#hoshi reply

Having to move to another city to enroll in one of central Tokyo's most prestigious universities had never really been a problem. You adapted quickly to your part-time job at the ramen shop, where the kind owner also offered you a roof over your head. Before you even realized it, you found yourself sharing your days with a black cat who revealed the power tied to your soul.

Being a Persona user had brought both misfortune and precious moments into your life. Through it, you met other students burdened with the same fate, sharing the weight of your mistakes and the consequences of every decision together.

You had lived too much.

Well... in truth, you'd been given the chance to start over after a black carriage struck you one night while you were heading to a nearby laundromat, your laundry basket overflowing with clothes that needed washing.

Arriving in Twisted Wonderland wasn't all that different from your life in Tokyo. Once again, you had a talking cat by your side—one who caused far more trouble than he ever solved; an old man—considerably less trustworthy than the last one—who gave you a damp, dust-covered room to sleep in; and, of course, a group of friends who were just as troublesome as they were dear to you, whom you met only a few days after arriving in that strange new world.

Oh, and there were the Overblots, though they never truly frightened you. After your first battle against a monster in that long-abandoned mine, you discovered that the power still remained within you—and that you could still summon it, even in a world completely different from your own.

And naturally, the dorm leader fighting beside you noticed the majestic entity rising behind your back, nearly as massive as the Phantom looming behind the Overblot you were trying to stop. Yet despite its overwhelming presence, your expression remained perfectly calm.

Riddle

♡ The crimson leader was utterly astonished. While everyone else chose to run away and hide, selfishly protecting themselves, you stood your ground before the Overblot—one notoriously taller and far more dangerous than your small frame.

♡ He had faint, blurry memories of that very same expression you wore now before the Ink Lion: your narrowed gaze fixed unwaveringly on the target you were determined to stop. You were so resolute that not even Leona's deafening roar made you flinch.

♡ With the same determination, he took his place beside you, gripping his staff tightly, ready to fight at your side.

♡ Out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but notice how tightly you clutched the weapon you carried everywhere around the school under the excuse of it being for self-defense—and how your hands still trembled around the trigger. Riddle trusted that you would never hurt anyone with it.

♡ What he never expected was to see you raise it directly to your own head without the slightest hesitation after shouting, "Persona!"

♡ He barely had time to react, fear gripping him over whatever might happen next. His surprise only grew when blue flames burst forth, forcing him backward and halting his movements.

♡ His eyes lit up as an entity nearly as massive as Leona's Phantom emerged behind you, obeying every one of your commands without hesitation. He noticed how lost you seemed within yourself, yet even then, you never stopped worrying about the people around you.

♡ The moment the battle ended with you standing victorious, Riddle hurried to catch you in his arms before you could collapse to the ground. You had exhausted far too much energy, and your anxiety had consumed you beyond what your body could endure.

♡ Without a doubt, once you had fully recovered, the two of you would have a very long conversation about that "magic" you seemed to wield—and how deeply it was intertwined with your very soul.

Leona

♡ The lion had never been one to look after others. Yet, a part of himself quietly urged him to do just that. So when Azul's Overblot spiraled out of control, Leona was the one who chose to remain on the front lines and stop the prideful octopus.

♡ He never expected a mere herbivore—someone he barely knew and who was already causing him more trouble than he cared to deal with—to flatly refuse his order to leave. And while he wasn't about to turn down an extra pair of hands, what truly caught him off guard was the moment you drew the weapon that always rested at your right hip.

♡ What happened next was almost impossible to believe. Without the slightest hesitation, you raised the weapon, pulled the trigger with conviction, and shouted, "Persona!"

♡ Leona held his ground for as long as he could, keeping his eyes on you as blue flames engulfed your body, leaving only your glowing eyes visible. All he could hope was that, whatever this turned out to be, it wouldn't become a problem on the same scale as the Overblot.

♡ When he was finally able to look up, he found a grotesque-looking entity standing behind you. Despite its terrifying appearance, it seemed to acknowledge only your voice, obeying every command you gave without question as it mercilessly attacked the Overblot before it.

