"Kaivan," she whispered, "you're important to me." As she spoke, she reached forward to wipe a trace of ice cream from his lips.
Kaivan froze, stunned by the words he never expected to hear directly from her. Warmth spread through him, but confusion lingered as well. "But… I'm not ready for that kind of thing yet. You understand, right?"
"You're important to me too," Kaivan added at last, his voice steadier. "So don't be cold to me anymore, okay? I like the usual Felicia better. Even when you sulk like earlier… you're still beautiful to me."
Felicia turned her face away, but the faint smile on her lips betrayed her true feelings. Slowly, she nodded. "I was just… a little annoyed. How about we go to the game center? Maybe that'll clear it up for real."
They stepped into the arcade. The moment they entered, Felicia's gaze locked onto a massive punching machine in the far corner. Her eyes sharpened, as if she had found a worthy opponent. She rolled up her sleeves and stood firmly in front of it.
"Felicia… you sure about this?" Kaivan asked, half-joking, half-nervous.
Without answering, Felicia struck the machine with a swift, powerful punch. The impact boomed through the arcade, making nearby machines tremble. The screen flashed 9999, maximum.
Kaivan froze, both impressed and terrified. "If you ever punched me that hard when you're really mad… I'd end up in the hospital."
Felicia breathed out, smiling with relief. "Hah… that feels better. Come on, let's go back to the workshop." She grabbed his hand, cheerful again.
They rode through the quiet streets on Kaivan's motorcycle. The evening wind swept past them, brushing their hair and clothes, as if the world slowed down just for the two of them. The setting sun cast long shadows across the road.
Felicia sat behind him, leaning slightly forward. Her hands held the sides of the seat, her fingertips sensing Kaivan's heartbeat through his back. Her eyes drifted toward the twilight sky, blue melting into orange, then violet, its gentle glow softening her expression.
After a long silence, Felicia leaned closer. Her breath brushed his neck. "I didn't even know I inherited the effects of Omnivalor. How did you know?" she whispered.
Kaivan kept his eyes on the road. "When I fought William in the basement of Radio Malabar, he mentioned that the effect could be passed down. That's when I started to understand your strength."
Felicia fell quiet again, the damp scent of earth and leaves carried by the evening air. Her gaze grew distant, thoughtful.
Then, softly, she spoke again. "Hey, Kaivan… does that mean my power awakened because I wanted to protect you?"
Kaivan turned his head just slightly, enough to catch the outline of her face. He smiled. "Yeah. Something like that."
Felicia wrapped her arms around him from behind. Warm. Steady. Her fingers clenched gently onto his jacket, needing the reassurance of his presence. Her chin rested on his shoulder.
"Kaivan…" she whispered, honest and vulnerable, "on this journey… is it okay if I want to feel safe and protected too?"
Kaivan didn't answer with words. He simply smiled, his quiet exhale carried by the wind. Some emotions didn't need language, especially the kind held in Felicia's embrace, full of the longing to be understood and accepted.
They continued riding beneath the soft glow of twilight. Their shadows stretched into one, the trees swaying gently as if witnessing the slow, steady intertwining of two hearts.
Beneath Felicia's strength and courage lay a simple yearning: the wish to feel like any other woman. The wish to be protected, by the man she trusted.
The workshop felt unusually quiet when Kaivan and Felicia arrived. The soft glow of dim neon lights brushed warmly across the room, reflecting off machines that hummed like a home busy with its own gentle rhythm. Near the entrance, Thivi stood with her arms crossed, her expression sharp and inquisitive.
"Wow, seriously? You two just went off on a date without telling anyone," she teased, her gaze flicking mischievously between Kaivan and Felicia.
Kaivan exhaled in exhaustion, clearly not in the mood to entertain. "Oh, Thivi. You're here already? I'm going inside. Need to install the app," he said, walking past them and leaving Felicia at the door.
Thivi leaned closer to Felicia with a sly grin. "So? What did you two do?"
Felicia smiled casually. "Just went to BEC, stopped by Timezone. Nothing special."
Thivi raised an eyebrow. "That's it? I mean… I've even tasted Kaivan's ice cream straight from the cone before. You haven't, right?"
Felicia, pure and unbothered, answered proudly, "Of course I have. I even licked Kaivan's ice cream until it got all messy. He had to wipe my hands and mouth with tissues. Look, I still have it." She pulled a used tissue from her pocket with a bright smile.
Thivi froze. Her eyes widened. "H-Huh?? Messy?! The white stuff?!"
"Yeah, vanilla ice cream is white…" Felicia replied, still oblivious to the implication.
Thivi panicked instantly. Her face flared crimson. Without thinking, she bolted into the workshop and yelled at the top of her lungs, "KAIVAN! FELICIA DID THAT TO YOU, DIDN'T SHE?!"
The entire workshop fell dead silent. Machines halted. Heads turned. Kaivan stood frozen, his face pale, completely lost.