Even though I was still in the dream, the trance had worn off. Whatever spell Ruri had on me earlier—it passed. I felt calm now, even if the place still felt strange. Poru's mother was guiding me toward something that looked like a castle. Or didn't. It was hard to tell. It didn't have towers or gates, but it gave off that castle feeling. Big. Quiet. Full of mystery.
This used to be my dream. Now it's hers. I could feel the shift. The space felt different—like it remembered things I didn't.
Floating tiles moved beneath us, glowing soft and steady as they carried us forward. Water drifted through the air, not falling, just hanging there like it belonged. It gave off gentle scents—something sweet, something clean—that made the space feel warmer than it should. The castle shimmered in and out, like it was made of light and memory. It wasn't solid, but it was beautiful.
Did I also say she was beautiful underneath all this? I don't know why I'm catching feelings for Poru's mother. She looks surreal in this dream, and the way she looks at me doesn't help. Her eyes linger a little longer than they should. Her voice carries something soft beneath the calm. Even though she hijacked my dream to begin with, I'm still pulled in. Is it wrong to feel something for the woman who gave birth to someone I care about—Poru—especially when she did it without a guy, without the usual way? It's complicated.
I'd rather just see Ruri in real life once this dream ends. I've got questions. Real ones. This dream's been going on too long, and I'm starting to worry. The girls might be watching me sleep for way longer than they should. Why hasn't this ended yet? Maybe I should ask Ruri directly. She's the one who brought me here. And even if I still can't make out what this place is supposed to be, I guess it's a castle. Strange, yeah. Beautiful, sure. But I still don't get it.
Ruri slowed her steps. Her hand brushed the air beside her, like she was touching something only she could see. Then she looked at me—not through me, not past me, but right at me. Her gaze held steady, like she was trying to memorize my face.
"I know this might sound silly, my dear Velvet," she said, her voice soft but steady, "but this place… it's mine. A child's version of it, anyway. It holds every piece of me. Every memory I've ever had. Because the truth is… I don't have much time left."
She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. Her fingers curled slightly, like she was holding something fragile that wasn't there anymore. I didn't say anything at first. Just watched her. She looked tired. Not physically—just deep down.
I blinked. Once. Twice. Seriously? That's what she's dropping on me now?
I felt my chest tighten, but not just for me. Poru… she'd be crushed. She wouldn't show it, but I know her. She'd carry it like a weight no one else could see.
Why now? Why tell me this here? Is this why she hijacked my dream? Just to say goodbye? To pass it along like some final message?
No. No way. I'm not letting that be the end of it.
This dream—it's not mine anymore. It's hers. And if that's true, then maybe I can change something. Maybe I can change her fate.
And yeah, I know how that sounds. "Change fate." Real anime protagonist energy. But hey, if you're stuck in a dream with floating castles and memory water, you might as well try.
"I just can't unhear it now, can I? Ruri. Look at me. I want you to know your time won't end here. I'll change this outcome. I'll save you. For Poru. For you. For whatever this dream is trying to protect."
Because of my resolve, the castle shifted. The air thickened. What the hell? Why is it so suffocating now? The warmth was gone. Everything turned cold and heavy.
Darkness spilled in from nowhere, like it had been waiting. It crawled up the walls, swallowed the light, and pressed against my skin like wet cloth. I could barely breathe.
But I've got the luck ability. The one Ruka gave me. I hate it—always have. It's unpredictable, cheap, and feels like cheating. But if it can help here, I'll use it. I have to.
My chest lit up. A glow—sharp, sudden—burst out and startled Ruri. Her hand reached for me, but I was already being pulled forward. The fog cracked, peeled away like old paint, and something dragged me somewhere else. Not out of the dream. Not deeper into it. Somewhere sideways.
A plane beyond the dream. Or maybe beneath it. I couldn't tell.
Then I saw it. The thing.
A creature, twisted and wrong. Its body was a mess of limbs and folds, like someone tried to sculpt a human out of melted wax and shadows. Its skin pulsed with black veins. Its mouth—if you could call it that—gurgled and stretched, chewing on sparks of light. Soul fragments.
I almost threw up. But my body didn't flinch. It moved forward, conjuring projectiles, attacking like it knew what to do. I wasn't in control anymore.
I saw Ruri through a fractured mirror, crying as I collapsed in her dream. My body hit the ground, limp. But I couldn't let this thing win. It had to be the reason she's dying. The thing eating her from the inside.
It gurgled louder, like it knew I figured it out. It tried to eat me too—my soul, my memory, my sense of self. But something in me pushed back. Maybe it was luck. Maybe it was something else.
The creature hesitated. It was scared. I don't know why. Maybe I was too broken to read. Maybe I was too stubborn. Maybe I was just lucky.
My body kept fighting. And the weird part? It was smiling. Wide. Like it was having fun.
Insane. Was this what my luck ability really looked like? A version of me that finds every possible way to win, no matter how twisted?
Then it snapped. My body surged. The barriers around the monster shattered. It disintegrated so fast the souls it had eaten came rushing back—light, memory, fragments of people. All of it.
Just then, I woke up from that fractured plane—back inside the dream. Ruri was holding me, arms wrapped tight around my body like she'd been waiting for me to come back. My face was buried in her chest, which… yeah, was soft and way too noticeable. I didn't say anything. Some thoughts are better left unsaid.
She was crying. Quiet, shaky breaths. Her fingers trembled against my back. I could hear her mumbling—asking why she could suddenly remember things. Old memories. New ones. How she felt lighter now, like something inside her had been stitched back together. Even though this was her dream, hijacked from mine, she looked more alive than before.
I shifted, just enough to move my arm and speak. "I think I found it," I said. "The thing that was eating away at your time."
She didn't answer. Just stared at me, eyes wide and wet. Then she slapped me. Not hard—just enough to say, don't scare me like that. And then she pulled me closer, hugging me like she didn't want to let go.
"Meet me when you wake up," she whispered. "Promise me."
I raised my pinky. "Promise. I'll tell you everything once I do."
She nodded, still crying, and I gave her a warm smile. Not forced. Just… real. The kind that slips out when you forget to be deadpan.
"You're not bad at hugging," I said, voice flat. "Kinda makes me think you've done this before."
She blinked. Then blushed. Hard. Her hand twitched like she wanted to hit me again, but didn't.
"You idiot," she muttered. "You say things like that and expect me not to react?"
I shrugged. "Didn't expect anything. Just saying what came out."
She looked at me for a long second. Then leaned in—not for a kiss, but just close enough to make me feel it. Her breath. Her warmth. Her presence. Her forehead touched mine, and for a moment, everything went quiet.
"You're strange," she said softly. "But you make me feel like I'm still here."
I didn't respond. Just let the silence sit.
Then she kissed me. Not rushed. Not dramatic. Just a quiet thank-you, pressed into the moment.
"You've done enough," she said, brushing her thumb against my cheek. "Now let me fade this dream so you can wake up."