A stream of tears rolled down his cheeks, incapable of being held back even with all his exertions to not to shed any droplets of blues.

The once white sheet of paper was now completely ruined with scraped holes, ruined by the harsh clasping of the lamenting one.

The black roses-stitched handkerchief wiped away the cloudy haze, decorating his pale complexion with a delicate yet artificial smile.

“Noah... where exactly are you?”

The air carried his light mutterings, scattering the message to the atmosphere feigning its low timbres as part of the ecosystem.

His back was onto the dewy grasses of the field, bone protruding hands grasping the air as his mind wandered far and wide crossing over the boundary of his conscience.

Further than the petite hands could ever reach.

In his years of living, never once did he learn that the sky in the midday was able to portray such incredible shades of blue from down there where he stood.

For the very first time, the chirpings of the birds were as lovely as a hymn in his ears. No more of the nuisance from the bustling cities crammed with endless outcries.

The gentle breeze was startlingly fresh, clearer to breathe in contrasted with the unnatural air conditioning he made use of. Particularly during the scorching summers and heavy snowfalls.

Regrettably, this beautiful world was unable to be thoroughly discovered by him.

Prior to this moment, never had life been this peaceful where he's chased by workloads. All of which could be described as to never ceasing, not till the very end of all the livings.

Now that the limit was set, everything was indeed seen as a beautiful blessing...

.

.

.

“First destination, H City!”

Picking up the marker with scarlet inks, Luca drew a crooked little loop over the day's date in the diary he'd kept close to him. The lopsided red marking was meant to count his days as a wandering vagabond.

In more accuracy, it's an itinerant wanderer who'd abandoned his home for a reason that the majority would guffaw at him for.

The timer placed by his bedside rewrote a new digit as the count of the clock hit twelve of the night hour.

Six months was left.

A void that had rooted somewhere his heart twitched for a foreign reason he dared not conclude, from just a trivial glance at the innocent timer.

Despite his poor attempts at feigning the rainbows and sunshine, some profound sentiments still bound him to the sorrow of reality.

All was yet to free him from the weighing passions...

Shrugging at his thinkings, Luca switched off the lights, cutting off his only source of lights for his supposed bedtimes.

Not that he faithfully stick to this time planning.

He cuddled tight a worn-out coffee dipped teddy bear as he tugged the blanket to his upper torso to tuck himself to the freight train chugging towards the dreamland.

Luca tried to encaged his slowly fading warmth from escaping with the cold evening despite him having a heater turned on.

Still, the chill granted mercy to none and seeped into his bones with disregard towards his futile attempts at assuaging it.

Albeit both pairs of eyes basking the phosphenes, that resolute mind of his denied off his approval slumbering the physical exhaustion away.

In this stark darkness where his five senses were sealed, his hearing was honed to the peak of its height.

Enabled heed of his to each pulsing noise of the twilight whispers namely the punctual ticking of the clock enacting a digital lullaby that was accompanied by the night crickets cries fitfully.

In this bare darkness where no one was present, not a single soul was able to listen to his pathetic little wishing, an impulse had overtaken his usual rhythm.

The loosened mouth whispered in a low voice akin to a passing zephyr, “I wish to see you again even just once so that the rushing times would ultimately take a halt.”

Luca buried his head into the huggable teddy bear, cuddling it tighter and tighter with eyes squeezed shut as if he was unleashing an inexplicable load of the heart onto the lifeless doll.

If... if only was it that easy to cast away his secret senses of longing...

***

An hour had passed with the mint green ceilings witnessing clearly how his two eyelids had opened and closed, before opening and closing again.

At this rate, he's more than willing to latch his restive consciousness away in an illusionary box if that's what it took to nod off.

Luca's wide awake from being plagued by this insomnolent with not a wink of sleep obtained.

Pumped with the frustration, he rose from the four-poster queen-sized bed and fumbled around for the nightstand lamp switch to regain the absent lights earlier.

And with extra tedious care, he propped down the beloved teddy bear that went by the moniker of Mister Bliss, mindfully and attentively on the soft mattress.

In spite of the absence of the sun, noting visibly how it was midnight, the navy blue coat hung on the hook was grabbed along as he headed out the private lodging.

It was pitch dark outside.

The intimidating darkness naturally dominated over the street scenery, duskily illumined by the lamppost light.

Luca's breath fogged up the air, noting the rather low drop of the temperature in his surrounding as soon as his feet stepped outside of the accommodation. The nighttime played as part of the factor as well.

He paced the sidewalks, occasionally tracing the horizontal lines of the pavement to cool down his active train of thoughts with the bone-chilling night air.

Had his past self been to replace him on an evenfall stroll, one would call him out as some sort of life glitch or even perhaps a blessing pardoned by the Mighty One.

The outdoor leisure was the rarest type of leisure granted he'd preached as a luxury as more often than not, these aspects were basically out of the box, never to cross his mind.

An overall schedule of his life in simple summary consisted of work in the morning, work in the afternoon, work in the evening, work in the nighttime and sleeping at midnight.

He hated to admit it but he used to be that guy that's infatuated with his work life. Such a weird flex one wouldn't wish to possess.

The severity was to the extent that his coworkers labelled him as something even worse than a workaholic... the guy who was wedded to his work.

As if being known as someone whose spouse was his job wasn't bad enough, his colleagues didn't even bother to keep it a secret behind his back, not even in a roundabout way.

