Chương 62: Chapter 61: Wings of a Single Bird

"Please come again!" The vendor's voice rose in a jovial arc as he waved a grease-stained hand at a retreating customer. Today is good business. A satisfied sigh escaped him as he closed his eyes, tilting his chin upward toward the star-dusted sky. I'm glad I came to Eryndor today.

"Two small skewer plates, please!" The vendor's chin snapped down as he turned his attention back to the counter. His gaze landed on the two figures who had seemingly materialized out of nowhere to take their seats. A flicker of recognition sparked in his eyes—two young, striking souls who had sat at this very stall once, back when the world was much quieter.

"You came back? Did my skewers capture the lovely couple's hearts that well?" He chuckled, his fingers already dancing with practiced ease as he reached for his carving knife. So he knew who we were before, Vionette thought as she watched him, a faint smile curling her lips. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a soft, melodic huff of laughter as she finally accepted the fact that they had been successfully fooled by a simple street vendor.

The vendor had played the part of the oblivious host perfectly, providing them with the one thing they craved more than food—a moment of normalcy. Even now, after her speech and their newly acquired titles, he treated them with the same rough familiarity.

"Don't add as much spice as you did that day, 'kay?" Noa said, casting a teasing, sidelong glance at Vionette. The vendor chuckled.

"I remember well that the miss is not particularly good with spices. Don't worry, I'll keep it mild," he replied, carrying a knowing smirk as he began to turn the meat over the sizzling coals.

"Who said I can't handle it?" Vionette pouted, her crimson eyes flickering with a defensive yet playful spark.

"I was just… taken aback that time, that's all." Noa reached out and grabbed her cheeks with both hands, squishing them back and forth.

"Don't you dare lie to me. Do you not remember how desperately you were reaching for the water that time?"

"Aws I shaid, I wash whust tahen ahwack!" Vionette's voice came out muffled and distorted, her cheeks flushing a light, beautiful scarlet. She's really cute today, Noa thought with a warm smile.

"Here you go, your skewers are ready to be devoured!" the vendor announced, sliding the wooden platter across the counter.

"Ooohh!" Noa finally released his hold on her, his hands moving with predatory speed toward the food.

"They look even tastier than last time."

"Mmm-hmmm…" Vionette nodded eagerly, her previous indignity forgotten. They took their first bites in unison, and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to stand still. Their eyes sparkled with a shared, radiant joy as the flavors bloomed across their tongues. The perfectly balanced spices coated the succulent meat, while a rich infusion of sauce and oil provided a decadent finish.

"Holy fuck!" Vionette looked back at the vendor as she chewed.

"These are so good." She clicked her tongue.

"I should've eaten some on Earth before."

"Hey, Vio," Noa called out to her.

"Give me one." Vionette turned to find Noa with his mouth open, expectantly waiting for her next move. As she stared at him, he gave a slight, prompting nod. With a soft smile, Vionette guided her skewer toward him, gently feeding him a bite.

"It's much tastier now." Noa smiled as he offered his own skewer to her.

"Really?" Vionette said, taking a bite from his skewer.

"Let me see, then." And so, their banter flowed effortlessly, and before they knew it, their plates were empty. The vendor, anticipating their appetites, had already prepared a fresh pair of plates for them. Vionette placed her coins down on the wooden counter with a rhythmic clink. Noa stood up, fresh skewers in each hand, while Vionette swept up a packet of chocolate sticks from a nearby display.

"Here's the pay, keep the change," she said, waving a hand dismissively as she turned to join him.

"We'll get going now—we still have a lot of things to do tonight."

"Please come again anytime!" The vendor watched them go, a gentle smile playing on his lips. He saw Vionette skip a few steps to catch up to Noa before reaching out to claim his left hand. She interlaced her fingers with his, drawing his gaze to meet hers. … As they drifted further down the thoroughfare, Vionette's head was on a swivel, her crimson eyes darting left and right in search of their next conquest.

Noa pulled a piece of meat from his skewer with his teeth, then held the next bite near her lips; she accepted it without hesitation, her eyes crinkling in delight as she chewed.

