Chapter 205: Unexpected Attack

As happy as he was, Mika knew that he couldn’t delay this any longer.

The timing had to be perfect, and Charlotte was the key to everything. She was the main factor, the most important variable in his plan, and if she gave up on using her abilities now, everything would crumble before it began.

He took a deep breath and thought, ’Alright...time to start the act.’

Meanwhile, Charlotte was pouting again, ready to surrender. "Ugh...forget it." She muttered under her breath, lowering her head. "It’s useless anyway. No matter what I do, I can’t sneak into Mika’s dreams at all. I’ll just...I’ll just curl up here and sleep."

She was about to snuggle against him when, all of a sudden, Mika’s entire body began to glow.

It started faintly, a soft pink hue, eerily similar to the shade of her own eyes, and then began to pulse stronger, spreading across his skin like ripples of light. His body trembled, then shook slightly, as if his energy itself was responding to hers.

Charlotte froze, as her heart dropped.

"M-Mika...? What’s, what’s wrong?" She stammered, her hands instinctively clutching his shoulders. "Mika, what’s happening to you? Hey! Mika!"

Before she could even process what was going on, Mika’s eyes shot open—and she gasped so loudly it almost echoed at what she saw

His usual dark irises were completely gone.

In their place—glowing pink pupils, exactly like her—stared up at the ceiling. His mouth hung open, his body trembling violently as though he were caught between two worlds.

"Mika!" Charlotte cried, panic flooding her voice. "Mika, answer me! What’s wrong with you?!"

He didn’t respond. His eyes were wide, unblinking, his chest rising and falling erratically. His body kept shaking harder and harder, the bed itself beginning to creak under him.

Charlotte’s mind was spinning.

"No, no, no, no, this isn’t right! This isn’t supposed to happen!" She shouted, almost choking on her own breath. "It’s—this has never happened before! I-I didn’t mean to do this!"

She tried to retract her energy, to pull back her blessing, but it wouldn’t work. Her pink aura still clung to him like a chain, refusing to fade no matter how desperately she tried.

"Stop! Stop, please!" She cried, her voice trembling. "Let go of him! Stop reacting! Mika, please, wake up!"

But Mika’s body only continued to convulse. His hands clawed at the sheets, his head jerking from side to side, his mouth muttering incomprehensible words between groans.

It looked like he was trapped in a nightmare so deep that he couldn’t escape.

Then—

A sudden explosion of energy burst from his body.

A pink flash ignited the room, sending a gust of wind straight into Charlotte’s face, blowing her hair back and knocking her against the headboard. She gasped, shielding her eyes.

When she looked again, the pink glow around Mika had vanished—but things weren’t better.

He was still there, writhing on the bed, groaning and twisting like he was in unbearable pain. His hands dug into the sheets, his body tensing with every sharp breath.

Charlotte scrambled forward, grabbing him tightly.

"Mika! Mika, please! What’s wrong?! Talk to me, please! What can I do?!" She begged, shaking him slightly.

His only response was a low, strangled groan.

"Char...lotte...wait...no..." He muttered weakly, his voice breaking like a man trapped in a nightmare.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Stop it, Mika! You’re scaring me! You’re not supposed to react like this—I didn’t mean to! I didn’t know this would happen!" Her voice cracked with fear as she clutched his hand tightly. "Please, please wake up...tell me what to do..."

But Mika continued to toss and turn, completely lost in his agony.

Finally, unable to take it anymore, Charlotte screamed.

"Mama! Mama, help! Help! Something’s wrong with Mika! Please, Mama!"

Her terrified voice rang through the halls.

And almost instantly, as if Yelena’s maternal instincts had been triggered at the very sound—the door burst open.

Yelena rushed in, her expression switching from sleepy confusion to sheer horror the moment she saw them.

"Charlotte? What, what in the world are you shouting for?!" She started, but froze as her gaze fell on Mika.

He was groaning in pain, his body trembling violently, while Charlotte was on the verge of tears, holding onto him tightly.

"Mika!" Yelena gasped, rushing to his side. She dropped to her knees beside the bed, grabbing his arm to stop him from rolling off. "Mika, what’s wrong? What’s happening to you?!"

Her voice was desperate, her usually calm tone breaking with panic.

But Mika didn’t respond. His groans grew louder, almost anguished, and his entire frame trembled as though something invisible was tearing at him from within.

The sight made Yelena’s heart twist.

Mika was the most composed, resilient person she knew, the kind of man who smiled even through broken bones. To see him like this, writhing and helpless, sent a chill through her veins.

