The moon was warm and bright, the light reflecting of the black waves, making the sea sparkle under its warm embrace.

The soft clashing against the brown, sandy shore was as relaxing as the night, and the salty breeze would blow ever so often.

The gentle nature's sounds sung in perfect harmony like a song, and Sophie enjoyed every bit of it.

She glanced up to the stars shining right above her, feeling her heart ache after a whole month of waiting.

She stared as the waves sunk into the sand, and had no clue about the figure walking up to her.

She snapped her attention, feeling a presence around her, as if someone was staring at her naked soul.

She carefully slipped her hand to her cape pocket, a weapon already clutch in her palm should that figure be of any danger.

It was dark, and so her view was greatly affected.

Yet she could still spot the same patch on the sleeve that appeared in her nightmares.

"Who are you?" She asked.

The figure laughed, the voice the same as the person she truly loved, and replied.

"I can't believe you actually created this as a safe word, but fine. Ella Iggyfarts."

Even Sophie couldn't help but laugh. The way he said it wad just funny. She lowered down her hood, knowing it was safe.

The figure did the same, and revealed the familiar glistening ice blue eyes Sophie missed seeing so much.

She leapt forward and hugged him, in which he returned. Sophoe choked back her sobs, not wanting to waste their precious time just on crying and feeling wrong.

"Why can't you come back?" Sophie whispered, still not wanting to let go. Keefe never wanted to actually tell her the reason, despite her constant pleas during their meetings every once a month.

Silence spread, and Sophoe knew that he wad still unwilling to tell her the cause of his sudden disappearance, one that only she knew of.

"It's almost a been a year. People are thinking you died. They're giving up on you, Keefe. What's so important for you to leave us again?" Sophie asked again, now no longer holding back her tears.

She felt them slip.

Pain, sadness, betrayal.

Yet here she was, still unable to hate him for everything he did to them.

Because she loved him.

Maybe more than friends, she couldn't tell. Absence makes the heart founder, they said, and they were so right.

Not a second went pass without her counting down to the days of their secret meetings, without her thinking and dreaming about seeing him again.

Even her best friends had no idea they were meeting, it was just for her.

"What's so important?" Sophie now exclaimed, breaking the hug, not wanting to see his tear stained face again.

"You wouldn't believe me," Keefe looked away, swiping the tears away.

Sophie shot him the best glare she could master.

She shouldn't be angry.

She should be ecstatic at the thought of him still being around, still there to help her up, just not on the same side.

People told her she became an empty shell ever since he left them, and at first, she was totally heartbroken.

It was just a week ago, they confessed their feelings, had their first kiss. Did it mean nothing to him then?

She was empty, just as empty as the sky without the stars, the waters without the sky, lifeless.

It was because of a note that made this monthly meetings happen, the first time she saw him in that sickening cloak again.

They made a promise.

Tell no soul, just the both of them. One night when the moon is at the peak, a monthly thing.

They can talk just for that few hours, then they had to part again, just like how the waves retreat back to the vast ocean after it clashes onto the sand.

As simple as that.

Sophie held on to every opportunity she had to meet him, and she even started looking out for just his silhouette during battles.

He was simply not there.

"Tell me, or else we can't have these meetings anymore."

She said it in spite.

She knew that.

She wanted these few moments they shared to last forever, just like how the sun is always there, supporting the moon from thousand of miles away.

"You," Keefe whispered.

Sophie frowned in confusion.

Her?

"They threatened to harm you, so I had to go back," Keefe explained, his voice barely audible by then.

Sophie then saw his walls he carefully pulled out come crumbling down upon her feet as he said it.

She went back to him, to tackle hug him again, hoping that he would pull himself back up together, knowing that she was always there for him.

"Y- you didn't need to. I can fight for myself. We work together, Team Foster-Keefe, remember?" She used the words he once said to her, feeling the need to emphasise on it.

"But if they hurt you-" Keefe was cut short as Sophie leaned it and pressed her lips against him, the familiar tingle shooting up her spine again as he kissed her back.

It was urgent and passionate, knowing that they don't have much time left before sunrise and he would have to leave again.

It lasted for a minute of two, Sophie couldn't really keep track.

It was then she confirmed it herself.

She loved Keefe Sencen.

And he probably liked her too, if he would want to kiss her.

They parted, breathing heavily.

"Promise me, at any chance you get, leave the Neverseen. I can't keep up without you," Sophie whispered as her head rested on his shoulder, leaning against him as if he was her only pillar of support.

Then again, he might really be the one letting Sophie have a drive, a motive to keep on going. So as to keep him going.

"I can't keep up without you either," Keefe choked back his tears as he wrapped Sophie into another hug, both wishing upon the million of stars shining above them that they didn't need to part.

"Promise me," Sophie repeated, needing to hear the words coming from his mouth only as a reassurance.

He kissed her cheek, the sun's rays slowly shining upon them.

It was time.

He needed to go.

Sophie hugged him tighter, wanting to leave to wherever he needed to go wih him.

Keefe released her, his eyes desperate and pleading, as if wishing there was another way out of the mess he entered.

He took out a crystal- a pink one, one that Sophie never seen before. She wanted to make him stay, even for a day, but that was just a death wish.

He let go of her hands, tears welling his eyes as he raised the crystal.

"I promise."

And he left, leaving Sophie behind, sobbing uncontrollably.

She collapsed to her knees as she buried her face in her hands, knowing she needed to leave before Sandor realised she wasn't in her bed as well.

"Till next month," she whispered to herself as she looked back at the spot where he left, hoping that was all just a nightmare that she would wake up to find herself being comforted by him again.

She blinked hard, keeping the tears away. But just as she expected, as she opened her eyes, he wasn't there.

No smirk, no jokes, no teasing.

He was gone.

・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.