An Extra’s POV

The plan was to spend an hour exploring.

But, due to their long conversation, the incredible amount of fun they were having, and just the reluctance to leave each other… the two ended up spending nearly four hours together.

It was already getting dark at this point, as the evening had aged into night.

Rey walked side by side with Alicia, as they found themselves under the night sky, enjoying the cool ambiance of the world around them.

None of them said anything. They were just soaked in the world around them as they felt the warmth of their hands.

Yes, they were holding hands.

Even Rey didn't know when this started, but they just happened to do so. So far, their activities had included a lot of sightseeing and eating tons of local delicacies.

They didn't taste as good as the Royal Estate meals, but just as Rey noted during his time with Noah, the food in the city had a certain flavor that made it stand out to the senses.

Nonetheless, they had tons of fun.

'Is this a date?' At some point Rey had to ask himself.

He looked at Alicia and observed her smile. She seemed happy—very happy—with him. Didn't that mean that she liked him?

'But what if it's just as a friend and I'm overthinking it?'

If that was the case, then he would ruin their friendship by confessing to her. That had been what was holding him back for so long.

Well, that and his secret as Ralyks.

'I can't keep running from my feelings. I'll confront them once I reveal myself as Ralyks and tell her the truth!'

He was still scared about what her reaction was going to be. However, since he really believed that he had to be honest with the person he really loved… he just had to take the leap and hope for the best.

'I'll tell her about it in private first. Then, I'll reveal it to everyone else…' It would be when Lucielle and Brutus arrived, so he wouldn't have to explain himself again.

he got goosebumbs about the whole

out of his thoughts, and he looked at her with his most attentive face

"Yes?"

of fun." She muttered, her eyes glistening as she turned to

"Me too…"

more that Alicia wanted to say.

And so, he was.

she would tell him, his

I was a little worried before. About you, and about… us."

his brows the moment he heard such a dark

"Worried? Why?"

that even a question? You've been acting pretty distant lately.

how much of an effect his absence

know this makes me sound needy and stuff. I hate how gross that makes me, which is why I didn't want to say anything for the longest time…" She sighed, shrugging and throwing her hands

anything before, but then after tonight, this time with you, there's just such a difference that I wonder

on to talk about the instances when he acted weird, and when Rey heard some of those things, he

wished the ground would

He already knew his duplicate was a poor imitation of him, personality-wise, but

it sounds a bit cringe, but I want us to have more moments like this,

paused a little before looking away—at the ground—and then

"… I missed you."

he felt something in his heart tell him

for not paying enough attention to Alicia. They were close friends, yet he just left her with

was just

oozed within him. It was impossible to ignore the chemistry in the air that night, and Rey felt like the

and they now sat at a secluded corner, just the two of

it?' He saw her moist lips

seemed to call him nearer, and he just

going to hate me! She's going to slap

played over in his mind as