"Noa…" Vionette pouted suddenly, her finger extending toward a specific stall.

"I want something from there, too." Noa followed the line of her finger. She was pointing at a knife-throwing game, where a row of deliberately weighted blades sat waiting for a challenger to strike the moving wooden targets. Specifically, her gaze was fixed on a couple nearby who had just walked away with a shimmering prize earring. Before she could react, Noa's hand wrapped around her wrist. With a sudden burst of energy, he broke into a sprint, pulling her playfully along in his wake.

His mind was already made up: he was getting her a prize.

"So," he called back over his shoulder, his purple eyes bright with competitive fire.

"What do you want?"

"Anything is fine, really," she laughed, her white hair streaming behind her like a silken banner.

"As long as you are the one who gets it for me." Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

"Is that so?" They arrived at the stall in a blur of motion. The owner, an Eryndorian man with a weathered face, looked up to greet them, but the words died in his throat.

"Welcome! Are you—Y-Your Majesties!?"

"Shut it. Just give me one round." Noa slammed the coins onto the wooden counter, his expression turning deadly serious. The atmosphere around the stall shifted instantly. Murmurs rippled through the air as people, alerted by the owner's shout, gathered in droves. A wide circle naturally formed around them—some onlookers confused, some pitying the vendor, others smiling knowingly.

Vionette glanced at the growing audience with a serene smile, stepping closer to Noa with her hands clasped behind her back before a soft laugh escaped her.

"Quite the crowd we've attracted."

"P-please, do not mind," the owner stammered as he immediately reached for a prize.

"Your Majesty may take anything he wishes—""Just give me the goddamn knives," Noa interrupted, his voice a low, warning rumble.

"And don't even think about swapping those unbalanced ones to make it easier."

"Y-yes." The owner's hands shook as he surrendered the knives—blades he had intentionally weighted to ensure failure. Why are they here, at my shop?! Behind the counter, the owner fidgeted with his trembling fingers. If he misses because of the knives, he won't really execute me… right? He cast a desperate glance at the Crimvane citizens in the crowd, who merely offered him reassuring, shark-like nods. Then, he made the mistake of looking at Vionette.

Her crimson eyes locked onto his, gleaming like twin pools of fresh blood beneath the festival lanterns, sending his heart hammering against his ribs. He quickly averted his gaze, staring rigidly at the dirt beneath his boots. Noa took his last two skewers and clamped the wooden handles between his teeth. He gripped the knives, his purple eyes sharpening into two lethal points as he tracked the erratic, mechanical sway of the wooden targets. The release was a whisper of motion, but the impact was explosive.

A single knife cleaved through the air, piercing the dead center of every moving target in its path, pinning them all to the wooden backboard.

"There you go. That's how you do it," Noa mumbled around his food, his voice muffled but undeniably triumphant as he plucked the skewers from his mouth. A slow, amused smile curled Vionette's lips as she wrapped her arms around him from behind, the scent of her perfume mingling with the woodsmoke of the festival.

"Wow, Blackie. You are the best," she murmured, her tone dipping into smooth, honeyed warmth.

"Please… please take anything you like!" The owner gestured toward the prizes with trembling hands, his face pale with relief. … Vionette sat perched on an elevated rooftop, watching the vibrant festival swirl below as she waited. A moment later, Noa materialized behind her, holding two massive clouds of cotton candy—one red, one purple.

"Took less time than I expected," Vionette said, glancing back at him.

"There wasn't much of a line," Noa replied. He handed both spun-sugar treats to Vionette before taking a seat beside her. Then, reaching out, he gripped her firmly by the waist, lifting her effortlessly to settle her across his lap as though she weighed no more than a porcelain doll.

"So what to do now? Your choice," Noa said, wrapping an arm around her stomach and resting his chin comfortably upon her shoulder.

"Mmm… I don't know." She took a bite of the purple cotton candy before holding the red one up to Noa's lips, allowing him a taste.

"Let's see… something we can both do."

"You wanna do something together?" Noa asked, stealing another bite of the red sweet.

"Yep!" Vionette nodded.

"Oh! Noa, over there!" She pointed her sugary treat toward a bustling plaza below.

