Rubia

Noah stared at Lilith with a blank expression, as if asking what she was talking about.

Seeing that, Lilith rose from her seat.

“Besides, I’m a seasoned professional, you know?”

Then, she reached out her hand.

Noah’s gaze fell.

From her blue eyes, to her lips forming a curve.

From her lips to her chest.

From her chest, to her slender hand.

“Shall we talk while taking a little walk?”

Lilith’s wrist turned with a twirl.

Her palm facing upwards.

On it, Noah’s slightly trembling hand was placed.

“Thank you.”

Lilith took that hand.

She moved it gently and squeezed it softly. But it contained the will to never let go.

And then, pulling her sharply towards herself.

“Hwaek…?”

Chu. She kissed her right next to her lips, in a place that was ambiguous to call her cheek, and a little far from the corner of her mouth.

Noah’s face, flushed bright red, looked alternately at Lilith’s blue eyes and lips.

At that sight, Lilith deliberately stuck out her tongue and licked her lips.

Then, Noah’s face turned as red as if it would explode, and she began to struggle in Lilith’s arms.

Of course, she couldn’t escape. Rather, the strength in Lilith’s arms, which were holding Noah, only increased.

Soon, Noah, realizing that it was a meaningless act, hesitated for a while, then finally.

“Heueu…”

She lowered her head deeply, blocking Lilith’s gaze.

Lilith, looking at the top of Noah’s head, smiled mischievously and said in a slightly sullen voice.

“…Did you hate it that much?”

“Ah… No. It’s not that…!”

“Heuheuh… You liked it after all, didn’t you?”

Noah, who had been still for a while, nodded without raising her head. And shook her head- shook her head. Then, startled, she lowered her head even further.

With her ears, which were usually hidden by her hair, blushing bright red, shyly revealing them.

Lilith thought that sight was so lovely.

It couldn’t help but be lovely.

It was impossible not to be lovely.

Even though she could leave this place right away and hug Rubia if she wanted to, Noah stayed here at the single word that there was no time.

She didn’t get angry at her for suddenly dragging her in. At first, she was hostile, but only for a very short time. After that, far from being hostile, she didn’t even have a little bit of wariness.

Of course, she thinks that she didn’t leave because she has something to achieve here. She thinks it’s because her appearance is the same as Rubia’s.

Even so, Noah’s appearance of trusting her was so lovely.

And.

In the past, in the present, and in the future.

With eyes that have never wavered, do not, and will not waver.

Those eyes, that heart, that resolution, which declared that she wanted to save everyone, that she couldn’t hate.

It was the same as when she, Lilith, the ‘thing’ that was once a god, first learned what emotion was.

It was more than enough to take off the mask covering her face.

“Let’s go.”

Because of that, she firmly readjusted her mask.

Smiling so brightly that even Noah wouldn’t notice, she grabbed her hand and pulled her along.

Noah did not resist that pull.

Tok- tok-

Jabab- jabab-

After walking like that for a while, Noah’s timid voice called out to Lilith.

“Th, thaa…”

“Yes?”

Tok- tok-

Jabab- jabab-

“…I, I have something I want to ask.”

“Yes, ask anything… Heop.”

Lilith, who was lowering her gaze, made eye contact with Noah and gasped in surprise.

Eyes that were timidly raised.

Even though her face, which still hadn’t lost its heat, was hidden primly, her eyes, which were raised as if she had to look at Lilith’s eyes… were so fascinating that she thought, ‘Is she seducing me now?’

“W, will you answer me?”

Along with that, her slightly shrunken shoulders and the corners of her mouth that drooped sullenly.

“Yes. I’ll… answer you.”

It was enough to elicit Lilith’s answer.

She would have answered even if she didn’t look like that.

“Anything.”

Only then did Noah smile bashfully, as if she was a little relieved, and opened her mouth as she started walking again.

“Lilith-nim… don’t you regret it?”

Tok- tok-

Jabab- jabab-

Lilith also started walking in perfect step with Noah’s pace.

And, after a while, she opened her mouth.

“Regret?”

Words that should not have been uttered in the first place.

If it were Lilith, who could read Noah’s inner thoughts, the answer would have come out right away, but she couldn’t.

Because she couldn’t read Noah’s mind anymore.

A little while ago, she felt an emotion in Noah’s answer that she shouldn’t have felt. She had taken something that she, who exists as a god, who must exist, shouldn’t have taken.

Therefore, her heart wavered.

The value of her existence was diminished.

Her power weakened.

The time she could spend talking decreased.

Of course, if she was a little more greedy, she could stay longer than she is now, but she won’t do that.

Because if she commits such an act because of a trivial greed, she won’t be able to save Noah, ‘Noah’.

“What regret?”

Because of that.

Lilith asked Noah, mixing playfulness into her natural smile, as if trying to hide those feelings.

Noah, who was quietly looking up at Lilith, answered without any suspicion.

“…Everything.”

“Everything… Yes. I don’t regret it.”