♡ His muscles tensed as he watched you issue each command with unwavering confidence and calm precision. You moved as though this was far from your first time doing something like this—a detail that certainly didn't escape the dorm leader's notice.

♡ Once everything had settled, Leona pulled you aside to a secluded spot so the two of you could talk about what he had just witnessed. Had you lied to them about who—or what—you really were?

♡ That was when you told him the story of your life before arriving in this world: how you had constantly fought to stop disasters caused by others, risking yourself to protect people while never expecting anything in return. Leona found himself at a loss for words. Even for someone who had grown up surrounded by magic, what you described sounded utterly unbelievable.

♡ Even so, he chose to stay by your side and help however he could. From what he had come to understand, the path you walked was one filled with danger—and he wasn't about to let you face it alone.

Azul

♡ The heart-wrenching scream that tore from your throat snapped him out of his thoughts. Azul had been so absorbed by the Overblot before him—and by the plan he was already devising—that he had barely noticed your presence behind him.

♡ The moment his eyes landed on you, he had to shield his face from the intense wave of scorching air radiating from your body. Through narrowed eyes, he watched as your school uniform transformed, changing before his very eyes while the blue flames surrounding you slowly faded away.

♡ He didn't even have the chance to speak before his pupils shrank. Without realizing it, he instinctively took a step back at the sight of the figure that had appeared behind you—an imposing entity that seemed to mirror your every movement.

♡ He remembered very little of what happened afterward; the memories were frustratingly blurred. But one thing he was absolutely certain of was that the graceful fighter before him was the very same prefect from another world.

♡ For weeks afterward, Azul couldn't get those events out of his mind, even after everyone else had stopped talking about them. As far as he understood, you didn't possess even a trace of magic. So then... how had you—

♡ After conducting an extensive investigation through methods that were... ethically questionable, yet remarkably effective, he finally decided to pay a visit to the abandoned dormitory. He had been fully prepared to strike any kind of contract if that was what it took to learn the truth behind what had happened that day.

♡ As it turned out, there was no need. The moment he arrived and asked his question, you simply invited him inside, and before he knew it, he was sitting in the dorm's lounge, quietly listening as you told him your story.

♡ He hadn't known you could speak so well with black cats, too. Though yours seemed considerably grumpier than Lucius.

Kalim

♡ Before anything else, Scarabia's sun thought only of protecting you from Jamil's Overblot—the very one he had unknowingly caused. Kalim knew you could take care of yourself, but what kind of person would he be if, once again, he let others bear the consequences of his own mistakes?

♡ Although he felt proud to hear you refuse to leave him to fight alone against the monster his right-hand man had become, worry gripped him once more as he watched you step forward to claim your place on the battlefield against the boy blinded by blot.

♡ He tried to pull you back and create some distance to keep you out of danger, but a powerful gust of wind erupted from your direction, pushing him back several feet. The force was so strong that he instinctively shielded his face and squeezed his eyes shut.

♡ When he finally opened them again, the world had been bathed in an eerie blue glow from the flames pouring out of your body. He noticed that your school uniform had changed, and that you were holding a mask tightly in your hand before slowly placing it over your face.

♡ What followed was a battle unlike anything he had ever witnessed, not even in the most fantastical movies. The entity standing behind you mirrored your every movement with unwavering precision, obeying each of your commands without the slightest hesitation. Kalim could only stare in stunned amazement, his mouth hanging open at the unbelievable sight unfolding before his eyes.

♡ And of course, once everything had finally settled down, Kalim wasted no time visiting your dorm to ask what had happened and what all of that had been. If you were Overblotting as well, then you needed to tell him as soon as possible so he could find you help before you ended up like the others.

♡ A few weeks later, when things had finally calmed down, Kalim couldn't help telling everyone just how incredible you had been in battle—while doing his best to keep your secret safe.

