Chapter 21 : The World's Secret*

Ash was still bathing over his heated imagination, while looking at his beloved unblinking. His silver eyes stared unwavering towards Kevin's exquisite features. From Ash distance, he could see Kevin's long curled eyelashes vividly, that he could count them one by one. The way, Kevin blinks his eyes looks so fascinating, that within Ash's globe of silver eyes reflected Kevin's figure moving in slow mo.

This experience was very new to Ash. He never felt like this before. He did, but back then he was still a woman. But as a woman, he didn't feel it like this. Right now, Ash was having dangerous thoughts. He wanted to pounce and plunder. Ash never thought like this, when he was still a woman, ah.

Right now, Ash felt like he was an animal. He is. He was a cat now, but that's not the point! Ash gritted his teeth in order to suppressed his instinct to conquer. Even when spring season came, this intense desire didn't come that strong. Why now?

Ash silver eyes thinned as they trail down from Kevin's face towards his slender and fair neck. Ash can't help but licked his furry lips and swallowed hard, moistening his dried throat. He watched Kevin's adams apple move and have an urge to bite that neck to mark it as his. Especially the back of that slender neck. Ash really wanted to bite it hard and push this man down, while riding him from...behind.

'No, no, no, no. Shit! What am I thinking?!!'

'This can't be!' Ash repeatedly shook his head. Erase, erase, erase. He can't think like this! He didn't know why he was thinking like this. He once dreamed of laying under this man's embrace before. Dreaming every night, wishing it would come true. But when he woke up one day and suddenly became a cat. This dream of 'hers' already came to an end.

As a cat he never thought more. And being close and staying beside his Kevin is enough to comfort his broken heart.

But what kind of change did occur for his thoughts to wander in that kind of direction?

...

The oblivious Kevin stared at his big cat with inquiring eyes. This cat suddenly acted weird. Did he do something?

In fact, he did. He experienced a sudden episode today. Scratching his cheek in guilt, Kevin looked to the side pondering a rather serious subject that just flashed across his mind.

He remembered his big cat manage to talked in Nightmare's world before. That silver flame that surrounds its furry body is like his shadows and that woman's pink hearts and pheromones.

'I wonder what that thing is?'

He never thought that this world is a supernatural one. The Kevin before these unending loops was a person who didn't believed in gods or any supernatural entities or spiritual beings, that was rumored to appear in this world. Kevin was a kid that grew up with a very serious trust issues, because of his trauma from childhood. So, like any other atheist– to see is to believe. That Moto is curved through his bones like that's the only thing worth investing his faith to.

Nonetheless, when he experienced these unending loops. Instead of believing and becoming a devotee of gods or any supernatural beings or entities out there. This man turned from normal to worst. His distrustful towards this kind of subject really makes one want to slap this person hard and shouted, 'It was already happening in front of you!!'

So, rather than investigating the source of his rebirths, Kevin ideally steps back and turned around avoiding this topic. Making this topic sink more and more deep in mysteries.

Kevin knew something was wrong, but he never actively uses Nightmare's ability before. In fact, he didn't even know Nightmare exist until he came back to this time line. He had forgotten many memories, but now he gotten them all back. He now knew that this world is not normal than it seems.

Kevin dazedly looked up to the ceiling, a certain movie is currently playing in his mind. A secret organization responsible for keeping the secrets of life beyond the universe. A certain movie where all employees wear black. But in this case, it is not aliens but espers, esp, or supernaturals, or people with powers or whatever they are called.

For now, Kevin already met and knew people who fit this description. Except for him, there was his big cat and that woman.

Everything seems to be shrouded by secrets...for now.

This time, Kevin decided to uncover these mysterious secrets. He wanted to help his big cat. Though, Ash now is inside a cat's body, his Ash was still a human. He can't let his sweetheart stayed in that form forever. And if his guess were right, his big cat could evolve like his shadow did. After all, Nightmare was just his reflection before he became the Nightmare in this day.

So, his big cat could also evolve.

...

Still emersed with his own problem, Ash didn't notice his Kevin already let go of his paw and begin to wander of his own world.