Not that he particularly minded such joke as it was intended for nought. At most, such occurrence made a decent topic to laugh at collectively during a gathering.

Luca's tense lips arched into a small beam.

To be honest... reflections resembling this did intensify his itching to return to those busy days of his, not that it possessed a special something although his current condition wasn't too bad either.

His platinum blond hair swayed lightly, helplessly being swept by the wind as Luca brooded.

The blue in his eyes that mirrored the gleam of a sapphire lept it gazes a spot to another before firmly spotting a roadsides store that offered twenty-four-seven services.

Giving the sideways glance down his stomach, the hunger broke out almost instantly as if it's been waiting all these moments for him to finally notice its petition for food.

Luca contemplated a bit before intending to coax his grumbling stomach with something from the store.

Before getting a move on, he felt around his pocket for his wallet, only then sighing of relief while grasping that valuable money case of his feeling assured.

Looked like he won't have to awkwardly stand in the store self-consciously smiling at the cashier with the already scanned products only to realise he had forgotten his wallet.

Indeed was one sticky situation he would have to patch onto which details totally was not speaking from his own experience... totally not.

Eyeing the lined up products, Luca specifically targeted for the fulfilling and easy to prepare one or in other words, instant food just to not waste his efforts struggling to consume the food due to his current inconvenience.

The least hassle the better.

After some deliberation and deep consideration, the instant porridges, two chunks of the energy bar and a few cans of tea beverages made their way to the finals.

Just one more concern before he finalised his choices. Could these purchases pass as healthy?

Rather than being healthy, phrasing it as decent was more than proper as certainly his choices weren't exactly bad. Well, disregarding the fact that it was instants and packaged meals, it was not that bad.

The deep questioning was all so that his dear uncertified mother would not turn into an other-worldly being after learning his messed up meals intakes.

God bless him was his ears were to reach this. A guillotine might be a greater passing to heaven alternative for him were that to happen, literarily speaking.

Eventually, with the finalised choices in hand, Luca walked to the counter still with the thoughts vigorously bouncing the edges and corners of his mind.

“Umm... excuse me, sir.”

The sales clerk intrusion yanked reality to the Luca who's still imagining the close-up views of a flying polished leather shoe that he only was able to witness with great details thanks to that irritable person he'd mentioned prior to this.

His needlessly excellent thinking came to an abrupt stop. Luca peeked from the corner of his eyes before tilting his head in that person's direction. “Yes?”

“Are you, Elouise Theodore, by chance?” His words thunderstruck him causing the pupils to distinctly widen in length. ‘How come...?’

Never had he foresaw for an actual person to recognise his faces. Even with this great distance from the place he had called home where he's quite known as he's not a popular celebrity that's locked in everyone's heart.

Although he's a public figure with a decent reputation, it usually came with little to no recognition.

His heart that beat to a frenzied rhythm pumped the blood in an urging motion, setting his anxiety to rest by the peak of its throne sky high.

Luca's focus was randomly directed at the cigarettes and tobacco boxes displayed on the shelves instead of directly facing the cashier that he's supposed to be talking to.

He lifted the corner of his lips into a rather strained smile with his fingertips fiddling the hard edge of the coat, shuffling almost nervously behind the sight of the latter.

No... don't look at me....don't!

His heart trembled, not with excitement but was troubled by this tension.

Stop with the expecting stares filled with things he dared not discover that were like staring deep into his soul, uncovering all the memories he refused to acknowledge.

The triggered memories churned the feelings he wished for no return.

The despair, the abhorrence, the detestation and the overwhelming feelings swooped him in a scoop, carving a layer of an impassive indifferent exterior to his broken pieces of mortal shells.

The undemanding simple question had pierced his every motion off to no struggle.

It's alright.

No more... it's nothing. Nothing at all...

“...I think you've got the wrong person. I'm sorry.” Luca smiled as he made his way out of the store with hands clenching down the paid foods that's placed in a plastic bag.

He slowed down his fast-paced walking, panting heavily acting as if he had run the track field three complete rounds when he's just a few feet away from the convenience store.

The adrenaline rush was real though.

His head was kneaded himself, messing his hair over and over again into a big lump of a mess before properly being slicked to the back again.

A sigh was heaved from the mouth that was still catching his breath, coming in aid to the small nose that was struggling to.

He called out on his carelessness when letting down his guards just because he's situated in a city farther than his original residence.

Like a criminal tiptoeing his toes around, on the lookout every second in fear of the authorities.

Although, his circumstance wasn't that severe to the point of altering identity and neither was he sneaking around for committing a crime of some sort.

All this effort put in was for the sake that he wouldn't be possibly tracked down by them who persistently insisted on his return.

Those people didn't only purely wish for his return, it was entirely something else that they sought for. Regardless of the risk of exposing himself, there's already no going back on this ultimate determination he'd planted his soul with.

Surely, it was a risky voyage, but definitely, definitely... it would be worth it, right...?

•To be continued...

Leisurely basking in the sunlight, breathing in the clear air, sipping on a hot cup of freshly brewed coffee and wandering mindlessly relying only upon one's instincts...

What a wonderful day it was for him.

The difference in his plan down to the details during the day before and the current date was too cumbersome that a day unrolling the scroll with all its archive jotted down won't suffice.

The surviving condition of his own reversed to a twenty-four-hour ago notably was in a disorderly shape, being contorted from the prior jet lag.