An answer that came out right away.

Lilith couldn’t know what the word ‘everything’ meant.

Even so, she answered without any hesitation.

“Noah was happy, wasn’t she? And she’ll be even happier than that in the future.”

That’s all that matters.

Lilith’s words, whispered softly, tickled Noah’s ears.

“…I see.”

At that, Noah nodded and looked ahead.

An endlessly spread pure white space.

A horizon drawn in the middle of it.

Noah, who looked at the horizon drawn as if it was the end if it approached her, even though she didn’t know where the end was, squeezed Lilith’s hand tightly.

Lilith also squeezed Noah’s hand tightly in return.

“Noah.”

And, this time, Lilith opened her mouth first.

“You don’t need to feel guilty.”

Noah didn’t answer.

“From now on, what I have to do is what I have to do as a god. Rather, I’m the one who should feel guilty. And I told you, I’m a seasoned professional. I’ll do much better than Noah, you know? Heuheuh.”

As expected, Noah didn’t answer.

She was just looking ahead and moving her feet.

In a space where there was nothing, in a pure white space where there was no destination, as if she knew the destination.

“And, you don’t have to worry about ‘Noah’ either. Because she’ll go back with all her memories.”

“…Really?”

“Probably, that’s what will happen. Even if it doesn’t, I’ll make it happen.”

“…Is there a way…?”

“Of course.”

Lilith’s confident answer, and Noah’s small sigh. The sound was as small as it came from her small mouth, but it echoed clearly in the quiet space.

“Then, what about ‘Rubia’?”

For a moment, Lilith’s breath stopped.

Her movements became awkward. Strength entered her hand.

“Yes.”

But, she quickly returned to the same state as before.

“…Hoo.”

A sigh that was deliberately let out to be heard.

For some reason, Noah’s sigh contained relief.

At that, Lilith, with a puzzled expression, looked at Noah.

“Noah?”

Noah didn’t answer.

She didn’t look back.

With her eyes fixed forward.

Holding Lilith’s hand tightly.

She moved her feet.

“W, wait a minute. Noah…!”

And she smiled.

She smiled and hurried her steps.

Towards an undecided destination.

No, towards a destination that has already been decided.

“Lilith-nim, were you happy?”

“…Yes?”

“My dad said… people who have been unhappy for a long time have the right to be happy for a long time. They have to be happy, no matter what.”

Happily. Joyfully. Happily.

Noah’s steps, who was holding Lilith’s hand and speaking innocently, stopped.

“I… I don’t know what Lilith-nim has been through. Really, I don’t know anything… but I’m sure you’ve had more difficult things than I’ve had. For longer than me. As Lilith-nim said, maybe… I think you’ve had a hard time for a time close to eternity. Ueum… No, I’m sure of it.”

She stopped and turned around to look at Lilith.

“So, you have to be happy. You have to face a peaceful tomorrow and spend days filled with laughter… From now on, you have to be happy for the rest of your life.”

Her gently curved eyes looked at Lilith.

Her red eyes shining within, eyes more beautiful than any jewel in the world, reflected Lilith’s appearance.

“If you can’t do that.”

And, one step. Noah’s body moved forward.

At the same time, two steps. Lilith’s body moved back.

“I’ll make it happen.”

Lilith couldn’t answer.

Because it was a word she had already heard once.

Not in reality, but in a fantasy.

Not in this world, but on Earth.

Not in a place like this, but in an amusement park.

In a Ferris wheel that was close to the night sky.

There are no fireworks decorating the sky, but she remembers.

The atmosphere when she heard these words.

The face of Noah she saw at that time.

The heartbeat that was beating loudly.

She remembers it like it was yesterday.

“It’s all right.”

She couldn’t forget.

Even though it was a promise that couldn’t be kept.

Even though she thought it was a futile dream.

She didn’t want to forget.

But.

Now, she has to forget.

She has to forget everything and throw it away.

She must not have emotions.

She must not have emotions that are greater than she has now.

She has to deny it.

She has to turn away from it.

She has to pick up the overflowing emotions.

She has to throw away the emotions that are boiling inside.

She has to put on the mask that has been taken off again.

That’s how she can save Noah.

That’s how she can save ‘Noah’.

So, she has to endure everything, but.

“I’ll solve everything for you.”

At that voice.

At the one word she uttered lightly.

At the heart-wrenchingly heavy heart contained within it.

Everything she had endured until now was shattered.

“How… did you… know? No, but… it’s too late. My, existence… I’m, already… broken, so it’s okay. It’s really… okay. I, I… can’t be saved… You don’t have to save me…”

A desperate voice.

A voice that was broken, bent, and worn out.

A voice that had given up all hope, all future.

Noah, who faced that voice.

“…It’s not too late.”

She took one step forward.

“Just trust me.”

Again, one step.

“Because I came to keep my promise.”

The last, one step.

And, she whispered.

“Lilith.”

Her name.

“No.”

And.

“‘Rubia’.”

‘Her’ name.