“Where’s the Dragon?!” I heard Justin yelling, irritated that his troops had lost sight of their prey. “…You beast!!”
The Dragon took me back to his castle in the clouds. Landing softly on the cracked balcony, he carefully set me down. I took a large step away from him. He sank to his knees, exhausted. His breath sounded ragged. I stepped toward him again, worried, only to be sharply repelled.
“Stay back!!” he roared. “Get away from me!”
I obeyed, turning away to leave. But something stopped me. A pain deep in my chest. I pressed my fist against my solar plexus to endure it. Then, unable to defy my feelings, I pursed my lips and turned toward the Dragon.
He was still gasping for breath.
“……”
My chest throbbed with pain. I opened my hand and moved it higher on my chest. Words spilled naturally from my mouth.
“I understand you a little better now.”
The Dragon looked up at me, wide-eyed.
I walked up to him and said, “It’s right here that hurts, isn’t it?” as I placed my hand softly on his chest.
“……!” He flinched in surprise. I looked up into his eyes and spoke my thoughts.
“Thank you for saving me.”
He brought his face close to mine.
“…Belle.”
It was the first time he’d said my name.
The stars began to sparkle.
Slowly, I started singing. My voice echoed across the dark ballroom with its patches of pixelation.
It’s easy to push me away from you
Easy to say you want to be left on your own
Yet somehow I can’t help but see how
your eyes shy away
Your hands seal the entrance and path to your heart
Anger kept fear and the sadness you feel
under the surface for so long
Locked that room, you keep it inside
Lend me your voice
Words you try so hard to forget,
they’ll break through the silence
Bring me close
Let me see the past you regret
deep down below
Show it all
The Dragon listened with his hand on his chest, as if he were looking inward.
Innumerable roses twined over the courtyard. With great care, the angel AS carefully chose a pale pink bloom, then a black one. The mermaids carried them into the ballroom. They approached us, placing the pink rose over my heart. That instant, countless particles of light gathered and then burst apart. A dress made of flower petals drifted down and softly encircled my body. I couldn’t help letting out a cry of delight. It was like magic. Sparkling particles of light danced around me.
“Do you like this secret rose?” the angel AS asked proudly, flying up to me.
“It’s wonderful,” I answered, smiling up at it.
Another group of mermaids placed the black rose over the Dragon’s heart. Again, innumerable points of light gathered on the rose and burst apart, transforming into a dashing black suit and cape. The mosaic of bruises emerged on the back of the new cape.
I turned to look at the Dragon.
The Dragon turned to look at me.
Points of light gathered in the crumbling ballroom. As they exploded, the room was transformed into a brilliant, lavish hall.
I held both my hands out to the Dragon in an invitation to dance. But he shrank back, hesitant. I stepped forward encouragingly, my hands still held out. Uncertainly, bashfully, he held up his left hand. I took it in my own.
We paused for a moment, then slowly began twirling.
At first, we were simply holding hands and spinning in circles. Gradually, our steps fell in with a six-eight beat. The Dragon lifted his right hand and placed it on my hip as if to escort me. He squeezed my right hand with his left, and we were in proper dance position.
Gazing into one another’s eyes, we danced on. Before I realized what was happening, my feet floated off the ballroom floor. We rose into the air like we were circling an invisible staircase until we reached the crumbling dome overhead. My heart pounded with excitement and a smile spread over my face. The Dragon gazed at me with wide eyes.
I noticed the mermaids looking up at us. They were smiling, which loosened the knot of tension in my chest a tiny bit. The mermaids were completely devoted to the Dragon. I wanted them to see me as more than a nuisance.
Points of light flew around the castle dome, and from them, a single beam shot up like a comet. The comet was the Dragon and me. We spun round and round like a satellite, clinging to each other as we soared through a sky full of stars.
It’s not so hard living all by yourself
It isn’t hard, yes; I know that’s what you’ll say
It’s what you have told yourself over and over again in darkness
You try to hold back all the thoughts
But you know,
I just want you as you are
Just the you that I see right before me
It’s all that has been on my mind
Lend me your voice
Let me see your face, let me start
to show you what I see
Bring me close
Let me feel the beat of your heart,
the secret you bury
Lend me your voice!
Anything you want to say,
I’ll be right here, I’ll listen; so tell me
Open the door
Let me come and sit by the fire,
just let me come close to your heart
I gazed at the Dragon as we danced.
He didn’t take his eyes off me, although they were clouded with embarrassment. He had spent his life fighting. It seemed he was experiencing everything else for the first time.
As that thought occurred to me, I felt an almost painful tenderness rise within me. Letting my feelings guide me, I placed my hand on his jaw and very slowly brought my face toward his. Closing my eyes, I lifted my mouth to him.
I felt him tense up, then close his eyes tight.
Maybe it was too soon.
I smiled and lay my cheek against him. My first kiss would have to wait. He reached out his hand apologetically, drew me gently to him, and slowly closed his eyes.
Afterward, we returned to the castle. On the dark balcony beneath the starry heavens, we nestled together. The Dragon slept defenselessly against my chest.
I don’t know how much time passed like that. Suddenly, I heard what sounded like a ceramic dish breaking in the distance. The Dragon’s eyelids flew open, and he let out a wounded howl.
“What’s the matter?” I asked, but he didn’t answer. He pressed his hand against his face, got to his feet, and began walking away, shaking. But then, perhaps no longer able to stand it, he sank to his knees and hunched over the ground.
I saw something that made me doubt my eyes.
The bruises on the Dragon’s back were quivering. It was as if he was being beaten by an invisible hand. He started grunting horribly as a way to withstand the pain.
“Ungh… Ngh… Ngh…!”
I didn’t know what to make of it.
“What’s happening…?”
“Don’t…look at me…!!”
He turned slightly toward me and looked at me with tormented eyes.
The angel AS was lounging on the balcony floor, watching like this was an everyday occurrence.
“Who…are you?” I whispered to the Dragon.
He didn’t answer.
Overhead, a million stars twinkled.