Prologue

"Is this really a dream?"

The words echoed in Leon's mind. His body felt light, almost weightless, yet the ground beneath him was solid. A cool breeze brushed against his skin, carrying a scent both unfamiliar and strangely nostalgic.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. Towering golden trees surrounded him, their leaves shimmering under a violet sky. The world pulsed with an energy he couldn’t explain. It was beautiful...too vivid, too real to be a dream.

Then, he saw her.

A girl stood amidst the golden trees, her silver hair catching the light, her deep eyes filled with something unspoken. He had never seen her before. Yet, the way she looked at him sent a strange feeling through his chest.

“Leon,” she whispered.

His breath hitched. “How do you know my name?”

She smiled.

A sharp ache bloomed in Leon's heart. He didn’t know her, but something inside him whispered that he should.

Was she real? Was this world real?

Or was this just a dream… a dream he had long forgotten?

"Is this really a dream?"

The words lingered in Noel’s mind. The moment she opened her eyes, she knew. She had seen this somewhere before.

Towering buildings of steel and glass loomed over her. The air smelled strange like smoke, metal, something artificial. People rushed past her, their voices merging into an endless hum of noise.

Her chest tightened. This wasn’t her world.

Yet, amidst the crowd, her eyes found him.

A boy stood a few feet away, staring at her. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes...those familiar, longing eyes made her heart tremble.

“Noel…” he breathed, as if saying her name brought something back to life.

She took a shaky step forward. “You… know me?”

His lips parted, but no words came.

But why?