Chapter 125: An Unforgettable Dream

When the Yanase couple arrived at the hospital room, Yukina had already fallen asleep, slumped over by Ephnel’s side.

“Naoto…”

With some difficulty, Ephnel raised her left hand and held it to her lips.

Her gaze shifted to Yukina, signaling, “Yukina’s asleep.”

Yanase Kaoru looked at her two daughters, wiped away her tears, and gently walked over to hug Ephnel.

“I’m sorry, I made you worry…”

Ephnel said quietly, a look of apology on her face.

“As long as you’re back, that’s all that matters…”

Yanase Kaoru hugged Ephnel’s neck stiffly, seemingly both crying and laughing.

She looked up, her palm gently brushing across Ephnel’s cheek.

Her gaze passed over the gauze on Ephnel’s face and shoulder, then settled on Ephnel’s bare neck, her expression shifting slightly.

Ephnel suddenly smiled faintly.

“The pendant is inside. I’m wearing it.”

“You…”

Yanase Kaoru gave a wry smile, slowly stood up, the overwhelming grief wiped away, leaving only a faint sense of relief and the thankfulness of surviving a disaster.

“I wish you would let your parents rest easy for once…”

Since Yukina was asleep, Ephnel and her parents spoke in very low voices.

Mostly, her mother spoke, her father agreed, and Ephnel listened.

She didn’t have much strength to respond, and Yanase Kaoru didn’t let her talk much anyway.

After a short while, Yanase Kaoru sighed.

“You should get some rest… Mom won’t disturb you here anymore.”

With that, she stood up.

“It’s no trouble, I quite like talking with you and Dad…”

“You need to rest more now.”

Without room for argument, Yanase Kaoru cut Ephnel’s words short.

Indeed, after a series of battles and such severe injuries, Ephnel was mentally exhausted.

Even though her whole body was still in agony, a deep drowsiness was already settling in.

“Your father and I will be right outside. If you need anything, just call us.”

“It’s okay, Mom. You two should go home and rest. Don’t tire yourselves out.”

“Alright, alright, stop worrying about us. You should worry about yourself.”

Ephnel stuck out her tongue and fell silent.

Yanase Kaoru glanced at Ephnel, then at Yukina sleeping beside her.

She took off the jacket she had hastily thrown on when leaving the house and gently draped it over Yukina’s back.

Then, she led the complex-faced Yanase Takuma out of the room.

Ephnel let out a sigh of relief.

The hospital room became quiet again, and a wave of fatigue washed over her.

But just a second before sleep could engulf her, a sharp pain, timed perfectly, struck and forcefully pulled Ephnel back to consciousness.

It would be a lie to say she was fine.

She had no decisive fatal injuries, but there were several wounds deep enough to see bone, and countless other minor cuts.

The effects of the anesthesia were slowly fading, and now Ephnel felt as if her entire body was being torn apart by the intense pain.

She turned her head, gently raised her hand, and stroked Yukina’s hair.

Because of what happened between them in bed, Yukina hadn’t rested well last night.

Today, she had been in a state of high tension for seven or eight consecutive hours.

One could imagine how exhausted Yukina was.

Moreover, for an Agent on their first mission, their mental energy would inevitably be heavily drained.

This was another reason why Ephnel hadn’t allowed Yukina to join the subsequent battles.

For Ephnel, it was already quite incredible that Yukina had managed to stay awake this long.

“…”

After the Yanase couple left, only a dim, faint light remained in the hospital room.

Ephnel quietly gazed at Yukina, who was slumped over the edge of the bed.

The intense pain kept Ephnel from sleeping.

At times like these, Ephnel hated the darkness.

Although she didn’t want to admit it, right now, Ephnel really wanted someone to be with her.

But the Yanase couple had already left.

‘And Yonomori Nami probably has her own things to do, right?’

To be afraid of the dark—for an adult, such a show of weakness might seem ridiculous.

“…”

Sighing softly, Ephnel slowly raised her left hand, gently twirling a strand of Yukina’s hair.

Her soft gaze fell on Yukina’s peaceful profile.

The sound of Yukina’s quiet breathing drifted through the air, gently brushing against Ephnel’s fingertips.

Ephnel suddenly missed Yukina’s scent.

A faint, fresh fragrance, like the budding of a Japanese Stewartia, unique to Yukina.

And that soft, supple, sticky touch.

‘Thinking back on the time, I was being attacked by Yukina around now yesterday, wasn’t I?’

At that time, Yukina had shown Ephnel a side of herself she had previously overlooked.

Perhaps that seed had always been in Yukina’s heart.

That day, Yukina had gone to the preparation room alone for her sake.

A Yukina with the courage to do such a thing had perhaps already allowed the other side of her heart to sprout in a place unknown to her.

Come to think of it, it had been a full day since she and Yukina had confirmed their relationship.

From night until morning, it had been Yukina attacking her.

‘If things were normal, would I have attacked a sleeping Yukina?’

‘When you’re in a relationship, is this kind of thing normal?’

‘Is it something both people want to try?’

Ephnel pursed her lips, gently caressing Yukina’s face.

Although the intense pain hadn’t subsided at all, feeling Yukina’s presence like this put Ephnel at ease.

Starting today, Yukina was also a semi-Agent.

Perhaps this was the destiny Yukina was always meant to have.

All that Ephnel had done was merely delay it for a little over a year.

Countless thoughts crossed her mind.

Then, the familiar face of the “Angel” flashed before her eyes.

‘Seiran…’

‘What is going to happen?’

A numbing sense of unease sent a chill spreading from Ephnel’s limbs.

The dark night sky outside the window suddenly became menacing and terrifying.

Cold sweat pooled on her back.

Ephnel pursed her lips, her fingers stopping at the corner of Yukina’s eyebrow.

“Naoko…”

Just then, Yukina’s muffled voice suddenly interrupted Ephnel’s thoughts.

Ephnel’s heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously pulled her hand back.

She saw Yukina gently lift her head.

In the dim light, Yukina’s eyes were dark and unreadable.

“Sorry, did I wake you…”

Ephnel said, feeling a little guilty.

For some reason, seeing Yukina awake, Ephnel suddenly felt a sense of relief.

“Naoko, I had a dream…”

Yukina said softly.

“What kind of dream?”

Ephnel really wanted to talk with Yukina a little longer, so she asked, seizing the opportunity.

“A dream I can’t forget…”

Yukina replied cryptically.

She suddenly leaned lightly against Ephnel’s lowered left hand, rubbing her palm against Ephnel’s.

In the dream, Naoko had left her.

She had gone to a very faraway place, and Yukina never saw her again.