Extra Scene, Act 1, Chapter 9 (Albert’s POV)

The fresh air brushes against Albert’s face, but he barely notices it. The noise of the party doesn’t even register in his mind, and the scent of eucalyptus doesn’t reach him despite all the plants on the balcony.

All his senses are completely eclipsed by the person beside him, the one who makes his heart pound in his chest every time they look at him with the most beautiful eyes Albert has ever seen. The emotion he feels is so overwhelming that his eyes begin to fill with tears. The words leave his mouth before he even realizes he’s thinking them.

“Tell me to go with you.”

His words are almost a plea, a desperate attempt to convince himself that he’s not dreaming, that what he sees reflected in MC’s eyes is real. He’s dreamed of that look so many times that he fears it’s just another product of his imagination.

And that it can only exist there.

MC blinks a couple of times, surprised. “What?”

Albert’s mouth goes dry, but he forces himself to swallow and takes a step forward.

“Tell me to go with you,” he repeats in a whisper. “Tell me to go, and I’ll go. If you want me to accompany you…” Albert feels his lower lip trembling. What if they don’t want him to? He pushes those thoughts away before they can take hold. “Just saying yes will be enough for me to decide.”

Albert has to hold his breath when MC closes the distance between them even more, their voice lowering to match his.

“If you tell me to stay,” MC takes his hand. “I’ll stay.”

Oh, how tempting that sounds. But among all the flaws Albert possesses, selfishness is not one of them.

The redhead looks away, his spirit crumbling along with his shoulders. “I can’t ask that of you, you must go. I can’t be so selfish as to prevent you from saving the world because of me.”

“Then what? What’s your decision?” MC insists, as eager to hear the answer as Albert is to give it.

“I… I don’t know, I just…” But he does, and when Albert looks back into MC’s eyes, all doubt disappears from his face and voice. “I just want to be with you.”

That’s it. That’s what it has always been about. Albert doesn’t want glory, he doesn’t want riches or the fame that saving the world might bring them. He only wants to be with those he loves. With his friends, his sister, and, especially, with MC.

And right here, with the hopeful light of the candles and the gentle glow of the stars above them, Albert gives himself permission to imagine that maybe, just maybe, that dream can come true.

Tonight his shadows aren’t that dark.