Sad Love
Hello, Princess! Sad love. When Luna first heard those words, they felt like such a contradiction. Why is love sad? Why do tears come with love?
Humans can't be sad forever. Sadness is an emotion too heavy to bear, so God bestowed upon humanity the blessing of forgetfulness. Humans can't love forever either. Loving endlessly is impossible, like a flame that burns without end. God made the world that way, and everything fades under that law.
So even though the young, innocent girl knew in her head that she had to part from Si-hyun for a while, her heart could never accept it.
I was scared. Scared that if I was separated from Si-hyun, far, far away, this love would fade... Scared that, just like I said I'd befriend Greed out of loneliness, Si-hyun might not endure the loneliness and fall into someone else's arms...
Just imagining it tore at her heart, like blood was pouring out.
But Si-hyun, without a hint of hesitation, told Luna that their love was eternal. That when sadness and love meet, it becomes eternity. A love that keeps rising in the heart. Memories that make your eyes well up with longing—that's sad love.
"Luna, even if we're apart for a little while, this love won't fade or blur. Sad love is the one eternity God allows in a world where everything else loses color."
"...!!"
"And I'm the savior, right? I already cut a deal with God. I told him to let me meet you again after this short parting, or I'd quit being the savior. Haha!"
"Hic... sniff...! Y-you idiot Si-hyun... How could you say that to God! You're such a dumb, hopeless fool who only thinks of me...!"
—Whoosh!
Luna threw herself into his chest again.
The emotions pooled in her heart burst out as tears, laughter, and sighs of relief.
This... this is sad love. Parting because of fate, but trusting him. Engraving a love that doesn't fade until the day we meet again...
A love that doesn't fade with time. A love that lasts forever, unending.
Now Luna could finally accept the meaning of "sad love" deep in her heart.
—Pat, pat.
Si-hyun's warm hand gently stroked the girl's body. Luna closed her eyes for a moment, feeling his touch and breath.
It feels... a little more at ease now...
The sadness blooming in her heart was still heavy, but now it didn't crush her—it just quietly embraced her.
"...Thank you, Si-hyun."
"What do you have to thank me for, my princess?"
"Sad love... It scared me at first, but now I think I get it a little. It's not about forgetting... It's about it staying in my heart forever, making me keep loving you."
The silver-haired princess smiled lightly, her golden eyes still marked with tears. Like a princess who had hurt for a moment but grown a bit more.
Si-hyun poked her cheek thoughtfully.
Hmm... Honestly, I was just winging it, but if Luna's feeling better, that's what matters.
But he knew this wasn't the end. No single phrase could perfectly soothe his princess!
Her slightly trembling shoulders and eyes tell me she's still anxious.
—Flash.
"Up you go!"
"Whoa...?!"
Si-hyun scooped Luna up and started walking toward the lodging along the forest path.
"Princess, shall we head back to the lodging before it gets any chillier?"
"Hehe, I wasn't cold at all stuck right to you, but maybe from crying earlier... Yeah, a bit chilly now."
"If my princess catches a cold, I'll lose my bodyguard credentials. Better hurry."
"I-I wouldn't fire you over something like that...!"
"Haha, if I can't be your bodyguard, I'll just be your husband! We're already married, right?"
Mwah.
Si-hyun grinned brightly and kissed Luna in his arms.
"Hmph...! K-kissing a crying girl... Si-hyun, you're such a total perv..."
"If my bride's as pretty and cute as you and I can hold back on skinship, that wouldn't make me a man! Honestly, I wanna do even more, but I'm holding back 'cause my princess hasn't had her coming-of-age yet."
"M-more...? W-what do you even mean by...?! "
Si-hyun said he'd explain later and hurried to the lodging with Luna in his arms.
* * *
As soon as they arrived at the lodging, Si-hyun wrapped Luna in a warm blanket and settled on the terrace.
"How's this, Luna? The outside's nice, but the view from in here's pretty awesome too, right?"
"Yeah! How'd you even find a place like this, Si-hyun? Amazing!"
"Haha, I pulled a few all-nighters searching for my beloved princess."
—Thud.
