Boonie Bears: Another World Fantasy

It's so bad!

Sharp felt his heart pounding uncontrollably, as if it were about to leap out of his throat. Zhao Lin's thoughtfulness in finding him a chance to be alone with Naya was completely unexpected. This was a perfect moment for them to be alone, but for some reason, after so many days apart, they found themselves somewhat silent.

Naya stood quietly by the hospital window, her gaze fixed intently on the raindrops sliding down the glass. Sharp, meanwhile, would steal glances at her reflection in the glass every now and then, his left hand clutching the conch shell she had given him. A fine drizzle began to fall, causing the temperature to drop sharply again. Only a sliver of daylight remained in the sky obscured by rain clouds. All of this made Sharp extremely nervous, thinking to himself: Thank goodness it's raining. Otherwise, she would surely hear my thunderous heartbeat. However, his body involuntarily felt hot, making him feel unwell.

This situation is really bad! However...

He stopped, then slowly and resolutely took one step, then two, gradually widening the distance between himself and Naya ahead. Then three steps, then four... Sharp took a deep breath; the air was thick with the smell of rain.

"Little Na—"

“Sharp—”

The two spoke at the same time, their voices merging together. As if by telepathy, they simultaneously realized that the timing was somewhat inconvenient.

"Ah! I'm sorry." Sharp smiled awkwardly.

“Hmm, it’s alright,” Naya replied gently, a faint smile on her face. “You go first, Sharp.”

"Um...it's nothing really special." Sharp hesitated, his eyes flickering. "And you? What were you trying to say?"

"Ah, um..." Naya lowered her head slightly, her gaze drooping. In that instant, Sharp seemed to see something flash across her face, like a fleeting afterimage of golden antlers.

“Sharp, there’s something…” Naya raised her head again, looking directly at Sharp with an unprecedented seriousness in her eyes, and a faint golden shadow flickered in her eyes.

"I......"

“I found my mother…and the whereabouts of my people.” Her voice trembled slightly, as if she were trying to suppress the surging emotions within her. She tilted her head slightly, gazing into the distance, a hint of barely perceptible relief and satisfaction in her eyes. Then, she slowly crossed her arms over her chest.

“Mom would love you, if she were still here.” She turned to look at Sharp beside her.

Faced with Naya's words, Sharp wanted to express his heartfelt joy. But for some reason, he could only manage a forced smile, and an undisguised sense of loneliness still leaked from his deep voice: "That's great." Perhaps only he himself knew the source of this complex feeling.

On one hand, he was happy for Naya; on the other hand, he was afraid that Naya was about to leave forever. As perceptive as Naya was, she naturally did not miss the subtle changes in Sharp's words. She gently reached out her right hand and softly stroked the wound on Sharp's waist that was tightly wrapped in gauze.

“I know, Sharp, you’re angry with me, aren’t you?” Her eyes were filled with concern and self-reproach, as if she hoped to convey a little comfort to him through this simple gesture. “I left when you needed me the most.”

"I was just worried about you, Naya... I was really afraid you'd get hurt..." he murmured, his voice as soft as a breeze. For some reason, Naya standing before him felt so unfamiliar, as if she had grown up overnight. Her once innocent, childlike face had blossomed into a remarkably beautiful young woman; her clear, watery eyes now held a touch of maturity.

"Sharp".

"Ok?"

"Do you want me to stay?" Her voice suddenly rang out, catching everyone off guard. A strange determination shone in her eyes, as if she were seeking an answer, or confirming something.

The girl standing by the window slowly turned around, her gaze meeting Sharp's. She gently bit her lip and continued, "My past follows me like a shadow, and now I can no longer escape it; I must make a choice."

At this moment, sunlight streamed through the curtains, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the floor. The girl no longer gazed at the distant, unreachable horizon outside the window, but instead fixed her gaze firmly on Sharp, her eyes filled with anticipation and unease.

“Of course I hope so, Naya…” Sharp took a deep breath and mustered his courage to take a step forward. He reached out and carefully took Naya’s hand, which was hidden under her cloak, feeling the warmth from her palm.

At that moment, everything around them blurred, and only the two of them remained clearly visible. Sharp gazed into Naya's eyes and drew closer.

"..."

Naya's gaze flickered and darted around, unable to meet his eyes, her body involuntarily retreating. However, behind her was a solid wall, with nowhere to go. She could feel him approaching, his warm breath brushing against her cheek.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, like flowers swaying in the wind, so endearing. He gazed at her silently, without a word, and moved closer. At that moment, his heart was at peace, with only a faint longing stirring within him. He felt as if he were bathed in tranquil sunlight, with only a calm mind and quietly surging emotions.

He held her slender waist tightly. Although the thick cloak and Naya's hard armor made him slightly uncomfortable, he still refused to let go. He slowly lowered his head, gently stroking her delicate face with his palms, completely ignoring her resistance. Then, without hesitation, he pressed his lips to hers, their four soft lips meeting tightly.

