He Was Always Smiling

He was always smiling. Even when unreasonable situations crashed down and despair poured in, he pushed through with that smile. Back then, I simply liked his smile without a second thought. But now I knew. Unlike his smiling lips, his eyes were always filled with exhaustion and resignation. He felt precarious somehow. The kind of person who would shatter if he didn't force that smile. He wanted to drop everything he carried right then and there. And yet, he...

His name was Evan. A cheerful voice and a smile. Evan's mouth curved in a grin, but his eyes gazed at her indifferently. Like he was appraising an object.

"Let me see... Which one's the Death Eye? The gold one? Or the pink? Or maybe both?"

Evan rubbed around Hayes' eye sockets with the hand that had wiped away her tears.

Flinch—!

Every time another person's body heat touched her skin, a strange sensation spread through her. Her face heated up. It felt like faint electricity starting from her spine and coursing through her whole body.

"...Ugh—!"

His face in her vision drew closer. It was the first time she'd seen another living being this up close. She could see her own reflection in his eyes. Mouth agape, pupils dilated. When had her face turned red? What a pathetic sight.

"Ugh... No."

Overwhelmed by a sense of shame, she pushed him away with her arm.

"Are you nuts? What do you take me for, shoving me like that?"

"..."

A... person...?

Wasn't he an elf with short ears? She vaguely recalled hearing about such beings from the hazy presences that sometimes visited. Something about the human race, probably. Hayes stared blankly at him. Black hair, black eyes, short ears. Completely different from an elf. Just like the hazy presences had whispered. The one who'd come to her wasn't one of her kin who'd abandoned her, but a human.

"...The pink... one."

"Huh?"

"The one that... sees death... is the... pink... eye..."

Her voice trailed off as she answered him. Hayes wanted to die of embarrassment. She lowered her head and averted her gaze. She'd never interacted with anyone else like this. Her cracked voice, the clumsy words that didn't match her thoughts, even meeting eyes—it all shamed her. Her whole body burned. She wanted to run away right now and surrender to the lake. But she had to endure. Hayes gripped her clothes tighter.

"Then the gold one's connected to the World Tree, huh."

World Tree...? He muttered something incomprehensible. Born cursed, all she had was the Death Eye. Being abandoned in this horrible place proved it. She lifted her gaze from the ground. He was stroking his chin. Thinking. Their eyes met. She quickly bowed her head again. Her long, messy white hair cascaded down. It partially blocked her view. It felt a little comforting.

"This is kinda fun, you know. Different from what I knew, but still the same in ways."

"...?"

Screeech—!

Suddenly, a piercing noise echoed through the forest.

"Ah. Already caught on, huh. Sharp when it counts. If only you'd move that fast all the time, tsk."

Muttering complaints, he nudged his shadow with his foot. Like ripples on the lake, his shadow wavered.

"But I've already got the coordinates locked. So, time to go."

"You're... leaving...?"

Evan waved at Hayes. The miraculous visitor was about to vanish. Forgetting her shame, Hayes stood and lunged at him.

Grip—!

She seized his arm with all her strength. Don't go. Just a little longer. A conversation, even briefly.

"Hey, quit glaring like that? All you boss types are like this."

Snap—!

"!!!?"

A sharp impact on her forehead. A knuckle flick. Her first taste of physical pain. The shock loosened her grip.

"See you tomorrow."

With a laugh, he vanished into the shadow. His presence was gone from everywhere. Appearing and disappearing like that, he felt like a sweet dream. Unreal, but thankfully, he'd left a trace. Hayes brushed the red mark on her forehead. The flicked spot was slightly swollen on her delicate skin. A faint sting every time she touched it.

Stroke... stroke...

"...Tomorrow..."

As she touched it for a while, gazes pierced from beyond the forest maze. Her kin. They pointed at her and conversed among themselves. Their voices didn't reach her. She turned to look.

"...!!"

Hayes' gaze met the elves'. They flinched in panic and fled.

"H-H... cowards..."

Unlike the human Evan, her own kind still feared her. Laughter bubbled up. She didn't know why, but it felt amusing. For the first time, Hayes fell into a peaceful sleep without dreams or nightmares. Waking, her body felt fresher than ever. In this horrible forest without proper light or sky. But something had changed. On this new day, Hayes waited only for Evan to return. Passing time was her specialty. It was all she could do in this hellish forest. Unlike her kin who'd abandoned her, Evan had said "see you tomorrow." She believed he'd come.

