Chapter 17 – Love in Silence.
The silence was soo loud that it could be heard.
Natsuki stood frozen, book raised, eyes darting between Damon, the small girl hiding behind him, and the glowing fairy hovering near his head.
A cricket chirped somewhere outside.
Hazel blinked. "...Why is she looking at me like that?"
"Where have you been?" Natsuki burst out. "Why are you at my window? What's that thing floating beside you—and who's the girl?"
She didn't wait for answers; she swung.
Hazel dodged the book with a squeak. "Why does everyone on this planet throw things at me?!"
Natsuki grabbed another book. "Damon, don't tell me you can talk to bugs now. And why does this one have a human face?"
"Calm down," Damon said, stepping between them, hands raised. "She's not a bug."
Hazel folded her arms. "Thank you."
"Then what is she?"
"I'll explain," Damon said quietly. "But please… put the book down."
After a couple seconds, she lowered it. "Fine. Start talking."
"This is Hazel," he said, moving his hand to the fairy. "And this—" he gestured toward the girl behind him, "—is Nyra. My sister."
Natsuki blinked. "Your what?"
Nyra waved awkwardly. "Hi."
Natsuki squinted. "Do you have a genie granting wishes or something?"
Damon sighed. "It's a long story."
"Well, you've been gone for two weeks," she snapped. "Your dad's been losing his mind. He even called the police."
"Two weeks?" he turned to look at Nyra.
"Well I told you times different on Eternum" Nyra explained.
Her voice softened. "Where were you, Damon? And what even are you wearing? Does this have anything to do with that gang? You're not in trouble again, are you?"
The dog jumped onto her bed and wagged his tail.
Natsuki gasped. "You even took Daichi…"
Nyra smiled faintly. "Ohh, so that's his name."
Damon let out a tired breath. "Where do I even start?"
Hazel floated closer. "Perhaps from the beginning."
So he told her.
How two boys jumped him on his way home after walking her back.
How he woke up somewhere else — in a strange lab on a world called Woewyn.
How he found out he was a prince. About the four planes: Eternum, Multiverse, Nirvana (heaven), and Inferno (hell).
How Hazel was actually his godmother, and about the being called Gamishi — a fallen hero threatening everything. Damon didn't explain in full details when it came to Gamishi. H explained enough to let her know, he was a massive threat.
By the time he finished, Natsuki's expression had shifted from disbelief to confusion to… fear.
"I know your ring gave you weird powers before," she said, voice trembling, "but this—this is crazy and absurd."
"Why would I lie?" Damon asked. "Especially to you."
He raised a hand; a soft light bloomed in his palm.
She flinched but couldn't look away. She touched the edge of his sleeve — the fabric was unreal, almost alive.
"Thats the most light I can make right now"
He smiled faintly. "I'm sorry I disappeared. But I couldn't reach you from another existence."
Her eyes shimmered. "Your dad's been worried. So has Daichi."
"I'll see them soon," he promised. "But first… I brought you something."
He pulled the Shard of Luminaris from his coat. The necklace crystal glowed faintly, like it was breathing.
"It's beautiful…" she whispered, taking it carefully.
The moment her skin touched it, her eyes glazed over.
"Natsuki?" Damon caught her shoulders.
Through the shard, she saw through his eyes — the day they first met, how he'd watched her smile, the quiet moments he never mentioned. Then came flashes: a woman and two children dead, a man picking up a necklace, the man turning then staring at her.
She gasped, dropping the shard.
"What—what was that? Why would you give me that."
Nyra spoke softly. "That must be what Zarnek meant when he said he didn't know what it would do."
"What did you see?" Damon asked. She explained.
"They were my memories," Damon said quietly.
Natsuki looked at him in shock. "I saw what you saw? You saw that?"
He nodded. "Keep it. In case you ever wonder where I am."
Natsuki holds it again. This time she sees through Damons eyes, how he is seeing her.
Then he smiled slightly, reaching into his pocket again. "And this."
A small vial with a green liquid.
She raised an eyebrow. "Please don't tell me this one's devilish too."
Hazel giggled. "Oh! The memory drink!"
"The what?" Natsuki asked.
"It can restore lost memories," Damon said. "I thought...it might help your dad."
Her tone softened. "Is that the only reason you got it?"
He smirked. "Why else?"
She pulled his hair. "You didn't change clothes and bring gifts just to impress and convince me, did you?" she said with slight creepiness.
"Okay, fine. Maybe… a little," he admitted.
She rolled her eyes but smiled, staring again at the shard glinting from the chain. "It's beautiful."
She turned toward the stairs. "Wait here. And you—" she pointed at Hazel "—don't fly around. I don't want my brother seeing the tooth fairy."
Hazel threw up her hands. "I am not the tooth fairy!"
As Natsuki passed Nyra, she brushed a strand of her hair. "You really do look like him. Even your hair feels the same."
