KaRath: I'm taking a slight break from the main story this weekend… it's been a pretty crappy week, so I'm going to be writing a short story that still fits inside the plot of this story, if that makes any sense. So pretty much, it's a story of their past. I hope you guys and girls will have fun reading this.

Karis: Remember to rate and review!

Matthew: … [Very happy face]

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"Come on dad! Let me go explore the woods!" Tyrell pleaded with Garet to let him descent the mountain and tackle the forests below.

"The answer is no, Tyrell. It's simply too dangerous to do that," Garet explained patiently.

Matthew stood there, silently observing the passionate fight the father and son were entering. Isaac slowly strolled up and also began observing.

"Looks like they are getting into a fight again," Isaac sighed.

Matthew nodded.

"I just hope that our cabin doesn't get burnt into ashes today," Isaac prayed.

Matthew nodded again, still observing the fight between father and son.

"That's it! I had enough!" Tyrell yelled before storming off and running onto the bridge and smashing someone off the bridge into the woods.

"Eek!" The green-haired girl froze on the edge of the bridge, tried regaining her balance, but ultimately failed and fell off the cliff-edge.

"Karis!" Isaac yelled and ran over, but he was too slow.

"Dammit Tyrell," Garet cursed. "Wait, Matthew, DON'T!"

Matthew jumped off the cliff-face without a single regard for his safety.

"Isaac, why does your son have to be the hero?" Garet muttered. He then realised that Isaac had already begun descending the path of the mountain.

"Up you get son, and we're going after them. You're getting your wish," Garet uttered darkly. Tyrell could only gulp and shake in fear. This was not what he planned.

###

Karis slowly woke up, and was understandably disorientated. What had happened? She slowly tried remembering from the beginning of the day and slowly reconstructed her way through the day. She then remembered. Tyrell was being an idiot and accidently pushed her off the bridge. She facepalmed and realised that she was alright, considering that she just fell off a cliff and into a forest.

"Lucky I'm not impaled on a branch or broke a limb. But what happened?" She wondered. She then gasped. Matthew jumped off after her! "Are you crazy Matthew? Who jumps off a cliff after a person? It's sheer madness!"

"I'm glad you don't approve. If you don't mind, could you get off me?"

Karis jumped up in shock at the voice underneath her. She started blushing… this was the first she was ever close to a… male, except for her father. "Sorry, Matthew."

Matthew slowly got up from the ground, and Karis noticed that leaves and soft plants were squashed underneath Matthew. "So that was your plan…" Karis was in awe. In the moment where she was falling, she couldn't even think about using wind psyenergy to save herself, she could only scream and hope for the best.

Not Matthew though… Karis thought to herself. He instantly dived in and thought of the best way to survive. Karis slowly felt her cheeks heating up again, and her heart… what was this feeling? No, Matthew was just a good friend. A very, very good friend. Nothing else. Come on girl, get these feelings out of your head, before Matthew reveals he's a Jupiter Adept and has mind read abilities.

"Karis, are you okay? Your face is beet red." Matthew's expression was so concerned that Karis had to look away for a moment to compose herself.

Karis was shocked to feel Matthew's hand against her skin. "I don't want to see you like this. Ever."

Karis's heart fluttered even faster at this. Matthew… was…?

They leaned closer today, and their lips touched…

"Matthew! Karis! Where are you!" Isaac's voice rang out.

Karis and Matthew instantly parted and jumped up, both their faces red. Isaac walked into the clearing just a moment later, and breathed a sigh of relief to see they were both okay.

"Matthew, before you decide to take twenty years of my life, tell me what you're doing," he chuckled. Isaac walked over to his son and ruffled his hair. "You did well. You did well."

###

"Hey Matthew… do you ever remember that story?"

"Oh, the one that I dived off the cliff to save you?"

"Yeah… I always wanted to ask you this… did you like me before? Or love me before? Or what?"

"I… saw you as a really, really good friend. Like a sister. It's just when I saw you falling off that cliff that made me jump off after you. I dunno… apparently that's also what my uncle did sometime."

"Haha, good old Felix. I wonder where he is now."

"I hope I get to see him soon."

"Matthew?"

"Karis?"

"I love you."

"I love you as well, darling. Good night."

"Night, sunshine."

### End X1 – First Time

KaRath: I hope the readers enjoy this short story, I might do some more to cover background. I dunno, Matthew seems like the kind of guy to do that… and yeah, just to clarify, they're both fifteen at this stage (so roughly 1 or 2 years before Dark Dawn).

Matthew: [Smiles and hugs Karis]

Karis: [Hugs back] Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope the readers can review this! KaRath would feel quite grateful if you guys and girls will!

KaRath: Keep my morale up, and I'll see you girls/guys next week.