"A lot has happened since you left, Jared…"
Maria's voice echoed in my head as my brain struggled to process her earlier words to me. The fact that this world had experienced 10 years without us.
'That's insane!' My mind echoed as multiple emotions overwhelmed me.
For one, Maria would now be 26 years old, a much different person from the 16-year-old girl I used to know. I had missed out on a lot of time, and a lot was bound to have happened in those years I was away.
Even then… she had rushed to hug and kiss me.
It brought me relief that, despite the years that passed, Maria didn't move on from me.
It was truly a big relief.
"W-wow… ten years…" I mumbled, slowly beginning to get composed. "You've really… held on, huh?"
It felt really odd for me right now, considering how Maria was biologically much older than I was. She was also taller, and she definitely looked more mature.
Just comparing the both of us at the moment, and anyone would get the picture of awkwardness.
"It's no big deal, you know? I mean our age difference…" Maria's words cut through my inner monologue, almost as if she knew exactly what I was thinking.
Her lull face melted my panicky thoughts, forcing me to grow calmer.
"You're still much older than me anyway. If we calculate our real age… you know?" Slowly, her lips curled up to form a smile.
My eyes widened as I saw this, and my heart began to race uncontrollably.
"We like each other. We want each other. That's all that matters now… don't you think?" Her hands brushed my face, and both her palms firmly rested on my cheeks.
A cool smile still remained on ger face, and once more… those blue eyes of hers seemed to burrow deep into my soul.
It felt like deep down, even to the depths of my core, this woman completely understood me.
"You're right…" I slowly broke into my own smile, placing both my hands on her cheeks too.
Our faces drew closer, and my smile grew broader and broader.
"I'm sorry for being so late. I'll make it up to you."
"You promise?" She responded, her tone almost feeling like she was teasing me.
"I promise."
"Good. You're going to spill everything that happened while you were gone too."
"Haha… it's quite a long story." I chuckled slightly, a tinge of awkwardness in my tone.
Perhaps Maria's cute face when she asked contributed to the awkwardness, but now that I thought of all the things I had been through… it all seemed like a lighthearted dream.
A dream that had long passed.
"Well, you'll tell me all about it later." I nodded upon hearing her words, and to be honest, I was excited to share my life with her.
"I also want to know what you've been up to all this time."
"Well, that is a long story too," Maria responded, and we both burst out laughing at ourselves and each other.
The heavy burdens in my heart were completely lifted, and I had never felt such warmth as I did now.
It felt so… surreal.
"Enough of that." Maria's face suddenly transformed into a look of resolve, her stoic face steadily opposite mine.
"Now kiss me, Jared."
I was taught to never disrespect my seniors, so… I suppose there was only one proper answer to give to Maria at the moment.
"Yes, ma'am!"
Our lips connected once more, and we engaged in a passionate kiss, bonding more than ever before.
However, as we engaged in this, a question popped into my mind.
'I'm biologically 15… and she's 26…'
Was this really right? Was this wrong? It was something that I had to search very deeply to find out.
'It feels right, though…'
And with that, I continued my kiss with Maria.
*******
"You idiot! You big idiot! You're such an enormous idiot!"
The voice of Anabelle Frederick soared through the air as both her short hands were relentlessly hitting Kuzon's chest.
Even though there seemed to be a lot of passion in her loud voice, and her face seemed to depict utmost seriousness, her current actions were as effective as a powerless child hitting a brick wall.
In essence, not effective at all.
"You fool! You left for so long, and all you can do is smile now!" Ana's voice, so thin like that of a baby, felt like music to the ears of the one who heard them.
Kuzon was smiling smugly as he felt her light blows touch his chest. He enjoyed every beat, feeling the rhythm, and the patterns of her soft strikes.
"You pervert! You like this, don't you? Such an… arghhh!" Exasperation seemed to overwhelm Ana as she must have felt powerless when it came to Kuzon.
No matter what she did, he would consider it cute anyway.
"You… you… you fool…" Tears streamed down her face as she finally collapsed on his chest.
They seemed to be in another part of the world entirely, in a grassy field, without anyone to interrupt them. With the two of them alone, they could finally be free… expressing all the emotions they had locked away for so long.
"I… I've missed you so much…." Ana bawled, streams of tears flowing down her face like a river.
In response to all this, Kuzon simply drew her closer in an embrace and smiled.
"I know. I missed you too. So, so much."
His soothing voice soon replaced her hiccups and smiffs. It was magical, a moment simply dedicated to the two of them.
"It's been ten years, you fool. Where have you been all this time?" Her voice echoed in the vast field as she buried her face into his chest.
However, at that moment, something seemed to shift—for Kuzon, that is.
"Eh? Ten years?" He suddenly carried Ana by her waist and separated her from his embrace.
Once he raised her up, like the child she looked like, he looked at her with a serious expression, almost as if peering inside her.
"W-what are you doing? Stop! Put me down! This feels weird!"
Kuzon didn't listen, though.
He was in deep contemplation, and he couldn't be concerned about the powerless hits Ana's little hands gave to his much stronger ones.
"Pffft! There's no way I'm believing that." Kuzon smiled nonchalantly, finally dropping Ana on the grassy plains, and patting her head in the process.
"You haven't grown in the slightest."
"It's true! I'm 26 years old now, you know? 26 YEARS OLD!" Even though Ana must have meant to be taken seriously, her childlike body, and thin voice, made it difficult for Kuzon to do so.
As a result, he ended up laughing at her.
"Haha! Sure you are…" He laughed even more, causing Ana's face to turn red in embarrassment or anger—perhaps even both.
"You…" Ana's voice suddenly began to change, as it got a lot deeper.
She clenched her fist tightly, to the point where Kuzon was certain he heard the cracking of bones.
"You… should have more respect for your senior!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, the entire field trembling as she unleashed her wrath.
The air seemed to vibrate in response to Ana's power, and even the skies parted.
The immense tension permeating the world around them all stemmed from Ana's words and her outburst of energy.
And, amid all of this… what did Kuzon do?
"Pat, pat…" Kuzon patted her head some more, smiling as he looked down at her.
"Don't worry, little one… I believe you."
*
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[A/N]
Which interaction do you enjoy most?
Jared and Maria
Or
Kuzon and Ana