Luna leaned her head gently on Si-hyun's shoulder. Outside the window stretched a deep night sky and calm sea, with the silver moon floating like it was glowing in the girl's hair.
It was such a beautiful time, a precious moment with her loved one.
"Hey, Si-hyun. I was really, really happy today. I laughed a lot, and trying all sorts of things with you was great!"
"What was the best part, Luna?"
"Hmm... First, the cotton candy you bought me melted in my mouth so smoothly—it was magical, and super sweet too!"
Luna shared her happy memories of the day with Si-hyun as she awaited their parting. The fireworks blooming in the sky had been mesmerizing, and the lantern lights sent to the stars and moon still lingered in her heart.
"Coming for the moon-viewing festival was perfect for our honeymoon, huh?"
"Yeah...! It was so great, I wanna come back again!"
"Hahaha, sure, next time too. And when we come back someday, we'll check out other spots."
They were just casually talking about the future when—
—Drip, drip.
"Ah...?"
Suddenly, tears started streaming from Luna's golden eyes.
Without warning, so sudden even she was startled.
"Hic...! S-sorry, Si-hyun! Why am I... We were talking and laughing fine, why suddenly...?"
"......"
Luna didn't want to cry. She wanted to smile until the very end, just this once.
But that word "someday"... promising the future... it rippled through her heart again.
Si-hyun wiped her tears with a face that said he understood everything.
"Luna, it's okay to cry. That's what my arms are for."
"Hic... S-Si-hyun...! I-I was gonna leave strong, without crying... Hic...!"
Sobbing and hiccuping, Luna buried her face in Si-hyun's chest and let it all out.
"Hic...! I tried acting like it was nothing, but I can't...! When will I see you again...? I-I can't live a day without you...! Just thinking about it hurts so much, how can I wait not knowing when? I'll die waiting and crying for you...! Waaah!!"
Si-hyun bit his lip ever so slightly as he watched Luna pound his chest with her tiny fists, sobbing pitifully.
I don't have full certainty myself, but probably after clearing 2-3 more ghost stories? Worst case, 6 months to a year. Problem is, Luna doesn't know that.
Luna didn't know about Si-hyun's special abilities. No beginner package, no notification window—so she feared this parting might be forever.
I convinced her about the parting, now I need to give her certainty about reuniting.
Mwah.
Si-hyun executed "Operation Princess Soothe Plan B," gently kissing the hiccuping, crying Luna in his arms.
"Hic...?! S-Si-hyun...?"
"Luna, see that moon just hanging there in the sky?"
"We've seen the moon plenty already... Th-this isn't the time...!"
Luna squirmed a bit in his arms, but Si-hyun held her tighter and continued.
"Luna, long ago, there was a princess and a man who loved each other like us. The princess lived on the moon, a beautiful one, but she came down to a blue star and fell for the man."
"Hic...! A-a princess from the moon...?"
"Yeah. Just like you, right? Haha."
"Sniff... S-so what happened to them?"
Luna stared at Si-hyun with teary eyes, hooked on the story.
"Sadly, the princess had to return to the moon. She was getting weaker being so far from it."
"......"
"But before going, she left the man an elixir of immortality. Drink it and wait—no matter how long, she'd come back."
"Elixir..."
"But the man couldn't last a day without her. So in the end—"
"In the... end...?"
"He burned the elixir. Said living long without her was pointless."
"...!!!"
Tremble.
Luna's lips quivered, tears welling in her golden eyes.
"H-how could he...? Why didn't he wait... Hic...!"
As the girl started sobbing again, Si-hyun grabbed her hand tight, right on cue.
Now the real soothing begins.
Si-hyun smiled softly at her.
"What a fool, huh? I wouldn't do that."
"Sniff...! Th-then what would you do, Si-hyun...?"
"I'd chug that elixir, then instead of waiting like an idiot, build a rocket and fly straight to the moon. If your love gives you immortality, a guy's gotta put in that effort, right?"
"...!!"
"And I'm not into waiting anyway. How could I hold back when I wanna kiss my princess on the moon ASAP? Hahaha!"
—Thump, thump!
The girl's heart raced uncontrollably.
