Chapter 129 - Soy-Flavored Cookies

It took us fifteen minutes to weave our way through the layered chaos of Xyraxis Metropolis. The path wasn’t exactly scenic—our footsteps echoed through narrow, dimly lit alleys, past skeletal construction zones frozen in progress, and across the edge of an old battleground near what remained of the Sieg Heil Imperium Tavern. Once a colossal bar, it now stood as a hollowed ruin, its scorched frame jutting like broken bones into the night sky.

Each step through that urban graveyard carried its own kind of thrill. The alleys were abandoned, the construction zones eerily quiet, as if the whole city was holding its breath. No one dared approach the remnants of the tavern or the ghostly buildings around it. It was a forgotten corner of Xyraxis, and for tonight, it was ours alone.

Eventually, we stepped onto a rusted platform—part elevator, part death trap—that rattled and groaned as it carried us up the side of a derelict skyscraper. At the top, the doors creaked open to reveal the crown jewel of my plan: a rooftop garden, half-wild but beautiful. Moonlight spilled across the blossoms—some soft pink, others bioluminescent blue—as they swayed gently in the cool, fragrant breeze. The scent of night-blooming petals and the distant hum of the metropolis mingled in the air.

And there it was—the view. A breathtaking panorama of Xyraxis Metropolis stretched out below us. Skyscrapers glowed with neon veins of green, violet, and gold. Billboards flickered like slow, digital fireworks. Above us, a sea of stars blinked through the dark, unclouded sky, serene and endless.

“Wow,” Myrrh whispered, her lips curling into a soft smile. “This looks just like the view from the hospital rooftops.”

I puffed out my chest, grinning with pride. “Of course. You’re not the only one who’s got a secret spot in Xyraxis, you know.”

She glanced at me, narrowing her eyes with a smirk. “I was actually getting nervous when you led me through those alleys and construction zones. For a second, I thought you were dragging me to some creepy love hotel to take advantage of me.”

“Just how low do you think of me?” I asked, recoiling with a cringe.

Myrrh burst into a giggle, the sound light and teasing. “Just kidding!” she said, then winked playfully. “Not that I’d mind, though.”

“What?”

Before I could fully process what she meant, she smoothly changed the subject. “Anyway, how’d you find this place?” she asked, hopping up to sit on the rusted railing like it was her personal throne.

“I noticed this building during our raid on the NTR HQ,” I said, glancing at the distant cityscape. “Right after you flew off with the anti-matter bomb. From down below, this looked like the highest vantage point. I figured it might have the same view—maybe even better—than your hospital rooftop. So I gambled.”

Myrrh smiled and looked out toward the far horizon where the dark sky kissed the faint silhouette of distant hills. “Good thing you won that gamble, huh?” she murmured. A gentle breeze swept through the rooftop, catching her greenish-blonde hair and lifting it in a slow-motion dance. She raised one hand and tucked a few loose strands behind her ear, and for a moment, the world stood still.

She looked perfect—bathed in moonlight, framed by stars and wind and silence.

God, she’s beautiful.

The words were right there, clawing at my throat. I wanted to tell her—to confess right here, right now. But it was my first time. How was I supposed to start? Do I open with a joke? Change the subject again?

An awkward five-second silence settled between us like fog. Myrrh seemed completely immersed in the view, her face soft with wonder. The breeze tugged gently at her sleeves, and she closed her eyes for a moment, as if savoring the peace.

I didn’t want to ruin it. Not yet.

Myrrh caught me staring—my gaze helplessly drawn to her in that moonlit moment. A soft blush bloomed on her cheeks, but instead of looking away, she smiled. Just one smile. And it shattered what little composure I had left.

My heart pounded like a war drum in my chest. My thoughts scattered into a thousand directions, none of them helpful. This was it—my moment to confess—and yet my mind had gone completely blank.

“Hey, Zaft,” Myrrh said gently, her voice barely above a whisper. “Be honest with me…”

I stammered. “W-what?”

She reached into her bag and pulled out a familiar red pouch—the cookie pouch Dianca had handed me earlier. She held it up between us like a quiet accusation.

“These cookies…” she murmured. “They’re not really from you, are they?”

I let out a breath and forced a crooked smile, guilt prickling at my spine. “No. They weren’t. Dianca said they were from one of her suitors. She didn’t want to accept them, so she came up with the ‘clever’ idea to pass them off as mine. Thought it would be funny.”

Myrrh sighed, long and slow, then gave a knowing nod. “Figures. I knew it wasn’t from you.”

I blinked. “Wait—how?”

“You’re not that kind of romantic guy,” she said, smiling—teasing, but not unkind.

I placed a hand on my chest, feigning a dramatic gasp. “Well, excuse me, madame. I’ll try harder next time.”

She chuckled and opened the pouch, then held it out to me. “And besides, you should know by now—I have high standards. This kind of cookie? Totally unacceptable.” She smirked, then added, “Go on. Taste it.”

