[142] Remembering the past

Kaoru, his tone gentle and without judgment, asked softly, "Reika… why?" His gaze, steady and understanding, sought to unravel the emotions that had driven her sudden action.

Reika kept her head bowed, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. "I… I don't know. I just…" She inhaled sharply, her words trembling as she tried to piece them together. "I admire you, Kaoru-sama. There are so many things about you that captivate me—the way you treat the people around you, your strength, your composure. I don't know how to stop these feelings from growing."

Kaoru looked at Reika, his own heart weighed down with the complexity of the situation. He wasn't angry; rather, he felt the gravity of her words. He knew he couldn't ignore her feelings, yet he was also keenly aware that any misstep could cause harm to everyone involved.

Slowly, Kaoru stood from his seat and approached Reika. She remained still, trying to stifle the tears threatening to spill. Placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, Kaoru gently lifted her chin, guiding her to meet his eyes.

"Listen, Reika," he said in a calm, deep voice. "I already have Asuka… and yes, there is someone else close to me. I don't want to hide this reality from you. I might very well be a bastard who doesn't deserve the affection I already have." He paused, his crimson eyes locking onto hers. "But I need to know—are your feelings genuine? Are you serious about this?"

Reika, now face-to-face with Kaoru's piercing gaze, felt her heart race under his intensity. Her cheeks burned, yet she didn't look away. Deep down, she knew this was the moment to lay everything bare, without hesitation or regret.

"No… these feelings aren't a lie," Reika admitted, her voice trembling yet resolute. "I'm serious, Kaoru-sama. I love you."

Hearing those words, Kaoru felt something stir deep within him, a sensation he had tried to suppress for so long. He realized that his next actions would forever alter their relationship. The emotions he had buried began to surface, overpowering the rational voice in his head.

Without another word, Kaoru drew Reika closer, erasing the distance between them. Their gazes locked for a brief moment before Kaoru lowered his head, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. There was no hesitation in his actions—only raw honesty and unrestrained emotion.

Reika froze momentarily, stunned by the sudden intimacy, but only for a moment. She soon responded, pouring every ounce of pent-up feeling into the kiss. Her arms slowly wrapped around Kaoru's neck, pulling him closer and deepening the connection between them.

The kiss was heated and full of longing, yet beneath the passion lay a profound sincerity—an acknowledgment between two hearts that now understood each other, despite the chaos surrounding them. When they finally parted, both were breathless but without a trace of regret. Kaoru looked at Reika, his gaze softer than ever before.

"Reika…" he murmured, his fingers brushing against her flushed cheek. "You know this won't be easy. There will be consequences, and I don't want you to regret this."

Reika's tearful eyes held an unwavering determination. "I understand, Kaoru-sama. But I've already decided… I won't regret my feelings, no matter what happens."

Kaoru offered a faint smile, pulling her into a firm embrace, feeling the warmth of her body against his. "Then we'll face this together… with no lies and without causing unnecessary harm to anyone."

Reika nodded against his chest, her heart finally at ease after confessing everything. For the first time, she felt her feelings fully accepted. The road ahead would undoubtedly be challenging, but for now, all that mattered was that they had reached an understanding.

---

Kaoru now found himself with another companion—a loyal attendant who wore her butler uniform with perfection and dedicated herself to serving his every need. His life appeared to be something out of a dream, surrounded by women who loved him with genuine hearts. Yet, reality was far from a simple fantasy.

In another world, where he had once been thrust as a hero, Kaoru's life had been devoid of romance. His focus had been singular: returning home. The longing for his family, especially his father, was a driving force that kept him going through countless trials and challenges. Despite his detachment from love, a chance encounter in that world had changed everything.

She was a brave woman, her warm smile capable of softening Kaoru's hardened heart. She became not just a comrade but someone Kaoru leaned on, someone who reignited a flicker of hope in his otherwise dark existence. Over time, their bond deepened—from trust to love.

For the first time, Kaoru entertained dreams beyond survival and duty. Together with her, he began to envision a simpler life—not as a hero facing cosmic threats, but as an ordinary man with someone to love.

When Kaoru finally proposed, he offered her a modest ring forged from enchanted metal, symbolizing his earnest feelings. She accepted with tearful joy, and for the first time in a long while, Kaoru felt he had found a light in his darkness.

But their happiness was short-lived.

Just days after their engagement, they were ambushed by the minions of the World Eater—the cosmic entity that served as Kaoru's greatest foe. The attack was sudden and devastating, destroying their sanctuary and leaving Kaoru powerless to protect the woman he loved. She was gravely injured, and despite exhausting all his strength to fight and save her, her life slipped away.

In Kaoru's arms, her final words were filled with love and resolve. "Kaoru… stay strong. This world needs you. I… I'll always love you."

And with that, she was gone, leaving Kaoru in a void of grief and despair.

That day marked a turning point in Kaoru's life. Losing the woman he had just pledged his future to shattered him, erasing any doubts about his role as a hero. From then on, love had no place in his heart. His only purpose became finishing his mission, growing stronger, and finding a way back to his own world.

Yet, the scars of that loss remained, hidden but ever-present. They reminded him to distance himself from romantic entanglements, to shield himself from the pain of loving and losing again.

Meeting people like Asuka and Reika in this new world challenged that resolve. Part of him feared reliving the same tragedy, yet another part whispered that love had been his anchor in the darkest times. It was the reason he had endured and survived.

Kaoru's life was a paradox. From a man who had lost everything to someone now surrounded by love he never sought, he carried the weight of his past alongside the fragile hope for a future where happiness might truly last. But the scars on his heart reminded him that joy, no matter how profound, was never eternal.