Groooan...!

Against Hayes' hopes, the hazy presences found her first.

"...G-Get... away..."

Her settled mind plummeted. The hazy presences disgusted her. Swatting them did nothing but scatter them briefly—they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠never vanished. She hated them. Those loathsome things always whispered curses to her. Today was no different.

No. The hazy presences were different this time. Had feeling that brief happiness been a mistake? They shook her more fiercely than ever.

Unlike before, their whispers grew clearer. The fog-like hazes clung to Hayes. She struggled to twist away. But her legs felt nailed to the ground.

"Ac..cept.. us.."

With the whispers, vengeful thoughts flowed into her.

"No... No... No..!! Get... away!!"

Filthy, disgusting thoughts eroded Hayes. They wormed into the gap in her heart. A blessed life turned cursed. She must exercise rightful vengeance, dyeing the world in death. Nothing can stop us. You are fated to be the prophet leading the world to death. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Accept it.

"Accept it. Accept it. Accept it. Ac..cept.. it."

Whoosh—!

"Ac..cept..?"

The whispers vanished. The sound of something swinging. Hayes lifted her head from her knees. Wind tousled her hair. Through the strands, she saw Evan. He swung a massive greatsword effortlessly with one hand. Immense power. Every swing scattered the hazy presences clinging to her, making them scream. That sword was special. A sharp aura emanated from the huge blade. The hazes that mocked her attempts to shake them off feared touching it.

"Scram. I claimed her first, and you're trying to outbid? You wanna die?"

"Yeah, your mom's first."

His final swing dispersed the last of them. Evan grinned at her, greatsword in hand.

"Hey, Hayes. Second time seeing you, and you're crying again."

"...S-Sorry..."

"No need to apologize. Hmm, but your hair's such a mess, hard to see your face."

Evan approached the collapsed Hayes. He gathered her long hair, tidied it, and parted it to the sides.

"Much better now. Can actually see your eyes."

"...Th-Thank... you..."

Evan chuckled.

"Hayes. I know the prophecy about you. The one where you lead the world of Adenia to destruction someday."

Prophecy. The reason she was imprisoned here. Evan, who'd spoken it, raised his greatsword. So that's it. Hayes understood. This miraculous visitor wasn't here to save her, but to end her life's shackles. At least make it painless... She closed her eyes, awaiting the blade.

"G'bye... It was... short... but... fun..."

Thud—!

The ground shook. Hayes opened her eyes. Evan hadn't struck her head. He'd planted the greatsword in the earth.

"What're you doing?"

Evan let out a hollow laugh.

Snap—!

"...!!!"

Evan flicked her crown.

"Think I'm some murderer? Treating a fine hero like that. Can't have that—take another."

Snaaap—!!

"...Ow—!! It hurts..."

A bump rose on her scalp. It hurt. Tears welled in Hayes' eyes.

"That's the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠point."

Evan shook his hand and nodded at the embedded sword.

"Stay near the sword, and the spirits won't approach. Hard-won demon-sealing blade."

More importantly— Evan knelt, meeting her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gaze. His black eyes locked with her gold and pink ones.

"Hayes, about that prophecy. Doesn't it piss you off? Destruction my ass. Saving the world is exhausting enough. And they're the ones making you the Dark Lord."

The prophecy that the girl born with the cursed Death Eye would bring world destruction. Evan seemed angrier than her.

"...B-But... I... have... the Death... Eye..."

Imprisoned in this hell, Hayes had raged at first. She resented her kin ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for abandoning her just for being born, for having the unwanted Death Eye. She'd dreamed of slaughtering the prophecy-spewing elves countless times. But over time, she'd resigned and accepted it. The Death Eye was truly dangerous. If Evan hadn't come, she'd have been consumed by the hazy presences' grudges. Proving the first daughter's prophecy right.

"Not my problem."

"...Huh...?"

But he brushed it off with a smile.

"Screw prophecies and fated destruction. I go for the happy ending."

Heat flickered in his once-indifferent eyes.

"So, Hayes, I've got a plan to screw over the ones who locked you here. Wanna hear it?"

His resolute tone made Hayes swallow hard.

Gulp.

"...Wh-What... plan...?"

Hahaha—!

Evan's laughter boomed through the forest. Tears welled at his eyes from whatever amused him so.

"Saving the world."