Vil

♡ The leader of Pomefiore had heard about your achievements against the previous Overblots that had occurred at the school, but no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't understand how a human with no trace of magic could possess enough strength to stand against the black blot.

♡ It wasn't until he was personally caught up in the battle against Idia that he finally realized why. You never backed down—instead, you rushed headfirst into the fight without a hint of fear.

♡ Vil didn't stop you when you hurried to fight alongside him, though his curiosity wasn't enough to let him allow you to put yourself in more danger than you could handle. His wand remained at the ready, prepared to strike the moment it became necessary.

♡ The deafening crash, accompanied by your piercing scream, was what finally made him react.

♡ You looked like something straight out of a movie scene. No special effects could ever compare to how magnificent the blue flames looked as they engulfed you.

♡ And then he understood your power when he saw the entity standing behind you. It resembled the Phantoms he had only ever read about in ancient magic books, yet it also seemed far more subdued and sorrowful than any of them.

♡ Some time later, once peace had returned, the dorm leader summoned you to the library. You found him waiting beside a small stack of books, all of them about the Phantoms of his world, eager to learn more about the being that seemed so deeply connected to you.

♡ Everything finally made sense once you explained that it was tied to your soul and the way your mind worked.

♡ So that was why your Persona seemed so melancholic...

Idia

♡ For the love of the Great Seven, you had almost given him a heart attack. Right in the middle of the battle against Malleus's Overblot, he caught you pressing a gun to your temple—one he hadn't even realized you'd been carrying beneath your uniform vest this whole time.

♡ His fingers flew across his keyboard with the same speed he used to snag limited-edition merch online, desperately trying to stop whatever you were about to do. But your movements were faster.

♡ He barely had time to react when you shouted, "Persona!" An entity that looked like the final boss of a turn-based RPG materialized behind you, standing tall without a hint of fear.

♡ The battle ended before he could even process what had just happened. By the time he'd finally started piecing everything together, the Overblot had already vanished. Once life returned to something resembling normal, he asked to speak with you in private about what seemed to be something only he had noticed—everyone else was convinced that Idia himself had somehow programmed the Phantom.

♡ Wait... seriously? Everything you were telling him was actually real? This was a goldmine. Your story could become an entire RPG franchise. Hold on a second—he needed to grab his tablet before you continued so he could write down every single idea and anecdote you had.

♡ After the biggest scare of his life had finally worn off, the explanation you gave him about how every Phantom you could summon was tied to a different facet of your psyche completely captured his attention. It felt just like one of those games where you had to collect dozens of rare and unique companions to complete the entire roster.

♡ Oh, and of course, he was absolutely fascinated when you explained how the switching system between them actually worked.

♡ ...Are you absolutely sure he couldn't have one? You know... without having to risk his life every time he tried to summon it?

Malleus

♡ The dragon had encountered countless warriors who never feared battle, each possessing the courage that a seasoned fighter needed to keep under control in order to continue fighting with honor. But you... You were merely a human who refused to run from trouble, choosing instead to face it head-on without asking anyone for help.

♡ Needless to say, you had done more than simply catch his attention—you had awakened a deep curiosity within him. You were as fragile as any magicless human, and yet you hadn't taken even a single step back when the Overblot erupted right before your eyes.

♡ From your hip, you drew a weapon. Malleus watched with quiet anticipation, waiting to see what you would do next. For the first time in a long while, the serious expression he always wore faltered when you suddenly pressed the weapon against the side of your head and shouted, "Persona!" with a strength he had never heard from you before.

♡ What followed was seeing you engulfed in flames, much like the fire that surrounded him whenever he appeared somewhere. But your flames were warm, shimmering in shades of blue as they completely enveloped you before revealing your face once more. Behind you, an imposing figure rose into view.

♡ Malleus hadn't realized that this was how human weapons worked... He would have to ask Lilia about it later.

♡ And a few days later, while recounting the incident to Lilia, he watched in confusion as the older fae let out a startled cry, his face turning pale with horror. It was then that Malleus realized this was probably not something normal after all.

