Tōga lowered his coffee cup, eyes widening in surprise at Ittindi's unexpected question. "Huh?" he uttered, caught off guard. He had just been enjoying his morning coffee, savoring the rich aroma and warmth radiating through the ceramic mug. Romance was the last thing on his mind.
Tōga blinked a few times, his mind racing to process Ittindi's words. Where had this come from? He knew Ittindi tended to say whatever crossed his mind, but this inquiry seemed to come out of nowhere.
Tōga takes another swig from his mug, the bitter coffee doing little to sober his drink-addled mind. "A s-silly q-question, Ittindi," he slurs with a dismissive wave of his hand. "You k-know as well as I that romance is not for the likes of us. We who walk the path of the R-R-Rune K-knight have no time for such e-enjoyable t-times." He pauses, staring into the dark contents of his cup as if divining answers from the swirling grounds. "Though I admit, sometimes my t-thoughts do wander to what c-could have been." His voice grows soft, almost wistful. "In another life, perhaps things would have been different. Perhaps I c-could have loved and been l-loved in return."
Shaking his head sharply, Tōga banishes these fanciful notions. He nods resolutely, as if to convince himself. "So you s-see, my friend, it is best not to dwell on i-impossibilities. We Knights must harden our hearts and focus on the task at hand." Tōga's words ring hollow and unconvincing, even to his own ears. But the drink soon washes away any flickerings of regret, leaving only the cold comfort of duty.
Tōga's mind wanders back to a distant time and place - the sun-kissed shores of Joya, where he once pursued a love now lost. Her memory emerges like a long-forgotten song, faint yet sweet, beckoning him to revisit bygone days. He recalls her beauty, raven tresses cascading down her slender frame, eyes shining like stars that guided lost souls home. Her spirit was as vibrant as her figure was petite, possessed of a grace that transformed the mundane into the magical. She moved through the market with poise and purpose, laughing melodiously at the antics of the street children that flocked to her.
In unguarded moments his thoughts would linger on the silk of her hair, the warmth of her smile, the lilt of her voice as she shared ancient wisdom from faraway lands. She taught him to see the world through kinder eyes and find joy in the simple gifts it offered. With her the days flew by too fast, each precious moment a glittering gem added to the necklace of his memory. She was an unexpected treasure, one he let slip through his fingers before realizing her true worth. His elusive Joya pearl, perfection embodied in a woman as rare as she was remarkable. Though fate has long separated them, she yet retains her hold on his heart.
The memory of her still haunted him, even after all these years. She was his childhood sweetheart, the girl who had tethered his restless spirit to the shores of Joya. He could still recall their last conversation, her voice gently pleading as he told her of his dreams to venture beyond their homeland. How he had begged her to join him, to explore the far corners of the world side by side.
But her roots ran too deep. Though she longed to follow him, responsibilities and duties anchored her in place. She spoke apologetically, yet with resolve. Her life was here, her path divergent from his wandering star. He implored and cajoled to no avail. She would not abandon all she had ever known for the untamed promise of distant lands. Her refusal tore his heart asunder but left him no choice but to bid her a bittersweet farewell.
In his mind's eye he could still see her silhouette fading into the horizon as he sailed away in pursuit of destiny. An aching void opened within him that day, one no ocean or continent could fill. In his travels he sought spectacles to share with her in story and song upon his return. But when he came back seasons later she was gone, vanished like the morning mist. Her memory lingered, woven into the tapestry of his being. An invisible thread pulling him back every time his feet grew restless. His one lasting bond to the home he had left behind.
Wanderlust coursed through his veins, an unrelenting force that called him to distant horizons. As deeply as he cared for her, his thirst for adventure was an intrinsic part of his spirit, not easily quelled. To remain rooted in one place, even for love, felt akin to a slow death. The mundane rhythm of an unchanging routine would suffocate his soul, extinguishing the spark that made him feel alive. He required motion and novelty like air, his core needing to ingest new sights and experiences.
Stagnation was his greatest fear. A relationship - no matter how profoundly it touched his heart - could not override his most fundamental nature. He tried to deny it, to content himself with staying, but found only silence where his passion once reigned. In the end, he could not complete her by sacrificing vital pieces of himself. It was the cruelest paradox of the heart. To be with her fully, he first had to explore the farthest reaches within and without. If fate decreed they reunite, it would be as travelers who had woven the world into their relationship. Only then could it flourish in richness and understanding.
She saw the truth even as he turned away. A sad smile bade him follow his destiny, wherever it may lead. She was his foundation, a guiding light he would forever hold dear. Now came time to soar - though he remained tethered to her spirit, still longing for the day their paths would meet again.
Tōga's reverie ended as abruptly as it began, the sights and sounds of Stella's lively capital bursting back into focus. He blinked, orienting himself once more to the present - the bustling marketplace, the lingering taste of coffee on his tongue, his companion Ittindi gazing at him expectantly.
"Ah, my apologies, friend," Tōga said with a shake of his head and a self-conscious chuckle. "It seems my m-mind wandered for a m-moment there."
He took a swig from his mug, buying time to gather his thoughts. "You were asking about...romance, was it? Hah, well..." He trailed off, staring into middle distance. Then, as if arriving at a decision, met Ittindi's eyes resolutely.
Tōga took another draught of coffee, savoring the bitter warmth as he regarded his companion. Their meandering dialogue came to an abrupt halt as they rounded a corner and were confronted by a curious sight. "Huh?" Tōga murmured, eyebrows rising in surprise. Before them stretched an impressive queue, the line of people winding through the streets like a threadbare snake. He stepped aside, steadying his drink-addled mind as he traced the procession's path.
Ittindi was the first to find their voice. Tōga simply nodded, curiosity well and truly piqued. The coffee had done little to sober his foggy state, but the novelty of this scene filled him with interest nonetheless. Passing his mug to Ittindi, the slayer began maneuvering through the throng, excusing himself with mumbled apologies as he sidled past waiting patrons.
“Let’s g-go!”
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