A few nights after withstanding the aftertaste torture of travelling by air, he dared proudly assert that he'd challenged his fragile limit to the brink of shattering.

Not saying that he'd actually report this to his good-old friend (that would probably be happy enough to voluntarily rebuke him after hearing that) nearing the end of the day before.

Regardless, he reserved a full day from dawn to dark merely for the sake of visiting five big and well-established hospitals not for the illness this time, but an ill-tempered person.

Quite desperately, if words were sufficient at doing the explaining.

He sighed, not knowing whether to smile or even cry.

Despite the happy go lucky pretence he'd worn in face of anything, the deepest corner of his heart wasn't rubbed off with the bits of assurance his hands had dunked in.

His own hand wasn't able to reach the little corner that was hidden from his own sight, blindfolded by the restriction that squirmed for somebody to pat it in assurance.

The assurance it sought by chance had to be the hardest obtained. But it's fine, the time wasn't up yet.

...

Yesterday's sunset was beautiful.

The sky was painted with layered shades of oranges encircling its cores of light, the sun as it set in no hurry for the moon-escorted eve to make its greet.

The entrancing sunset through the glass window of the fifth hospital left him pondering with blank eyes that reflected the sunset pinnacle.

Just as the sun takes its time guiding its setting for the moon, he will also let nature takes its course as he treaded only the path that fates had threaded him.

It was by no doubt that little to no chance would ‘he’ pop out of thin air in front of him was he to spare not an effort on searching for him.

Despite him akin to searching a needle in a haystack.

He was well aware that resources such as hired investigator or a reliable mutual acquaintance would be a great moving gear for his fruitless search.

Though, he turned down such offers that would present him better results than his pointless that one could tell with one eye shut will end in vain.

He did collect trivial pieces of information related to him, one that he'd obtained from his friend who happened to be a mutual friend with ‘him’ although he'd never given out his address or even the city he made a home in.

‘He’ had erected a career in medical fields in recent years, realising his childhood dream into a dream come true.

Knowing this constantly bloomed a smile the owner himself didn't seem to notice.

A foolhardy plan and farcical approaches weren't the proudest decision he'd set in stone but it was an intention cultivated with his determination even if it sometimes was swayed by the strong wind.

This shaky branch that was more fragile than anything was his only will.

It might be the only ridiculous thing he could have ever accomplished in his life.

Even so, he's more than inclined to wager his everything on this gamble he'd set himself up to.

Luca zoomed into reality, consciously wandering around the town square to have his visions sanctified with the tourist attractions he'd pinpointed in advance.

The zestful attentions of his scattered like tiny grains traversing the brick walls of the streets into the smallest details of the fushia petals of the flowers wrapped in bouquets for sale.

And not to his surprise, he was bumped into by a stroke of not-so fortunate luck or rather, a not-so good-natured person.

Hosting the frail body he was, the nudge effortlessly tackled over him, causing soap-opera-like scenes where the daughter-in-law was slapped in the face by his disapproving mother in law into a side-saddle position.

Such sickly ill-fated moment he had to host undeviatingly after a relished day.

Talking about bad luck, Luca was showered by the coffee that he clutched onto as if his life depended on it, only for the weak lid of its cup to instantly peeled off and rush to him instead.

He... honestly didn't appreciate his favourite coffee returning to him that way that reeked him all over with the sharp scents of the coffee.

Certainly, it's one of the worst days to appear wearing a new white shirt... which he apparently did. Such a handmade masterpiece stained his white branded and newly bought shirt.

Luca's not one to hold grudges nor was he fond of conflict, so he wasn't going to comment anything about the shirt, considering how he's partly to blame too for not paying attention.

“Ah, I'm so sorry... are you okay?”

His right hand nimbly collected back the emptied plastic cup that's supposed to be filled with his precious coffee just a moment ago.

By luck or not, his drink didn't even come in contact with the man, not a single drop.

*tssk *

The huge-physiqued man snapped with a toiling amount of dissatisfaction vividly portrayed on his gruesome grimace. “Watch it! What a jinx...” He whipped out a vexed eye roll.

Although startled by the shout, Luca sighed while shrugging off his pessimist impressions with an undefined smile.

Even if it's not him that had actually become the cause of the bumping, it didn't matter anymore.

Rather, he's quite fortunate that his coffee rain didn't even touch that man, even though it did lunge onto him.

Luca carelessly moved his arm causing him to hiss lightly. Some part of his arm and ankle throbbed in pain.

Did he accidentally twist his leg?

Luca hesitated... although it lasted only a second as he had proceeded to overlook his strained arm. His hands flailed around like a duck, struggling to stand up from the awkward slopped sitting position he's in.

“Excuse me, sir. Are you alright?”

Like the saint aid, a gracious voice called for him, lending a hand to Luca that's in a sticky position from the unintended coffee bath.

Needless to say, he was positively not alright.

“It's fine, I'm alright.” Luca was immersed in gratefulness for her thoughtfulness but he dared not bother her.

The polite smile he'd declined her thoughtful offers with stiffened as soon as their eyes engaged one another.

Luca was petrified into a corpse, a mummified corpse. Just how... and why exactly?

Met with this unappointed confrontation, he's about to make a run for it with all his might.

Out of the blue, a firm grasp hooked his arm, inflicting agonizing distress on the opened wound. Luca winced unconsciously when her touch landed on the wounded spot.

