It's not them

The morning sun shines through his window, peeking behind his curtains; along with and the birds chirping outside his window. He stirs under his blanket and blinks his eyes in grogginess. Even though the bed he sleeps on is fluffy and soft. Even though he feels comfortable sleeping on it. He can't shake the feeling that something is horribly wrong in his situation right now.

For one, there seems to be a warm body beside him. He doesn't remember picking someone to bring to bed with him. Besides, he has no interest in romance right now. He is busy with his magic research. He paused for a moment, don't tell him that the body beside him is that man... God! Ether-sama... Please don't let it be him!

He has been avoiding that man'sâadvance these past months, don't tell him that he has succumbed to that man last night? Was he drunk? Or had the man drugged him?

He groaned. Damn! Now he thinks about it, his head is heavy and he feels as if his mind had been blown like that time when he listened to that stupid prince's rambles. Okay, calm down! He tells himself and takes a large breath. First thing first, he needs to check who the body beside him belongs to.

He surveys his surroundings, he is in the academy's dorm room. How did he end up here? He is pretty sure that he was in his research room. It had been a long time since he moved there. He doesn't sleep in this room anymore. So, how come he is here now? Hmm... He is naked. Damn! That can means that he was not just sleeping side by side with whoever it is last night, as the body beside him is naked as well.

It's blonde. Not Rhuifen then. He let out a breath in relief. Wait... It is not the time to be relieved! Isn't it actually worst that it was not Rhuifen? Not saying that he was hoping it was Rhuifen, but if it was someone else then new rumors will spread, won't it? And... Ah, damn it! It's a woman. It's always worse when women are involved. It can be a trap. Damn it! The hell, Aoi! What have you been doing to end up in a bed with this woman, whoever she is?

He slides himself off the bed, cursing. His naked body glows under the sun in all its naked glory. He wasn't aware of the eyes on the bed that was raking over his features, nor the lust held on them. He looked for his clothes and he found none. He cursed again, muttering to himself about what the hell is wrong with his brain on the previous day. He is still not aware of the woman's eyes that followed his every move. Her cheeks flushed and breathed faster. Her eyes held so much lust that it might burst out. The woman never saw him like this before. She saw him naked, yes. But only on the rare times when he chose her to be his night companion; only when he was on top of her and gave her the most pleasurable feelings.

The woman had never seen him walk around naked in the morning, nor had she ever saw his scowling face. He was always a cute gentleman who smiled. Whenever she woke up the morning after, he was usually already clothed and welcomed her with his gentlemanly smile. Thanking her for the night. As she saw him vanished behind the bathroom door, she dares to hope that last night was able to make a difference for him. That she was able to move his heart and place herself inside it.

When Aoi finished cleaning himself and was clothed, he found the woman awake and sitting on the bed. Ah, he knew this woman. Isn't she that girl's friend? Liebe Fern Vellum. His oh so called fiancee in his previous life. Now, let's find out how the hell he ended up in bed with her.

"Mind to telling me why are you here?" He said straight to the point. The woman look startled for a moment before she answered.

"I am sorry, Aoi-sama. I didn't know that you wanted to go separately, as we usually go together after..." the woman trailed. Her cheeks flushed at the remembrance of what had happened last night.

Deep down she is disappointed. She thought that his different actions this morning was a sign that he will finally open up to her, but she waswrong. It turns out that last night was a disappointment to him. He acts so cold to her and has not given her a single smile. Did she do something wrong? Did she not satisfy him enough last night? What if he will not invite her to his bed again after this? The other girls will sure mock her for making him loose interest in her. Because unknown to him, the girls that had slept with him had been competing to get his heart. It was their dream to become his bride one day. They don't mind him sleeping around with the other women. They are just glad if he would invite them again for a night. The woman's mind is in turmoil about the whole thing.

Meanwhile, Aoi looks at the woman with a raised brow. He was still unsure what is happening right now. He thinks that the woman is trying to trick him but something seems wrong too. She doesn't seem to have a real scheme. His mind is still blurred, so he decided to leave it at that first. He needs to have his coffee first to make his mind work properly again. Ah, and see his beloved Kii. Yeah, let's find Kii first. All the bad things always vanishes after he sees her. After that, he might be ready to discuss all of this with the other. He is sure that his Akai-nii and Arren-nii will know how to handle this.

"Whatever, I'm going. I am sure you know how to fix yourself and where the way out is?" He said to the woman. She nods her head immediately. He left without waiting for anything else to happen.

Aoi should have known that something bizarre has happened. He slept with someone for heaven's sake! He woke up late which is weird as he has been eager to finish his research, he always wakes up early. Besides, if he was late even for a second, uncle Ra will send Ben to look for him. Yet, he was already late for more than 2 hours and no Ben in sight.

Did Uncle Ra and Ben go back to Ethervizh? Aoi doesn't recall any plans for them to go back this time. Yes, after Aoi agreed to join their research, and got permission from The King to open his own research here, they were also permitted to stay in The Academy. Uncle Robert and Arzen's King Father (his words, not mine. Aoi thinks to himself) allowed them to go back and forth between Ethervizh and Etherheinz. However, they just came back a few days ago. So, it's unlikely that they would go back again today.

As he mused to himself about the weirdness of this morning, he reached the cafeteria. He saw Kii sat by herself looking very grim and mysterious. No Arzen in sight. Did they have a fight? Nah, the world will end first before that happens, his mind supports. Still, it was strange that Arzen will let her go by herself. After they got married, Arzen became more possessive than ever. Maybe Arren Nii-sama needs to talk to him alone? As weird as it sounds, usually, Nee-sama or Akai-nii would be with her if Arzen and Arren-nii need to talk alone. Hmm... What's going on here?

