"Here, your notebook, you traitor. Now give me my steak."
"Thank you, I couldn't express how much I- Wait, why is your name written here instead of mine? Don't tell me… Did you say your name when Noah asked you?"
"Huh? What else am I supposed to reply when someone's asking for my name?"
"You idiot! They are asking for your name so that they could sign it on the book! Ahhh! What am I supposed to do with your name on my book?!"
'How would I know about that?'
Shawn went on and on about it until my ear felt like it was going to explode.
But at least now I knew the guy's name. Back then, the only one who asked for my name was Noah, the leader of IKETZ, so it must be him. It would be embarrassing to not know at least that much.
"Anyway, you still owe me burger and steak, don't forget that."
"Hey, where are you going? Aren't you going to eat now?"
I smirked when he asked, "I have a promise to meet up with someone."
.
.
I observed Noah from a distance. It was finally time for the event to end.
Members of IKETZ said their farewell greetings and went backstage. I followed them with my gaze and found Noah locking his eyes on me.
He smiled and breathlessly whispered the word 'give me 15 minutes.'
That's my cue to move.
I had already asked the staff where the side entrance was, so I headed there without wasting any time. Seeing as I still had a lot of time, I lit up a cigarette. After waiting for a few minutes, someone got out.
"Sorry, am I late?"
I stubbed out my cigarette on my portable ashtray before checking the time on my phone, "Not really, you're earlier than you say you would."
"I didn't know you smoked, you were always so upright that the image of you smoking hasn't crossed my mind."
He smiled gently at me. That made me curious.
"Have we met before?"
I had been wandering since earlier, but the way he talked and addressed me seemed like he had known me long — which was weird since we hadn't met before.
He looked a bit hurt, but he cautiously asked again.
"Don't you recognize me?"
"I mean… If I had met someone as handsome as you, I definitely wouldn't forget."
Noah widened his eyes before it turned into a mischievous smile.
"That's the first time you've called me handsome instead of beautiful."
He walked closer, stopping right in front of me. From this short distance, I had to gaze up at him.
"After all the hints I gave you, you still don't recognize me?"
"Sorry but I've never talked to you before this."
"Even though we have been lovers who shared great memories together?"
"Huh?"
He touched my cheek, caressing it slowly while locking his gaze on my eyes. Strangely, I didn't feel like pushing it away. A possibility popped up on my mind, but after 2 years of my hope constantly being destroyed, I didn't want to imagine that possibility could even happen.
But what if… What if now that wasn't a possibility but a certainty?
Could this person be someone I hoped him to be?
Someone constantly on my mind, someone who had accepted me — something foreign in that world — and poured his love into me.
Could you really be…
"Do you want to abandon your guide that has crossed the universe just to see his esper again?"
… Ilyas?
"Ethan."
THUD!
I immediately threw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. I didn't even care if what I did was inappropriate, I just wanted to pour my heart into the person in front of me.
"I miss you."
I muttered as tears flowed down my cheek, to which Ilyas gently rubbed my back — the same way he did while calming me down back then.
Giving me a kiss on my neck, he replied, "I miss you too."
It was a reunion I didn't expect but certainly a surprise I would gladly accept.
.
.
"You sure you want an americano? You usually prefer sweet drinks."
"People change over time."
Ordering drinks in a café nearby, we sat down for a talk. We were given one hour to talk by Ilyas' – now Noah – agency. That's not enough time to talk everything out, but at least we were given some alone time.
"How do you find me?"
"Do you remember the last item you held in your hand?"
"The last item? Ah, the keychain?"
Noah nodded, he explained.
"Once you… died in that world, I studied shamanism and spirituality more deeply. In the end, I found that as long as I could use a catalyst to connect my soul to yours, we would be reincarnated in the same world."
"And to keep the previous life memory intact, that catalyst has to be something you shared memories with and could remind you of the person you seek connection with."
"Using that catalyst, once I die, my soul will follow yours and reincarnate in your world."
"At first, I don't remember anything about you. But after years growing up, memories of you started to flow back into me through dreams."