“Gah! Sir, you're bleeding!” Chaoticness pervaded the room.

Not precisely a room supposing that they were on the sidewalks. Regardless, two entirely offbeat sorts of uneasiness fused one another.

The young lady's knitted brows doubled, discerning the bloody red smears staining his shirt had mingled with the coffee stain apace.

She tugged him along with her force-haste to a location he knew nothing of.

‘??? What the---?’

This was logically speaking is a... kidnapping... right?

Everything happened so fast it implicated his judgement, lagged by the confusion of being dragged away without any sort of consensus.

Luca in the end was simply baggage-d away in a rather comical means.

***

The lingering dense smell of antiseptic wafted inside the pharmacy, the sense of familiarity embraced him with a feeling of melancholy deep within. Good experiences amidst this odour had never existed in his dictionary of life, that essentially was something others would surely agree to as well.

“Senior... you are Senior Luca, correct?” She insisted, as her hawk eyes bawling the captivated prey sat obediently.

Long story short, after being carried away by the lady who's extending her hand for assistance, he's brought to the pharmacy she's running and was provided with proper treatments and a soak too, freeing him from both the pain and coffee.

Currently, Luca was being thoroughly investigated in the middle of being treated with another shot of caffeine replacing his forfeited one.

“Haha...I've got that a lot lately but I'm sorry, you must be mistaken.” Managing the fact that he was busted, he foolishly decided to tread on that path of dishonesty by showcasing his fake laugh on the plate. How long will the plate endure prevailed ambiguously...

“Senior... how could I ever forget about you?” Evidently, if Luca was visually impaired that 'genuine' pleading from her will without a doubt worked but that wasn't the case.

Giselle Bianca, a young pharmacist from a reputable doctor lineage and Luca's close junior in their university years. The intrepid siren... was what they branded her blessed her fierce and bold behaviour plus her splendid voice tone.

Nevertheless, her apathetic stiff expression depicting IDGAF pretty much flung that out of the window.

“I...” Luca was flustered, baffled with his words fastened in his throat.

“Is a mole on a thumb easy to be duplicated?” Dumfounded, his expression said it all.

“Ha...you rather memorised someone's mole than their face, Elle?” Luca chuckled as he recalled the nonchalant dauntless attitude applied to her who everyone presumed was violent.

People use to assert that true love manifested one's demeanour discordantly. Imperceptibly his belief was yielded into that statement.

The content feeling one had when her usually dull expressions commissioned an impeccable flip had Luca's cousin, Charles Ceylon made his entrance was fulfilling.

As additional info, both of them are engaged to each other officially with a plan of marriage soon in mind.

“Senior, your platinum blonde hair with a gold line is too distinct to be imitated unless you dye it like mine.”

Giselle directed her gaze towards the rosy hue of her senior's natural hair that never faltered at enticing just anyone. Similarly, did she perceived it too once in the past on their first encounter...

That day when the autumn arrived and the beautiful rust-coloured leaves scattered on the ground from its original spot on the tree. A picturesque day to be treasured from days onward.

Among the reddish-brown background, stood out a beautiful silver glow that outshined the falling leaves. An intriguingly ambiguous appearance that served as a genuine affinity.

She's bewitched by the beauty with no sound voiced, her foot paced forward intuitively as if being drawn on by an unknown force.

*grab *

Her hands grasped the enchanter, little did she acknowledged her unconscious doings as if being drunken on the potion made out of the delusion enchantment.

“Eh?” Perplexed was to be anticipated as his response from being grabbed out of the blue. Huge red bold question marks should be visible all over his bewildered face, including those who encircled him.

“Can I touch your hair?” With eyes beaming of hopes, she requested straightforwardly thus inducing surprising titters from him who chuckled brilliantly.

“What?!!!” Again, the rest of them were bewildered by the overwhelming sense of honesty and frankness she expressed. Plus, it's the so-professed intrepid siren they're addressing now...

“...Pfft! Haha, you're a frank one... so my hair's that interesting, huh? But sure, little friend.” Luca gave his permission which also attracted others unusual glances.

“Pretty...” She muttered in awe. As if there a shining halo glowing over Luca who was gentle with his smile.

“Hmm??” Not understanding the situation, his response slipped with curiosity.

Others whispering were deafened at the moment limited in her hearings, it's not like she particularly paid any attention to those aspects, regardless, so...

Besides, others point of views had yet to benefit ever her whole life so why bother now?

That odd occurrence was the turning point of both their lives, bonding their relationship as the closest bud. It's hilarious how their relationship began but also was priceless.

As a hair expert from her meticulous explorations and studying for roughly a decade, owing to Luca's cooperation from lending his hair as a test subject, natural hair shed a distinctive impression as opposed to a dyed one.

His hair was delicate to touch and was to its finest, comparable to a cat fluffy furs.

Genetically speaking, he's born with a single braid of golden hues among that platinum hair of his that made an exquisite contradiction. Her sister had inherited the identical thing from their ancestors.

However, lately, his usual hair sparks appeared withering leaving a monotone grey behind. It looks like greeny plant leaves slowly withering and decaying.

Even the sweet husky voice of Luca have sounds hoarse and forced. Those obvious signs pained her right when they stumble upon each other.

“It is that obvious?” Admitting his doom at hiding, Luca removed his black cap that covered his hair, stroking them gently to tidy them that suffocated beneath the cap.

