My Angel Girl

Kikidori wasn't sure why he'd agreed to come. When Ere'ana had invited him to Heaven, he had hesitated for a long moment, his mind racing with reasons to say no. Heaven wasn't exactly his favorite place—too pristine, too quiet, too... suffocating. But something in her voice, the soft lilt of her words as she said, "Come on, Kiki, just this once," had swayed him.

Now he found himself sitting next to her on the beach by the golden lake, a place he would never have visited voluntarily. Heaven had its charms, sure—the shimmering water, the endless expanse of blue sky unmarred by even a single cloud. But Kikidori wasn't here for the scenery. He was here because of her.

Ere'ana had kicked off her sandals and sat with her feet submerged in the golden water, her white Archangel robe folded neatly beside her. She seemed completely at ease, her posture relaxed as she stared out at the horizon. Kikidori, on the other hand, sat stiffly next to her, his boots firmly planted in the sand. He wasn't about to follow her lead and take his shoes off. That felt... unnecessary.

"So," Kikidori said finally, breaking the silence. He leaned back on his hands, his gaze drifting to the water. "Why exactly did you ask me to come here? I don't really do beaches, you know."

Ere'ana didn't look at him. Instead, she smiled faintly, her eyes still fixed on the horizon. "Golden hour," she said simply.

Kikidori frowned, one brow arching. "Golden hour? What's golden hou—"

His words trailed off as the first rays of sunlight crept over the edge of the horizon. The sky, once a soft blue, began to glow with hues of gold and amber. The sunlight reflected off the surface of the lake, casting shimmering ripples of golden light across the sand. The entire beach seemed to come alive, bathed in the ethereal glow of the rising sun.

Kikidori blinked, momentarily caught off guard. He wasn't one to be impressed by natural beauty—he'd seen countless sunsets and sunrises in his time, and none of them had ever left much of an impression. But this... this was different. The way the golden light danced across the water, the way it lit up Ere'ana's face as she turned to smile at him—it was mesmerizing.

"That's golden hour," Ere'ana said softly, her voice almost a whisper.

Kikidori exhaled slowly, his usual scowl softening just a bit. "Huh," he muttered, leaning forward slightly as he took in the view. "Not bad, I guess."

Ere'ana chuckled, the sound light and musical. "You don't have to pretend you're not impressed, Kiki. I can tell you like it."

"I didn't say I liked it," Kikidori shot back, though his tone lacked its usual bite. "I just said it's not bad."

Ere'ana rolled her eyes, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Yeah, well, you're annoying," Kikidori retorted, though there was no real venom in his words.

For a while, they sat in comfortable silence, watching as the golden light continued to spread across the sky. The world felt still, as if time had paused just for them. Kikidori wasn't used to moments like this—quiet, peaceful moments where he wasn't fighting or scheming or running. It was... nice.

He glanced over at Ere'ana, his gaze lingering on her for a moment. She looked different in this light, softer somehow. Her blonde hair shimmered like spun gold, and her face was lit with a quiet contentment that he rarely saw. She caught him looking and raised an eyebrow.

"What?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Nothing," Kikidori said quickly, turning his gaze back to the water.

Ere'ana laughed softly and shook her head. "You're such a dork, Kiki."

"Shut up," he muttered, though there was no real heat behind the words.

As the golden hour reached its peak, Ere'ana leaned over, resting her head on Kikidori's shoulder. The gesture was so unexpected, so out of the blue, that Kikidori froze for a moment, unsure of what to do.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice low and gruff.

"Relaxing," Ere'ana replied simply, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "Is that a problem?"

Kikidori hesitated, his eyes flicking down to her. He wanted to push her away, to tell her that this was weird and unnecessary. But instead, he found himself sighing and leaning back slightly, letting her stay where she was.

"Fine," he said grudgingly. "But don't get too comfortable."

Ere'ana smiled against his shoulder, her eyes slipping closed. "Too late," she murmured.

For a while, they sat like that, the golden light surrounding them like a warm embrace. Kikidori found himself relaxing despite himself, the tension in his shoulders slowly fading. For the first time in what felt like forever, he wasn't thinking about Flame Island or Heaven or Hell. He wasn't thinking about wars or conflicts or grudges. He was just... here.

"This isn't so bad," he admitted quietly, almost to himself.

Ere'ana didn't respond, but the small smile on her lips told him she'd heard.

As the golden hour began to fade, the sunlight shifting to a brighter, more ordinary hue, Kikidori finally stirred. "Alright, that's enough of this sentimental crap," he said, gently nudging Ere'ana off his shoulder.

Ere'ana sat up, stretching her arms above her head. "You're such a grouch," she teased, though her tone was light and teasing.

"Yeah, well, you're still annoying," Kikidori shot back, standing and brushing the sand off his pants.

Ere'ana laughed as she stood as well, slipping her sandals back on. "Thanks for coming, Kiki," she said softly, her gaze meeting his.

Kikidori looked away, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, whatever," he muttered. But there was a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

As they walked back toward the gates of Heaven, the golden lake behind them, Kikidori couldn't help but glance back one last time. He didn't say anything, but a small part of him knew that this moment—this quiet, peaceful moment—was something he would remember for a long time.

The End of Chapter 34