At first, Naya tried to break free, but gradually, she stopped, staring wide-eyed at him, who had his eyes closed and seemed to be fully enjoying the moment. Finally, she gently closed her eyes, stood on tiptoe, and deepened the kiss... Naya was lost in that moment, lost in Sharp's embrace.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment, as long as eternity, yet as fleeting as an instant, like snowflakes quietly falling onto the ice surface, instantly freezing into beautiful ice crystals.

This was their moment. They merged into one another.

The lights went out without warning.

They stopped kissing and nestled together in the dim light.

"What happened?" Naya asked.

Sharp looked at her sheepishly. "I think it's a power outage."

......

The town's nights were exceptionally cold, as if covered by a layer of frost. However, the roaring fire inside the house provided Naya with endless warmth. She lay quietly on the soft bed, her gaze fixed on Sharp beside her.

At this moment, Sharp was lost in his own thoughts, his eyes vacant, as if he had drifted off to a distant place. Sharp could feel that this was the first time he had ever been so engrossed in his reverie about the future, to the point that he had completely forgotten his special identity as a time traveler.

In this world that is both strange and familiar, Sharp has always carried immense pressure and confusion. He strives to adapt to the new environment and lifestyle while facing various unknown challenges and dangers. But tonight, perhaps due to exhaustion, or perhaps due to a stirring of some deep emotion, he temporarily sets aside all his worries and troubles, fully enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.

As time ticked by, the fire burned ever brighter, illuminating the entire room. In this warm atmosphere, Naya tiptoed up behind Sharp.

"Are we really okay sneaking out like this?" She hugged him tightly from behind, her face full of worry, and gently rested her head against his strong back. "And you're still injured..." Her tone was full of concern and unease.

"Don't worry, it's nothing serious." He tried to make his voice sound firmer, but the slight tremor betrayed his true feelings. After all, he didn't seem fully prepared for this sudden relationship and this new way of getting along, and appeared somewhat lost.

The days in the hospital were long and tedious, and now that he finally had the chance to escape that oppressive environment, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although he was not yet fully recovered, his longing for freedom was already irrepressible.

"Where is Zhao Lin?" Naya asked.

“Her…” When Zhao Lin was mentioned, Sharp couldn’t help but feel that he owed her too much. She had helped him so much; without her, he wouldn’t be where he is today.

She said she was going to see an old friend and might not be back tonight.

"I see," Naya murmured softly. Although she had only known Zhao Lin for a short time, she had a very deep impression of her. Zhao Lin was a person with a strong sense of justice, and she always brought warmth and strength to others.

“Oh, right, Sharp, look,” Naya said softly, her voice tinged with mystery. She slowly turned around, facing the moonlight, and with a gentle tug, her top fluttered down like a butterfly in flight.

The moonlight, like water, bathed her body, creating a breathtaking scene. On Naya's smooth, delicate back, a complex and exquisite set of dark red tattoos was clearly visible. These patterns seemed to possess a life of their own, shimmering faintly in the moonlight.

Sharp's eyes widened, his face filled with astonishment. "This is...?" he couldn't help but ask.

Naya smiled slightly and explained calmly, "This is a deer pattern. It is a unique mark of our people and a symbol of identity. In our tribe, whenever a new life is born, the high priest will use a special dye to paint this pattern on the baby."

She paused, then continued, "Over time, this deer mark will grow with the child, becoming clearer and more vibrant. And no matter what method you use, it cannot be erased. It will stay with us for life, becoming a part of our bodies."

After speaking, Naya gently stroked the deer markings on her back, her eyes revealing a deep affection and pride. The deer markings seemed to possess a life of their own, shimmering faintly under her gentle touch.

"Sharp, where are you looking?" Naya said coquettishly.

"N-no, I wasn't looking anywhere..." Realizing his blunder, Sharp immediately stammered, "I was looking at you..."

Looking at the smiling Naya before him, Sharp felt like he was dreaming. Such a lovely girl was actually dating him—something he had never dared to imagine before. He couldn't help but look away, silently sighing: perhaps this was fate's arrangement.

“Once members of the Deer Clan form a partnership, the woman must relinquish her warrior identity and never take up arms again, except in extreme circumstances,” Naya said earnestly.

"Huh?" Hearing this, Sharp suddenly felt the pressure increase. He knew that Naya, as a descendant of the deer tribe, possessed extraordinary fighting abilities, but asking her to abandon her mission was simply too difficult. Moreover, Sharp also had some doubts: "But I'm afraid I can't even beat you..."

Oh no, if I meet my parents later, they'll probably dislike me, right?

However, Naya seemed to see through his thoughts, smiled, reached out and gently flicked Sharp's forehead, saying, "Silly boy, who asked you to protect me? How could a warrior of the Deer Clan need to rely on others for protection?"

Her confidence instilled a powerful sense of strength in Sharp. Indeed, Naya had always been so strong and courageous; how could she easily succumb to worldly rules? Thinking of this, Sharp's worries gradually dissipated, replaced by anticipation for the future.