“You're like endorsing yourself. Say, senior...what are you doing in H city? It's not like you to be visiting a city impulsively when there's no special business here.”

The Luca she knew dare not committing something on the spur of the moment without decent planning or itinerary of his daily pursuits. He's that someone who had a proper disposition of everyday life and a perfectionist in essentially everything.

“Well... I'm here solely for leisure, a voyage so I won't be staying at a place long. I'm taking a vacation worth six months from the world, isn't that exciting?”

Luca optimistically declared with his hands motioning the winning gestures, before groaning in pain from dragging his plastered arms.

“Why so? Not that I disagree as you have worked all times but a vacation...for six months? I'm glad you are enthusiastic, but...”

In her beliefs, spending all of his free times travelling without any devising wasn't a good idea but his actual reasoning broken her heart, conceding her into agreeing as well.

That's the reason she remained reserved, nodding to him as her fingers motioned stirring the tea in faked serenity.

“Why not? I'm craving the pleasure of travelling around huge cities. Finally, I was able to dump all of those demanding struggles...” Luca's utterance whipped Giselle with a realisation and his unbeatable composure pushed her to the verge of sentiments.

* plip *

*hic * *hic *

“Luca... Sorry, sorry...I'm so sorry... I-I...” Giselle sniffled as tears flooded her faces. Her conscience went speechless witnessing the empty smiles he formed.

Unbearable... it's excruciating and wordlessly stifling to that she felt horrible of being able to do absolutely nothing to her adored senior that's currently facing a tough obstacle.

“What are you sorry for? It's not like it's your fault, Lil' Giselle. Seeking for our love till the end of one's breath sounds romantic, no?” His hand patted her head as his words reassured Giselle that had snap out of her usual persona.

* sobs * *sobs *

“Y-you're a h-hopeless romanticist, senior...sobs.” Luca extended his arms, tugging her into a hug, hushing the rift of feelings that the two souls weren't able to bear.

The only exception was that one was made a secret while the other was made apparent.

“It's alright, Elle... At least the remaining journey will grant us the chances of a mere encounter. That alone is enough for me to live on.” Luca muttered.

He wondered when will fate allowed the second encounter in between of 'he' and himself, or truly will fates ever allowed for one?

***

After the massive tears-shedding floods, they both returned to Elle's lodgings that she's residing at after wrapping up the pharmacy for the day.

“Senior, I've decided. I'm departing along with you!” Her voice screamed determination as she yanked her belongings and stuffing them into gigantic black with violet striped luggage.

“Hold on...Where to?” Luca instantly clutched the fast-paced hand of his junior that was in the haste of packing.

“Your vacation. I can't leave you travelling alone... Luca, two head is better than one.” Her expression gradually darkened and with an unravelled tone she withdrew her hand from his that got in the way of her packing.

“I appreciate your thoughts, Elle but any more than this, I won't be able to repay you. I'm sure that there are also lots of others that need you, here... more important than me.” Her insisting on following him will just weigh more cons than the pros for her.

It's fairer for her not to as this journey was long meant for him alone without the company of others. Allowing her will merely conclude with her soon being wallowed in blues.

“B-But senior... I won't get in your ways, nor will I stop you so please, just bring me with you...” Giselle refused to shift her request despite apprehending the truth better than others how those words held great validity behind them.

The apologetic weeping face she made prompted his hand patting his hard to coax sister's head again.

Patting her hair like this evoked him of the past.

Giselle used to have naturally blonde hair but in her sophomore year, she went gangsta and had her hair dyed with strawberry blonde highlights.

“Elle, instead of accompanying me, how about fulfilling me a promise instead, will you?” Luca proposed, making clear of his intention of discarding the ideas of her coming along behind.

It's not that she's a burden by interfering with his expedition, no, but it's because not all tales ended with a happy ever after one. But of course, even he was oblivious in regard to the future.

“Luca, you... what is it?” That gesture of him ascertained her to give in. And so, with a frail refusal, she regarded to his whims.

“Elle... first, you must assure me not to abruptly dump my brat of a cousin, yes? Charles will certainly be wailing till the end of the world if you did.” Luca poked teasingly at Giselle that reddened from the impromptu mention of her beloved one.

“Senior! Be serious, would you?” Giselle snorted sheepishly, flustered as she flouted over the gloom earlier.

“I need you to properly look after yourself, never date scumbags who make your eyes puffy from being dumped that applied on Charles as well, of course...

You must quit that unhealthy habit of binge eating when you are under the weather and bravely faced them, yeah?... No more again staying up late just to watch your dramas just because I'm not here to warn you, hmm?

Above all, treat yourself like a queen and make sure others do too, Giselle Bianca as you truly are one like you always love to claim before, hahaha.

You know, just as I am precious to you, you too are likewise is very precious to me. My best friend, my little sister, my family.

The one who encourages me regardless of the whispers, the one who supports me without judgement over my actions, the one who corrects me when I'm in the wrong and always is the one who never fails to be there when I need you most.

Elle, really...thank you. Forgive me, cause this time, I'll have to disobey your order, Your Highness. I hope Charles can take care of my little queen here properly and not to starve her.”

Luca grabbed Giselle's palm and gifted her a frozen treat wrapped in plastic packaging, one that others crave during mid-summers.

“Luca...this? Popsicle ice creams???”

Giselle whammed waves of laughter with her back turned on Luca as she repressed the bitterness that welled her heart at his speech.

