FabL: The Blue Traveler and the Dual-Body Savior

Badump. My chest throbbed loudly.

Lilna. You are—

"Confessing... is embarrassing, isn't it?"

Looking somewhat embarrassed, but never turning her face away.

With serious eyes, she is staring at my face.

"What do you think of me?"

Dignified, waiting for my answer.

But her twin eyes, like a pure maiden.

Were wavering with a mix of expectation and anxiety.

I thought I shouldn't run away. I thought I shouldn't answer with half-hearted feelings.

I looked firmly into her eyes without deceiving my feelings and said.

"Honestly... I haven't really thought about it. No, I was trying not to think about it."

I thought I didn't have the right to like someone.

I thought I didn't have the right to love a person.

In this body that is both man and woman at the same time.

Who should I love?

Should I love a man or a woman?

Well, that might not be a big problem.

But, leaving that aside.

As long as I am a FabL.

As long as I am a traveler of other worlds, I cannot stay in one place.

If the fate of parting is decided eventually.

If we can never meet again once we part.

If I can't take responsibility for the one I love until the end. If I keep making them feel painful forever.

I thought it would be better not to like anyone at all.

I thought so.

I have been running away all this time.

I had drawn a line somewhere in my heart. I had given up.

Thinking that if I kept it to friendship, no one would get hurt.

Stepping in further than that. Being stepped into.

I was afraid of it somewhere.

So, I dared to keep it away so as not to be conscious. I kept avoiding it.

But, you—

You finally collided with such a me head-on.

You told me you like me.

I am genuinely happy. I think it’s truly wonderful.

But, do I? Do I, like this, have the qualification to respond to your feelings?

That hesitation chokes my next words.

"I am..."

Lilna looked at such a pathetic me—

"Is it wrong just because we like each other?"

I felt as if I was taken aback.

Her blue, transparent eyes peer into mine without hesitation.

Once more. As if confirming.

She said.

"I like Yu. I love you."

My heart beats like an alarm bell.

Softly. As if cherishing it, my cheek was stroked.

"No matter who you are. No matter where you go from now on. It doesn't matter. I love you."

And she asks with sad eyes, as if seeing through the depths of my lonely heart.

"Is that not enough?"

—That was an answer simpler than anything.

Surely, it was the "forgiveness" I sought more than anything.

"...You're right. Surely, that is enough."

Just one drop.

A warm tear ran down my cheek and spilled.

Ah. I see—

It was okay for me to like someone.

It was okay for me to like you.

"Lilna."

"Yeah."

"It’s really uncool that I let you say all that first, but."

She nods silently, saying Un.

"I want to say it properly from me too."

To her waiting for a reply, I conveyed my feelings with all my might.

With heartfelt gratitude and affection.

"I like you too. I love you. Since the first time we met. You were always in my heart."

When I faced you as a man, as an enemy.At first, I just thought you were scary.

But as a woman, when I saw your natural smile for the first time.I thought it was wonderful.

Since then, you really showed me various faces.

Always. More seriously than anyone, you faced me, and "Me". We clashed our feelings.

And, knowing your worries, knowing your suffering.I thought we were the same. That nothing changes.

Since then, I felt like the distance with you became closer.

Supporting each other, we fought through to this point.

Sharing painful things and happy things.

Although it wasn't a long time. We came to be tied by a bond deeper than anyone else.

Before I knew it, I was attracted to you from the bottom of my heart.

Why did my emotions communicate so deeply only with you?

Why was I able to use your power without burden?

Now, I feel like I understand well.

The power of the heart.

The stronger the connection, the stronger the feelings. The more its brilliance increases.

Words were no longer needed.

From neither one nor the other.

Softly, our lips overlap.

From a kiss like touching and confirming the texture, we go deep.

I don't have arms to hug anymore, but.

Her right hand strokes my immobile left arm as if cherishing it.

Coming down to the broken left hand as it is, fingers intertwine with each other.

Entangling bodies tightly. Just as much, entangling tongues stickily.

We overlapped as one.

Hostile hearts turn into trust before one knows it, and love is born.

That is a very wonderful thing. A very happy thing.

My heart is filled with something warm.

Filled with affection I have never felt before.

I wished this time would last forever.

Inside the crumbling fortress.

Lilna and I, forever and ever.

Continued to confirm our love.

Lilna and I were thrown out into outer space.

Below our eyes. The majestic figure of the mother planet Elntia is vividly reflected.

'The spaceship was completely blown away too. How shall we go home?'

Lilna smiled gently.

'Just stay hugging like this. The planet's gravity will guide us.'

I smiled back too.

'Yeah—Let's go home. To Elntia. To the place where everyone is waiting.'

When I came to this world.

When I saw it for the first time, I didn't understand, but.

There is a break in the muddy clouds covering the sky. From below that, a slightly blue sea was peeking out.

Crossing over the long winter era spanning more than two thousand years.

Humites and Natura. The planet they live on.

Finally, little by little, was showing signs of recovery.