Sana bit his lip nervously. "No… did you forget that dream I told you about?"
Alice smiled, her cheeks tinged with pink. "Oh… I guess I forgot a little…" She looked away, embarrassed.
[This is bad… it's going to torment me… like an AI losing control.]
Alice moved closer to Sana, worry and curiosity mixed in her eyes. His heart seemed to skip a beat, caught in the whirlwind of emotions swirling around him.
Teasingly, she said, "I'm just kidding. I know you dreamed about me, but… you probably don't like thinking about it too much, right? Reality is so different… Maybe… I secretly like you… who knows?" Her cheeks flushed deeper.
Sana smiled, trying to speak, but Alice interrupted.
"Hey, it's just an example, okay?"
Sana chuckled softly. "Yes… shy little girl."
Alice glanced around, her expression a mix of frustration and adoration. "You're too brave… my hero."
[Love is weird… it hurts sometimes, but I still love her tsundere way. If I had her heart, every pain I've felt would make sense. She gives me a reason to live… It feels like I can't breathe without her. Without her, I wouldn't be the same.]
Sana smiled gently. "I want to rest… talking to you is fun."
Alice helped him lie down on the bed. "Me too…" Her cheeks burned. "But don't think I have feelings for you, okay?"
Sana nodded, smiling softly.
Alice looked away, avoiding his gaze.
"Why are you looking away?" Sana asked.
Her voice trembled slightly. "…I…"
Exhausted, Sana drifted into sleep.
/POP Alice/
Alice's heart felt warm, almost unbearably so. She stared at his sleeping face, cheeks aflame.
She was angry at herself for feeling this way, yet she couldn't help it. Without realizing, she leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. She looked around, whispering to herself, "He's my special one… the person I've been waiting for all this time." Her eyes glistened with tears of happiness.
[Something inside me has made me love him this much without me even realizing it… He's my soulmate.] She smiled. "I won't let any girl have him. He belongs only to me."
Her cheeks burned hotter. [Why do I sound like a yandere? But… I love how I feel.]
In his dream, Sana murmured, "Alice… you're…"
She flinched, startled. [Is he awake…?] She leaned closer, straining to hear him.
"You… have feelings for me," Sana whispered, his voice soft but shaking.
Alice smiled to herself. [He's just dreaming… he won't know.] "Yes… my precious hero." Her face flushed red.
"I know it…" Sana muttered, still half-asleep.
Even in his dream, he teased her, and she felt a spark of irritation mixed with affection. "Even in a dream… you make me embarrassed," she whispered.
She leaned closer, her voice soft and sweet by his ear. "You'll regret making me feel like this, my hero."
Sana murmured, trembling in sleep, "Are you really Alice… or just an AI… trying to fool me? I'm… so scared…" His face darkened slightly, even in slumber.