Giselle grasped the chocolate-flavoured frozen treat that Luca set on her hands after finalizing his words. What's with that horrible timing?

Still, the thoughts that it's a typical thing he would do for sure was bringing smiles to her face...

“Yeap, I bought one for myself too. Doesn't this bring back memories?”

Luca's word passed by carrying a hefty silence as both preserved their unintended gazes towards the busy streets, recalling all the past that passed by the door of their remembrance.

“Luca... you're being too cruel. If you want to profess at least do it more romantically, you hopeless romanticist.” Giselle subdued theirs hushes with a rigidly defined giddiness.

They would rather not touch the sensitive topics but was inescapably running closer and closer as the conversation flows.

“Eh---- It's a rare treat from your senior, you know. I don't just treat anyone.” Luca countered her words with a simple grin.

Those chocolate-flavoured popsicles are the exact ones they would consume after an exasperating day, especially in the blazing summer season.

Memories kept being replayed in their minds without fail, giving a heart-wrenching sensation... endlessly scouring both mentalities.

“Eh---- Aren't you being too stingy over a cheap popsicle, prudent senior?” Elle conventionally being lumped into that luminous laughter of his.

Once, she had this unfaltering impression if he was actually a holy being, an angel possibly. Frankly, it's amusing to have reminisced back.

“Heh, I guess this hush money doesn't work too?”

Luca ripped open the popsicle's plastic wrapper, start eating the cold appetiser that left a chill on his palate. Giselle too did the same before her emotions strike a breakdown.

*tears up *

“...I still can't believe it, senior... life is so unfair, why just why... Forgive me, Luca...” Giselle broke into tranquil tears, no longer whimpering but her stream of tears is unstoppable.

It's morosely overwhelming despite her not being the one been put under the pressure.

“There, there... don't blame yourself over something that isn't your fault, alright? It's an inevitable fate of mine, so no more self-accusing. Did that lousy-mouthed Charles told you of my ‘excursion’?”

Regarding his journey, his decision was only known to his close family members and several appointed employee, so it's understandable that he perceived it too.

“Yeah... you're so despicable, Luca. Why didn't you tell me anything about it? Am I that unreliable in your eyes?” Giselle looking glum again, reflecting herself as her visions directed to the floor.

“Hmm... I planned to tell you one day but fates sure are unpredictable, huh? Also, I see no reason as to why would I trusted someone unreliable with all my secrets before, Elle.”

He had the intention to but it's never was made reality as Giselle now was living in a separate city and they're both busy chasing after their own pacing life.

“Geez, as if that one day will ever come... Hey, can you turn around for a sec, Luca?” Giselle requested and Luca knowingly turned his body fronting away from her way.

“Sure.” His response was concise.

“And oh, close your eyes too.”

“Eyes closed.” Luca shut his eyes with both his hands, anticipating the incoming.

The air she inhaled was breathed in deeply, accumulating nature's force for the strength she's seeking to put her concerns into words.

“Senior Luca, you said that I'm the one who assisted you most but to me, senior it's you, the one who supports me during all my hardships. I likewise wish that I could help you with your struggles, so just know that I'll be here listening to you even if I'm impotent in this fight.

I hope for this journey of yours to become the joy peak of your life we all held invaluably.

Please, please... remember that I'm here for you always and I... also treasure our memories when we're both ignorantly playing around so, senior, don't worry about me and others too... be more greedy and do the thing you are only best at, by being happy.”

She gasped out of breath after the confessing but Luca's reaction concerned her rather greater than her missing breath.

She admitted, as someone who seldomly confessed her genuine sentiments, expressing one's embarrassing compassion was the definition of difficult on another whole level.

Nevertheless, this awkward and tear-jerking profession was better than regretting and lamenting the following day.

“Alright. I will... So here, my last gift before your bachelorette titles being replaced. I want to escort you walking under the aisle but I'm sorry if by any chance I...” Luca paused his words, leaving it hanging with a smile.

He placed emerald-carved earrings shaded in a golden coating on Giselle's palm.

“No! You'll be the one to witness my wedding, the one to send me to my partner with a smile. So promise me, Luca, that you will or else I'm strangling you right here and now.”

Giselle grumbled in exasperation with her eyebrows heavily scrunched as she went on with fussing displeasedly.

“Hahaha,I see... then, these earrings here will serve as my replacement until I return, will that do, Elle?” He dodged the commitment swiftly as ever.

It's much notable now that his silver irises reflected no sign of wavering waves, tranquil and serene almost as if the silver hues was slowly fading away, leaving no trace of that longing gaze.

“Well...fine, I suppose...” Giselle sighed seeing how he's running away again.

It terrified her as it constantly concerned her because Luca always seemed waning away unnoticed... as if he could just be gone unknowingly.

“Farewell.... and best wishes, Luca, my good senior.” Giselle smiled adoringly.

The truth was that her heart still was unable to accept what's going on. Still, it's a hunch of her but, accepting his decision by rooting for him might be her most effective efforts for Luca that required it most rather than preventing him.

He's persistent regardless, nonentity was to deter his thirst of accomplishing his desires and she aspired to be part of that too by encouraging him behind the scenes.

“Goodbye and I too wish you the best Elle, my good sister.”

It sounds cringe, one couldn't deny that but it had removed a huge burden from their chest altogether.