I took one of the cookies from Myrrh’s hand and bit into it, expecting the usual sugary crunch. Instead, my tongue was ambushed by a sharp, briny taste that made my face contort in horror.

“Ptooey! Ack!” I gagged, coughing as I spat the mangled cookie onto the rooftop floor. “Who the hell puts soy sauce in a cookie?!”

Myrrh burst into laughter, doubling over as she clutched the pouch. “Hideous, right?” she giggled. “I almost spat it out earlier too—but I held back. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings in case they were actually from you.”

“No way!” I cried, still wiping my tongue with the back of my hand. “Let’s do ourselves a favor—hand them over, I’ll throw them away before they poison anyone else.”

Myrrh paused dramatically, then smirked and tilted the pouch. Only six cookies remained. She handed me three, then raised one of her own like it was a cursed relic.

“Hyah!” she shouted, pitching it off the rooftop with impressive force.

I watched it disappear into the abyss below, then grinned and copied her. “Grah!” I yelled, flinging one of mine after hers.

“Yaah!” Myrrh shouted, lobbing her second with a childlike smile lighting up her face.

I hurled my next one, grumbling, “Seriously, what the hell was Dianca thinking? Giving these to you and signing my name?”

Myrrh raised her final cookie, aiming with playful concentration. “I don’t know,” she said, voice laced with mischief. “Maybe she wanted me to hate you—so she could have you all to herself.”

She flung the last cookie with a flick of her wrist, and it spun like a failed frisbee into the starry void.

“Do you think… Dianca sees me that way?” I asked as I arched my arm and hurled my final cookie into the night. “Yah!”

Myrrh watched it sail off, her eyes following its path before she replied with a thoughtful hum. “Hmm… I don’t think so. Maybe she just wants you to be her personal goon or something. She's a celebrity after all.”

Then, without ceremony, she crumpled the now-empty cookie pouch and tossed it over the railing like a defeated paper enemy. With that, our makeshift rooftop arsenal was finally depleted.

“You don’t have to insult me like that, Myrrh,” I said with an exaggerated glare.

She giggled, a blush coloring her cheeks. “Okay, okay—sorry. Maybe… she just wants a cute boyfriend like you.”

The words hit harder than they should have. My eyes widened slightly. My face flushed with heat. I turned away and puffed my cheeks in protest—but there was no hiding it. Compliments from Myrrh were like rare gemstones—unexpected, dazzling, and devastatingly effective.

She noticed. Of course she did.

“Aww,” Myrrh cooed, bursting into another laugh. “You really do look cute when you're embarrassed like that.”

“Shut up,” I muttered, cheeks burning.

She gently bumped her fist against my shoulder, a playful little jab that softened the teasing. Then she leaned back onto the railing, letting the wind brush past her hair. I followed suit, resting beside her in quiet companionship.

For a few moments, we didn’t say anything. We just stood there, shoulder to shoulder, gazing out at the endless city of lights below and the star-speckled sky above. The air between us was calm, but charged—like the stillness before a storm, or the pause before something important.

I swallowed the nerves building in my throat.

“Myrrh,” I said softly.

“Yes?” Myrrh asked, her voice soft, curious.

“Are you…” I hesitated, my throat tightening. “Are you looking for a boyfriend right now?”

She gave me a sly smile. “Hmm, depends on who’s asking. Why?”

Was that a hint? A challenge? My heart pounded louder. The rooftop air suddenly felt thinner, heavier. But I knew—this was the moment. The perfect time, the perfect place.

I turned toward her, steeling myself. She mirrored me, her head tilting slightly, her cheeks tinged with pink. The moonlight caught in her eyes, making them sparkle like twin blue stars. My breath caught.

“Myrrh… The truth is, I—”

Bzzzzt!

A loud vibration, followed by a cheerful, catchy ringtone cut through the silence like a slap. My words stopped dead in my throat. It wasn’t my phone.

Myrrh blinked, annoyed, and reached into the pocket of her blazer. Her fingers hovered for a moment before she hit the reject button, letting the call fall away like it never existed. She looked back at me, her smile strained.

“What were you saying?” she asked, trying to recover the mood.

I took a deep breath, trying to summon back the courage that had just scattered to the wind. “Myrrh, I—”

Bzzzzt! Beep-beep.

The ringtone blared again, more insistent this time.

Myrrh groaned and fished the phone out again. “Seriously?”

“Who is it?” I asked, my stomach sinking.

“It’s Fei,” she said. “Maybe she can call back later—”

But the moment she said her name, a cold jolt shot through me. Fei was with Neil… and I remembered the image of him earlier—pale, trembling, blood spilling from his mouth after the final exams. Something wasn’t right.

“Answer it,” I said, urgency creeping into my voice. “It might be an emergency.”

Myrrh nodded and pressed the button to answer. The rooftop filled instantly with the shrill sound of Fei’s panicked voice, loud and frantic through the speaker.

“Myrrh! I need help! It’s about Neil... And Dianca!”