''Kuzon, you...'' Maya''s voice echoed as she looked at him.


    She remembered when she first saw him. Her first thoughts were that he was handsome. It wasn''t untilter, when she caught herself in her own thoughts, that she developed animosity towards him.


    He was a Midas, after all.


    However, as fate would have it, he wasn''t really a Midas—at the very least, not in the sense that made him tainted in her eyes.


    This alone brought a relief that she couldn''t quite describe. It was ecstatic.


    And then, they started their journey together. Despite Kuzon''s increasing frustration and anxiety, she found herself desiring to spend even more time on their quest.


    A huge part of her wanted Kuzon to be happy, and that meant finding the person they were searching for.


    However, another part—a more subtle side of her—didn''t want their adventures to end.


    It was especially dreadful because she realized the possibility of never seeing him again if he disappeared to the homeworld he told her about.


    However, now that things had reached this juncture, it seemed her desires ended up being rejected.


    He was finally going to leave...


    *****


    "S-stop it!" Maya''s voice echoed, feeling her cheeks sting, yet Kuzon didn''t stop. It seemed he enjoyed, more than most things, to tease her this way.


    ''I can''t just leave things like this, can I?'' Her thoughts shed with determination.


    It was now her turn!


    Maya''s eyes fiercely targeted her choice location, swiftly stretching her hands out to both sides his cheeks to pinch them.


    Unfortunately...


    "No harm, remember?"


    ... It was useless.


    However, she remembered something she said. Something very pivotal. It was something she had been thinking of trying for some time now, and with their close proximity, it was the perfect opportunity.


    "Death by pleasure, huh?" A smirk formed on her face instantly.


    "What are you thinki—"


    Maya''s body flowed like the wind, and her face moved closer to Kuzon''s in the fraction of a moment.


    Her glossy lips met his, and in that brief window, they kissed. Or rather... she kissed him.


    However, it onlysted for that brief window.


    "Maya, stop!" Kuzon quickly said after drawing her away with his arms.


    Her dazed reaction as he did so was well expressed, and so was his flustered, guilty expression.


    Both of them, their cheeks glowing a slight hint of red—with Maya''s far more obvious—gave bated breaths and couldn''t speak for some time.


    Perhaps one was waiting for the other to say something, but—


    "K-Kuzon... I have something to tell you." Her voice wavered a little, but she fought to make it as firm and as clear as possible.


    ''I can''t believe I''m going to do this!'' The girl''s thoughts echoed as she tightened her fist in resolve.


    Her heart couldn''t take any more, and she had reached her limits of bottling it in. Her entire being wanted to let out the huge burden within her.


    It was now or never!


    "I..."


    "Maya, stop. Don''t..." Kuzon weakly muttered, his expression showing sadness and a hint of guilt.


    ''Why is he making that face? She wondered to herself. Too bad her lips moved faster than her thoughts, so she ended up spouting her words.


    "I... I don''t know when it started, b-but... I have feelings for you, Kuzon!"


    Her passionate voice echoed, carried by the wind, reaching the ears of the man she confronted.


    Her cheeks were flushed with bright red, and her eyes were shut tightly the moment she finished.


    Clenching her fist as she awaited an answer, Maya couldn''t believe what she had just done.


    Mustering courage to confess one''s feelings was no easy feat, yet she did it.


    ''Oh my goodness! I''m so embarrassed! What will he say?'' Her fingers covered her face as even more pink hue gushed out. ''What should I—?''


    "I''m sorry, Maya. I can''t reciprocate your feelings." Kuzon''s voice icily tore through her fragile, defenseless heart.


    "A-ah...?"


    She could see the guilt on his face intensify. For a moment, his eyes appeared distracted. He was looking elsewhere.


    However, the moment she focused on his sharp golden eyes, he brought them in her direction.


    "There''s someone else, Maya. And I love her." His tone was just as firm, no, firmer than hers ever was.


    The resolve he disyed put hers to shame many times over. It hurt her so much.


    "So I''m sorry." He bowed slightly.


    Awkward silence rang among the two, and once again they were unsure of what to say and who should say it.


    "I-I see..."


    "Y-yeah..."


    The awkwardness intensified.


    Pain was clearly evident on Maya''s face. Kuzon was the first man she had ever developed such feelings for. Even as she trained all those fifteen years with Crazy Neron, his image never vanished from her mind.