When she was gone, Nyra smiled. "She's lovely."
Damon exhaled. "She's… everything."
Nyra tilted her head. "So you love her."
"Don't say that out loud Natsuki" he said quietly.
But Natsuki froze halfway up the stairs.
She'd heard.
Her fingers brushed her lips.
"Damon… loves me?" she thought.
The words echoed through the quiet house like a heartbeat that refused to fade.
Daichi tilted his head. "Uh oh."
Damon glanced down. "What's wrong?"
Before the dog could answer, Hazel tugged at his tail. "Come on—let's see if it's working."
Natsuki heard and sped down the stares.
They crept down the stairs — Hazel perched on Damon's head, Nyra on tiptoe beside him, Daichi padding softly behind. The old wood creaked once. Everyone froze.
"Don't move," Damon whispered.
Hazel whispered louder. "You said that before you sneezed."
Damon glared up. "That's. Not. Helping."
Down below, Natsuki was already kneeling by her father's side, holding the small vial.
"Dad," she said softly, "it's time for your meds."
He frowned. "Didn't I take those already?"
"Not this one," she said, slipping it into his hand.
He drank — and for a moment, nothing happened. Then green light began to pulse beneath his skin.
Green veins traced across his face, glowing faintly, spreading upward, then sinking into his temples. As if they temporarily replaced his flow of blood. His eyes widened. His breath caught.
"Natsuki," he whispered — the name staggered out like something he hadn't spoken in years.
Her heart stopped.
He hadn't called her that since the illness — only Mary.
Tears filled her eyes as she smiled through them. "Dad… you remember?"
He reached out, fingers trembling, brushing her cheek. "My little girl…"
She threw her arms around him, crying into his chest. He hugged her back — weakly, lovingly — holding her as though trying to memorize her warmth.
For one moment, the world stood still.
Then his body shuddered. Pain crossed his face.
"Dad?" she asked, voice shaking.
"I'm fine," he said, though his voice was rough. "It's just… everything's coming back. All at once."
Natsuki gripped his hand, terrified and grateful all at once. "Then hold on. Please."
Behind them, Damon watched from the stairwell, quiet, unseen — Hazel's glow faint above his shoulder, Nyra's eyes glimmering with emotion.
He smiled faintly. A sad, proud kinda smile.
"Where's my wife?" Natsuki's father asked. "Moms out at work. She should be back soon"
The door creaks open. "I'm back. Natsuki call your brother we need to talk."
"Vanessa.." The feeling of the words out his mouth the same as opening a century old wine. Splendid and Satisfying.
"Renji? How" she asked in suprise. Trying to hold back the sea in her eyes.
"I don't know but I'm back. I remember"
She couldn't hold it anymore. She let it out, hugging her husband in happy tears.
Natsuki heard Hazels sniff and gestures them to get back inside. They did.
"Where's my son? Haruto" Renji asked. "He's in bed" "You should be in bed too Natsuki. You've got a big game tomorrow right?" Vanessa asked.
"Yeah I know" Natsuki answered, slightly smiling before returning upstairs.
Damon scratched the back of his neck, looking away. "So, uh… I guess-"
But he didn't get to finish. She threw herself at him, arms wrapping around his neck, her weight soft against his chest.
"Thank you…" her voice cracked as the words left her. She buried her face into his clothes, and her next words came out muffled, like she was talking into a pillow.
"I'm sorry… I don't want to ruin a prince's clothes."
He looked down at her tears soaking his shirt, shoulders trembling—and smiled, slightly.
"It's fine," he said quietly. "I'm just happy everything's back to the way it was."
She pulled back slowly, wiping her face with her sleeve. "But… it's not, right? Everything's changed. For you."
Her voice dimmed near the end.
Damon tilted his head, then did what she always used to do. Reaching out with his whole hand to lift her chin until her eyes met his.
"I'll be fine," he said, simple and steady. "I've never lost a fight."
"Maybe a ounch from me will juggle your memory" Natsuki joked.
Hazel and Nyra looked at each other in admiration.
Then he smirked a little. "You been practicing lately?"
She blinked. "Practicing?" "For your game tomorrow."
Her eyes widened. "Wait—how'd you know about that?"
Daichi wagged his tail beside them. "He has very good ears now," he said proudly.
Natsuki laughed, finally—short and shaky but genuine. "You better come watch, then."
Damon grinned. "You don't even need to tell me I'll be there."
He stepped back toward the window, the cool night air brushing his hair. "I need to go see my father," he said softly.
Nyra waved from behind him. "Goodbye, Natsuki. Eat a lot, Damon says you eat a ton."
Natsuki smiled, brushing a tear from her cheek. "You too." Damon stood on the edge of the windowsill, one foot ready to leave.
He turned his head one last time—just enough to meet her eyes. For a heartbeat, the world went quiet again. Then he leapt into the night.
(Bro is not Batman)