Ash was just about to contemplate more about his problematic feelings, when a fair and graceful hand brush the fur on top of his head.

Startled, Ash looked up dazedly and met Kevin's calculative gaze. Ash was yet to react when he heard Kevin's mellow, flat, yet attractive voice.

"...hey, Ash...look at me. Let's make a bet, alright?" Kevin speak out words clear and slow, making the absentminded Ash follow what Kevin had said, and unconsciously looked at Kevin straight in his eyes.

3, 2...1. Kevin counted in his mind after he speaking his words. By the time he counted to three, precisely, Ash eyes widen from shock and happiness from Kevin's initiative.

"Meow~" Ash happily and courageously called out, accepting any challenges this man, who is rich with golden finger may throw against him. He has nothing to fear! He already lost so much, adding another count doesn't matter. In the end, the moment Kevin initiated a bet, Ash already felt that he had won.

However, when Ash heard what Kevin wanted to play, his ears and his fluffy dancing tail fell down like a withered tree.

"If you win, I will do whatever you wanted me to do. Come on, call my name and I will do whatever you say."

It's not like, Ash didn't want to, but he can't ok! Not being able to talk human almost made him go crazy from his previous life. Though, he really wanted to, he really can't speak human! Ash looked at Kevin with dewy eyes, his iris dilated into a whole globe of black gems. Sparkling like sea of stars in the night sky. His droopy ears only added to his cuteness, that Kevin can't help but surrender.

The whining cat looks so cute that Kevin just couldn't help himself but hug the adorable big grey cat once more.

Being surrounded by the smell of his Ash, Kevin just wanted to succumb to this comfortableness and didn't want to move at all. Nevertheless, he didn't forget his objective and went to comfort his cute big cat.

"...don't be discourage. how about eating Nightmare. When Nightmare ate that woman's pink hearts, Nightmare got strong. Maybe if you eat Nightmare you'll be able to talk then."

Ash shook his head refusing his suggestion. Even though Ash never met anyone other than that woman and Kevin that have those powers, Ash knew that eating other's powers will not make him strong.

Why?

Because that woman uses affection to strengthen that pink hearts of hers and Kevin's Nightmare have to 'eat' to become strong. Ash didn't know what his own silver flame could do or how could he strengthen it. He didn't even know how to use that silver flame properly. He just coated his body with the flame and his will become strong and his body will become hard like an iron.

And that flame was just an aura before.

Before his death, Ash used that silver aura, injecting it around his claws. Slicing the flesh out of that woman and her subordinates had become easy as slicing a cake with a fork. He had crushed their bones and cutting them bit by bit, to incite madness from overwhelming pain. With the help of that silver aura, every part of Ash body became a weapon that could kill.

Like a wild cat that grew up from wilderness, Ash let out loose that night.

When he went back in time, he didn't have an opportunity to use his silver aura again. If he didn't get an opportunity to come inside the Nightmare world. He wouldn't even know that his aura became a flame.

Thinking about this, Ash can't help but feel envy towards Kevin's Nightmare. That glutton become more stronger the more it 'eats'. Ash just wanted to eat too, or it is much more wonderful if he could grow stronger just by sleeping.

How awesome would that be!

...

Seeing his big cat think very deeply, Kevin didn't have a heart to bother him. He just adjusted their posture into more comfortable one and he continue stroking his big cat's fur while looking at him with pampering gaze.

But who would have thought, that in such quiet and peaceful world of two, a whirlwind named Adrianne will suddenly come barging in, breaking the world apart.

While Ash is pondering the uses of his silver flame and how he could strengthen them. Kevin lazily lay on the bed. He gently places the big cat on his stomach without bothering him, and continue raring his fur.

It was really a peaceful world just between the two of them.

'BAM!'

The door suddenly opened loud, and this world of two was destroyed.

"Older brother! Older brother!" An excited Adrianne emerged from the outside. Behind him, Ronald looks so anxious and nervous that his back was already drenched from cold sweat. He dares not glance inside the little prince's room, afraid to see a horrifying scene.

And expectedly, without letting Adrianne wreak havoc more, a huge pillow went flying hitting Adrianne on the face.