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“Let’s dance some more, Zion. Everyone’s looking at us.”

I gave Zion a nudge, and he adjusted his stance, starting to move his feet in time with the flowing music.

“What’s so funny that you’re smiling?”

“Am I smiling?”

“Yes. You’re grinning as if you have no intention of hiding it.”

I had no idea I was showing how much I was enjoying myself.

I thought I should pay more attention to my expressions, but seeing Zion’s various looks just made me want to laugh.

“It’s because I’m happy dancing with you.”

“You really know how to say nice things.”

“So, what should we do now, Zion?”

Just a while ago, Zion seemed to be focused on me as we danced hand in hand, but now he was looking around, checking the nobles’ reactions as if he wanted to confirm if what I said was really true.

It felt a bit bittersweet, but since I was the one who mentioned that everyone was watching us, I shouldn’t be upset that Zion was paying attention to the surroundings.

“I definitely feel their eyes on us.”

“Is that so?”

“I can sense it. Even if it doesn’t show, I’m a hero, you know.”

“Who doesn’t know that Zion is a hero?”

“It doesn’t matter what other people think.”

With a natural dance move, Zion looked up at me with a hint of annoyance.

“It’s because Hop Harvey thinks I’m weird.”

Hmm… is that really how it is?

Zion seemed to care about how I saw him enough to say ‘even if it doesn’t show.’

“I don’t think you look weird at all.”

“Then what do you think?”

“Well…”

I raised my right hand and gently caressed Zion’s flushed cheek.

“You’re so beautiful,”

Then I let my hand slide down to rest on Zion’s slender waist.

“And so soft, charming, and kind,”

Pulling him closer, I pressed our foreheads together and looked into his eyes.

“I think you’re a lovely and proud lover who only looks at me.”

Dressed up beautifully, Zion looked even more stunning today.

With the lighting from all around, Zion’s red lips seemed to shine brighter, so I veered in and gave him a very light peck, like stealing a taste of the most delicious part of the world’s most beautiful fruit—right in front of everyone.

“People are watching.”

While he didn’t reject it, Zion blushed even more and shrank a bit.

“I want them to see. I was anxious today, too. I think I’ll feel better if I can brag about you where everyone can see.”

“Anxious? You feel anxious too, Hop Harvey?”

“Of course! I’m a person, after all. What do you think of me, Zion?”

So close together.

Our bodies touched as we stared into each other’s eyes.

Will our hearts reach each other?

That’d be nice, but I know that’s not how it works.

“I was anxious through this month of preparing for the ball. I was so busy that I had no time to think about why I was anxious, just trying to ignore it. Not knowing what that anxiety was.”

So I decided to share my thoughts with Zion.

About what happened today and what I felt.

“I thought it would be a simple anxiety like messing up the ball or not being able to handle such a big event… but, it turned out to be something different.”

Before I knew it, our dance had ended, and the music had shifted to something much gentler and quieter.

Everyone in this hall was looking at us, of course.

But that didn’t really matter.

“I was just anxious about whether you’d be alright without me. Whether you’d stay healthy during the month I was gone, that was my only worry. I just realized that now, though, only after meeting you.”

From the beginning, Zion had always been what’s important to me.

“When I realized that Zion wanted to see me and when I came back to find you somewhat out of it, I felt relieved. It hurt to see you like that… like you were broken. I’m so strange and bad, aren’t I?”

“How can you say you’re bad, teacher!”

Zion looked shocked and immediately denied it.

But I knew I was not normal better than anyone else.

“Zion, I can’t wish for you to be healthy while I’m gone. On the contrary, I’m a terrible person who secretly wants you to struggle, suffer, and break. If this isn’t bad, then I honestly don’t know what is.”

Originally, I fixed broken things, but now I cast them aside and sought out new broken things.

But now, there’s nothing that can replace Zion.

I became obsessed with the original brokenness I had, and that obsession combined with the new one I have for Zion.

And as a result, even though Zion is fully healed, I can’t let her go and just want her to break again.

Does this even make sense?

What on earth am I?

In this twisted abnormality, Zion too became speechless and hung her head.

She seemingly struggled to find an answer.

“That’s my anxiety. But knowing Zion wants to see me and knowing that you’ll like me no matter what type of person I am makes it okay.”

As the dance ended, I led Zion back up the stairs to our seats, looking down at the ballroom together.

It was nice to share everything I wanted to say with Zion, but I had no clue how to proceed with this atmosphere.

Zion.

Does Zion still like me?

I already know the answer and trust Zion completely, but still, the anxious feeling I had couldn’t help but rise.

***

“Hop Harvey…”

It felt like this was the first time I ever saw him in such a weak state.

I had always relied on him until now.

I was the one always trembling with anxiety and showing weakness, and he was the one who comforted me each time.

Hop Harvey found me, appeared before me, and gave me a purpose in life.

When I struggled, he held me, supported me, and called to me, being my safe haven.

He healed me and liked me.

Even when I tried to ruin myself, he rescued me, and when I longed for love, he endlessly poured it into my body.

Even though deep down, he might have wished for me to break again, he still saved me.

I believe that whether a person is good or bad is determined by their actions, not their nature.

I had an unavoidable essence of liking that which is broken, but Hop Harvey chose the path of fixing broken things instead of enjoying destruction.

If actions determine good and evil, then no one in this world, except me, is as kind as Hop Harvey.

If I’m the savior of the war era, then he is the savior of the post-war era.

I saved everyone, but it was never an achievement I accomplished alone.

People who held precious things in every corner of the world rose up from their places to fight for what was important to each of them.

The world wasn’t saved because of me, but because of the total sum of those protective acts.

And when the people held onto what they had at the cost of their own well-being, the one who saved them was none other than Hop Harvey.

I may have just driven out the Demon King with the power given to me by the Creator, but Hop Harvey invented the field of medicine, allowing countless people to undergo rehabilitation.

He is the savior of saviors.

So kind and great that he sends bread from heaven every morning.

But to think that such a person would call himself bad.

Just because he’s worried that I might think he’s bad…

This can’t be right.

Hop Harvey shouldn’t show weakness.

As he said, he is a person too. Anyone can feel weak and anxious.

But when Hop Harvey becomes weak like this, I can’t just sit by and do nothing.

He has always been there for me.

He’s been my support, healed me, and made me stronger.

Now it’s my turn to give back to him.

He may have said that it’s okay because he knows I still like him, but I know that isn’t enough.

It’s not a matter of feelings; it’s about actions determining right and wrong, meaning that feelings only gain value when displayed.

Just as he has proven it to me, I will show him my feelings.

We are… equal lovers who love each other.

“Zion?”

Before my thoughts had even finished, my body was already standing up in my place.

Hop Harvey looked up at me with a bewildered expression.

The very fact that I can stand tall like this is also thanks to him.

I grabbed his hand and stood him up, then headed towards a spot where everyone could see me clearly.

“Everyone, please look this way for a moment.”

People halted and looked up at me as if waiting for my signal.

I will prove it. And these people will be the witnesses.

“Thank you all for gathering in one place for me like this. I am Zion Laurel. As you all know, the one called a hero.”

Right now, I feel more solid and strong than ever.

I am no longer the broken person I used to be.

Having a heart that grows stronger when caring for someone. My essence as a hero.

And right now, I am holding the hand of the one who will be that someone for me.

To ensure that he knows he is my ‘someone’ from now on.