Giselle did hesitate to accede to his decision at first but now, she's glad how Luca resolved to be true to his feelings. His determinations of travelling were part of the proof that her senior will be acknowledging his feelings and be authentic to himself.

This senior of her infrequently spoken of his true perceptions which some might not notice due to his habit of going along with others wish.

She despised it when others seized advantage of him but it seemed like he had a change of heart that might be because of ‘that’ still, she's happy for him.

“Please be happy forever, Luca.”

Her utmost wishes for Luca depicted in one word would simply be that.

She clenched her hands, recalling the earrings Luca gifted her earlier. Giselle removed the earrings she's wearing and replaced them with Luca's gift briefly.

As expected it suited her perfectly, plus, the simple yet elegant design truly was her style and to her liking too.

He certainly knows everything...

“Hey...Elle.” Luca suddenly appeared again by her front door with a guilty smile and eyes evading the fiery stares by Giselle that was jabbing holes on his face.

“Luca? I thought you...?” Giselle thwarted, predicting the ensuing statement that his lips would utter with a silly grin.

“Umm...can I sleep over here? I...kinda forgotten my bag somewhere... hehe,” Luca scratched his head with a pleading smile almost like a small puppy begging to be taken home by its owner.

“Senior! Oh my goodness...” Giselle exclaimed in disbelief as she shook her head repeatedly.

Only now did she noticed, that there's only one single thing, one thing that was wrong with this perfectionist... he's, literally clumsy at the poorest timing feasible. Additional mentioned it was not his first time misplacing his thing.

Giselle ultimately cracked up that her laughter came with tears of relief. Perhaps, she would retrieve her words back as he was too just an ordinary individual, not inferring every bit of everything that was needless to.

“Come on in, Luca.”

“Welp, I guess no one is perfect after all...”

•To be continued...

*knock* *knock*

The constant knocking sounds stirred his fleeting attention towards the wooden door of the room.

Figuring out the silhouette dawdling behind the door separating the two would be, he retorted with all possible haste.

“You can come in.” The once used to be effortless child's play greeting words meant was now one that was laborious even to be mouthed verbal.

* cough * * cough * * cough *

The hoarseness and soreness reside by his neck omitted an uncomfortable bitter aftertaste behind, yielding the impression of him choking on his saliva.

Unreasonably excruciating, repressing the stabbing puncture the cough welcomed without being given a yes or no option.

“Luca, how are you doing? I noticed that the coughing is becoming frequent lately...”

Alexander spoke of his minds with hands weighing the weight of his working suitcase along with emergency apparatuses as accustomed to inviting himself into the flat like some sort of unspoken rule.

“Couldn't be better. Seeing how you came today, is anything so urgent?”

Luca returned to his disturbed meal time, sat in front of the dining table garnished with a plate of mild chicken salad, few sliced apple bunnies and mixed vegetable smoothies.

*cough* *cough*

He quickly gulped down a handful of medication along with the water poured by Alexander who acted spontaneously. Tasteless... no hint of the supposed gag-inducing bitterness.

It's utterly tasteless in his opinion.

Occasionally, he deliberated upon the true taste of the white doses of tablets and pills he consumed customarily. Was it bitter, was it tasteless?

Needless to say, salty, sweet, sour and bitter no longer corresponded to his blind palates.

“You know that I'm transferring to X city central hospital soon right?”

He who did the conversing was a dear friend of his, Alexander Holand, acknowledged publicly for his gifted talent groomed in the white coat within the emergency room as a professional surgeon.

He also acted as the private doctor of Luca's family line.

“Enn...you told me before. What are you suddenly asking this for?”

The senses of the peculiarity apprehended him by the heart, discerning the oddness of their talks that evening when the sun sets painted the world in gorgeous sombre hues of tempers.

Alec's talking in a roundabout way alternatively off his usual ingenuousness. Unfavourable news... that would solely be the explanation.

“Noah.”

The name panned out of Alec's mouth shuddered his body greatly, jerking his every nerve cells root as his heart dropped its beat, malfunctioned that of a defective.

* clang *

His weak grips on his fork dived rock bottom in a trice, producing a metal rattling noise as the fork pecked the surface of the rug draped floor.

“He... what about him?”

Hand clenched tightly, carving his nails to his palm. Impeded rational shattering into erratic cold sweats, topping other layers of anxiety atop of others.

Capricious agile eyes movements, thwarting his gazes incessantly away from his haunting distress.

Each time he cried for silence and serenity, his hands would tremble of oppressive shallow sentiments that outlasted anonymously.

“...Noah Octavius...I found him, Luca. In the X City Central Hospital, my reckoned soon-to-be workplace.”

Alexander glanced over to Luca that stopped stuffing his mouth with the salads that he previously describes as the 'grass thingy'.

He understood Luca as he likewise was nabbed off the huge eventuality nevertheless, what tune would it chime, a prosperous or ominous fluke?

Despite the voiceless screaming dire, he reached for one of the red apple sliced into bunny shape and shoved it in Luca's empty mouth.

Luca's startled by the abrupt feeding yet he lightly smiled realising how he had sunk into the trope of his feelings a little too much.

“I see...is that so?” That smile was harder than a fool code, unable to be deciphered the purpose laid behind his tight defence.

If one were to be put into his shoe, the chance was that they would likely call it a day and drops one's bundle in the afore-mentioned situation.

