It was a quiet afternoon, the kind that blurred into routine. A young man walked down the sunlit street with headphones snug in his ears, humming along to the triumphant notes of his favorite Pokémon battle theme. His steps carried a spring of anticipation—after all, the newest Pokémon game was only weeks from release. For him, that was reason enough to look forward to tomorrow.
The world, however, had other plans.
A flicker of movement caught his eye. Ahead, a little girl wandered absentmindedly into the road, chasing after something she had dropped. She didn't notice the truck barreling down the street, horn blaring too late.
The young man's heart clenched. Without thought, without hesitation, his legs surged into motion. Adrenaline burned through his veins as he sprinted, faster than he thought himself capable of.
"Move!" he shouted—but she didn't hear.
In one desperate motion, he lunged forward, arms outstretched. His shoulder collided with the girl, shoving her out of the truck's path. She tumbled safely onto the curb.
He, however, was not so fortunate.
The blaring horn consumed the world. Impact struck like lightning, pain exploding through his body. The sound of shattering glass and screeching metal echoed into silence as he crumpled against the asphalt.
The world slowed.
Blood pooled beneath him, warm and sticky. His breath came shallow, ragged. He turned his head with effort, vision blurring. There—the girl was sitting up, wide-eyed but unharmed. Relief, faint but profound, washed through him.
A small, weak smile tugged at his lips. At least… she's safe.
But a pang of sorrow followed—strange, almost laughable in its simplicity. Guess… I'll never get to play that new game.
His chest shuddered with a final sigh. Darkness closed in, gentle, almost merciful. His eyes slipped shut.
Yet fate… was not finished with him.
What he didn't knownwas that the girl he saved was no ordinary child. Beneath the fragile guise, hidden in mortal form, she was something far greater.
A goddess.
And his selfless act, the choice to give his life for hers without hesitation, had set into motion a destiny beyond imagination.
..............
Darkness faded.
The boy's eyelids fluttered open—not to pain, not to sirens or the chaos of the world he had left behind, but to something impossibly gentle. A breeze, soft as silk, brushed across his cheek, carrying with it the faint perfume of flowers he had never known.
Above stretched a sky of endless blue, too pure for mortal eyes, where drifting petals floated lazily as though time itself had slowed to savor their fall. He lay upon grass warm as a sunlit blanket, each blade glowing faintly as if kissed by starlight. Around him, a garden unfolded in wonder—trees with silver leaves that shimmered like mirrors of the moon, blossoms that glowed in hues beyond human color, and a clear stream winding nearby, its waters singing in a voice like a lullaby.
He sat up slowly, heart pounding. Where… am I?
Then—footsteps. Light, graceful, approaching.
He turned, and his breath caught in his chest.
She stood there.
Not the trembling girl he had thrown himself before, not the fragile figure whose life he had shielded with his own. No—before him now was someone radiant, ethereal. Her hair fell in cascading strands of silver and moonlight, flowing as though touched by an unseen tide. Her eyes—vast, infinite—held whole galaxies within their depths, yet they softened upon him with a warmth that made the world seem less terrifying.
And her smile… calm, gentle, eternal.
Yet he knew those eyes. He would have known them anywhere.
"You… you're the girl I saved," he whispered, his voice trembling.
She nodded once, stepping closer. Her every movement carried a grace that bent the air around her, like reality itself obeyed her presence. "Yes. But that was only one of my forms. What you saw was a fragment, a mask I wore to walk among mortals."
Her voice rang like a soft chime, each word weaving into his soul.
"I am no girl," she continued, her gaze never leaving his. "I am a goddess. I test the hearts of humans, searching for those who shine amidst the darkness. And you—without hesitation—gave your life to protect me."
The boy stared, his mind struggling to keep pace. A… goddess?
His lips parted. "…So… am I dead?"
She smiled, the curve of her lips gentle, tinged with something he couldn't name. "You were. But not anymore. Your courage, your kindness, your sacrifice… they have given you a second chance. And more than that—three wishes. Anything your heart desires."
His jaw went slack. "Anything?"
"Anything." Her confirmation rang with absolute certainty, like a promise carved into the fabric of the universe.
He swallowed hard, trying to steady his racing pulse. Power. Wealth. Immortality. There were a thousand things any mortal would seize in that moment. But as he stared into her celestial eyes, something stirred within his chest—something stronger than excitement, deeper than admiration.
Not awe. Not fear. Something else.
His heart thundered.
"I…" His voice came out raw, unsteady, but he didn't falter. He clenched his fists, grounding himself. Then he looked straight at her, unblinking.
"For my first wish," he said, voice firming, "I want you to be my wife."
The world stilled.
The stream hushed. The silver leaves ceased rustling. Even the petals hung frozen in midair, as though the garden itself had forgotten how to breathe.
The goddess blinked, her lips parting ever so slightly. A mortal—this mortal—had just dared what no god, no king, no hero across eons had ever voiced. Not a plea for blessing. Not a demand for power. But… her.
"You…" Her voice, usually serene, trembled with disbelief. "…want me? As your wife?"
He nodded, without hesitation. "I don't know why. I don't even understand it fully myself. But the moment I saw you… I just knew. I don't care if you're a goddess and I'm only human. I don't care if the world thinks it's impossible. I want to be with you."
For a moment, her expression wavered—serious, conflicted, almost sorrowful.
"You cannot grasp what you're asking." Her eyes, galaxies shifting within, turned solemn. "I am a being far beyond mortal comprehension. My true form could shatter your soul in an instant. Even now, standing before you like this, I restrain my power so you may endure my presence. Unless… you could rise. Rise to my level, and bear the weight of what I am."
His breath caught, but he did not look away. Not even for a heartbeat.
The goddess lifted a hand, halting whatever words he meant to speak. Her lips curved into a small, amused smile, though her eyes still glowed with divine intensity. "Still… your heart is pure. And your courage… rare."
She stepped closer. The grass beneath her feet bloomed brighter, flowers bowing in reverence. Slowly, delicately, she reached out—her fingers brushing against his cheek.
A warmth spread through him, deeper than life itself, as if her touch was weaving his existence anew.
"If you are this persistent…" Her voice softened to a whisper, almost vulnerable. "…Then fine. I accept. From this moment forward, I am yours."
The garden erupted in light.
Flowers flared in radiant bloom. The stream swelled with crystalline brilliance, its song rising into a chorus. Above, the sky blazed with constellations, stars shifting to bear witness. The very air vibrated, as though creation itself celebrated the vow spoken here.
And amidst it all, the boy and the goddess stood, bound not by power or fate—but by a mortal's reckless wish, and a goddess's awakening heart.