"Si-hyun... W-would you really go that far?"
"Of course. I hate waiting. So Luna, I'll come find you soon. No matter where you are or how far, I'll cross worlds and time to reach you."
"R-really...?"
"I've reincarnated already—worlds and time are nothing. A bodyguard's gotta do that much for his princess!"
"Sniff... Hehe...! Si-hyun...!!"
—Squeeze.
His words, defying God's fate to reach her, erased Luna's anxiety and sadness in an instant.
Si-hyun's saying this much, so I won't cry anymore...!
When Luna finally found peace, "Ah...?"
A golden light began enveloping her bit by bit.
—Sparkle.
Shards of light signaling it was time to part from Si-hyun.
"Luna, looks like it's time, huh?"
"Yeah... Seems so..."
Before leaving, Luna wanted to give him a token, like the princess in his story.
"Si-hyun, the moon princess gave the man an elixir, right?"
"Yeah. So he wouldn't forget her and would wait."
"Hehe... I'm a princess too, so I'll give you my token...!"
—Nibble.
Luna put her pinky in her mouth and bit it lightly, drawing blood.
"L-Luna?!"
"Eek... Si-hyun, stay still, okay?"
For a split second, her ever-sparkling golden eyes seemed to lose their highlight. Then, with blood on her pink tongue and lips, she approached Si-hyun and kissed him.
—Mwah!
"Chup... Ha...!"
The virgin blessed with Selenum's strongest lunar power— the man who drank Luna's blood would age no more, like the elixir in the tale. Like the moon goddess Selene putting her loved one into eternal slumber, Luna sealed Si-hyun's time forever.
"Hee... Now you're mine... Forever..."
Luna smiling with blood on her lips was beautifully eerie.
"L-Luna...?"
"A magic only I can give my love once in a lifetime... Hehe."
My lips and heart... feel weirdly hot?
Si-hyun unconsciously touched his lips and chest. Something—a truly special magic—had been left with him.
Nah, no way.
Clueless to what Luna had done, Si-hyun just thought it was a final farewell kiss.
The queen must've taught Luna something weird again. Sigh.
Then the light around Luna brightened, fully enveloping her.
"Si-hyun...! Stay safe and happy until we meet again!"
"Haha, don't worry. You stay happy and smiling in Selenum too."
"Yeah! Promise. Oh, and the most important thing!"
Luna leaned close, nuzzling his neck and biting lightly.
—Nibble!
"Ow...?! L-Luna?"
"If you're too nice to other girls while I'm gone... I'll get mad... Hee."
Chill.
Her soft voice contrasted with eyes gleaming like a predator's bite.
Si-hyun froze for a second but played it cool with a laugh.
"H-ha, haha... Of c-course, Luna! As if I'd look at anyone else!"
"Hehe... I believe you. My. Hus.band...?"
"Y-yes... Yep...!"
Luna reached out, pulling him into a tight hug. Si-hyun silently wrapped his arms around her small frame carefully.
"Luna, I'll come soon. I love you so much."
"Mmm...! I'll wait, Si-hyun...! I love you tons too...!!"
Hugging him tight, Luna smiled brightly for their final goodbye.
"Bye...! Si-hyun...!"
—Sparkle.
The warm golden light fully enveloped her, and Luna returned to her story.
"......"
Si-hyun stood frozen, hand outstretched to empty air.
Silence filled the terrace.
"Haha... It's really quiet now."
The spot Luna left was too empty. No more familiar little touches, no casual words.
He knew he'd see her again, perfectly well.
But right now, his heart felt hollow.
"Partings... are sad, even when you know they're coming."
Si-hyun smiled wryly, gazing out the window. The moon above shone silver, like the most beautiful princess's hair.
—Stroke.
Like always petting Luna, he reached up and stroked the moon in the sky.
On this still night of windless waves and paused tides, Si-hyun decided to sit a bit longer, thinking of his beloved girl.
Until the faint sadness faded.
"Bye... my beloved princess."
As Si-hyun whispered his small farewell to Luna, soft moonlight settled on the silver-glowing ring on his left hand.
Like a "don't forget me" from her.