The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 214: Ch : A relaxing Truth - Part 2

The gentle breeze of the summer sun made Selene feel better. The world felt like a brighter place now that Selene had people by her side.

Especially those who helped her out.

’How weird. The world has turned upside down, but this is the most relaxed I’ve ever felt. I wonder if my first life would have gone much better if I had the system in it?’

It felt like a useless thing to think about, but Selene could not help but question herself and her happiness.

Her past life made feeling lonely as a second nature to her. But that was likely not true.

Selene felt a pang of loneliness deep inside her, stirring her soul up. It made her feel a little uncomfortable.

But then, a familiar presence made her open her eyes.

She did not even have to look to know who sat beside her.

Ethan.

He was sitting beside her, his expression unreadable. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, but Selene could tell that his mind was elsewhere.

"Ethan?"

She asked softly.

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he took a deep breath, his jaw tightening slightly.

"Once you’re done resting, I need to tell you something."

Ethan said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Selene’s curiosity flared instantly. Ethan rarely spoke with such hesitation. She sat up straighter, brushing her hair out of her face.

"I’m done. We can talk now."

She said, her tone light but filled with interest.

Ethan glanced at her, his eyes searching hers for a moment before he spoke again.

"Not here. Let’s... go somewhere else. I don’t want anyone else to hear this."

He murmured.

Selene’s brows furrowed. The seriousness in his voice caught her off guard. But she nodded without hesitation.

"Alright."

She said softly, standing up.

She turned toward Zara and Orion, who were still near the dying bonfire.

"We’re taking a walk."

Selene said casually.

Zara looked up immediately. A knowing smirk spread across her face.

"Good luck. Have a good time."

Zara said, her tone dripping with playful mischief.

Selene’s eyes widened.

"Zara—"

But before she could protest, Orion tilted his head, looking between them with a confused expression.

"Why did you say it like that?"

Orion asked, his voice filled with innocent curiosity.

Zara, ever the quick thinker, waved her hand dismissively.

"Nothing you need to worry about. It’s... adult stuff."

She said with a sly grin.

Orion blinked, clearly not understanding, but he instinctively knew better than to ask further.

"Okay..."

He murmured, though his gaze lingered on them with mild concern.

Selene’s face heated up instantly. Her cheeks flushed, and her heart skipped a beat.

’What is she thinking?!’

Selene wanted to tell Zara that things weren’t like that, but her tongue felt heavy, and her throat was dry.

Her pulse quickened, and her mind raced as she avoided looking in Zara’s direction.

The last thing she saw before turning away was Zara’s smug, satisfied expression.

’She’s enjoying this way too much.’

Selene felt her insides tingle, a mix of embarrassment and something else she wasn’t ready to confront.

"Don’t think too much about it."

Ethan said softly as they walked away. His tone was light, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

"She’s just teasing you."

Selene let out a small sigh.

"I know. It’s just... hard to ignore when she catches me off guard like that."

She murmured, but her voice betrayed how flustered she still was.

Ethan chuckled softly, his usual calm returning.

"Yeah... Zara does that a lot."

They walked in silence for a few minutes, the cool night air making the atmosphere feel even more peaceful. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore echoed in the distance.

But Selene could sense that something was still weighing on Ethan’s mind.

"Okay. What’s going on?"

She finally said, breaking the silence.

Ethan’s steps slowed. He glanced at her, then looked away. His expression shifted—his usual calm replaced by something more... uncertain.

"Do you...Do you feel like I’ve changed?"

Ethan began, his voice softer now.

Selene blinked, her eyebrows raising slightly.

"What?"

Ethan bit his lip, his gaze still focused on the ground.

"From... when we were kids. Do I feel like a completely different person now?"

His voice was quiet.

Ethan’s question caught Selene off guard. She blinked, her lips curving into a faint smile as she tried to lighten the mood.

"Well, you do feel like a different person sometimes. My childhood friend wouldn’t be this serious."

She said playfully,

Her tone was teasing, but Ethan didn’t react. His expression remained tense, his gaze fixed on the sand beneath his feet.

"Selene..."

He murmured, his voice quieter.

That was when she realized it wasn’t a joke to him.

Ethan lifted his head and met her eyes again.

"Do you really feel that way?"

He asked softly, his tone laced with something raw—something vulnerable.

Selene’s smile faded. The air between them felt heavier. She knew Ethan wasn’t just asking to make conversation. This was something that had been weighing on him for a while.

Selene’s heart clenched as she thought about it. She didn’t want to hurt him, but she also couldn’t lie.

After a moment of silence, she finally spoke.

"Yes."

She whispered.

Ethan’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t look away.

"You’re not... the same person I knew back then. The Ethan I grew up with... he was carefree. Reckless sometimes, but always so full of life."

Selene admitted softly.

Ethan’s expression didn’t change, but she saw the flicker of pain in his eyes.

"But now...Now, it’s like... you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. You’ve been different ever since..."

Selene’s voice trailed off for a moment before she gathered her thoughts.

She hesitated.

"Ever since you disappeared."

Those words hung in the air between them, heavy and unspoken for too long.

"I don’t know what happened to you while you were gone. But... I feel like whoever came back wasn’t the same Ethan I knew."

Selene said quietly.