Blossoms at Their Touch

"Talk to me, Arkin."

The moment afternoon classes ended, Nefetia grabbed Arkin and pulled him along. Seeking a place to speak without prying eyes, the pair made their way behind the temple to an old storage shed that held farming tools.

It was the perfect spot for a private conversation—secluded, with plenty of places to hide if needed. Yet despite the ideal setting, their discussion kept circling without getting anywhere. Nefetia's claims about the island's changes sounded completely far-fetched to Arkin.

"So you're saying the island ended up like this because of us?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

Arkin rubbed a hand down his face in disbelief.

"I mean, when we sleep together, why would that..."

His wandering gaze landed on the tall flowering tree before them. The swollen pink buds had ripened to the point where they looked ready to unfurl their petals at any moment. Staring at their lush forms, Arkin shook his head.

"It has to be a coincidence. Something else must be causing it. Or maybe Zafiri is just teasing you."

"It's not! It has to be connected to the two of us."

Nefetia protested, but Arkin couldn't shake his skepticism. Trees shooting up overnight, flowers blooming out of season, fruits forming at an astonishing rate...

He could accept that some transcendent power was behind all of it. But the idea that he and Nefetia were the cause seemed like too great a leap. It wasn't as if they were performing some fertility ritual...

That was when it happened.

"If you can't believe it, why don't we just test it?"

"Test...?"

Before he could even turn, Nefetia's arms wrapped tightly around his waist. The moment Arkin stiffened at her sweet scent, she rose onto her toes and pressed her lips to his cheek.

Smack.

Her moist, velvety lips touched his skin and pulled away.

"H-here? So suddenly?"

A flustered Arkin stammered. His pale cheeks flushed crimson in an instant, his heart hammering wildly.

But then...

Pop. Pop, pop. The very flower buds he'd been staring at burst open one after another, blooming in a vivid, glorious display.

"Huh...?"

Nefetia flashed a triumphant grin at the dazed Arkin.

"See? I was right, wasn't I?"

While Arkin remained stunned and defenseless, Nefetia rose onto her toes once more.

Smack. Smack.

The instant her lips brushed his left cheek and then his jaw, bright green sprouts burst from the branches with soft, lively pops.

"What... is this?"

"Right?"

Watching Arkin's wonder, Nefetia smiled softly. Yet a corner of her heart felt strangely unsettled.

"You can't see it, but even now, powerful waves of life are surging violently from deep within the forest."

Could their contact be awakening something dormant in the woods? Nefetia's expression grew serious as she gazed at the brilliantly bursting buds.

"Hey, Arkin."

Just as she started to turn her head, her waist was yanked forward. Arkin brushed aside her black hair, pressed his lips to the nape of her neck, and smiled.

"...We should make sure."

"...Ah..."

The moment his warm breath tickled her skin, Nefetia's eyes fluttered shut. As his heated lips and tongue slowly trailed down from her earlobe, the air around them filled with an intoxicating floral fragrance.

"Mmm..."

His hands, grown bold now, slipped beneath her tunic. Nefetia leaned into Arkin's shoulder, letting out a shaky breath. Her mind grew hazy, reason fading.

She had no idea what this phenomenon meant... but for now...

Arkin kept kissing her neck while his hands gently caressed her soft waist, her belly, and the curve of her ribs. What had begun as a simple experiment grew steadily more intimate, until even the wildflowers at their feet began to tremble faintly.

"What in the world is happening? The flowers are blooming even more!"

The moment footsteps sounded from the opposite side, Arkin moved swiftly. He wrapped an arm around Nefetia's shoulders and hurried them into a narrow gap between the buildings.

The space was so tight only one person could barely stand. Arkin cradled Nefetia's head against his chest, while she clutched his clothes tightly and held her breath. Their bodies pressed flush together, growing hotter by the second.

"How strange. I've never seen anything like this."

The owners of the footsteps appeared to be apprentice priests. They stopped by the flowerbed and began chatting in earnest.

"Look at these flowers. They weren't like this a little while ago, were they?"

"With everything that's happening, why hasn't the High Priest said anything?"

"He's probably been praying hard. I heard he went to the temple at dawn with offerings to seek a divine oracle..."