♡ That very night, he appeared in the garden outside your dormitory window, still full of questions. Lilia had practically forced him to go and make sure that his Child of Man was still alive.

♡ You couldn't help but laugh at Malleus's innocence. Sometimes, his lack of understanding when it came to human matters was almost unbelievable. Even so, you patiently explained everything that had happened.

♡ He listened attentively, asking question after question whenever something confused him. By the end of your explanation, he fully understood that your Persona was deeply connected to both your mind and your soul. Though he never voiced it aloud, he had noticed that the beings who appeared alongside you carried an unmistakable air of melancholy... and, quietly, he resolved to find a way to help you bear that burden.

[Y/n] never believed in fairy tales.

Even as a child, [Y/n] had understood what many adults refused to accept: the reality that surrounded her. In a world as gray as her homeland, it wasn't difficult to realize where you stood. War, violence, selfishness, and human nature were things she witnessed every single day—truths that could not simply be denied beneath fairy dust and stories of princes rescuing innocent girls trapped in towering castles guarded by dragons.

Throughout her life, she had kept both feet firmly planted on the ground, rejecting time and time again the stories her mother told with boundless imagination and that her childhood best friend adored with unwavering devotion. So much so that said friend wore pink dresses identical to those of the princesses that sparkled within illustrated storybooks.

[Y/n] would only roll her eyes and scoff, never giving it much thought. To her, it was all complete nonsense.

She lived most of her life that way, clinging to reality, until one night, after a heated argument with the friend she loved like an older sister, she found herself walking alone through the darkness. Then, before she even had time to react, a black carriage struck her mercilessly, marking the beginning of something she never would have believed possible.

She awoke beneath floating coffins hanging over her head, surrounded by beasts that would have been dismissed as myths in her world and spells her human mind could barely comprehend. Bound now to a small gray demon, she found herself living under the roof of a magic school because of the very creature responsible for keeping her alive.

There were days when her mind simply couldn't take any more, leaving her with no choice but to wander the grounds of the institution while drowning in nostalgic thoughts of the life that had been taken from her without warning.

Perhaps she had lived incorrectly, selfishly and without regret since a young age. Or perhaps God had simply reached His limit of second chances and, through some inexplicable act of mercy, had allowed her to be reborn into a new reality—one where the existence of things beyond her understanding could no longer be denied.

The very thing she had always rejected.

The thing that made reality easier to bear.

Something magical.

After months of trying to cope with the life that now belonged to her, understanding her surroundings, and getting to know the two idiots she was forced to deal with every day (well, three, considering the little demon barely gave her a moment to breathe), the girl began her path toward redemption among books of Alchemy and Magical Transformations—subjects she had once thought too ridiculous even for children's stories.

And yet, there was a part of her heart she stubbornly refused to acknowledge, one that filled her with longing.

She missed hearing her mother's scoldings, urging her to smile a little more. She longed for the warmth of her best friend's embrace at her side or even the simple lick of her little puppy against her cheek.

She couldn't deny that the friendships she had formed—strengthened by the countless troubles they had endured together—had become a lifeline whenever everything seemed to sink into a darker shade of gray. Even less could she deny what she felt for the green-haired boy who had stolen her heart and seemed willing to offer her half of his soul, one that did not belong to his engagement with nobility.

She sighed aloud, planting her feet firmly against the rough carpet—rough thanks to the years it had spent abandoned on the floor of that dormitory. With the sluggishness that only midnight could bring, the room's window was opened for the first time in years.

A mountain of dust spilled down into the garden below.

[Y/n] rested both forearms on the small balcony that only Ramshackle possessed in that room. The mahogany creaked beneath the pressure of her weight as the wind whistled softly, gently stirring the loose strands of hair belonging to the dorm's now-appointed prefect.

Her eyes shimmered as she lifted her chin, admiring the moonlight bathing the island in silver, illuminating the few souls still awake beneath its celestial mantle.

