The car ride home was quiet in the kind of way that makes you more tired just by sitting there. The hum of the engine was steady, filling the silence, and the occasional bump in the road gave the illusion that someone had just nudged them awake before they drifted back down again.
Zephyros leaned his head against the window. The glass was cool, which felt good against his forehead. The streetlights passed in a slow rhythm, painting his reflection in strips of gold and shadow. He wasn't asleep, but he wasn't far from it either. His body was heavy, his mind buzzing from everything that had happened today.
Riven sat next to him. Her shoulder brushed against his whenever the car tilted, and she didn't move away. She didn't look at him much, though Zephyros caught her eyes darting his way every now and then, quick little glances like she was making sure he hadn't vanished.
Darius was up front, arms crossed, head tilted back. Somehow he looked more like he was on a road trip than returning from fighting an abomination. He tapped his foot in time with some rhythm only he knew, humming under his breath.
... He was the perfect picture of ease.
And then there was Mr. Han, driving. Hands steady on the wheel, eyes forward. A man who looked like he was worried, but then Zephyros saw the relief in his face when he checked the mirror. It was subtle and for some reason felt unexpected and weird.
"You should eat before sleeping Sir Zephyrhills.. Don't fall asleep in a car." Han said finally, his voice even but soft.
Zephyros turned his head slightly.
"Zephyrhills? Where did that come from?"
Han only smiled and shook his head not giving a reply to Zephyros.
"Always food first," Darius said before Zephyros could say another word. He cracked one eye open, trying to tease his younger brother again.
"You'll pass out better on a full stomach."
"You'd say that even if you were bleeding out.." Riven muttered.
"Exactly."
That got a weak laugh out of Zephyros. His stomach growled on cue, which didn't help his case. "…Dumplings sound good."
Darius grinned without looking back. "Kid's got taste."
The conversation ended there, simple and short, like everyone was too drained to bother dragging it out. The rest of the ride was just headlights, silence, and the occasional buzz of Darius' foot tapping against the floor.
***
The car rolled up a long driveway that curved between trimmed hedges and tall iron lamp posts glowing pale yellow. The mansion ahead stood like a quiet giant against the night sky, all dark stone and tall windows, its roof crowned with carved gargoyles that looked down at visitors with empty eyes.
'.. This is paradise..' he muttered, tired.
Yes, he has seen a lot of mansions but the difference between those mansions and this one is the the fantasy looks but the fact that this..this building was his new house!
The driver slowed, and the gates groaned open.
Zephyros pressed his forehead against the window, eyes half-lidded. He was too tired to admire the place to the extent of a normal transmigrator, but even in exhaustion, the mansion gave him a strange comfort. Not because of its luxury, but because it meant solid walls and no portals humming in the background.
.. Hopefully.
"Finally.. " Darius muttered from the front, stretching his arms with a loud pop of his joints. "I'm going to eat half the kitchen."
Riven shot him a look. "Try not to scare the chefs this time."
"They scare too easily," he smirked. "A man bites into a roast straight from the tray one time and suddenly you're a monster. I mean.. It's my house for Gods sake."
Zephyros snorted softly. The sound was small, but Riven caught it, her eyes softening. He was still leaning heavily against her side, his hood slipping back to reveal that perpetually boyish face. She tugged it up again.
The car rolled to a stop beneath the grand portico. The front doors swung open before anyone even knocked. A row of attendants bowed politely, though none dared speak until Darius stepped out first, stretching like he owned the place...of course he did.
"Sir Darius. Miss Riven..You're here today... Young Master Zephyros...Welcome." one attendant greeted.
Darius waved lazily. "Spare me the titles. Just point me to the food."
The attendant blinked multiple times, hesitated, then gestured toward the right hall. Riven followed behind, guiding Zephyros out of the car. His small shoes tapped softly against the stone steps, echoing more than they should have in the cavernous entrance.
