Damian stood frozen under the blossoms, watching Elian's back vanish into the distance.
For ten years, that back had chained him. Now it was gone—and so was the weight on his chest.
The petals swayed under the evening sun.
Ten years from now, such beauty would be nothing but a memory.
No flowers. No spring. Only poisoned skies and starving crowds.
He knew why.
One battle had changed everything.
A mutated Psionic unleashed the forbidden Absolute Death Domain, clashing with the Ashbournes .
Half the pure lands withered overnight—fields turned to dust, rivers soured, food vanished.
After that, bread and meat became treasures. Hunger became the norm.
And in his past life, Damian had chosen to starve.
Every scrap of real food had gone to Elian, while he forced down the gray nutrient paste.
Love, he thought, was worth it.
What a fool.
Today, for the first time, he chose himself.
He pushed open the door of a restaurant near Solstice Park and ordered without hesitation.
Warm bread arrived first. Golden crust, steam rising as he tore it apart.
Potatoes stewed with beef—rich, savory, dripping with flavor.
A tall glass of cold beer, bitter and alive on his tongue.
He closed his eyes.
This—this was happiness.
Not borrowed, not begged, not given away. His.
The bread melted on his tongue, soft and fragrant. The beef slid down his throat, heavy with spice and fat. Each swallow burned his chest with warmth.
It was the warmth of life itself—a sensation he had almost forgotten.
It cost ten thousand credits. A fortune. But every coin was worth it.
For the first time since his rebirth, Damian laughed under his breath.
He had been betrayed, abandoned, left for dead.
And yet—he was alive.
Alive, and finally free to taste the simple, selfish joy of living again.