Chapter 12 – “I Choose You Anyway”

The morning light spilled gently through the window, brushing across Lyria’s face.

She woke with a gasp, heart pounding in her chest. The dream still clung to her like fog—fragments of laughter, the warmth of a hand in hers, his eyes catching hers beneath glowing lanterns.

And just before waking… his voice.

“I love you.”

She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the quick rhythm beneath her skin.

It wasn’t just a dream. Not really. It was everything they hadn’t said. Everything she had been afraid to let herself want.

She sat up, breathless.

Outside, the wind stirred through the trees.

Today… something felt different.

She looked to the table beside the bed - there was a note.

“I have something I want to say to you, please meet me on the bridge”

She stood, dressed quickly, and without thinking—she ran.

The river shimmered beneath the early light, its gentle flow echoing across the meadow.

Kaito stood on the small wooden bridge where the two of them always met. His hands were in his pockets, the morning chill forgotten as he stared at the water, waiting.

And then—he heard it.

Footsteps. Fast. Familiar.

He turned just in time to see Lyria coming down the hill, hair trailing behind her, breath catching in the cool air. Her ribbon had come loose. Her eyes were wide.

She didn’t stop running until she reached him.

Neither of them spoke at first. Just stood there, hearts racing, breaths uneven.

Then he took a step closer.

“I don’t care about your magic,” he said quietly. “I don’t care about fate or wings or rules written in some distant sky.”

She stared at him, eyes wide.

“Even if it costs you everything… I want you to choose for yourself.”
He smiled, soft and real.
“But I love you.”

Lyria trembled.

Tears welled in her eyes before she could stop them.

And then she laughed, choked and breathless.

“Even if I fall again…” she whispered, reaching for him, “I want it to be for you.”

He pulled her into his arms.

And this time, she didn’t pull away.

Their lips met softly at first—gentle, unsure.

Then again, deeper, truer. A kiss not of first love, but of earned love. Of every word unspoken finally taking form. Of warmth shared between two people who had seen each other at their most human—and chosen each other anyway.

As they kissed, something shimmered behind her—faint, ethereal wings of glowing light spread wide.

And then—quietly, without pain—they dissolved into sparkles and vanished on the wind.

Lyria blinked, feeling the weight lift from her shoulders.

It was gone.

All of it.

And yet… she had never felt lighter.

They walked home hand in hand.

Not angel and human.

Not healer and saved.

Just two people. Together.

And if the world had anything more to say about it…

Let it wait until tomorrow.

For today, they spent it together. Saying and doing all of the things that they wanted but were too scared before.

It was the beginning of something they could have never imagined.