"And precisely two years ago, the sixth sense of my previous life suddenly came back to me."
"But weirdly enough, unlike my previous life, that sixth sense was more like a faint string of connection, connecting someone to me."
"When I arrived here, that string of connection grew stronger. And when you stood in front of me, that string finally finds its knot, ending the endless search of its other end."
Noah finished his explanation with a small smile. I tapped the table as I processed everything Noah said.
So that world was real.
To me it might be a transmigration, but to Noah, it was his previous life.
'Does that mean the two worlds are parallel with each other?'
Noah held my hand, seriousness settled in his gaze, but beneath it I could see something darker – a beastly desire waiting to jump out.
"Now that you're in front of me, I won't let you go. Let's stay together forever."
Looking at the sinister gaze in his eyes, I flicked his head.
"You're an idol. What would people say about you if you went around claiming to be with me forever? That would be a hideous scandal."
Noah rubbed his head before stuttering to answer, "T-Then I'll change jobs! Life as an idol is tiring anyway, and it doesn't pay that much… So I'll search for a better job so the two of us can be together."
"Hm... how old are you again?"
"23."
Hearing his answer, I flicked his forehead again.
"I'm 25, so I'll be responsible for searching for a better job to support the two of us, our youngest little pup should just eat well, drink well and rest well."
I put on my most smug face, though I wasn't in a good economic position right now, I was willing to aim for a better life if Noah were here with me.
"Haha."
Noah laughed happily. Even just hearing that refreshing laughter and seeing that happy face was enough for my heart to flutter.
"Now that I think about it, when we first met, you were also 25 and I'm 23, coincidence?"
Noah grinned mischievously, which made me chuckle, "Maybe that was the age when we are fated to meet each other."
"Then… because we are fated to meet each other, would you like to live together with me?"
"Huh?"
"Just so you know, I was born into a rich family in this life and I saved up a lot of money from my parents and my job. I'll definitely pamper you, so don't worry about money, I could take care of you all my life."
'So our fate was flipped?'
A smile appeared across my face, "Is this my karma for saving the world in my previous life? I get a handsome and rich boyfriend who loves me this much?"
Noah giggled at my words, "Yeah, you're right, let's pack up and move into my house."
.
.
The sound of a car's engine was loud on the street.
Seeing that an expensive car had parked in front of their house, Stella kicked open her brother's room and shouted.
"Carl! Who the hell is that?! Is he a celebrity?"
Without even turning my eyes to her, I answered as I packed my belongings inside a bag, "Oh, you don't know him? So there's actually something my smartass sister doesn't know."
"Shut up you dumbass! Why in the hell does someone like that park in front of our apartment?! Did you get in trouble?! Or maybe you got a secret loan?!"
She pulled her flip-flop and slapped it on me, to which I protested, "Ouch! Stop hitting me! How irresponsible do you think I am? Even if heaven falls, there's no way I would mess with a loan shark!"
"Huh? Then who the hell is that?"
Slinging my bag on my shoulder, I smirked.
"My sugar daddy."
.
.
"Bye mom! Bye dad! I'll visit you guys often!"
I waved from the car's door. Of course, it was Noah's car and he was the one driving it. I had agreed to live with him, and he came by to my house to pick me up.
"Ready to go?"
"Hell yeah."
"Haha, gotcha."
Noah laughed at my enthusiastic response and stepped on the gas. Watching the streets pass by me, I tapped my leg as I thought.
There are a lot of questions I want to ask, a lot of things I wanted to do but I wasn't sure how to convey it to Noah.
Now that we were together again in a different world and a different identity, things were still foreign to me.
"Carl."
"Yes?"
"Don't worry, even though we have different appearances, the memories of the time we spent together are still the same."
I stared at Noah, a warm smile on his face as he held my hand. He's always managed to dig my deepest thoughts out and assured me in the most comfortable way possible.
'Yeah, there's nothing to be afraid of, after all, we will be together from now on.'
Our journey of love was still a long time ahead.