It wasn't the first time Ai had ever been alone with a male but now that she and Kǎi were alone in the kelp forest, it felt kind of intimate somehow. She could feel her heart pound even as she pulled up the courage to ask "S-So… W-What is it that was bothering you?"

Kǎi turned his head to the side before looking straight at her. "I was pondering over whether I should confess my feelings for you." Although he looked stern as always, his heart also pounded as he spoke.

Ai's face blushed as she pointed at herself. "You…You mean me?… What, what do you mean?"

Kǎi closed his eyes. "Do I really have to make myself more clear?"

Ai's eyes turned to the side. "Um… Please…"

Kǎi took a deep breath. "Ai, this may sound ludicrous. I know we haven't known each other for long but I appreciate how you wanted to aid me and even now, you want to help me just by listening to me. I enjoy our conversations and I am amazed by how you can make me laugh with ease. Ai… I am in love with you."

Ai's mouth was slightly parted. He really meant it? He really meant his words. It was the first time a male she was attracted to ever confessed to her. She was incredibly stunned and happy at the same time.

Kǎi lowered his head. "I would like to be with you, but I understand if you would like things to stay the same as they are now. You don't need to give an answer right away. And if you don't feel the same, I understand. You and I, us being together was not meant to last."

Her heart sunk after he said his latter words. Why did it feel like he was pushing her away again? It didn't even occur to her that even if she wanted to be in a relationship with Kǎi, it would not last forever. After all, they were undoubtedly from different worlds. When this flood ended… Kǎi would no longer have a reason to return to the sea.

But was that fear enough to keep them from being lovers? She didn't want it to be. There was no doubt that she too was drawn to him. Enjoyed his presence, admired his physical appearance, loved hearing him talk, and wanted to hear him laugh. She appreciated his goodness hidden behind his hardness. He was tough to crack but she was happy to make him laugh here and there. She appreciated all that he was and wanted to know more about him. Even if this love couldn't last forever, she wanted it to exist and for it be worthwhile.

"Kǎi." She replied with a firm tone while fixing him with a serious look. For once, he felt like he was actually intimidated by her.

"I know what I want. I don't need to think about it. And I promise I'm not just saying this on a whim." Her eyes teared a bit with emotion. "I know one day you won't be able to come back and thinking about you never returning does hurt… But I don't want us to never be in a relationship because of that!" Her tears formed into pearls and began sinking down.

He took one pearl and clenched it within his palm. Once again, he thought of Ruǎnyù's words. He used the side of his index finger to caress one of her cheeks in a comforting manner. "I understand. Please don't cry, for your tears are precious. They should not be wasted over what has yet to happen."

"I'm not crying over that!" Ai yelled in protest. "Ok, maybe a bit. But I'm crying more over the idea of us never being together. Gee… I've heard that I could cry enough pearls to make a necklace but I…I've never had someone compliment my tears before." Her face got red.

"But it's true, your tears are pearls. Regardless of whether you're a mortal, someone from the Heaven clan, or someone from the sea. Gems are commodities that will always be valued."

"Oh… And here, I thought you were trying to flatter me or something."

"I mean what I say. Your tears are precious because they are pearls and because they are yours."

Ai blushed but still, she dared to look up into his silver eyes and he held her chin between his thumb and index finger and kissed her. Ai returned the chaste kiss, and they closed their eyes, reveling in the feel of one's lips against the other. He couldn't even care if anyone from the Heaven Clan was attempting to spy on him from above. Ruǎnyù was right, there was no law against loving someone. How could Heaven condemn him for being in love with his soulmate? And even if he did damn himself with the chaste kiss, he couldn't care about the consequences he faced.

Ai had never been kissed by any male before, but she had imagined that her first kiss by whoever she had feelings for would be wonderful. It was better than she imagined. It felt like she was filled with stars in the sky and colorful bubbles in the sea.

How long had it been? It seemed like an eternity until finally Kǎi broke the kiss. He saw Ai smile then gave a bit of a smile before asking "I take it you were pleased?"

Ai could only nod, briefly lost for words.

"Good. Because it's the first time I've ever kissed someone." Perhaps accidentally looking at Yue Lao's romance books did some good after all.

Ai giggled as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I find it kind of hard to believe. But I'm glad to hear that I'm your first."

"Why thank you. What about you? Surely, this must not be your first time either." Kǎi asked although he had seen that she was not in any relationship the previous year.

Ai blushed. "I'm flattered you think I'm in demand but I'm the Queen's lady's maid! Her staff don't just go flirt carelessly." Ai held up her hands. "I know Lín and Ruǎnyù are all lovey-dovey, but I swear they were being very pure even when they did have feelings for each other. It was just shoulder touches or complimenting each other. They didn't act romantic until they got permission from the Queen to be in a courtship." She held her hands together. "Kǎi… I swear, I have never been kissed by a man before."

Kǎi replied. "I'm glad to hear that I'm your first as well."

Happy Holidays all! Thanks to my artist, CopperCrane2, for encouraging a language choice and I was inspired by Ashes of Love involving a certain type of book genre that Kǎi recalled coming across. I applied this fanfiction into the 2021 senshi x shitennou bang and I've been working on multiple chapters which I started releasing now which is updates have been super frequent lately.