She turned to Charlotte, pale and terrified.

"Charlotte!" She snapped. "What’s happening here?! What did you do to him?!"

Charlotte flinched, her lips trembling. "I-I don’t know! I didn’t mean to—!"

"Charlotte!" Yelena’s voice cracked sharply. "This isn’t a joke! Mika’s suffering, so you’d better tell me right now what happened!"

Her anger was fierce, but the fear in her tone was stronger.

Charlotte broke down, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I’m sorry, Mama! I didn’t mean to! I swear!" She sobbed. "I just...I didn’t feel like sleeping alone tonight, and it felt awkward to sleep with you, so I came here instead! I thought I could...I could maybe slip into Mika’s dreams again, just to see what he was thinking! I’ve done it before, but it never worked, so I just wanted to try again, and then suddenly, he started acting like this!"

Yelena’s face went from anger to shock, then frustration.

"Charlotte..." She said through gritted teeth. "Didn’t I tell you not to go into people’s dreams randomly?! I told you over and over, it’s dangerous! Not just for you—but for whoever you’re entering! If something goes wrong, it can harm both of you!"

Charlotte shook her head helplessly.

"I know! I know, I’m sorry, Mama! I just thought...nothing would happen. It’s Mika! Nothing ever hurts him! He’s...He’s always so strong, so calm, I thought...I thought no matter what I did, it wouldn’t matter! I just wanted to see what he was dreaming—I didn’t mean for this!"

Her words broke into sobs, and Yelena exhaled shakily, realizing her daughter’s fear was genuine and she genuinely didn’t think anything would happen to Mika, which made sense as she herself really didn’t understand how Charlotte’s blessing managed to affect Mika.

She softened her voice, placing a hand on Charlotte’s back. "Alright...alright, sweetheart. Don’t cry. You made a mistake, but it’s okay. We’ll fix this."

She looked back at Mika, who was still struggling on the bed, his face contorted in pain. "It’s Mika we’re talking about. He’s tough. He’ll pull through. He always does."

Charlotte sniffled, nodding weakly, tightening her hold on him. "Please, Mama, tell me what to do..."

"First..." Yelena said, her voice steadying as she assessed the situation. "You have to tell me exactly what you did. Every detail."

Charlotte wiped her tears and tried to speak clearly.

"It was...the same as always. I tried to connect to his mind through the dream link. It’s like walking through the abyss, you know? I can never find the right path inside his thoughts...But then, this time, I saw a light."

"I thought it was his dream, or maybe an opening. So I followed it. But then, everything went blank, and I got pulled out—and when I opened my eyes, he was like this!"

Yelena frowned deeply, glancing at Mika’s trembling body.

"The pink glow, the shaking...yes. That’s definitely your blessing’s energy signature." She muttered. Then she quickly added, "I’m not blaming you, Charlotte. But at least now we know the source. Maybe we can find a way to stabilize it."

Charlotte nodded quickly, still crying. "I’ll do anything, Mama! Please, just help him!"

Yelena took Mika’s hand, squeezing it tightly. "Hold on, Mika...stay with us, alright?"

But just as she said that and she dialed Fauna’s number as she would know what to do in this situation—

Mika suddenly screamed.

"Ahhhhh!"

A loud cry ripped through the air, so loud that both women froze.

He then jerked violently, rolling out of Charlotte’s grasp, hitting the bed hard, then collapsing to the floor. His hands clawed at the floorboards, his breathing sharp and uneven.

"Mika!!" Both Yelena and Charlotte screamed in unison, leaping from the bed.

Charlotte tried to grab his arm, while Yelena reached for his shoulder—

But before they could touch him—

He stopped.

Just like that, Mika went completely still.

Both women froze in place, staring down at him, fear and confusion written across their faces.

"Mika...?" Charlotte whispered shakily. "Please...say something..."

For a few long seconds, she thought she wouldn’t get an answer, just like before when he slipped into deep trances that no one could pull him from. But then—

"Charlotte..."

The low voice startled her. It was hoarse, strained, but unmistakably Mika’s.

He then slowly sat up from the floor, his movement unsteady, like he was waking from a long nightmare. His head hung low at first, his dark hair falling over his face as he breathed heavily, then straightened himself bit by bit.

"Mika!" Charlotte gasped, her tears breaking into a shaky smile. She scrambled closer, clutching his arm. "You’re awake! You’re awake, oh thank the stars..."

Yelena rushed to his other side, crouching beside him, her hands fluttering over his shoulders and neck as if to check if he was hurt.