The moon had always been her mother's greatest confidante—the silent witness to the woman's desperate cries for comfort. And now, even from another distant world, it gazed upon [Y/n] the way a mother looked lovingly upon her children.

She sighed.

She remembered every story that spoke of the moon and how her mother, even at her age, continued to pray faithfully to that cosmic being. And in a desperate attempt to obtain what she desired most, she finally surrendered to it after years of denial.

"I can't believe I'm actually going to do this..."

Embarrassment colored her cheeks as she glanced over her shoulder, finding a sleepy Grim and the peace left behind by the fireflies drifting endlessly through the garden. Her gaze returned to what had become her only salvation, and with enough determination to wrinkle her nose, she closed her eyes. Both hands pressed against her chest, joining together in a silent prayer.

"Can you? Can you? Can you?"

The silent calm of the night was her only companion at that moment. After opening her eyes with the desperate longing to return home—as though the magic contained within the island would somehow place her back in her old bedroom—she found nothing had changed.

With pessimism weighing heavily on her chest, she slowly released the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding since making her wish.

She looked up at the moon hanging in the clear sky. Now it seemed to be mocking her for believing in a foolish childhood story.

"I'm selfish, asking for something impossible when I spent years making fun of you... You must be laughing at me right now."

Lamenting her own foolishness, she rested her face on her crossed arms atop the small wooden balcony railing. Warm tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, struggling to break free with a force she desperately wished they would.

Until the croak of a frog pulled her from her thoughts.

Her slightly clouded gaze lifted, meeting the image—distorted by her tears—of a small green amphibian staring back at her with large amber eyes.

"How funny..."

Having lost all hope, she lazily propped her elbow against the railing and rested her cheek on her hand, taking a better look at the slimy little creature beside her. A melancholic smile tugged at her lips as she remembered her childhood best friend's favorite fairy tale, one she had heard millions of times.

"What? Do you want me to kiss you now?"

"That would be very kind of you, Human."

The unexpected response caused her to stumble backward in panic, tripping over the scattered school shoes lying around the dorm room and crashing into the wardrobe behind her, accompanied by a very mature high-pitched scream.

"I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO SCARE YOU!"

With a small leap, the amphibian landed beside her, walking on two legs while she stared at it in a mixture of equal parts horror and disgust.

The frog attempted to help her up from the floor, but at his current size he barely reached above the height of [Y/n]'s foot.

He regretted trying almost immediately.

"You are a gentleman of the Draconia family, Sebek. You cannot go around frightening ladies, especially not the one you love."

His self-directed scolding was abruptly interrupted by another shriek from the girl.

"Se—SEBEK?!"

The frog froze upon hearing his name, glancing sideways at the girl who had occupied every one of his dreams since they had begun dating.

Taking a dramatic breath, he turned toward her and attempted to appear as composed as possible, accompanied by an awkward smile.

"H-Hey..."

[Y/n] slowly lifted one of her school shoes, aiming it directly at the amphibian with every intention of turning him into a green stain on her carpet.

"STOP! YOU LOVED ME YESTERDAY!"

"YESTERDAY YOU WEREN'T AN UGLY FROG!"

Her words seemed to wound the frog's feelings. One hand flew to his chest as though he could physically contain the damage.

[Y/n] lowered her shoe.

"So that's how you greet your boyfriend when he comes to ask for your help? You wound me, Human."

After all the chaos, the girl managed to sit down on the floor carefully, her hair thoroughly disheveled from the ordeal. She glanced toward her bed to make sure her little demon was still asleep, apparently oblivious to everything currently happening.

"Help?"

Sebek nodded.

He began explaining everything that had happened earlier that night in the Alchemy classroom. While attempting to recreate an advanced potion from one of his textbooks, he had somehow managed to transform himself into the very animal currently staring back at him through the reflection of the girl's phone lying on the floor beside them.

"And now I need you, [Y/n]."

Before he could continue, the girl shook her head twice.

