During her slumber, Tokaku had a nightmare that abruptly woke her up. In the dream, she found herself standing in one of the hallways at Night Raven College, feeling disoriented. To her surprise, Jade and Epel appeared in front of her. Despite calling out to them, they ignored her and turned their backs. Determined to reach out to them, Tokaku desperately tried to catch up, but they kept running away from her. Memories from her childhood flooded her mind, reminding her of her aunt chasing her relentlessly through the woods behind her late grandmother's house. However, Tokaku refused to give up on reaching her friend and the important vice house warden.
Eventually, Jade and Epel reached a fork in the hallway and went their separate ways. Tokaku hesitated for a moment, but her heart guided her to chase after Jade, the vice house warden of Octavinelle. "Jade, please stop!" she pleaded, extending her hand towards him. Finally catching up to him, Tokaku grabbed Jade's shoulder. However, her astonishment grew as she witnessed Jade vanish into thin air right before her eyes. Gasping in surprise, she quickly turned to search for Epel, her lilac-haired friend. Running down the hallway, Tokaku finally found him and reached out to him from behind, but like Jade, Epel also disappeared into thin air as she tried to grasp him.
Tokaku's blue eyes widened in shock as both of her cherished friends slipped through her fingers. Suddenly, she felt her hand, which had touched Jade and Epel, become wet. Opening her hand, she was horrified to find blood stains on her palm. This scene triggered her traumatic memories of her aunt's tragic death, flooding her mind with horror. The loss of her beloved aunt had left her traumatized, leading her to fear losing those she cherished and loved, including Jade, Jack, and Epel.
The nightmarish dream jolted Tokaku awake, causing her to pant heavily. Her face was covered in sweat, and her heart raced. The terrifying experience made it impossible for her to find peace and fall back asleep. In that troubled moment, Tokaku couldn't help but think about Jade, who was peacefully sleeping with his twin brother, Floyd, in their dorm room.
Jade was peacefully sleeping on his bed until he sensed a presence approaching him. Suddenly, he felt a soft hand caressing his fair face, which jolted him awake. He opened his eyes to see Tokaku standing beside his bedside. Although startled by his sudden awakening, Tokaku maintained her composure. As Jade observed that Tokaku was the only one awake and in his room, he speculated that she was the one who had caressed his face while he was half-asleep.
"Tokaku, why are you here? And how did you enter my room when the door is locked?" Jade asked curiously, careful not to wake Floyd up.
"Sorry for intruding, Jade. I used my worker card to unlock the knob," Tokaku explained in a whisper. "I'm here because I thought Kaiba might intrude your room and attempt to harm you."
Despite her unfazed expression, Jade could sense Tokaku's worry in her monotonous voice. "Fortunately, he's not here, so you can be at peace. Even if he were to try to harm me while I sleep, I would stop him. Don't worry, as a merman who grew up in a dark and dangerous environment, I am highly aware of my surroundings even while I am sleeping," Jade reassured the assassin girl.
However, his words did not convince her. Her heart urged her to protect Jade at all costs, especially after what had happened to Jack earlier. "Kaiba has many ways of convincing his targets to let their guard down before he attacks them. He won't relax until his targets are all crossed off his assassination list," Tokaku explained to Jade.
"Can I sleep in your room?" she asked, carrying her pillow and blanket in her arms.
Jade deduced that Tokaku was asking for his permission to sleep in his room so that she could keep an eye on him and protect him from harm. "You're worried that something might happen without you noticing, aren't you?" he asked.
Tokaku nodded, her body language speaking volumes.
Feeling sympathy for her past trauma, which he had learned about from her aunt's soul, Jade empathized with her and allowed her to sleep in his room. Tokaku whispered her thanks.She was planning to sleep on the floor with her blanket and pillow. However, Jade insisted that the floor would be uncomfortable and might cause her backache. He shared that he wouldn't allow a lady to sleep on the hard floor and encouraged her to sleep on his bed instead. Reluctantly, Tokaku agreed, mentioning that she was used to sleeping on wooden floors back in her home world. With Jade making space for her, Tokaku lay beside him, covering herself with her blanket and resting her head on her own pillow. The two faced different sides, respecting each other's personal space on the narrow single bed.
