TIARA’S FORGOTTEN MEMORIES - TOUJOURS ET A JAMAIS

“I… I’m Tiara.”

“Are you here to watch the fireworks too?” This boy named Alaric tilted his head.

“Fireworks?”

BANG!!! A loud noise echoed in the skies.

“Eeeek!!!” I cried. Because of that sudden explosion, I immediately hid behind the blonde boy whom I just met. I was trembling as I gripped on his shoulders.

“Ahahaha! You’re such a scaredy pup, Tiara…” Alaric laughed.

“...Auuuu….”

“Here…” Alaric wrapped my hand with his warm palm. “Try holding my hand. It will make you keep calm.”

Before I could take his offer, several explosions made its way in the night skies. There were colorful lights glimmering that gave light in the middle of the darkness.

“It’s beautiful…” I muttered.

“Isn’t it?” Alaric smiled at me. “Fireworks are really weird. At first, you will find the explosion scary. But as soon as it flies up high, you will realize that it’s amazingly beautiful…”

I don’t know what’s more beautiful, the fireworks, or this boy’s glittering eyes. I was completely lost in it.

It took a while for his words to sink in to my mind. I might be scary to everyone, but I’m sure that there might still be something beautiful inside me.

Just like the fireworks.

<>

We spent the whole hour watching the gorgeous fireworks together. After that, Alaric’s family regrouped and helped me go back to the shrine.

For some reason, a miracle happened. My left eye was supposed to be crimson and cursed, was now the same as my normal brown right eye. Meeting him was a blessing in my life.

From then on, we became best of friends. Every summer, he would visit me in the Kozukata Shrine and play with me. He would become my knight and shining armor whenever some bullies harass me. He became the bridge towards my friendship to the shrine maidens who never bothered to talk to me before.

I never felt alone anymore.

Nobody treats me like a demon or a witch anymore.

It’s all because of my friend Rikkun. His nickname is cute, isn’t it?

“Ric-kun?” Alaric cringed.

“My mother told me that when you became special friends with someone, you should give him a nickname. So I’m calling you Rikkun from now on! In return, you can give me any nickname you want!”

“Okay… Megatron.”

…

<>

But our story is never meant to be together. I’m a Gate Guardian, and Rikkun is just an ordinary person.

<>

Everything changed one night.

I was already sixteen, a full fledged Gate Guardian.

The New Order raided the Kozukata Shrine, killing everyone they encounter. My twin brother Diadem led the attack, and no one else survived the assault. I fought them but my power was never enough.

“Gah!” I fell down to the dehydrated wooden floor after taking Void Wolf’s vicious sword slash with his chainsaw blade.

Because of the impact, the burning ceiling fell to me, crashing to the lower part of my body. I tried to struggle and shake off the debris, but it was too heavy!

“Brother… why are you doing this…” I cried. “Why do you have to kill everyone…”

Diadem replied with a terrifying stare. “I hate that innocent eye of yours.”

Then all the Cursed Guardians walked away, leaving me to die alone in this hell.

It’s been five minutes of struggling, and I can no longer feel my legs. I think my nerves have been burnt to crisps by the extreme temperatures. Flaming debris around me started to fall.

“Somebody… Please… Help me…” I cried.

But I know that there will be no one to hear that call. My consciousness was about to fade away, but...

“Tiara!”

“R-Rikkun!?”

Here goes my prince charming, bravely charging the raging flames in front of him just to save me. He tried lifting the gigantic debris with his thin arms, but he failed. He ended up hurting himself instead.

“Damn!” Rikkun cried. He tried to lift it again, but no good. Now his hands are suffering from a third-degree burn.

Finally giving up, he sat beside me and held my hand.

“If I can’t save you… Then I’ll go with you… I’ll follow you wherever you go…”

“...Rikkun…” Tears fell down to my cheeks.

We became silent for almost half a minute. We can’t do anything but to watch the singing flames fell to our demise.

“...Hey, do you know the phrase toujours et a jamais?...” Rikkun asked.

“...W-What is that…?”

“It means forever and ever in French. I’ll be with you, toujours et a jamais…”

This tingling sensation in my heart. I know what it is. The moment I first met him is the day I truly became happy. What I feel for him is not just friendship, but a whole different level than that.

It’s a genuine love.

As the burning roof fell down to ourselves, we met our inescapable doom.

<>

It was unfortunate that I managed to wake up. I stood up in the ashes and noticed that I’m well and fine. All the burnt skin, all the ruptured muscles, all the fractured bones are gone. All the damage I sustained is just my clothes that are now completely charred.

It was dawn, the start of a new day. But not for me. I looked at my right hand, which still hold Rikkun’s fingers… Or his remains…

“...Why… Why is this happening!?” I cried as I put the ashes of my love to my chest... “...Rikkun…”

In a blink of an eye, everything ceased to exist.

It was complete darkness.

Suddenly, crimson eyes opened just in front of me. It has the golden cross sigils on each of its pupils.

“Would you like to meet him again? Would you want to repeat your life just to spend more time with him?”

I still want to be true to my feelings. I will not accept that fate! I want to see Rikkun live his life to the fullest! I will give everything, even my own soul… just to see Rikkun’s smile again!

“I… I want to see Rikkun again.”

“Then accept this contract. You shall see the love of your life again, but in exchange, I shall feed on the despair of your soul.”

“I will do everything just to see Rikkun! I accept the terms of your contract!” I cried.

In an instant, reality shattered. There was a loud universal tremor as the timeline I’m in evaporates, and a new timeline was born.

And my life was back to the beginning. I am fully aware of the contract I entered.

It is the power that we, the Brightmore Witch, can execute. is a spell of the Cursed Guardians, which has the ability to reset time and alter reality.

I can repeat and relive everything again and again.

But it was different from before.

My very first friend, my childhood light, and my one and only love…

… Has fallen to another woman.