MTLNOVEL Chapter 3: Boys' Time
Sunny stood on the balcony of a grand estate, bathed in the golden embrace of dawn. "The world looks oddly beautiful today." He muttered the thought under his breath.
Of course, it did.
It was the most beautiful day of his life.
A day he had waited for, dreamed of—so long that it hardly felt real. Now that it had finally arrived, a storm of emotions crashed over him—excitement, joy, an unshakable giddiness... and something else. A quiet, lingering disbelief.
He leaned back in his chair, fingers curled around a steaming cup. The rich aroma filled his lungs. Real coffee. Real milk. A luxury that had once been nothing more than a distant fantasy.
He had tasted it countless times over the years, yet the flavor still carried echoes of the past—the bitter memory of that fateful day. The day he had spent every last coin on a single cup, believing it to be his last.
Back then, he had been nothing. A no-name kid from the outskirts, a forgotten speck in a merciless world. No one could have guessed that he would not only survive his first Nightmare but would become one of the strongest humans to walk on Earth.
If he could even be called human anymore.
He sighed, his grip tightening around the cup.
"Today is going to be too short."
It was inevitable. He would blink, and the day would be gone. Time had a cruel sense of humor—crawling when one willed it to pass, slipping away when one begged it to stay.
He took another slow sip, eyes fixed on the horizon. Soon, the sun would fully rise, marking the true start of the day. Not that anything significant would happen until evening—that was when the ceremony was set, when the guests would arrive.
The morning and afternoon were meant to be his. Meant to be theirs.
But he knew better than to expect such luxuries.
Their friends wouldn't allow it.
Nephis would be whisked away by Cassie and Effie for some kind of "girls' time," while he... well, he had a strong feeling that Kai and Ling's father had their own plans for him.
After all, moments like these—the ones that felt like an ending and a beginning all at once—were rare. None of them would let it slip by without making the most of it.
"Speaking of which."
A shadow fell over him, blotting out the morning sun.
He rose from his seat, his eyes locking onto the massive figure descending from the sky. As it drew closer, its form became clear.
A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
Kai, his best friend, had decided to greet him.
Before the first rays of dawn could fully paint the sky in lilac hues, a vast shadow descended over the mansion. A massive dragon folding into itself—shrinking, twisting, taking the form of a man as it landed beside Sunny.
Kai stood tall, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit that only sharpened his already striking features. There was an easy grace to him, an aura of nobility that contrasted with the raw power humming beneath his skin. And yet, despite everything, the warmth in his gaze remained unchanged.
Of course.
Few people were as pure as Kai was. And after all these years, he was still the same in the ways that mattered most.
"Hey, Sunny," he greeted, his voice carrying the familiar mix of amusement and sincerity. "How are you holding up?"
"You could have at least waited for the sun to rise properly," Sunny sighed.
"Could not have," Kai declared, as if the thought itself was ridiculous. "After today? Who knows if you'll even spare a second for your old friends. People change after marriage, you know. Especially you. We all know how much you love Nephis. The moment you step into that bedroom—"
Sunny laughed, shaking his head.
"I probably will," he admitted, then gestured toward the entrance. "Come in. What do you suppose we do while the entire city is still asleep?"
Kai smirked. "For starters, show me the suit you've prepared for the wedding. If it's not up to the mark, we're getting you a new one the moment the markets open."
Sunny sighed.
"What? You don't trust me to pick out a decent suit?"
"I do not," Kai replied bluntly. "Being a Soverign doesn't erase your supreme lack of fashion sense."
Sunny grimaced but couldn't refute it. The charming archer had a point. After all, who better to judge fashion than an actual celebrity?
Resigned, he moved to his wardrobe, retrieving a sleek box. With a flick of his wrist, the suit unfolded before Kai, who took a long, measured glance at it.
Silence.
Then, with a shake of his head, Kai exhaled. "Just as I feared. Sunny, get ready for a makeover. Nephis will be in the finest wedding dress imaginable. You don't want to look pitiful standing beside her, do you?"
Sunny sighed. He already knew where this was going. There was no escaping it.
"Alright. Do your worst."
He placed some snacks on the table, bracing himself for what was bound to be a long morning.
"Speaking of which..." Kai's tone shifted. "Where's Ling's father? Haven't heard from him since he entered the Dream Realm three days ago."
Sunny shook his head. "He should be here soon. I sent for him a while ago-"
Before he could finish, sparks of white light flared in the balcony outside, twisting into two figures.
First was a pretty young woman with pale skin and raven-black hair. Her porcelain skin shone under the early rays of sunshine with a doll-like gleam. She could have passed for a female version of Sunny, if not for her eyes—sharp, glowing like the distant sky.
Behind her stood a man with an easy, confident smile, his presence exuding warmth and maturity.
"Sorry, I was packing some things in Farmland," the man said, entering the room and bowing apologetically. "But I'm here now. We can torment Sunny in peace."
Kai chuckled while Sunny shook his head in mock resignation.
"Alright, I'll leave you all to enjoy your boys' time," the young woman said with a small smile. "There's still a lot to prepare for tonight."
As she turned to leave, Sunny called out, "Thanks for bringing him here, Rain." He got up, patting her shoulder. "But don't overdo it. You're supposed to enjoy tonight, not spend all your time running errands. Get someone else for that."
"No can do." Rain sighed, folding her arms. "If you want something done perfectly, you have to do it yourself. And your wedding is supposed to be perfect."
She took a slow, measured breath before her gaze sharpened. "I won't let anyone ruin it. No matter the cost."
With that, she disappeared.
Kai turned to Sunny and chuckled. "We know where she got that attitude from."
Sunny shook his head and laughed. "Alright then," he said, glancing at his two companions. "What's first?"