Inside, the mansion smelled faintly of lemon polish and something savory drifting from the kitchens. A chandelier the size of a small wagon glimmered above them, its crystals catching the light of dozens of candles. The marble floor shone enough to reflect their figures.
Zephyros squinted. It was all too much after the dim, dangerous realm they'd just crawled out of.
"Feels fake.. " he mumbled.
"What does?" Riven asked.
"All of this. Like… nobody really lives in places like this. They just… rent them for movies."
Riven chuckled. "Well, lucky for you, this isn't a movie."
"I dunno.. " he muttered, tugging his hood tighter. "Feels like one."
Only if she knew how Le Wei felt and not the Zephyros she knew..
****
The dining hall looked like something out of an old noble's painting. A long table stretched almost twenty meters, lined with carved chairs and silver candle holders. Tonight, though, only the far end was lit. A spread of food waited — steaming rice, glazed duck, platters of dumplings, and bowls of soup that filled the air with warmth.
Darius flopped into the first chair he saw, ignoring how fine the cushions were. "Finally." He didn't wait for permission, stabbing a dumpling with a fork like he hadn't eaten in weeks.
"You're supposed to use chopsticks," Riven said dryly, sliding into the seat beside Zephyros.
"They work slower." He chewed noisily.
Zephyros also slid into the chair beside Riven, the size of it swallowing him whole. His legs dangled above the floor, a fact he hated but refused to comment on.
'... I'll.. I mean..Zephyros will surely grow one day..'
The attendants began serving properly, but Darius' chaotic eating ruined any pretense of formality. Riven sighed, reached for the rice, and calmly scooped some into Zephyros' bowl before he even asked.
"Eat.. " she said simply.
He picked at the food first, still dazed from everything. But the first bite of warm rice and duck nearly made him groan out loud. After a day in a nightmare forest, this tasted unreal.
"Good?" Riven asked, watching him.
He nodded quickly, cheeks puffed as he chewed. "Way too good. Like… cheating."
"Cheating?"
"Yeah. We fight monsters for hours, and then come back and eat food like this? It doesn't add up. Like skipping to the reward without grinding."
Darius chuckled, mouth half full. "You really do see life like a video game, don't you? Why the sudden change in character? Aah..must be puberty."
'.. Your brother is sixteen you fool.' Zephyros frowned.
He then shrugged. "It's easier that way."
For a while, the hall filled with the sounds of clinking plates and casual conversation. Darius ranted about how weak the Anchor had been compared to its size. Riven argued that if it was truly weak, Zephyros wouldn't have passed out. Zephyros protested that he was fine, then promptly spilled soup down his sleeve, which shut him up.
The attendants quietly cleaned around them, clearly used to this chaos.
By the time they were done, plates were licked clean and Zephyros' head was resting on the table, his arms folded beneath it.
"Bed.. " Riven said firmly, nudging him.
"M'not tired." His muffled voice betrayed him.
"You can barely keep your eyes open."
Darius leaned back, stretching. "Let him pass out here. We'll roll him into bed later."
Riven glared at him. "You'll roll him. I'm not carrying both of you."
Darius held up his hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine."
They left the hall together. The mansion's wide corridors stretched on forever, portraits of stern ancestors staring down at them from the walls. Their footsteps echoed in the empty space, but it felt less eerie to Zephyros. It felt… familiar.
He looked at the portraits with lot of questions appearing in his mind, but unfortunately, he was too tired to ask.
At the base of the grand staircase, Darius split off with a lazy wave. "Don't wait up. I've got a bath with my name on it."
"Don't flood the place again.. " Riven called after him.
"No promises."
That left Riven and Zephyros climbing the stairs together. She slowed her pace to match his, even though his shorter legs made him take two steps for each of hers.
"Still awake?" she asked quietly.
"Mm." His voice was soft. "Just thinking."
"About?"
He hesitated. "…How many times I've lost my memories. The driver said it's my fifth amnesia."
