After their passionate kisses, they look at each other's eyes while having a lot to say, but no words were coming out.
Kyrie takes Ian's hands and interlocks them with his. He holds it up and kisses Ian's hand.
His eyes were filled with emotions, and Ian finally understands the reason behind Kyrie's actions.
He feels so touched that tears start to stream down. Kyrie wipes his tears time after time as they flow out. Not wanting to see Ian cry any longer, he embraces Ian and holds him securely inside his arms.
"Thank you..." Ian's voice cracks, "Thank you for entering into my life and loving me."
Kyrie also starts to tear up. He puts his head on Ian's shoulder and says, "Thank you as well for appearing into my life. I feel like I still owe you much more."
Ian chuckles as tears continued to flow, "What are you talking about? Ever since the beginning, you have given me everything."
[Ian... The times that you struggled but did not yield to the pressure. The times that you felt lonely, but still gave more than you received. The times that you were afraid, but summoned courage. Those moments of your life made my heart beat faster for you. Your existence gave me the strength to continue with the sadness that happened in my life. Before I knew it, I wanted to meet you, to see you, to love you.]
Like Ian, Kyrie's life was riddled with misfortunes.
He once had a happy family and a normal life that broke apart after his father got murdered in cold blood due to a feud within his father's company. His father was accused of attempting to whistleblow on the company, and if the secrets come out, they will completely destroy the company.
His mother took him and went into hiding. They would move so often that eventually his mother couldn't take it and left the world.
No one knew about it until the rotting smell started to swift through the apartment complex. The landlady who opened those doors has yet to recover from the horrendous sight of a rotting corpse and a neglected child. Despite the tragedy, Kyrie was incessantly questioned at the police station. Sadly, not about his mother's death or how things have lead to her death, but about documents. Documents from his dead father's attempt to whistleblow. Kyrie was only 10 at that time.
Unable to get answers, the higher-up decided to just keep an eye on Kyrie. However, once Kyrie entered the orphanage, he lost his memories.
Year after year, Kyrie would have sessions with men in a black suit who would come to the orphanage to question him about those documents.
Normally, different men would come to question him, but when he reached twelve, one man took the job to do it. Kyrie became close to him because that man would listen to his stories no matter how boring they are.
His name is Sil.
Sil had a warm and kind character. He would give Kyrie treats and take him to restaurants. Sil was also the only one that would celebrate his birthdays with him.
Around that time, he began to also read a novel and became instantly entranced by the side character called Ian. He felt empowered every time Ian would just face his obstacles despite how the world treated him. Ian gave him the courage to change his life, so he studied hard to get into university. Everything seems to be going well despite the hardships in the orphanage.
When he turned 18, he became independent and started to take multiple part-time jobs. He also went into his dream university.
However, a turn took when his relationship with Sil went to another level.
At first, Kyrie was confused and frightened by the relationship. The relationship was not one that he ever thought of being in. However, Sil comforted him, and he eventually accepted Sil into his life. They lived together in their small apartment. That moment, Kyrie was the happiest in his life.
But fate must have been taking a grudge against Kyrie because nothing tastes as bad as a betrayal.
One day, Kyrie remembered where his father buried the documents.
*gasps*
Ian caresses Kyrie's hair and whispers, "Are you okay?"
Tears flowed down from Kyrie's eyes. Kyrie went close to Ian and pulled Ian into his embrace. He buried his face on Ian's chest.
Ian strokes his back while continuously saying, "It's okay. I am here."
"I had a nightmare," says Kyrie after calming down.
Yesterday, they slept in the same bed after talking and reminiscing about their encounters in the academy till very late at night.
Kyrie took long breathes and calmed himself down. It is the first time that he remembered about the occurrences that happened from his previous life.
Ian's words comforted Kyrie, "It's okay. I am here."
[Yeah... You are here now with me.]
---
Kyrie and Ian got ready for breakfast. Now that they have arrived into a new relationship, touches would not feel as awkward as before.
Ian chuckles, and says, "You are still not able to put on the collar pins correctly."
"That is why I have you!" Kyrie lifted his chin ready for Ian to help him.
Ian chuckles again seeing how Kyrie looks so proud after declaring that he could not put collar pins correctly.
They went out of the door to encounter Imogen and Vicar Lovell walking past their bedroom into the dining area.
*flop*
Vicar Lovell's scrolls fell down from his hands and rolled on the floor. Imogen was holding her laughter.
Imogen says, "That was faster than I thought!"
Kyrie holds Ian's hand and lifts it up while smiling broadly. Vicar Lovell sighs and smiles at them too.
"Say! Say! Who was the first one to confess? Brother... Is it you?" asks Eloise with excitement in her eyes.
Bullseye!
Kyrie proudly nods while Ian blushes, embarrassed.
[My Ian is bolder than he looks!!!]
Imogen puts down her spoon and says, "Sorry to cut your love story short, but we have received signs of the second wave of demons coming."
Imogen's expression gets serious again. This morning, Vicar Lovell and Imogen met together since Lovell received news that concentration of essence spiked yesterday night that might indicate that the second wave might be coming soon.
"The preparations are ready. Some priests have already been sent there to help this morning. We can go as soon as this afternoon," says Vicar Lovell.
"I always wondered something. Imogen, don't you think that these kinds of scenarios are happening way too early? The second wave is about to begin, but these kinds of occurrences don't happen unless the fallen god has already descended."
"You are referring to why there are so many demons subjected to being controlled?" says Imogen.
"Yes, that's right," affirms Kyrie.
"Huh! Here I thought you were actually a know-it-all! You really missed one of the most important parts. If saints and paladins are given by a god, then what about a fallen god?"
"You mean... There is a possibility that we are looking at people like you and me?"
"Yeah. Most likely, on their side, the fallen saint and paladin have transmigrated before me."
[That is why we have the Lantern Festival case also. And now, we have a fallen saint and a fallen paladin... Are they also from our world?]