Hayoru: This author couldn't keep their promise, I will slap myself *pa pa pa. Wuwuwu~ It hurts metaphorically~
Lol. If this author is going to be super honest I was just procrastinating. But in this author's defense, I finished all my college applications so more free time.
One more chapter until the next arc.
• • • • • • •
Cerise slowly turned around to face an impressive wall of mirrors.
But he ignored all of them and immediately set his eyes on the one at the center. In that mirror, the man met his gaze, a strong sense of familiarity coming to him but not quite reaching him like an ebbing tide from a sea of memories.
He was different.
He had light golden brown hair.
He had blonde hair.
He had sunset colored eyes.
He had vibrant blue eyes.
The two were obviously different appearance-wise but Cerise nevertheless felt his throat tighten up and his heart felt like it would soon burst out from his chest.
This man somehow reminded him of Aiden.
The man asked again gently, "Are you alright?"
Cerise could hear the worry and concern in his tone. He couldn't help but soften a bit then replied, "I'm alright. Who are you?"
The man looked slightly startled at the question, his hands a little wet from a nervous sweat and guilt reflecting in his eyes.
"My name is Icarus. And. . . I'm the one that lead the Queen to you", he nervously said.
Cerise thought for a moment, "Jing, search up who he is."
[System: Yes Host. . . . . Searching. . . . Information. . . Found - Icarus is the name of the man trapped in the Magic Mirror. 20 years old, he was born into a distinguished and wealthy family in the Kingdom of ***. When the Queen had come to his kingdom for her honeymoon with the King, he had caught her eye and she wanted him under her submission. Icarus was highly talented but aloof, he rejected the Queen's intentions and therefore angered her. Unfortunately at this time, the Queen needed a victim to trap into the Magic Mirror in order for it to work. She tricked him into the mirror and from then on forced to find beauties. I've scanned him earlier Host and he seems to have been afflicted with the "Beauty Lust Curse" and the "Truth Curse". ]
Jing felt a little confused towards this man.
Cerise: So he's been forced against his will and stuck here to serve her with no choice. Is there a way to get him out?
[System: Err, there is Host, you can get the "Removal Artifact" from the Magic Stall but you don't have enough points to buy it. ]
Cerise sighed in disappointment. Meanwhile a certain man in a mirror was feeling like a complete nervous wreck seeing how the object of his affections wasn't responding at all and in a daze.
Cerise seemed to have realized this and responded with a slight smile, "I don't blame you. Nice to meet you Icarus, my name is Bashful, some call me Raine. But you can call me Cerise."
"That's a beautiful name and so are you", Icarus blurted out.
Damn! He cursed the Truth Curse.
Cerise giggled, his laughter like the chiming of bells and it left Icarus in a fluster. He was glad that the boy didn't blame him but he also wished he was cooler about the situation. He wanted the boy to have a better impression of him, he wanted him to like him.
On the other hand, Cerise couldn't help but think that this man was quite cute. He was like Aiden, aloof to others but would only show his gentle and silly side to him.
"So, can you actually watch me from the mirror?" he asked.
"Yes", Icarus replied albeit hesitantly. . .
". . . So you must know a lot about me then? . . ."
"Well. . . I know that you could cook, impressive at housework, you have six older brothers, you like animals, and you have a cute birthmark on your bu-", he quickly covered his mouth, his face slowly reddening.
Cerise also reddened, Is he talking about that teardrop birthmark on my butt? He looked accusingly at the embarrassed Icarus, "You pervert, do you peek at every beauty?"
"Only you!" He hurriedly explained. And Cerise just burst into laughter.
"So? How was my body?" He teased.
Icarus said in a moment of seriousness, "Good enough to eat."
Cerise was at a loss, he didn't know whether to get angry or laugh.
Currently in his mind, he thinks that maybe this "Truth Curse" isn't so bad. . .
While his host was being flirted with, a paranoid Jing had withdrew his consciousness and peeked into the magic space. He then noticed the resplendent sword placed on the wall. He felt something click in his mind. He came closer to examine the sword and felt a string of aura from a soul. That aura coincided with Icarus'!
Jing gasped. He needed to tell his host!!
Immediately!
Right now!
Must tell him.
Quickly!
He'll be so happy.
He will praise Jing.
Jing will be so happy!
Everyone will be happy~ ｡ﾟ✶ฺ.ヽ(*'∀'*)ﾉ.✶ฺﾟ｡
[System: Host Host Host~!!! This man's soul is the same as the one left from the sword! ]
Cerise paused and absorbed the information, his high IQ brain had already connected the dots but he dared not speculate on something like this.
"What does that mean. . .?", he asked hopefully.
[System: It means that this man and host's lover from the first world are the same! ( •᷄ὤ•᷅) Jing doesn't know how he followed you Host. After all, it can't be that he reincarnated into the same world as host out of trillions of different worlds. A coincident like that is impossible. This man must be a higher being of some kind. ]
Cerise: He followed me? . . .
No wonder.
He had fallen in love with him all over again. Such a feeling, he found could be instantaneous like now or delayed like before.
Cerise felt a sweet feeling in his chest, as if he was fed a spoonful of whipped cream. His eyes started to water from his overflowing emotions. Even when they weren't officially together back then, he was still loyal and had followed him here. . .
Icarus had watched how Cerise had fallen into a daze but was then shocked when he saw his eyes starting to glisten with tears, gazing at him with such passionate emotions. He gulped.
"Cerise?" he gently asked.
"Yes?" Cerise slightly choked out.
"Can you come here?"
Cerise felt giddy, he turned to Jing in his mind, "Can I go out of this cell?"
[System: I guess so Host, but you have to go back in when the guards are coming.]
Cerise: Alright.
Jing unlocked the heavy lock for Cerise and it fell to the floor with a dull thud. Icarus didn't question it due to his agitation. Cerise opened the cell door and walked out, taking large strides to stand in front of the mirror. Now they were face-to-face.
"A little closer" Icarus said, his expression showing hints of nervousness.
Cerise obediently came closer.
"A little more" he said again.
Cerise came closer, his face almost touching the cool glass.
And right when he was wondering what Icarus was going to do, he watched in slow motion as he moved closer then gave a quick kiss before moving back.
Cerise was stunned. Did he just kiss me? No, he didn't feel anything. There was the mirror glass separating them. . .
He actually kissed the glass!
He quickly looked up to see Icarus' face was turned to the side but he still caught his red ears.
Cerise felt as if an arrow the size of an atomic bomb went straight to his heart. He thinks he might have died a little. . .
Cerise: Jing, I think an atomic bomb just blew up and disintegrated my heart.
[System:（；￣д￣) Why couldn't it just have been a Cupid's arrow? It's much more romantic. ]
Cerise felt like melting, how could he be even more endearing than the last world?
It was only after he heard the dull steps coming towards their direction that he remembered his current situation. And he'll soon realize, unfortunately, that some fairytales do not have happily ever afters.