"Mika, are you alright? What happened? Can you hear me? Do you need anything?" Her voice was filled with desperate concern, words tumbling over each other.

Charlotte nodded rapidly, gripping his hand tightly.

"I’m so sorry, Mika! I didn’t mean for this to happen, I swear! I didn’t know it would hurt you, I just—"

But Mika didn’t respond. He remained still, sitting on the floor with both women leaning toward him, his head bowed. Then—

He opened his eyes.

Both women jerked up in shock as his eyes were actually glowing pink again, softly, eerily, the same shade as Charlotte’s.

"...Mika?" Charlotte whispered, her voice trembling.

But Mika simply blinked once, slowly turning his head toward her. His expression was calm, too calm.

His glowing pupils locked on hers for a moment, almost in recognition, almost like he was trying to understand something unseen. Charlotte felt her chest tighten under his gaze, her breath hitching from the strangeness of it.

Then, just as suddenly, his eyes shifted toward Yelena.

But the moment their gazes met, something invisible surged through the room.

A faint crackle, like static. The air vibrated with a shimmer of pink light that flickered for the briefest second between them, then snapped.

Both Mika and Yelena winced simultaneously.

"Ah—!" Yelena gasped, a hand shooting to her temple. "What was that? It felt like, something brushed against my eyes..."

Mika squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing them as though something had burned. His breathing quickened again, uneven.

"Yelena..." He murmured faintly.

Yelena blinked hard, trying to steady herself, and crawled closer.

"Mika, are you alright? What just happened? Are you hurt?" She reached for him, but as she did, he suddenly stopped rubbing his eyes.

When he opened them again, Yelena froze.

The way he looked at her wasn’t normal.

Gone was the faint confusion, the weariness, the calm composure she knew so well.

Instead, his gaze bore into her, deep, focused, almost predatory. His pink eyes gleamed faintly under the dim light, catching her in a trance.

"Mika...?" She whispered uncertainly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He didn’t answer. He just stared.

Charlotte, still on his other side, noticed it too. "Mama...?" She said in a small voice, her grip on Mika’s sleeve tightening.

Yelena leaned forward a little, concern overtaking her hesitation. "Mika, listen to me. You’re not well, alright? Just relax, I’ll—"

She reached out to touch his face.

But before she could—

Everything snapped.

In a blur of motion, Mika moved.

He lunged up from the floor like a beast freed from restraint, his hands locking around Yelena’s waist with startling strength. The sudden force made her gasp as he pulled her upward with him, her feet leaving the ground.

"—Mika?!" She cried out, eyes wide in shock.

Before either woman could react, he spun on his heel and slammed her gently but firmly against the wall beside the bed. The sound echoed through the room, a soft thud, followed by Yelena’s startled gasp as her back hit the cold surface.

"Mika, what are you doing?!" Charlotte shrieked, stumbling to her feet.

Yelena’s palms pressed against his chest, her eyes wide and disbelieving. She could feel his rapid heartbeat beneath her hands, and the strange heat radiating from him, pulsing in waves.

"Mika!" She said again, her voice trembling between fear and confusion. "What’s gotten into you?! Let go—!"

Yelena didn’t get to finish her protest.

All of a sudden, out of nowhere, Mika gave her one last, intense stare, a look that seemed to strip away every layer of her composure.

Then, he suddenly surged forward, pressing his body completely against hers, pinning her against the wall. The move was utterly dominant, beating back any chance of retreat.

And then, to her utter, disbelieving surprise—he pushed his lips against hers.

"Mmm!♡~ Mmm!♡~ Kiss!♡~ Mmm!♡~ Slurp!♡~"

Immediately, his tongue plunged deep inside her mouth, invading her space. He started kissing her, not with the gentle, chaste affection she was used to—but with a passionate, ravenous intensity that felt utterly crazy.

"Kiss!♡~ Kiss!♡~ Mwah!♡~ Kiss!♡~ Nibble!♡~"

Yelena’s eyes went wide, her cheeks flooding with a deep, burning blush. She felt the shocking intrusion of Mika’s tongue going deep inside her, playing aggressively with her own tongue, which was completely caught off guard.

Her mind screamed in a mixture of horror and sudden, electric arousal.

Charlotte, standing just a few feet away, was absolutely aghast.

She lifted her hands, covering her mouth, her eyes wide and disbelieving at the sight unfolding before her.

The boy she loved, the boy she wanted to marry so much, was passionately kissing her mother, and in such a demanding, explicit manner.

Her world had just tilted violently on its axis and she wondered if she actually just fell asleep and this was simply some sort of nightmare...