Side Story (II): Travel (1)
“Ladies and gentlemen, this flight will arrive in Skaran City in thirty minutes. Ground temperature is three degrees Celsius. Thank you.”
The PA faded like mist, and Edlyn drifted awake, her eyes soft as dawn over water.
She stretched like a lazy cat, glanced around the quiet cabin—first class felt like an empty lake, just their family on the shore.
She turned. Eli slept with an eye mask on, breath steady as a tide.
A grin rippled across her face. She pinched his cheek, mischief bright as fireflies.
Eli tensed, a ripple under still water. He frowned, lifted the mask to one eye, and looked down.
His little lark was staring back, smug as a fox with feathers.
Trouble bell chimed in his chest. He sat up, scooped Edlyn into his arms, voice a playful growl.
“Brat. Why’re you smiling like a villain?”
Edlyn rubbed her cheek against his chest, like a kitten asking for a fish.
“Ehe~ Nothing~ You’re too handsome. My heart’s hooked.”
Eli blinked. Something was off.
The Demonic Lord didn’t go soft for no reason. When wasn’t it to score a shopping trip or a day out?
He stroked his chin, met her sugar-sweet smile, and sighed.
Forget it. You can’t read a storm by staring at a cloud. He dipped his head to steal a kiss—
Edlyn palmed his face, solemn as a monk.
“Ahem! Form is emptiness, Eli!”
Eli’s brow arched. A guess sparked.
He pulled her tight, held her gaze like a blade to a sheath.
She trembled, blush blooming like a sunset. Her face tilted away.
Eli frowned. That reaction wasn’t right.
Did he guess wrong?
He leaned closer. Edlyn snapped back, failed to hold it, and burst out laughing.
“Ha! Hahaha—oh man—hahaha!”
Eli’s face darkened. He pinched her left cheek.
“Dead girl! What did you draw on my face?”
“Pfft—hahaha—uh—mm—mm! N-no I didn’t!”
She fought her grin, tried on a straight face like a mask.
Lines of irritation crossed his forehead. He thought, then pressed his cheek to hers, rubbing like a cat claiming a seat.
“Wah! What are you doing?”
He chuckled. “Returning the favor. What else?”
Her cheek lit pink, like a sakura petal on porcelain.
Eli headed for the restroom.
He came back moments later, face stormy as a thunderhead.
Edlyn sat on the bed, nose nearly to the window, eyes round as moons.
“Mm—wow. Wow! The view’s so pretty!”
“Yeah. It’s gorgeous here.”
Eli smiled, slipped an arm under her knees, and lifted her like a breeze carries a kite.
“Ah! I’m sorry! Don’t hit the face!”
She covered up with both hands, peeking through her fingers at his expression.
He leaned in and she squeezed her eyes shut.
His hands pried hers gently apart. She turned her face, too shy to look.
Heat brushed her lips. His breath rolled in like warm tide.
She opened her eyes. Eli was right there, a horizon all for her.
He pulled back, pleased, and tapped her head like a blessing.
“Good. Revenge complete. Get ready. We’re landing soon.”
“Oh… okay.”
She nodded, cheeks red as ripe haw.
Then the thought struck. She grabbed his sleeve.
“Hey! Did you hear the announcement earlier?”
He shrugged, easy as wind.
“Mm. Of course.”
“So you weren’t asleep?”
He pinched her cheek, grin lazy as summer.
“Of course~”
“Then you knew what I was doing?!”
“Of course.”
“Wow! And you still—”
“Hahaha. What? I can’t kiss my own wife?”
Edlyn pouted, lips like a cherry with thorns.
“Hmph. I’m mad! You don’t touch me for a week!”
“Ahahaha <(*￣▽￣*)/”
…
Hotel room. Warm light like honey.
Eli rubbed his hair dry, towel flicking like a small white cloud.
Edlyn came in carrying drinks and snacks, eyes gleaming like a cat behind a screen.
Our darling, what are you up to? Hm? What are you up to?
Spook him. Boo.
She slipped in, hands cool as moonlight, and covered his eyes.
“Hey! Who am I?”
“Oh—who the hell is this. With this height, it’s Yiyi.”
“Keep joking and I’ll fold your neck.”