As they drifted off to sleep, Jade found himself dreaming. In his dream, he stood in the center of a white misty environment and was soon joined by Mako.
"Miss Mako," Jade called out to the blue-haired lady.
"We meet again, Jade. I heard that my niece is sleeping beside you," Mako said.
"Yes, she came to me, expressing her fear that something might happen to me, just like what happened to her friend," Jade explained.
"She's still traumatized by the loss of her loved ones. It's comforting to know that you understand her fears and provide her with solace," Mako acknowledged. "I also know that you plan to introduce her to one of your fellow senior vice house wardens from another dorm, hoping to break her curse if he remembers to cast the necessary spell."
"That's correct. It's the only way I can think of to help her feel like she's not cursed. I want her to be free from her negative self-perception," Jade clarified.
Mako smiled warmly. "You are a remarkable man, Jade. Deep within your heart, I sense your determination to protect her at any cost."
Jade nodded, his feelings for Tokaku evident in his eyes. "I feel a deep connection with her, a connection that is romantic in nature. I cannot bear the thought of anything happening to her, especially after learning about her past from you. She has become incredibly precious to me, Mako."
Mako's expression softened. "Very well, Jade. Before I leave your dream, there's something I ask of you, for the sake of my beloved niece, Tokaku."
"Anything you desire, I am here to help," Jade offered sincerely.
"In our family, we have a tradition of protecting our spouses by kissing them on the lips. It is believed to create a charm that ensures each other's safety for eternity. When you and Tokaku wake up, I request that you kiss her on her lips. This gesture will safeguard her from any harm or danger," Mako explained, leaving Jade taken aback by the request.
Suddenly, he was awakened by Mako's command. Tokaku, who was sleeping by his side, also woke up after fifteen minutes of slumber.
"Jade, what's wrong?" she asked, concerned about her vice house warden's troubled state.
"I just had an embarrassing dream," Jade admitted.
"An embarrassing dream?" Tokaku inquired, her curiosity piqued as she tilted her head.
Jade turned to face her, staring at the assassin girl. "Tokaku, what does a kiss on the lips mean to your family?" he asked, concealing the truth about Tokaku's aunt's request for him to kiss her niece.
"It's seen as a protective charm for spouses in my family," Tokaku replied, raising a blue eyebrow in confusion. "Wait, did you dream of kissing a girl?" she deduced, causing Jade to blush.
Tokaku blinked, taken aback by her vice house warden's blushing face. Jade confessed that it was true, he had dreamt of kissing a girl, but in reality, he had dreamt of Mako asking him to kiss Tokaku. Hearing his confession, Tokaku couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy, envious of the girl whom Jade had dreamed of kissing. She likes Jade, but kept her feelings hidden, unsure of how to confess her hidden affection for her cherished vice house warden. Despite being overwhelmed by her emotions, Tokaku managed to maintain a composed expression, acting unfazed by Jade's embarrassment over dreaming of kissing a girl.
"Do you have any idea what the girl looks like in your dream?" Tokaku asked, catching Jade's attention.
He sensed that the time had finally come for him to confess his feelings. He described the girl he had kissed in his dream, detailing features that matched Tokaku's own: icy blue eyes, short blue hair, and fair skin. However, Tokaku couldn't yet fathom that Jade was talking about her.
Her questioning continued. "If you were to meet this girl, would you confess your affection and kiss her?"
Her question ignited Jade's desire to confess his love, prompting him to make his first move. He gazed into Tokaku's blue eyes, capturing her focus. Their eyes locked in a mesmerizing moment before Jade responded to Tokaku's question.
"I would. In fact, I have already met her. She is right in front of me, waiting for me to take the first step."
With that, Jade leaned in, pressing his lips against hers. Tokaku was stunned by his bold action, her eyes widening and her muscles tensing up. However, she soon relaxed and felt the tenderness of Jade's soft lips against her own. Jade pulled away, satisfied after finally kissing his crush.