"No, no, no, you've got the wrong person, Sebs," she said desperately. "I told you when we first met—I don't have any magic."

"I don't need you to cast a spell."

That statement immediately caught her attention.

How in the world was she supposed to help return him to normal if she didn't possess even the slightest trace of magic in this world? On the power scale, she ranked below practically everyone.

Yet her curiosity compelled her to let him continue.

"I need a..." He cleared his throat. [Y/n] wasn't sure whether it was the late hour or if she was simply hallucinating, but she could have sworn she saw a blush on the frog's cheeks.

She shuddered internally.

"A... a kiss..." He hesitated. "A true love's kiss..."

The girl from another world narrowed her eyes, trying to process what she had just heard. She blinked automatically while giving the Diasomnia student her full attention.

If this was a joke, it was an incredibly bad one.

"You've got to be kidding me, Sebek."

"LANGUAGE!" he snapped, hopping indignantly.

"IT'S THE DUMBEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD!"

"Do you really think I would lie in a situation this serious?"

[Y/n] swallowed a childish whine that threatened to escape her throat, stubbornly refusing to accept that this was the only possible way to help the boy she was hopelessly in love with, while remaining sensible enough not to kiss a frog.

"I would never lie to you, [Y/n]. You know that."

Sebek didn't lie. She knew him well enough to recognize just how terrible he was at it, and how serious he became whenever a situation truly mattered.

Like right now.

"Yeah, Sebs, but... isn't it a little ridiculous? Just a little?"

The amphibian shook his head.

"It's not ridiculous at all. It's what the spellbook says."

The moment she heard there was a book involved, [Y/n] felt a spark of hope.

Maybe if they studied it carefully, they could find another solution—one significantly less disgusting than kissing him.

With desperate determination, she asked the frog to fetch the book from wherever he had left it.

The newly transformed Sebek hopped toward the balcony and disappeared for a few minutes before returning with a book nearly the size of his entire body and probably three times his weight.

The book looked ancient. Its dark green hardcover made the golden letters on the front stand out even more, accompanied by a drawing of a frog beneath the title.

Sebek dropped it onto the girl's study desk, nearly crushing her desk lamp beneath it.

The moment [Y/n] stepped closer to examine its contents, her hope shattered.

"It's..." she stammered in disbelief. "A children's storybook... with illustrations..."

Defeated, she accepted that her hopes had completely evaporated.

"Lilia..."

"Of course it was Lilia," she interrupted.

"[Y/n], please."

"No, Sebek. This is ridiculous." The disbelief in her voice was impossible to miss. He had brought her a damn children's fairy tale to solve his problem. "What comes next? Turns out I'm actually a princess and all that crap, right?"

"You've always been as beautiful as a princess. I wouldn't be surprised if you were one."

The girl from another world glared at him, unable to completely hide the pink blush spreading across her cheeks.

She pointed a finger at him.

Sebek recognized that gesture immediately. He had learned long ago to be extremely careful with his next words whenever she did that if he wanted to avoid being launched through a window.

"But no. In the worst-case scenario, you'll turn into a frog too. Though the chances of that happening are very low."

"You're really not helping..."

She wanted to refuse his request.

She truly did.

But she couldn't stop the guilt creeping into her chest.

Sebek had always done his best for others, even when helping them solve their own problems. And now she felt selfish for refusing to help him with his.

Sebek had been her first salvation...

And now she was turning her back on him.

She would be lying if she said his earlier words hadn't shaken her heart.

With a resigned sigh, she gave in.

Damn it.

"S-So... just one little kiss, right?"

"Unless you beg for more."

Instantly, [Y/n] grabbed the children's book with both hands and pointed it directly at the frog, prepared to use it as a blunt weapon if necessary.

"I WAS JOKING! BY THE SEVEN, WHAT A TEMPER..."

Sebek whimpered, raising his tiny front legs like a shield to protect himself from becoming a decorative stain on the back cover of the book.

The frog remained motionless for several seconds, reevaluating every decision that had led him to this moment.

