Tomorrow is the last day.
Despite the elating news, Lin Yie's heart weighs heavy.
Nightingale has changed considerably. Everyone can see that.
She doesn't whine about pineapple buns. She can remember Hibiscus and Lava's names. She's not so afraid of strangers...
... although she still seems to be tired all the time.
Even though Nightingale hasn't fully recovered yet, her change gives people hope. Now everyone believes that when Lin Yie succeeds tomorrow, the real Nightingale will return to this world.
That's right.
Everything will get better.
...
It's time for dinner now, but Lin Yie has no appetite.
In the elevator, he can't help but wonder why he feels this way. Why doesn't he feel happy about Nightingale's recovery? Isn't this his job? Didn't Shining bring him here to save Nightingale? Even though he agrees with Shining's point of view, he still can't bring himself to end Nightingale's "sickness." If only he knew this would happen, he would have majored in neurology and become a proper doctor, although that might not help anyway.
When he returns to reality, Lin Yie suddenly realizes that he's not alone.
"Ifrit? Why are you here?"
Ifrit rolls her eyes, "What's wrong with you? You haven't even pressed which floor you want to go to. Aren't you a psychologist? Why are you going crazy first?"
She's wearing casual clothes with a pair of headphones around her neck.
Lin Yie asks, "Are you going to keep staring at me like that?"
Ifrit raises her hands in anger. Flames spew out of her palms, raising the temperature inside the elevator quickly.
Lin Yie quickly surrenders, "Let's not play with fire. We can talk."
"Apologize."
"What?"
"Say, 'Lord Ifrit, I'm sorry.'"
"Alright," Lin Yie nods, "Lord Ifrit if you play with fire, I will tell your mom."
Ifrit clenches her teeth, but she yields in the end. After lowering her hands, she says, "All you know is how to tell on me. Aren't you ashamed of yourself?! If you dare, then fight me. Haven't you been practicing with your sword?!"
"Then let's do it," Lin Yie says with disdain, "Without your fire, I can kick your ass any day."
"You!"
Just like that, Lin Yie and Ifrit keep bickering with each other. Eventually, it ends with Ifrit's defeat. Well, it should have been expected, considering the differences in their childhoods. Lin Yie used to be a troll on the Internet back in the day. It doesn't take much for him to deal with Ifrit, who doesn't even know how to swear. Of course, he doesn't swear in front of her or angers her too much. If she gets mad for real, he would have gotten himself in big trouble.
...
After Ifrit has left the elevator, Lin Yie finally remembers what Saria asked him to do, but it's too late. Ifrit is gone, and the elevator door is closing.
Well, there's always the next time.
When Lin Yie is back inside his room, Ansel is nowhere to be seen. He might be out for dinner.
Lin Yie lies down and tries to fall asleep, but it's been getting harder to do so. Whenever he closes his eyes, he has the fear that he would find himself in a different world. This only got worse in the past twenty days, such that he would feel he's back in the dungeon whenever his eyes are closed. That's how he got his insomnia.
He can't really tell what's real and what's fake anymore. Everything seems to be a dream.
But despite his fear, his fatigue is very real. His mind gives way to his exhausted body. Lin Yie eventually drifts off to sleep.
...
Some time later, Lin Yie jolts awake. He glances at the clock.
It's almost 10 o'clock now.
Lin Yie rubs his growling stomach. Since he didn't have dinner, he should get some snacks first, before he trains with Yato.
He picks his sword up and straps it on his belt before walking outside.
To his surprise, there's a familiar white shadow squatting just outside his door.
"Liz?!"
Nightingale looks up and meets his eyes.
After confirming it's really her, Lin Yie is even more shocked now, "Why are you here?!"
She's wearing her pajamas, but with only one shoe. Her sock on the other foot is already dirty. Now that he looks more closely, she seems to have dirt on her face. There's even some blood. She might have tripped over somewhere.
"Pineapple Bun," Nightingale utters, "I'm starving."
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Draft by Demosama
Proofread by PanzerComrade56