“Of course I’m joking.”
“Now guess for real.”
“...”
“Asleep?”
“Oh! Took a tiny nap. I didn’t sleep on the plane.”
“Then answer!”
“What was the question again?”
“What else? Who am I?”
“Who else? Our darling, obviously.”
“Look at this boy pretending to think.”
“Darling, let go. You’re about to scoop my eyes out.”
“Say who ‘darling’ is.”
“What kind of Fiend’s trick is that? Who else is ‘darling.’”
“Shut it! Say my name.”
“I’d like a third eye.”
“That’s not a thing!”
“You really think I don’t know?”
“Stop stalling. Shake it all you like.”
“You doubt me now?”
“Saying a name that hard?”
“It’s not about the name! Our blessed mother—”
“What? Fine, run it to the edge. I bet my soul you don’t know my name. What do you bet?”
“Do we have to see blood?”
“Scared?”
“You’re the one who should be scared.”
(laughs wild, voice like a storm) “Hahaha, look at you fronting.”
“Last chance. Let go.”
“Last chances should come from me.”
“No turning back now. You okay with that?”
“Good. That’s what I want. Today one of us isn’t walking away.”
“Count to three. Say where we first met.”
“Heh—haha. Is that all you can think of, you cute thing?”
“If you’re scared, apologize.”
“Quit flapping your tongue. Start.”
“One…”
“Two!”
“...”
“Prayin’, huh?”
“... Before we go there, let me say one thing.”
“Say it.”
“You’re really free today, Liqianyu.”
“...Wrong, you little mutt!”
“Ahhh wait! Wait! I’m not playing! Not playing! Edlyn! I’m sorry! I’ll take you out for whatever you want!”
“Die.”
Crack.
…
Food street glowing like a river of lanterns.
“Hey. Was it okay to ditch the kids and sneak off for a date?”
Eli scratched his head, watching Edlyn devour happiness one bite at a time.
She shot him a look, sharp as a chopstick.
“Oh! That your apology tone?”
“My bad, my bad. Come on. Let’s keep eating.”
He grinned, palms up like an offering.
She eased, and licked her ice cream, slow waves against a white shore.
Eli propped his chin on his arm and watched her like a painter studies light.
Edlyn said, “We can bring back a few for the kids.”
Eli nodded. “Alright, alright. I’ll figure it out. Just enjoy.”
Edlyn tilted her head at him. “Aren’t you eating?”
He shook his head, eyes warm as embers.
“No. Watching you eat’s the best happiness.”
“Hmph. Smooth talker.”
She looked away, but the blush said her heart had already turned red.
Eli saw the smear of ice cream at her lip.
He leaned in, kissed the corner softly.
“Mmm. No wonder you love it.”
Edlyn puffed her cheeks and dabbed her mouth with a napkin.
“Ew! Gross!”
He laughed. They carried skewers and drinks, fingers laced like ivy, and strolled back to the hotel.
Edlyn hopped along, joy skipping like a stone on water.
Eli smiled, small and deep.
This girl really knows how to play.
“Sometimes the kids feel like baggage. Sometimes they’re treasure. Weird, isn’t it?”
Edlyn tipped her head, voice a sigh over tea.
Eli looked at her face, heart flaring like a lantern. He tightened his grip, gaze bright as stars.
She blinked up, puzzled.
“What?”
“Edlyn. Let’s have another kid~”
“Uu!”
…
“Scenery here’s lovely. I remember it used to be the Draco Empire’s land. Whose jurisdiction now?”
Edlyn watched mountains paint the sky and water mirror the clouds, her praise a breeze through pines.
Eli smiled. “Don’t think so much. We let that go ages ago.”
“If Angelo heard you, he’d ascend one Buddha, then two.”
She chuckled, light as bells.
“Haha. How’s Angelo lately? Heard he found a boyfriend?”
Eli frowned, curious cloud passing.
“With standards that high, who’d he pick?”
“Eh, no. Just a rumor about some mortal at work. People in high places get wrapped in nonsense all the time.”
“Oh? Looks like our Demonic Lord has grown quite a bit.”
“Of course.”
“So… about what we said. Another kid~”
“Uu!”