"Let's go do that. Isn't that the blindfold feeding game?"

"The fuck is that?" Noa stood up, sweeping her into a bridal carry.

"Well, if you want to, let's go." [Blink] Noa and Vionette stood facing one another in a lineup of eager couples. Within each pair, one partner held a strip of dark cloth.

"Give me the thing, I'll be the blind one!" Noa shouted to her, extending his hand.

"No, I'll do it!" Vionette hugged the cloth tightly to her chest.

"Ahhh—fine." Noa clicked his tongue, leveling her with an irritated glare.

"But if we lose, you owe me a favor."

"Okay, okay." Vionette wrapped the blindfold tightly over her eyes before announcing, "Okay, team six is ready too!"

"Alright then!" the announcer shouted.

"Since all the teams are ready, let's start in three. Remember: the blindfolded one must feed the noodles to their partner! The other can guide with words, but they must keep their hands behind their backs!" She raised a hand high, counting down.

"One… two… three! Start!" Vionette pinched a massive clump of noodles from the bowl with her chopsticks and lunged blindly toward Noa.

"Where?"

"Here, here! Left!" Noa shouted, weaving his head to track her erratic hands.

"More to the left—fuck!" Vionette thrust the chopsticks forward, jabbing him squarely in the forehead with the slick noodles.

"Am I too high?"

"Yes, dammit!" Noa clenched his teeth before snapping his mouth open again.

"C'mon, more to the left—oh shit, I got the direction wrong. More to the right!"

"Pick a direction, motherfucker!" She thrust her hand forward again, a move Noa barely dodged to save his nostrils.

"Left, left, left! Now down!" … The two wandered down a cobblestone street that had become a sanctuary of stillness—a pocket of peace where the roaring crowd had thinned into distant ghosts. Yet, the festival's warmth lingered in the glow of the lanterns tucked into every corner. They were now sharing the packet of chocolate sticks they had bought earlier. Noa's arm was draped firmly around Vionette's waist, keeping her tethered to his side as they strolled.

Vionette held the foil packet, her free hand feeding Noa a chocolate stick with a look of pure bliss.

"We failed miserably, but I enjoyed it so much," she said with a satisfied smile.

"…You enjoyed it while I almost got noodles jammed in my eyes." Noa's voice dropped into a grumble, accompanied by a mock glare. Well, on the contrary, Noa thought, his expression transforming into a mischievous smirk. I did get a free favor out of it.

"It's the last one." Vionette pulled the final chocolate stick from the packaging and held it up to him.

"Do you want it, Noa?"

"Let's split it, then." As Noa spoke, Vionette halted in her tracks. Caught in his own forward momentum, Noa took a half-step further, his hand pressing firmly into the small of her back before he stopped. Startled, he looked back and found that Vionette had already placed the tip of the final chocolate stick playfully between her teeth.

"Then… come and take it." Her crimson eyes danced with a teasing light. Noa stood still for a heartbeat, his purple eyes hungrily taking in the sight of her. Then, he stepped forward, closing the space between them until their silhouettes merged into a single shadow upon the cobblestones.

"That's how you want to play it, my little Princess?" He bit down on the opposite end of the biscuit. His hand slid slowly around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest, while Vionette reached up to grab his collar, drawing him even closer. The chocolate stick shortened with every slow bite. Their gazes remained intensely locked, the bustling world around them dissolving into an ethereal blur of amber lantern light and shifting shadows.

A soft sound escaped Vionette's lips as the chocolate finally vanished, their mouths meeting in a deep, lingering kiss. Vionette released his collar only to wind her arms fully around the back of his neck, pulling him deeper into the embrace, while Noa's hands tightened possessively around her waist, anchoring her to his frame. One had endured a life of solitude—a soul rejected by the world itself.

The other had lived surrounded by hundreds of 'friends' whose bright smiles only served to mask the daggers aimed at her back. Yet their differences mattered little now. For when the wings of a single bird took flight, they moved in harmony, rising and twisting as if the universe had sculpted them from the same breath of wind. They were distinct yet inseparable—two fractured halves forming a 'whole' that could only exist in their union.