"I love you, Tokaku Azuma," he confessed, stunning her with his heartfelt words. She wanted to reply, to tell him that she loved him too, but her shyness overwhelmed her. However, her shyness didn't hinder her actions. As a response to his love confession, Tokaku kissed Jade on the lips, gathering her courage and finding her voice.
"I love you too, Jade Leech," she finally expressed her feelings. Her words caused the young merman to blush, finding her boldness rather adorable. Heat rose to his face, turning it a shade of red as he was overcome with embarrassment and shyness.
Tokaku was taken aback by the sight of Jade's reddened face. Concerned, she asked, "Jade, are you alright?"
"No, I am not alright," Jade replied, his face still flushed. "Since you have stolen my heart with your adorable face." He covered his blushed face with his right hand.
"Adorable face?" Tokaku repeated, feeling her cheeks grow warm with embarrassment. "Oh my, that's the first time I've heard a man praise my face as adorable." She said, placing both hands on her blushed cheeks. Tokaku's shyness only added to her undeniable beauty, capturing Jade's heart even further.
Realizing that Tokaku might feel uncomfortable, Jade quickly regained his composure and called her name, capturing her attention.
"Tokaku, you don't have to suffer alone. Remember that you have me as your official lover. I will protect you from any harm, and if you have a problem, please let me know. I will always support you," he assured her. His hand reached out to caress Tokaku's cheek with tenderness.
Feeling the love and tenderness in Jade's touch, Tokaku found herself at ease. She even nuzzled against Jade's hand, momentarily startling him.
"I will also protect you, Jade," Tokaku replied, resting her hand on top of Jade's.
In that very moment, for the first time in twelve years of living a loveless life under her late grandmother's house, Tokaku finally received the warm affection that she had always craved. Ever since her beloved aunt had passed away, she longed for someone to love and cherish her, just as her aunt had done when she was a child. At long last, her burdened heart began to lighten and her mind found peace. It was as though the shattered pieces of her childhood were coming together, forming a complete picture of sweet memories. Memories of her friendship with Jack and Epel, of her arrival in Octavinelle and meeting Azul, Floyd, and Jade, and even of her ordinary school life that she never experienced in her home world. Tokaku felt as though her life was turning a new leaf and she was grateful that she had accidentally been transported to Twisted Wonderland. Enrolling in Night Raven College had allowed her to find genuine happiness.
As for Jade, he had found his soulmate for the first time in his life. He had never imagined that he would fall in love with a girl from another world, especially one who was a land human while he himself was a merman from the depths of the ocean. However, Jade had always been intrigued by Tokaku's icy demeanor, which had piqued his curiosity and captured his interest. Like Tokaku, his life began to change.
The new couple laid on Jade's single bed, facing each other as they gazed into one another's eyes.
"When did you start falling in love with me?" Jade asked Tokaku.
"Since you gave me my sea glass ear cuffs on my birthday. That's when I started to develop feelings for you. Your gentleness and warm manners had caught my interest," Tokaku explained. "And what about you? When did you start falling in love with me?"
"Ever since I saw your icy and heartless exterior. And then, your adorable face stole my heart," Jade answered.
"That long?" Tokaku asked, realizing that she had no clue about Jade's crush on her until this moment when they finally confessed their love for each other.
"Love can come in different ways and at different times. However, what matters is the end result," Jade explained. "Let's take our love slow and steady from now on, until we have resolved our problems with Kaiba. After that, we can start dating," he suggested.
Tokaku graciously agreed, nodding in agreement. "I would love that," she smiled.
Jade responded with a smile of his own. As they prepared to drift off to sleep, Jade reached out and pulled Tokaku into his embrace, causing her to gasp in surprise. No, she realized, he was no longer just the Vice House Warden - he was her boyfriend. Feeling warm and at ease in Jade's embrace, Tokaku rested her head on his chest and drifted off to sleep, falling deeper in love with him. Jade happily held his girlfriend in his arms and fell asleep, feeling her soft body against his own.