Riven's expression tightened. It felt she was also pained by the repeated amnesia. You can't blame her, your boyfriend forgetting who you're five times..and just three kisses..
'... Tough.'
"You're still you," she said firmly. "Memories or not. And you were quick to adapt this time.. It took you only a day this time.. All in all, you're still you."
"…But what if I'm not?" His voice wavered. "What if I'm just… a placeholder version of me? Like, the real Zephyros is gone, and I'm just… what's left? Another person in real Zephyros' body... "
Her steps slowed. She looked down at him, at the boy who looked too small for his own shadow. Then she rested a hand gently on the white side of his hair.
"Does it matter?" she asked. "You're here. You're alive. You're you. That's all I care about."
He swallowed hard, then nodded. "…Okay."
"Remember I say am sleeping over.. You didn't really care to think about it.." She scowled, her cheeks suddenly burning.
Zephyros felt his heart skipped uncountable beats and yet all he could do was force a weak smile.
"Ahem..I'll leave it as a surprise."
Riven nodded.
After two minutes of walking, they reached his room. The double doors opened easily, revealing a space that looked grand but strangely personal. A mirror hanging on the wall opposite the entrance door. A king-sized bed draped in navy sheets. A wide desk near the balcony doors. Shelves mostly empty except for a few scattered books and small trinkets "Zephyros" had obviously collected.
And on the desk, a single blue diary. Its cover was plain, the kind you'd find in any bookstore, but the name etched on the spine in clumsy handwriting made it his: "Zeph's Book of Days."
'... So, he was also a book guy? Can this transmigration get any perfect..'
His expression suddenly changed remembering the portals.
'... I take that back.'
Riven helped him inside. He staggered a little, but found his footing. She adjusted the blanket on the bed for him automatically, then paused when she saw him heading for the desk instead.
"Really?" she asked. "You can barely stand."
"I need to write first."
"Can't it wait?"
"No." He sat down firmly, pulling the diary open.
What he saw left him speechless. This..this was Zephyros diary. This had actually made Le Wei's job easier.
Riven sighed, but she didn't argue further. Instead, she leaned against the doorway, watching.
Zephyros opened a blank page, dipped his pen and began writing, his small hand moving with surprising steadiness despite the day's exhaustion.
"Today we killed an Anchor. I don't remember all of it, because I blacked out. Riven says I'm not useless. I don't really believe her, but I'm glad she said it. Darius was annoying. The portal looked scary but also… kind of pretty. Coming home felt weird. The mansion feels too big. The food was too good. I don't know if I'm me[Le Wei] and not Zephyros Milnar.. I feel like I'm changing, but I'm writing this so maybe the next me can read it..... "
He then lingered for some seconds, then wrote.
"... If there is a next me."
He paused, tapping the pen against his lips. Then, with a small, tired smile, he added one last line.
"For now, I'll just be Zeph. That's enough."
He closed the diary softly, slid the pen aside, and finally let himself shuffle toward the bed. Riven helped him climb in, pulling the blanket over him without a word.
Zephyros was expecting her to leave but the lights in the room just went off. Something warm and soft got on the bed and hugged him from the back, hair falling on his face.
"You're tired... So i won't disturb you.. But it's just a norm we do..." Riven muttered into his ear.
Zephyros swallowed hard, already feeling the effects of her intense hug on him.
'... Crap.'
"What.. What norm?"
He felt Riven sighed and then she whispered the answer into his ear.
Zephyros heart skipped countless beats again. He slowly turned to face Riven and smiled weakly, feeling her warm breath on his face.
***
Some time later, in a room with no light except the moonlight penetrating from the open balcony doors was an extravagant bed.
On the bed two teenagers, a boy who looked nothing like a teenager and a girl who with white hair, where fast asleep. The girl hugged him while asleep while the boy kept laid on his back.
Zephyros smiled with his eyes closed.
'... All in one day.... All in one day.'