Chapter 46: Fleeting Ten Hours: Tunnel of Love
"Alright! Let’s forget about these sad memories, tell me about the drug you gave me." Kelly said, raising the ice cream into the air, staring at it. The heavy atmosphere immediately dissipated, replaced by the commanding, practical aura of the woman she used to be before the expedition shattered her mind.
"Soul fleeting pill... You have ten hours, after ten hours, you’ll be back." Asher said in a low voice. He braced himself, instinctively tensing his shoulders; he was expecting some scolding. Nevertheless, he gave her the drug without her approval, so if she was angry or upset, he would understand.
"So I have ten hours." She took Asher’s phone, staring at the timer on the glowing screen: "10 O’clock." She stood up, tossing his phone on his body with a casual flick of her wrist that screamed authority.
Asher stared at her, a bit confused by how fast she was processing the reality of her temporary cure.
"I only have ten hours, and I don’t plan to sit down in one place... In all my life, I have worked behind the desk, taking care of companies, subordinates and files..." She stretched her arms above her head, relishing the feeling of absolute clarity. She lowered her gaze to him, a genuine, radiant smile on her face:
"So Asher, will you show me around the city? I heard Silverspire is beautiful at night... Will you fulfill my wish?" She asked, her tone shifting from a former CEO’s command to a gentle, almost vulnerable request.
Asher blinked for a couple of seconds, his chest tightening at the sight of her true smile, then smiled, and stood up, dusting his clothes:
"Alright, the Fair is a beautiful place."
"Fair? You mean today is Silver Fair?!" Kelly exclaimed in shock, the childlike excitement momentarily bleeding through her mature demeanor, while Asher nodded his head:
"Yeah, I picked this day because of this fair, it’s also all-night."
Kelly stared at him in awe; Asher not only gave her ten hours to enjoy herself, he also picked the right day and time to ensure she wouldn’t just be staring at four walls. He had planned everything around her happiness.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!" She grabbed his hand, and without warning, pulled him away, running towards the exit. Her grip was warm, entirely devoid of the fear and trauma that usually dictated her movements.
{Congratulations Master for Investing in your wife, Kelly.}
".....?!"
Asher almost tripped as the System’s golden panel abruptly flashed across his vision.
{Investment: A loving Ice cream.}
{Congratulations, Master Triggered the 60,000x Return.}
{Gained a New skill: Soul Linked.}
{Soul Linked Description: As long as Master remembers the target, he can track them, even if they’re in a separate dimension, Heaven-Tier Skill. [no Cooldown].}
’Ice cream gave me a Heaven-Tier skill?! This is crazy.’ He thought, completely bewildered by the sheer absurdity of his own power scaling, as Kelly dragged him away toward the neon lights of the city.
_
Some distance away, hidden perfectly in the shadows of the park’s dense foliage, three dark figures walked out, staring at the two, who got in a taxi, and drove away.
"Is that the lady?" The one on the left asked, his face concealed behind a dark mask. His voice was cold, professional.
"Yes, you all remember our goal." The one standing in the middle said, his eyes tracking the disappearing taillights of the taxi, and added:
"If we succeed in our goal, we not only gain money, but also fame... Let’s go."
__
The fair was filled with people even though it was ten at night, with lights, laughter and games in every single corner. The atmosphere was a chaotic, beautiful symphony of life that Kelly hadn’t experienced in years.
Kelly led Asher into the Fair, trying every single thing in sight, from the rollercoaster, to toy shooting, even the horror house. She moved with a desperate, beautiful hunger, trying to cram years of lost living into a single night.
Asher enjoyed himself; with this time spent with Kelly, he discovered something else about her. Although his wife was the cold business Queen, she also had a playful side, which she hid from others, and of course, she still loves eating. She demolished cotton candy, hot dogs, and churros with the same intensity she applied to winning carnival games.
Asher marked that away in his mind.
__
[11:50 PM]
"Come on, let’s take the couple tunnel." Kelly said with a smile, still beaming with energy, not even a hint of exhaustion or fatigue could be seen on her face.
Asher chuckled, and followed her. The two got a ticket, and following the instructions of the guard, they got into the small red boat, which led them into the tunnel. The water gently lapped against the sides of the boat as they drifted into the dim, artificially romantic gloom.
Asher moved his gaze over the decorations, from beautiful Angels, holding love bows, to love-shaped hearts, castles, and even prince and princess dolls. He could also see Romeo and Juliet, sitting under an artificial tree, reading a book. It was incredibly cheesy, but in the quiet dark of the tunnel, it felt isolating in the best way possible.
"Thank you, Asher..."
He blinked, turning his head to Kelly, who was staring at a baby angel floating above them.
"I haven’t thanked you for everything you have done yet... If it weren’t for you, I don’t know where I would have ended up now." She tucked a strand of her black hair behind her ear, her smile still on, but softened by a profound melancholy.
"So... Thank you."
Asher was silent for some seconds, the weight of her gratitude hitting him harder than any physical blow ever could, then chuckled softly: "Why are you thanking me? I am your husband, this is my duty."
"Please... Any other man would have abandoned us a long time ago, or even abused us, but you didn’t. I know we three are a handful, especially Juliana, remembering when we were little, she was a troublemaker... Anyway, you are special to me, and I am sure you’re also special to those two, they might not say it, but I am 90% sure." She smiled.
’90%? That’s a good progress, but I already know this...’ He stared at Kelly, a warmth spreading all over his body, thawing the icy walls he had built around his heart to survive the Starfire household.
Asher thought the moment he cured Kelly, she would abandon him, looking down on him as a mere E-Rank outcast, but now, it seems that isn’t the case. Yes, this Kelly’s Affection isn’t as high as her other side, the childlike one that clung to him for survival, but it’s a very good start.
{First wife, Kelly’s Affection: 65%.}
He observed her as Kelly kept moving her gaze around, taking in every single decoration in the red light tunnel. He wanted to wrap his arm around her, he wanted to move closer and hold her tight, he wanted to caress her while they enjoyed the ride... There were many things he wanted to do to her right now, but he couldn’t, he was scared of even holding her hand, scared of unintentionally offending her. He was terrified of ruining the fragile respect they were building.
Like sensing his mood, Kelly turned towards him. Seeing his expression fixed ahead, she lowered her gaze to his hands, which were clenched into fists, resting on his lap. She wasn’t a fool, she knew he was trying his best to avoid, and respect her privacy.
But why? They had survived together.
She moved her hand, and rested it on one of his fists, her touch warm and grounding, staring as Asher snapped his head towards her, stunned.
"We are husband and wife, right?" She asked, and Asher nodded his head like a lizard, still stunned by the sudden physical contact.
"Then why aren’t you holding me?"
".....?!!"