Ko entered the prayer hall and looked at the statue of the Preserver. It depicted him floating above the universe with his eyes closed, as if peacefully asleep on a bed of cosmic dust.
Ko sat on the floor, folded his legs, and rested his hands on his lap. Closing his eyes, he began speaking to the Preserver.
"I don't know if you are the one who appeared in my dream… or if that dream even means anything."
He paused for a moment before opening his eyes and looking at the idol.
Tears welled up in his eyes.
"I can't understand what you're trying to tell me through that dream, but one thing is certain… I won't become someone who hurts innocent people because of my anger."
He fell silent for a moment.
"Why would I even get that angry? I guess it's just my brain imagining stupid things. I really need to stop watching those cool anti-hero anime tropes," Ko thought to himself.
A faint smile appeared on his face. He stood up, bowed his head in reverence, and quietly walked back to his room.
The evening sky glowed orange as the sun slowly disappeared beyond the western horizon.
Ko lay on his bed, immersed in one of his favorite sci-fi comics.
The doorbell rang.
Ko's father opened the door to find Kenika standing outside with a bright smile.
"Oh, you're here! Come in, come in," he welcomed warmly.
Kenika stepped inside and slipped off her shoes.
"Good evening, Uncle," she greeted politely. "Is he alright?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
"Yeah, yeah, he's alright. Don't worry," Ko's father reassured her with a smile. "Go on, he's in his room."
He pointed toward Ko's bedroom.
"Here, Uncle. I brought this cake for you."
She handed him a neatly packed cake box.
"Oh, you're so thoughtful, aren't you?" he said with a chuckle. "But I'm a bit old for these fancy cakes. You should share it with Ko instead."
Kenika smiled and shook her head.
"Don't worry. I bought another one for the two of us. This one's for you, so please take it."
She placed the box in his hands and walked toward Ko's room without looking back."Ah, my son really has a good eye for people," Ko's father thought as he watched Kenika hurry toward Ko's room.
He let out a quiet sigh and looked at the cake box in his hands.
"Should I put this in the fridge?" he murmured to himself.
Kenika reached Ko's room and knocked on the door.
Hearing the knock, Ko called out, "Dad, I'm not eating your cooking even if I have to starve."
Kenika let out a soft chuckle.
"Ko, it's me, Kenika."
"Oh…" Ko paused. "Come in."
She opened the door and stepped inside. Looking up, she saw Ko lying on his bed with a sci-fi comic in his hands.
"Ah, sorry. I thought it was my dad asking me to try his cooking again," Ko said as he jumped out of bed.
He stood there in silence for a few seconds, looking at her as memories of the past few days flashed through his mind.
Then, in an instant, his expression changed.
"Ah, Kenny, I missed you!"
He ran toward her with his arms wide open, asking for a hug.
Before he could reach her, Kenika stopped him by grabbing his face.
"Uggh…"
Ko froze.
He took a deep breath.
"Haah… Your hands smell nice. Are you using hand cream—"
Before he could finish, Kenika shoved him onto the bed.
"I feel like an idiot for worrying about you."
Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment and frustration.
Ko looked at her with a gentle, melancholic smile before getting back to his feet.
He gently took her hands and pulled her closer.
Without saying a word, he wrapped his arms around her.
He could hear the steady rhythm of her heartbeat.
After a few quiet moments, he kissed her cheek before letting go. Then he cupped her face, looked into her eyes, and softly said,
"It might sound selfish… but please don't stop worrying about me."
For a brief moment, he lost himself in her purple contacts. They made him feel as though he were gazing into the endless emptiness of space.
Kenika gently placed her hands over his and caressed them.
"How can I stop worrying about you, idiot?" she whispered, her eyes softening."So, what happened?" Kenika asked.
Ko simply shook his head with a smile. Then he reached out and stretched her cheeks.
"Kenny, your cheeks are so stretchy. They feel like silk elastic, hehe."
Kenika pushed his hands away, but Ko caught her hands and gently pinned them down before rubbing his cheeks against hers.
"Ko, what are you doing?!"
"Your cheeks are so soft and warm. I could do this forever," Ko said with a blissful smile.
Kenika pulled herself free and sat on the bed without saying a word.
Ko sat beside her, picked up his comic, rested his head on her lap, and continued reading.
Kenika quietly ran her fingers through his hair.
Neither of them said anything. Their feelings spoke louder than words.
After finishing a page, Ko turned to the next one.
As she watched his fingers flip through the pages, an unknown instinct took over Kenika.
She grabbed his hand and bit his index finger.
Ko rolled his eyes toward his girlfriend.
"Did you develop a habit of biting my fingers?" he asked.
"I don't know why I did that," Kenika replied, still holding his finger between her teeth.
"If you don't know, then let go already!" Ko shouted.
The two continued their playful banter, unaware of the danger lurking in the dark corners of the street.
"Rukmini," Ko's father called out. "I'm going to an association meeting. I'll be home late, so don't wait for me. Go ahead and have dinner, okay?"
He slipped on his shoes as he spoke.
"Come home as soon as the meeting is over, okay?" Rukmini called back as she hurried out of the kitchen to the entrance.
Ko's father stood up and looked into his wife's eyes.
"I'll get going then. Bye."
With that, he left the house.
To be continued….