From brewing an advanced potion without supervision...

To entrusting his fate to an illustrated children's fairy tale.

"You know what's the worst part?" he muttered.

"What?"

"That I still think asking you for help was the best idea I've had all night."

[Y/n] let out a long sigh.

Curse her conscience.

And curse Sebek for somehow managing to make those abandoned-puppy eyes even after turning into a frog.

"You're an idiot..."

"Your idiot."

Sometimes, [Y/n] forgot just how romantic her boyfriend could be.

At least romantic enough to convince her to kiss a frog.

She took a deep breath, filling her lungs completely until her cheeks puffed out like a ripe peach.

She tried.

She really tried.

Gathering every last ounce of courage she had left, she slowly leaned toward Sebek, determined to press her lips against his just as she had done countless times before.

But the moment her eyes landed on that tiny green, damp mouth, all her determination shattered.

She froze.

A shiver ran down her spine.

The breath she'd been holding escaped all at once as a grimace of disgust twisted her features. A strangled sound of revulsion left her throat, and she immediately recoiled, covering her mouth with one hand to suppress the gag reflex triggered by the very idea.

She couldn't do it.

For all the heavens above, she loved him.

But he was still a frog.

A GREEN AND REVOLTING ONE.

"OH, SEBEK, YOU'RE JUST SO GROSS!"

"NOW I GROSS YOU OUT?!" the frog croaked indignantly.

[Y/n] shook her head, trying to convince herself of her own words before saying them aloud.

"THAT'S NOT IT!" she protested. "But you're greener than usual and... look at you! You're covered in slime!"

"Actually, it's mucus, Human."

"THAT IS NOT HELPING! UGH! UGH! UGH!"

She frantically waved her hands at him as though physically pushing the image away, while the expression of disgust never once left her face.

Sebek crossed his arms and waited, watching his girlfriend dramatically spin in circles while expressing her horror in the most exaggerated way possible.

"AND HOW DO I KNOW I WON'T CATCH SOME WEIRD DISEASE OR START SEEING COLORFUL LIGHTS IF I PUT MY LIPS ON THA—?!"

The frog shot her a reproachful look.

"Watch your words, [Y/n]."

"Those unpleasant reptile lips!"

She corrected herself immediately, earning a weary sigh from her boyfriend.

"Amphibian, [Y/n]. I'm an amphibian."

His voice sounded tired.

[Y/n] couldn't ignore it.

She knew exactly when Sebek was reaching the limits of his patience, and right now he was dangerously close.

And honestly, she understood.

She would be desperate too if she had been transformed into a frog while her partner did nothing but complain about helping.

Embarrassed, she sighed and surrendered once more.

"Sorry. I'll try again."

Sebek held her gaze.

There wasn't a hint of blame in his eyes.

If anything, he looked proud of her.

Proud of the girl who always wanted to help people in need, even at the expense of her own comfort and happiness.

That was why he had loved her from the very beginning.

She understood sacrifice just as much as he did.

"It's alright. I'd wait an eternity for you."

Damn it.

He was far too good to be real.

"Sebek Zigvolt, if you don't get tired of me after this kiss, I'll make sure all of Twisted Wonderland hears about this," she muttered in defeat before pointing an accusatory finger at him. "AND LILIA DOESN'T APPROVE OF MEN WHO DON'T KEEP THEIR PROMISES!"

The girl inhaled deeply once more, gathering every bit of strength she had left.

In her mind, she counted to three.

Then she turned around and kissed him without giving herself time to think.

A brilliant golden light exploded throughout the dormitory—

And beyond its walls.

Shimmering sparks drifted through the air like stardust, wrapping around the room as the spell activated.

The warmth of magic spread through her body as though something ancient was rewriting every part of it.

The glow intensified until it became nearly blinding, forcing her to close her eyes.

The silence that followed felt heavy.

Wrong.

When the light finally began to fade, the air itself seemed different...

As though the room had stopped holding magic altogether.

And then...