A Moment in Time

The sun dipped low on the horizon, painting the sky in hues of gold and orange as Kai and Moia walked along the lake’s edge. The world around them seemed to slow, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Kai allowed himself to savor the simplicity of the moment. No quests. No ticking clocks. No pressure to succeed. Just him, Moia, and the quiet peace that settled between them.

It had been days since the last quest, and the weight of the curse—of the endless resets—had gnawed at him, dragging him back into the familiar cycle. But today, for the first time, he let go of that weight. Today, he was just a man in love, standing beside the woman he adored, walking beside the water and feeling like there was nothing more he needed in the world.

He glanced at Moia. Her hair was tossed lightly by the breeze, the strands glistening in the fading sunlight. Her eyes—those eyes—met his, and for the first time in weeks, the sadness that had been so ever-present in his chest began to soften.

"You’re quiet today," Moia remarked, her voice soft and teasing, yet there was a warmth in her gaze that made Kai’s heart skip.

He smiled, but it was a smile tinged with uncertainty. "Just thinking."

"About what?" she asked, nudging him playfully with her shoulder.

Kai’s mind swirled. He wanted to tell her everything—the curse, the quests, the weight of every moment they shared knowing it would all reset. But when he looked at her, all he saw was the woman who believed in him, the woman who had never given up on him, even when he thought he was beyond saving. The love in her eyes was real, and it made him feel something he couldn’t explain. A strange mix of fear and peace. Fear because he had been conditioned to believe love was fleeting, and peace because for a moment, it felt like they could have everything.

"About you," Kai said, his voice gentle. The words felt right on his tongue, more so than any of the lies or excuses he’d used in the past.

Moia’s lips parted, and she stopped walking for a moment, turning to face him fully. The evening light softened her features, and for a moment, Kai was caught in the warmth of her gaze, his chest tightening with emotions that ran deeper than the surface.

"I was thinking about how much you mean to me," he continued, his voice a little strained, as if the words didn’t quite do justice to the feelings he had for her. "And how... how much I want to make you happy."

Moia took a small step closer, her fingers brushing lightly against his. The touch was warm and familiar, but it sent a wave of tenderness crashing over him, the simplicity of the moment making his heart ache.

"You already do, Kai. Every day, just by being you."

Her words struck him, deeper than anything he could have expected. She believed in him. She trusted him. And yet, he couldn’t help but feel the weight of the curse that loomed in the background. The constant loop, the constant battle. Every time he tried to make things right, the world reset, and with it, Moia’s memory erased. She couldn’t remember the struggles, the shared moments, the love that had bloomed in the cycles. But he remembered. Every time, he remembered.

He gripped her hand tighter, his thoughts racing. If only she could remember… If only I could make this last.

"I’m not giving up on us," she said suddenly, almost as though reading his mind. Her voice was soft but strong, filled with an unwavering conviction that made Kai’s heart skip.

Kai blinked, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I know something’s been... off. I see it in your eyes, in the way you act sometimes," she said, stepping even closer, her hand resting against his chest. "But whatever it is, I want to help. I want to fight for us."

Her words were a balm to his tortured soul. But they also made him feel guilty. Because how could he explain the curse? The endless looping? The pain of knowing he could never truly have her, no matter how much he wanted it? How could he tell her that every time he thought he was moving forward, he was only falling back into the same pit of despair?

But in that moment, with her so close to him, he realized something that made his breath catch in his throat: Maybe this time could be different.

He swallowed hard, his voice breaking slightly as he spoke. "I don’t deserve you, Moia. Every time, I fail. I—"

"Stop," she interrupted, placing her finger over his lips. "Stop thinking like that. I love you. And I know you’re fighting. That’s all that matters."

Her touch was warm, and the sincerity in her voice was like a gentle caress. Kai couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this level of raw, unguarded emotion. She wasn’t just there for him physically; she was with him in every sense of the word, even if she didn’t fully know the truth.

A sudden surge of feeling overtook him. In that moment, he wasn’t a man cursed to relive his life over and over again. He wasn’t a man fighting for some unattainable future. He was simply a man who loved a woman with all his heart. And that, at least, was real.

Kai leaned down, his lips finding hers in a soft, desperate kiss. It was slow at first, hesitant, as if they both feared it would break the moment. But then, as if they both realized there was no need for hesitation, the kiss deepened, and the world around them fell away.

For those brief, perfect seconds, the curse didn’t matter. The endless cycle didn’t matter. All that mattered was this moment, the love they shared, and the warmth that enveloped him like a shield from the storm of his fate.

When they broke apart, Kai could see the spark in Moia’s eyes—the same warmth, the same love that had always been there. And for the first time in a long while, Kai felt something else—a flicker of hope.

"I’ll make you happy, Moia," he whispered, his voice low and firm. "I’ll fight for this. For us. Even if I have to break the curse, I won’t stop."

Her smile was all the affirmation he needed. "I know you will. And we’ll do it together."

In that moment, Kai knew he had a choice to make. He didn’t have to carry the burden of the curse alone. Moia had shown him that. She had always been there, even when the world forgot him.

And maybe, just maybe, they could fight this together.