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It was dawn. The entire house lay in deep, heavy silence, as if the whole world had come to a halt. That night’s show had drained every last drop of energy from the band. A colossal show, a spectacle Ekko had never imagined performing — and there they were, living the dream that once seemed unreachable.
But sleep didn’t come. Ekko tossed and turned in bed, the sheets crumpled beneath him, his mind restless. He seriously considered waking Vi up just to ask her to knock him out with a punch and send him back to dreamland. Anything to silence the thoughts that kept dragging him back to her.
Jinx.
Long, ocean-blue hair, provocative clothes, and a presence that defied every law of common sense. Even her name was a sin Ekko wasn’t sure whether he wanted to commit or avoid.
Sighing, he got up. His bare feet touched the cold floor as he walked to the window. The view was stunning, but his eyes were fixed on the past. Powder and Ekko had dreamed together of that grandeur. Now, though, the taste was different. Less sweet, more bitter.
Achieving everything alongside Vi, Mylo, and Claggor was a privilege, yes. But nothing filled the void she had left.
With no hope of sleeping, Ekko wandered into the kitchen, paced around the empty room, and ended up in the living room, throwing himself onto the couch facing the turned-off television. The soft sounds of nature and the pool filled the space, but it wasn’t enough.
The studio called to him.
It was the only place where he didn’t need to be quiet. He went down the stairs toward the studio, passing through hallways adorned with framed pictures of legendary bands. He turned the doorknob, opening the door… and froze.
The unmistakable sound of her guitar cut through the air.
Jinx.
She was there, her skilled fingers drawing furious notes from the strings. Her gaze met his reflection in the glass.
"You're interrupting," she said, stopping her playing and turning to face him.
Ekko leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. His lips went dry, and he ran his tongue over them.
"Well… it’s late. You should be asleep."
Jinx gripped the guitar tightly, as if that could save her from the look he was giving her. That same look that made her feel like Powder again — a foolish little girl who used to write songs with him.
She set the guitar aside and sat in one of the chairs in front of the monitors. With a silent gesture, she turned another chair toward Ekko, a wordless invitation.
Ekko approached and sat next to her. The woody scent of her perfume filled the air. Jinx pulled one leg up, resting her chin on her knee, her eyes finally meeting his.
"Tonight’s show…" Ekko began hesitantly. "It was incredible. You were incredible."
She sighed, drumming her fingers on her leg.
"Well… you weren’t too bad."
Ekko laughed.
"Wow, that was almost kind."
"Don't get used to it."
Their laughter faded, and a comfortable silence settled between them. A stark contrast to the heavy silence that had lingered between them for months.
"It's weird to think we've been on the road for six months and never…" Ekko paused, swallowing hard. "Never stopped to really talk."
Silence returned, this time thicker. The light behind Jinx flickered, and she looked down at the carpet.
"I'm sorry," she muttered. "For messing everything up."
Ekko's body tensed. He hadn’t expected to hear that from Jinx.
"Pow…" he started, but she flinched at the name.
"No… please…" Her eyes, smudged with remnants of makeup, lifted, shining with restrained tears.
Ekko didn’t hesitate. He moved closer and cupped her face in his hands, lowering himself to her eye level.
"I don’t blame you. And I deeply regret letting it cause me anger and resentment for so long."
The tears finally fell, slipping over his hands.
"No, you should be mad. I… I sold our music. I ruined everything."
Her sobs came uncontrollably, like a storm. Ekko didn’t let go of her face, staying firm.
"You were a dreamer, Jinx. If someone had come to me back then with a proposal to put our songs on the radio, I would've done the same."
She sobbed, her hands gripping his as if wanting to keep them there forever.
"I loved you," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I think I still love you. And it hurts… it hurts to avoid you, your eyes, your voice…"
Ekko felt his throat tighten.
"I think I love you too," he whispered. "I think I never stopped loving you."
Her eyes glimmered intensely. Ekko pulled back slightly, only to better admire the face that always carried so much life. But Jinx didn’t give him time — she leaned in, capturing his lips with the urgency that had been restrained for years.
The kiss was slow and slightly salty with the tears that rolled down their faces, mixing into the passionate slide of their lips. They could kiss forever, forgetting everything and everyone, doing only this because they had always wanted to, and now their souls, bodies, and lips seemed eager to make up for lost time.
But they needed air, and in that moment, they hated air and hated needing it. They just stayed there, face to face, nose to nose, sharing the air in that space.
Jinx let out a small laugh.
"Finally," Ekko whispered, smiling.
"Yeah… finally. We could’ve done this years ago. I’m going to regret that."
"I’ll never regret this," he replied.
The sun was already rising outside when Jinx ran her hand through Ekko’s hair, her gaze soft.
"Write a song with me?" she asked, her voice delicate.
Ekko smiled, his eyes gleaming.
"Always."