Meanwhile, tucked in the narrow gap, Arkin and Nefetia remained entwined, oblivious to the priests' conversation.

Ordinary lovers would have kissed in a moment like this, but since they couldn't, they could only press their lips to hands, arms, and whatever else they could reach. Frustrated, they hugged each other tighter, feeling the frantic beat of one another's hearts.

Arkin's hot breath tickled Nefetia's forehead. Her soft breasts pressed against his firm chest. The urgent situation lower down needed no explanation...

Arkin slid his hand down to cup her cheek. When his thumb brushed her full lips, Nefetia closed her eyes and nuzzled into his palm.

"Wait. Did you see that?"

"See what?"

"Look—the flowers are blooming like crazy!"

It seemed the plants outside were throwing a full-blown celebration. The bewildered priests, still clueless about the cause, whispered about reporting the phenomenon and eventually left.

As their voices faded into the distance, the two people squeezed together in the tight space couldn't help but burst into quiet laughter.

"Arkin, listen."

Nefetia stroked his cheek and whispered.

"What if we go to the forest later? Zafiri said a strong pulse is coming from the center of the woods."

Arkin fell silent for a moment. The center of the forest...

Yes, it might be best to see for themselves. Familiar with the woods, Arkin could navigate even in total darkness. He was confident he could handle whatever they might encounter.

And besides...

Whatever lay within, if he and Nefetia truly brought abundance to the island, it seemed unlikely they would face any life-threatening danger. It was only a guess, of course...

"All right, Nefetia."

Having made his decision, Arkin nodded.

"We'll enter the forest at midnight. If it feels too dangerous, we'll turn back immediately."

That night, two shadows slipped silently across the garden and out into the darkness.

A solemn tension hung in the air, quite different from when they had headed toward the Crystal Cave. Arkin led the way, muffling his footsteps, while Nefetia followed cautiously behind. The crunch of gravel beneath their feet sounded unnaturally loud.

They had just reached the gate in the fence at the garden's edge—the one leading into the forest—when Arkin's hand, reaching for the latch, froze in midair.

...The bolt was already undone.

The gate stood half-open, its lock released. Had someone gone ahead of them?

Even so, they decided to proceed. After a silent exchange of glances, the pair quickly slipped through the gap and stepped onto the dark path. Nefetia's palm, gripping Arkin's hand tightly, grew damp with cold sweat.

As they entered the misty trail, Arkin wrapped an arm around her shoulders. The moment they stepped into the forest, the damp scent of moss washed over them.

"Arkin. Look at this."

Arkin could hardly believe his eyes. The thick fog that had filled the space before them was receding little by little, as if guiding their steps and opening a clear path.

"...That's incredible."

They walked on, boots crunching over wet earth, until a familiar watery scent brushed their noses. Beyond the mist, the pond where they had nearly kissed on a moonlit night appeared faintly.

"Nefetia, remember that spot?"

Arkin whispered. The moment their gazes turned toward it, the view grew even clearer. As if obeying its masters, the mist parted once more.

"Of course I remember."

The atmosphere had grown slightly heated, but this was no time for nostalgia. They quickened their pace.

The deeper they went into the forest, the denser the air became. Nefetia clung to Arkin's arm.

"Arkin. Doesn't something feel strange? I sense a current like flowing water, but when I look down, there's nothing there."

"Yeah. My feet feel it too..."

Arkin narrowed his eyes and nodded. Though invisible, its presence was unmistakable. A cool sensation wrapped around their ankles like wading against a shallow stream, flowing endlessly behind them.

"Nefetia, let's head to the World Tree for now."

"Okay."

They drew closer to the sanctuary where the World Tree stood, near the Crystal Cave. The heavy, overwhelming pulse grew even stronger than before. If the earlier sensation had been a stream, this felt like the powerful current of a vast ocean.

Nefetia, distracted by the invisible flow, suddenly startled. Arkin's hand shot out and yanked her toward him.

"Mmph!"

Arkin clamped a hand over her mouth and quickly pulled them behind a thick bush. To the wide-eyed, blinking Nefetia, he gave a meaningful look.

Across the dark forest. In the misty clearing, following Arkin's gaze. Near the massive roots of the World Tree, a shadowy figure flickered. Seeing the yellow lantern light, Nefetia held her breath.