    She had loved him for that long, yet...


    "That girl you like... must be very special." Maya''s tears fell as she spoke.


    She didn''t even realize it when the hot and bitter liquid flowed down her cheeks.


    Her eyes were simply on the man she had hoped to be her lover.


    "She is. Very special."


    "I see. What a fortunate girl..." Maya sniffed, trying to wipe away her tears, yet more fell.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    She couldn''t help the seemingly endless pain that swirled in her heart and tortured her to no end.


    ''I-if perhaps things were different. If they were just a little different...'' Her eyes captured Kuzon''s hurt expression.


    She could honestly tell that his heart bled to watch her like this.


    ''... I would have begged you to stay here with me. Or I would have left it all to go with you.''


    Unfortunately, that reality never existed—at least, not in this ce.


    In the end, she was never able to get the only man she had ever loved.


    "I understand." Maya whispered, her tears finally drying up. A struggling smile began to form on her face as well.


    "It seems this might be thest time we''ll ever see each other. I don''t want you to remember me just crying."


    Wiping thest of her tears, Maya''s smile radiated, shing her teeth and closing her eyes.


    "Remember me as your very bright and optimistic friend, okay?"


    For her another moment, silence radiated the tower''s rooftop. Both boy and girl stood there, the wind toying with their hair.


    "I will, Maya." Her eyes widened as she felt Kuzon''s voice whispered into her ears and an embrace coiling around her.


    "You''ll always be my very bright and optimistic friend. So please... don''t change, okay?"


    More tears welled up in her eyes, however, this time she let them flow freely without stopping.


    Even as the tears flowed, Maya''s smile remained. The bittersweet sensation in her heart gave her these aches and throbs that made her both happy and sad about their current rtionship.


    "Yeah. And you better not change too!"


    "Who do you think you''re talking to?" Kuzon''s voice confidently echoed, finally releasing himself from her embrace and smiling at her with his thumb pointing at himself.


    "I''m the Absolute Almighty One!"


    Maya''s tears instantly evaporated upon seeing Kuzon''s warm smile, and the confidence he exuded


    It gave her the inspiration to be brave, embracing the bitter parts of her heart while enjoying the sweet.


    Before she realized it, she was snickering.


    "Pfft. Idiot."


    "Look who''s talking."


    "H-hey!"


    "Hahaha!!!"


    "Hahahahahahahaha!!!"


    Both of themughed atop that tower,pletely immersed in the pleasantpany they gave each other.


    "Let''s see each other again someday, dear friend." Kuzon''s fist was sent out, a gesture that invited hers to do the same.


    "Yeah. Maybe I''lle visit you one of these days."


    "You should. Maybe I''ll even give you a tour."


    "I''m sure you''ll be terrible at it."


    "Come find out then."


    Laughing once again, they fist bumped. Not as reluctant strangers, or as rejected lovers, but... as true friends.


    "See you around, Kuzon."


    "Yeah, Maya. Later."


    And with that, Kuzon used the Blu-Blu Crazy Neron granted to him to open the golden gateway to his first destination.


    The portal swirled and whirled, inviting him as the pool finally stabilized.


    He smiled, walking towards it while waving at Maya behind him. With one final look back, he smiled confidently.


    "Take care of yourself." And then, he stepped in.


    Perhaps Maya could have left it at that. But, she couldn''t just let him say the final words. Onest time, she poured her heart out to him.


    "You t—"


    >VWUUUSSHH<


    The portal closed at that moment, cutting her short at thest minute.


    It left Maya all alone on the tower, taking in the sight of her world all alone.


    "I miss him already..." She whispered to herself.


    They hadn''t known each other for too long, but Maya felt like she had known him her whole life.


    It wasn''t a very terrible feeling.


    "Good luck, Kuzon. I wish you good fortune."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    This chapter was longer than usual because I wanted to encapste the feelings of farewell in this.


    As you''d expect, I''m making ast chapter about this world without Kuzon. It won''t be focusing on Maya, though.


    Tell me your thoughts on the Maya character, though. How was she in your eyes?


    There are new Character Arts, Interactions, Novel Updates, and Interactions, in the Discord Server.


    What are you waiting for? Hop in!


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