow bitterness.

Yuno, his voice flat and emotionless, added, "We don't have to compete for that wish anymore."

I clenched my jaw, biting back the sobs that threatened to spill. But I couldn't hold it in any longer. My eyes welled up, and hot tears streamed down my face, staining my cheeks as the full weight of it all hit me. Dammit! Why couldn't things just go our way for once? Why, after everything, were we always left fighting for scraps of hope?

The three of us sat there, side by side, broken in the face of a truth we couldn't change. The message, now crumpled in my hand, was all that was left of the future we had hoped for.