He went to pick his food and sat beside her. Kii paused on what she was doing and looked at him in anticipation, it is as if she is waiting for him to accuse her of something. He looks at her and raised his brow in question. Kii shakes her head and continues to sip her tea, glancing at him from time to time.

Soon Akai-nii and Midori-nee join them. Kii looks startled when Akai-nii ruffles her hair affectionately. Her eyes went wide when Nee-sama hugs and greets her.

"What are you eating? Jeez, Kii... You should eat properly. What kind of breakfast is that? Here, have same from Nee-sama' plate. Don't worry, it tastes amazing and not too sweet. You will like it," Nee-sama babbles and smiles as she usually does when she finds out Kii is not eating properly.

Yet there was no exasperated "I'm fine, Nee-sama" from Kii. Kii just looks at her in surprise. Her eyes blinking in confusion. At her look, the alarm bells in Aoi's head starts to ring. Now he is sure that something wrong is happening here. But what? Nii-sama and Nee-sama looks and acts normal though.

Aoi looks around. He notices that Rhuifen is sitting just a few chairs from him, yet not as much as a glance at him. Weird. His Rhuifen, no, it sounds wrong. The normal Rhuifen? Ugh... That also not right. Okay, the Rhuifen he knows would usually be all over him by now. Then he saw Arzen enter from the corner of his eye. Then, he knew.

It is not him. It's him.

Er, he meant that it was not the Arzen he knows, it was the Arzen he previously knows. Wait, wait, it does not make sense even in his own head.

Let start again.

He is not the stupid prince with the sunny smile and warm heart that he is familiar with in these past few years. He is the perfect prince that hides his dark and lonely heart that he previously knows. The Prince whose existence had been erased.

If it is him then... Does that mean that the Kii in front of him is not the Kii whose smile always brightens their day? Who always happily follows around that stupid prince's craziness with her curiosity? Then, this Kii is the Kii who had always been alone. Who lost her everything and suffered alone before she was gone.

Darn! Where or when is he right now? What the heck is happening? He knew the answer though. He was just too scared to admit it. Was it a dreams when he saw Kii getting married? Was it a dream when he saw they are happy? No. It was not a dream. He needs to calm down now. He needs to think clearly.

As he saw Arren Nii-sama dragged the Arzen who has a wary and suspicious eye on him to sit with them. Aoi desperately tries to remember just what the hell happened in the previous day.

Then he remembers.

The research. The voices. Akai Nii-sama, Arren Nii-sama, and Midori Nee-sama looking for him to talk about welcoming Kii and Arzen who will be back from visiting the demon kingdom, his loss of concentration, and the explosion. Well, the explosion itself should be harmless. So, he is sure that they are not dead. Hmm, it seems that his research is successful, but not the way he wants it to be.

Aoi was researching on magic to visit other dimensions, yet what he was able to accomplish is visiting an alternate dimension, it seems.

This alternate dimension that he has lived before. The timeline which had a bad ending. The life that had been reset by him. The life that had been erased. He is back

He should be sad and despairing, but he is not. He will take this as a chance. A few lifetimes ago in another timeline, he was not able to save her. Kii was suffering and died alone. Meanwhile, the prince fell further inside his own dark heart, then died. He sacrificed his own soul to give her another chance at happiness.

Aoi doesn't know why it was always him that was given chances to change things, but he will take it gladly. This time he will save both of them. The most stupid couple he ever found. The Prince who loves his fiancee very much but was never able to express it. The fiancee who is not aware of just how much The Prince loves her, and thinks that no one loves her at all.

Arzen and Kii.

Two people that belong together.

Everything will go well if only Arzen can show his love. Aoi is sure of it. No, he has seen it.

Aoi looks at the Arzen who frown at them suspiciously, at Kii who is sitting confusedly beside Arzen and Midori Nee-sama. Also at Akai-nii and Arren Nii-sama who starts to look suspiciously at the situation in hand as well. He smiles charmingly at them.

"Prince Arzen?" he addresses the prince. He forgot how he usually called him back then. For him, it was already a lifetime ago after all. He always calls the Arzen he knows back home aâstupid prince, this guy, 'annoying being' or something like that... Ugh, he better makes sure he doesn't slip up.

The Prince looked at him inquiringly.

"There is something I would like to discuss with you and them. Would you mind to come with us to talk? It is really important." Aoi said to him.

Arzen looks at him for a moment before he nods. Aoi gestured to the other to follow him. He makes sure that Kii is also coming along with them.

"Umm, why are we in front of my room?" Kii asked in her soft voice.

"We need a private and unexpected place. Your room is the best for it. Do you mind?" Aoi answered.

Kii shakes her head and give him her key. He opened the door.

"Please come in. We have a very important discussion to have."âhe tells them.

As they follow him inside the room. Yes, he thinks to himself. They have a very important discussion to have. He needs to know just at which point they are right now. He just hopes it won't be too late. He hopes that Arzen and that girl are not getting close yet. Well, even if it is already too late, as long as they are still alive and breathing, he won't give up without a fight. The door closed with a click. Facing them, he makes a new vow. He will change this timeline. This time, it is not his soul that will be erased from existence. It will be The Bad Fate.

He doesn't know how long he can stay in this timeline. So he tells himself... Okay, let's start my new mission here. What mission you ask?

This mission that he dubbed inside his head "Erase the bad fate; let's make them happy" or something like that.