It has been a week since Lucas saw Nova after that incident. He’s always been waiting outside of her hut but has failed to see her. In the meantime, he roamed around Luminary and saw and met different people. Kai managed to talk to him and apologize for what happened, Lucas never held a grudge against her, which made her relieved, but at the same time, she blamed herself for tainting his and Nova’s relationship. 

“No signs of her?” Kai asked. Lucas shakes his head.

“Kai! Lucas!” they both turned their head to the voice that called them. It was Nadine waving at them. She was playing in the sand, building some sand mountains that had been constantly destroyed by Axl. “Hey, stop that!” Another sand mountain was destroyed because of the water that was thrown by Axl.

“You better play with Nadine and have fun; I’ll alert you when I see Nova,” Kai suggested. Lucas became hesitant and wanted to wait for Nova no matter what, but he was gently pushed by Kai, urging him to go with Nadine. 

“Ok, just call me when you see her,” Lucas assured, and Kai just nodded in response. He ran towards Nadine and started helping her with building sand mountains. Seeing them both giggle made Kai sigh in relief. She looked back, looking at the closed doors of Nova’s hut. Just as she was about to turn her head away, a motion of opening doors was seen in her peripheral vision. 

“Nova,” she uttered. “N-nova, Lucas!” she yelled, getting Lucas attention. He looked at the way Kai pointed. There, he saw Nova going out of the doors; after a week, he finally saw her. He got up from the sand and ran towards her. As he ran, their eyes met together. Visible in Lucas's eyes was the delight of seeing Nova; on the other hand, her eyes seemed empty. That slows his run; now he looks at her, concerned. Nova's eyes were visibly swollen. They finally met together but Nova just walked past him.

“Nova,” he said, grabbing her arms and facing her. “Are you crying?”

“Let go of me.” she didn’t bother letting him finish his word and shook off his hand holding her. Nova turned back again and walked. Now she’s heading to the water. She started tying her hair in a high ponytail, looking determined but mildly hopeless. 

“Nova, where are you going?” asked Kai concernedly, but Nova just remained silent. She just continued walking, going past Nadine, who was looking up at her. Slowly approaching the waters. Lucas has seen the act and it reminds him of everything, so he runs. 

"Nova, what are you doing!” he yelled while running, fastening his pace just to keep up with her. Despite being smaller and shorter by a few centimeters than her, Lucas hugs her from the back and tries to stop her, but to no effect. Instead, he was easily overpowered by her and managed to get off of him. He instantly grabs her hands and falls to his knees, leading him to stop her.

“Nova,” his tears slowly fell. “You said to me that this is a stupid act, right? That we should try to survive? Then why are you doing this?!” Lucas yelled. This sight made Nova scoff and runned her fingers on her hair out of frustration.

“I’m not you, idiot. That’s what I’m trying to do; I’m trying to survive,” Nova said, continuing to walk towards the water.

“By drowning?!” Lucas blurted. She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“By swimming, Lucas,” she said calmly, and finally, her toes touched the water. Lucas can’t help but  grab Nova by the hand and face her.

“You’re going to swim in the vast ocean? In the two of us, you’re the idiotic one. Nova, you don’t know what you —” 

“I can handle myself, Lucas; I told you I'd get out of here.” She shakes his hands off and continues walking.

“Nova, everything is a misunderstanding! They’re not — Nova!” She completely submerged herself in the water, slowly, swimming on her might. Kai, on the other side, saw everything and was worried. 

“No! Nova! Axl, stop her!” Kai commanded as she ran towards them. Axl then obeyed her. In the middle of Nova’s swimming, a strange movement of the water happened. 

“Ah!” Nova complained as she fell flat on the sand. She looked at what was in front of her and witnessed the water surrounding her. She slowly stands and looks back; there’s Lucas running to her and also the water parting for him. “Thanks Axl, you just made my escape easy.” She started running, and water still continued to part as she ran a sudden urge of her to run towards the big ball of light, assuming it was the sun. Nova smiled and was motivated to run towards it. Kai witnessing everything again made her hysterical. They’re running to the light.

“Axl, I told you to stop them!” Kai complained. Axl responded by a little wave. “I didn’t mean to stop them by swimming. I mean, you made them stop, but — Ah! They're going into the light, Axl. Stop them! Get them back here!” As soon as Kai said the words, the ocean stopped. There’s no path for Nova and Lucas to run, but Nova decided to swim again. The water started to move again. A huge, sudden wave covers the two, leaving them riding it. The two struggled to swim to the surface, but certainly they were going to the shore. Shortly after, Axl dropped them at the shore while the two of them coughed and catched their breath. 

"Guys, are you okay?” Kai asked worriedly. Nova itches to reply in sarcasm, but she is struggling to say a word or two and continues coughing. Nova stood up again and walked towards the water again. She passed by Nadine, who was unbothered and continued playing.

“Clay said there’s no way out for you,” Nadine blurted, making Nova stop and turn her head to her. She can’t help but glare at her. “You should stop, Nova.” 

“Nadine!” Kai called and walked towards Nadine, sat down, and faced her. “Why are you saying that to her?” 

“That’s what Clay said.” Nadine said innocently. 

“Why is everyone telling me there’s no way out here? Are we on a different planet? Huh? Tell me?!” Kai closed her eyes and tried not to say a word. A part of her wanted to tell the truth, but she made a promise to Lucas.

“We’re trapped here, Nova,” he said. Kai’s face relaxed. Nova opened her eyes and looked at Lucas. “There’s no way out for us.” Hearing it from him, Nova’s legs weaken, fall, and sit on the sand.

“You’re lying.” she said softly, Lucas walked towards her and sat in front of her. Kai and Nadine decided to give the two space. 

***

Nova and Lucas peacefully sat on the beach, looking at the big, bright sun in the ocean. Her head rested on his shoulders. Nova didn’t bother to move, as she somewhat gave up.

“Then what about them? My mom, yours, our moms. I still want to see Lucas. I still want to.” he just quietly listened to her. “It’s not true, right?” Nova was still in denial.

“Nova…”

“You’re lying, right? How are we stuck? How is that possible? Lucas, let’s try another way to —”

“Nova, look at me,” Lucas commanded as he turned Nova and faced each other, looking in each other's eyes. “We can’t go back. We’re stuck. Accept it.”

“H-how?” Nova’s tears started to fall. Seeing her like this just made his heart crushed. He hugged her tightly. 

“Be with me, Nova; let’s start a life together,” Lucas said softly.

Not far away, Clay has been observing them for a while. He turned back to go back to work when he came across Kai.

“I just have been gone for a week, and now you gave up? Are you really Kai?” Clay mockingly said.

“Don’t pretend you're not enjoying this, Clay.” 

“I am not, never have been. Kai, why don’t you understand that? It’s our job; keep that in mind.” Then Clay walked away.

“It’s his wish,” Kai uttered.