“Yeah...So, what would your next move be, Luca? Are you coming with me to the X city or not?” He made his point crystal clear yet neither route will provide proper emotions pillow comforts.

It was as if given a key to either unlocked the door to your uncertain apprehension or the grieving remorses.

“Alec... what do you reckon I do? Frankly... I'm puzzled with no right answers, so what am I ought to do?”

Luca tossed his gazes out, pondering himself what was he even doing irrationally of this exploit of a gamble-based?

“If there are no correct ways to do so, then believe in your instinct, trust your guts feelings. Not all problems have a right answer to them because it depends on the person itself. What I'm trying to say is that to gamble pursuing your missing heart.”

Alexander placed the stethoscope that dangled on his neck onto the left side of Luca's chest where the beating heart, the greatest asset of his self dwelled.

“Pfft! The geeky yet meaningful-like resolutions is so you, Alec. There's no harm in trying even if it went down the drain, at the very least I made an attempt and I'm content with those thoughts.”

Luca eventually soothed down his tangible feelings that earlier was made into a disorder.

“Exactly, there's no particular guarantee. You aren't going to resign halfway through after an obstacle, are you, Luca?” Alexander questioned but he rather much grasps the responses he would come up with.

“Hmm...a second chance is practically impossible and resigning halfway is never an option anyway. Earnestly said, am I someone who retires in the process?”

Yup, the ideal statement that Luca would exactly say would be a gentle refusal aka the considerate oppositions.

He tends to apply that type of word speeches often since they were small. A natural-born smooth talker was the word, correct? Regardless, he's more casual when hanging out commonly.

“I wouldn't have befriended you if you are. It's just that this is a huge decision so I'm only getting the latter confirmation from your indefatigable enthusiasm.”

“I know.”

“You must be strong, Luca... I'll help you through so don't give up, please,” Alexander muttered with desperation explicitly delineated in those statements.

“...I know, I know, I won't so don't dwell on it now, alright, Alec...”

The glances they exchanged spoke their concerns better than the mouth works did.

How effortless would it be if their future was to fall directly into their palms, instantly was able to be freed of the undesirable fears they planted in their heart.

.

.

.

"Atropos, come, come to Papa..." His hands reached out to pet the obedient furry friend of his that promptly responded to the call of his name.

'Atropos' a name they come down in favour of when stumbling upon the beautiful triplets which apparently lost their homes, including 'Lachesis' and 'Clotho'.

Despite it being so long ago, it's rewinding freshly unspoilt in his remembrances, like yesterday occurrences.

On their way back home that was within walking distances, chatting freely still dressed in their uniforms.

Four of them, him, Noah, Alec and Luca's older sister, Helena Lea Florence was jollily walking hand in hands while refreshing themselves each, slurping on a small bottle of lemonades.

A sudden cry of something unknown busted their hearing from nearby bushes, agog them all on the edge of their seat, disregarding the fact that they were stood still.

They said curiosity kills the cat... perhaps the sayings were inapplicable for them that day, since the three most adorable and fluffiest one appeared before their eyes, reminding them of the purest form ever.

They're so lovable it simply was hard to take their eyes off those white furs.

Nevertheless, the way the three kittens survived intrigued them of their mother and had them scanning the near grounds just in case the master's nearby.

Helena even questioned the closest street hawker that was setting up his stall for the night market.

The seller shook his head in disagreement while stating that they're abandoned kittens who deserted by their mother just a few nights ago as she never comes by since.

They gasped in sympathies, feeling sorry for the kittens but regardless of pities, to bring the kittens to the local shelter simply shout death sentences to those little fluffballs.

Imagined the numbers of the other abandoned homeless pets being under the care of the shelter,  would these little ones even survive amongst the fierce competition for sake of surviving over there?

Courageously taking a step front, Helena commanded the three others confidently with words that he could hear still to this day;

"Luca, Noah and Alec, carry those small kittens. We're raising them together!" Those began their adventure taming the three newborns that they each take care of together up till naming them too.

The three who used to obsess over the sisters of destiny, Moirai, decided to name the three kittens after them.

Atropos --- Luca's Turkish Angora cat breed. Her eyes differed greatly from her other siblings, she's heterochromia with half gold and half sapphire eyes, an enchanting pair of eyes with snow-white furs. Her name was based on the Greek goddess of fates, Atropos, the inflexible who cut the thread of life.

Clotho --- Noah's Turkish Angora cat breed. A healthy kitten draped in fluffy white fur completed with copper eyes. His name was based on the Greek goddess of fates, Clotho, the spinner who decide and thread the length of one's life.

Lachesis --- Alec's Turkish Angora cat breed. Silky white furs and amber eyes with hints of yellows. Her name was based on the Greek goddess of fates, Lachesis, the allotter who dispensed the fates of humans.

Ahh... those old days were golden.

Luca giggled as he gently patted the attention-seeking furry friend of his. Sometimes he wondered how Clotho was doing since its been really long since the three siblings reunited.

Hah... was he truly prepared to meet Noah?

No matter how excited he was for them to have an encounter, his anxieties were killing him.

Would he be glad to meet Luca, he thinks not. Rather, he would perhaps rush him home.

After all of these years, normally one would question why did he suddenly decide to have the trip.

And he, in response, would only smile while saying, “My yearnings are getting unbearable, you see... I at least would want to see his face once.”

It was the truth, a truth he enveloped in wraps of precaution.

•To be continued...