"W-what…?"
Furina was utterly confused. She could clearly feel those arms pulling her into a firm embrace, and she had definitely heard what Liu Yuan had just said.
For a moment, her entire mind went blank.
Two thoughts echoed inside her head — the first: Liu Yuan hugged her on her own?!
And the second: Liu Yuan just confessed to her?!!!
She was pressed down onto the sofa, Liu Yuan's arms fully wrapped around her, leaving no room to escape. But what truly left Furina in chaos was that confession — "I want to be with you forever."
The sadness from earlier was gone. Now, surprise and panic flooded her completely.
She let Liu Yuan hold her. Almost instinctively, her hands came up to embrace Liu Yuan in return.
And so, on that sofa, the bewildered Hydro Archon and the equally dazed young woman held each other close — a tangle born purely from their hearts' honest emotions.
---
Furina didn't know how long the embrace lasted. Time blurred until, finally, she began to calm down.
But that calm was short-lived — soon replaced by a rush of shyness that burned across her cheeks.
Her fingers loosened. Liu Yuan, sensing her movement, slowly let go as well, her hands resting naturally at Furina's waist.
Their positions had quietly reversed. Now, Liu Yuan sat on the sofa, her deep blue eyes gazing up at Furina, unwavering.
"I really… am sick," she murmured softly.
Furina sat upon Liu Yuan's lap, arms looped around her neck, her face flushed pink — no trace of her usual composure left. For the first time, she let Liu Yuan see her without her mask of pride.
"You… do you know what that sentence you said means?" Furina asked, voice trembling slightly.
Her mismatched eyes met Liu Yuan's steady ones — courage bubbling up from somewhere deep within her chest.
This was it. A chance she couldn't afford to miss.
Liu Yuan tilted her head slightly. "Which sentence?"
…Of course. It was Liu Yuan. Still utterly oblivious to human hearts — well, except Furina's.
Furina's face burned even redder, her pulse hammering in her chest. "Th-that one! The one you said earlier!"
Her sudden raise in voice startled Liu Yuan, who blinked, then seemed to realize and repeated, almost hesitantly:
"I want to be with you forever?"
Though her tone was calm, something in her chest fluttered wildly. The words came out smoother this time — warmer, even.
Ever since she'd made her decision, Liu Yuan had stopped thinking of her feelings as a sickness. When she'd embraced Furina, that "illness" had erupted all at once… yet instead of pain, it brought a strange, intoxicating peace.
Her heartbeat was still fast — too fast — but her mind was filled with just one thought:
How wonderful it would be… if this moment could last forever.
Liu Yuan gave in to that feeling. She tightened her hold around Furina, surrendering to it completely.
Hearing those words, Furina's heart soared. "Yes! That one!" she blurted, leaning closer. "Are you… are you serious?!"
Her hands slipped from Liu Yuan's neck, clasping nervously in front of her chest. Her mismatched eyes locked onto Liu Yuan's face, searching desperately for the truth.
And though her voice trembled, her gaze did not.
"I am serious," Liu Yuan said.
Her deep blue eyes never wavered — calm, resolute, and achingly sincere.
That tone… that look… made Furina's heart skip a beat.
"Really?" she whispered.
"Really."
"You're not lying to me?"
"I'm not lying to you."
The steady replies, each word carrying quiet warmth and truth, washed over her like a tide.
Perhaps it was that strange connection between them — something beyond logic — but Furina could feel every trace of sincerity in Liu Yuan's voice.
She froze for a moment, staring at the woman who always seemed calm and unreadable. Now, that calmness only made Furina's own nerves grow worse.
Even after hearing what she'd wanted, she still didn't know what to do.
She'd read countless novels and watched endless operas — but now that she was the one living it, she realized theory couldn't prepare her for this.
Completely flustered, Furina stood up abruptly. She looked down at Liu Yuan from above — the stance of the Hydro Archon, though her trembling betrayed her nerves.
"A-Alright! I've heard your… request!" she declared, trying to sound composed. "Although such a request is rather unreasonable, but…"
"I— I, Furina, permit you to stay by my side forever!"
Her voice wavered halfway, and the declaration came out more like a confession than a decree.
Liu Yuan looked up at her — and smiled faintly.
"Indeed… I must be terminally ill," she murmured, amusement soft in her tone.
But inside, warmth bloomed — the kind that seeped into her bones. She had found it. The meaning of her existence… the person she wished to protect, always.
That image — Furina standing proud and flustered before her — was one she knew she'd remember forever.
"Liu Yuan… close your eyes again. Quickly!" Furina suddenly blurted, her voice pitched oddly high.
Liu Yuan blinked in confusion but obeyed. Darkness returned to her vision, though her senses stayed sharp.
She felt Furina move closer again — the weight of the sofa shifting slightly.
Then —
A faint, cool touch brushed her lips.
"…What is this?"
The sensation was soft, fleeting… and yet it seemed to stretch into eternity.
When it faded, she was left blinking — lost between dream and reality — until a whisper reached her ear.
"This is a contract… From now on… you can never leave me."
.
.
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_