The thin lips of the man parted, as his hand lead the fried flower into his mouth. The first bite of it created a loud crisp, enough for Ania to heard it from afar.
"Rachella..."
His movement stopped as he sensed the familiar taste of the food. For the first time in 20 years, this is the first time he finally eaten a food that suits his taste.
"No. I'm imagining it again."
He long knew that Rachella is dead.
But he also knows that this is not the cooking of the Head chef. Who could it be?
The cook is worthy to be praise for this.
Ania is hiding in one of the open room as she watched the man picked the tray and went inside. Ania cannot help but to smile and heave a sigh of relief when she saw his action.
After waiting for a long time, she decided to enter the door to get the tray. As expected, the room was dark. But the sight of dirty clothes are nowhere to be found. Well it should be; she only cleaned this morning.
She picked up the tray and was about to go out when the voice of the man entered her ears.
"Rachella..."
She turned frozen from her spot. Rachella?
She looked at the man and only to see him lying with his eyes close. He is talking in his sleep. His brows are shaking while his forehead furrowed.
Is he having a bad dream?
Rachella? Is that his lover's name that died?
Seeing his pained expression, Ania cannot help but to went near him. She gently put her hand in his head. The man moved a little causing her to flinch. After a while, seeing that there's no additional movement, she gently stroke his head.
When the moon shines on you,
The dampness of the night,
One then two,
Cease the burning flame.
Her voice rang around the room. The lullaby that even she did not know why she sang.
The melody's words flow,
The hatred melts
Fleeing together with the chime
She stopped. She didn't know what's the next words. It's her memory of a girl singing that song but every time she sings that, she always forget the next line.
She looked at the man who is now sleeping peacefully. His face becomes clear and smiling , yet there's a tear flew in his closed eyes. She smiled. It looks like his nightmare is gone but he is missing her.
Hmmm, hmmmm, hmmmm.
She continues the melody with a hum for a few times until she stopped and leave the place.
###
It was already morning when Exyle had woken up. His eyelids are slowly opening revealing his bloody eyes.
He had dreamed of it again. The nightmare of what happened in the past. The memories of the past when he was still running away from human until he met her. It felt so real. Even the way the demon killed her...
For Exyle, it is a memory that he didn't want to remember. Seeing your lover being killed by his own race and dreams of it every night is a torture.
But last night is different. He felt like Rachella caress his hair like the old time. She smiles as she watched him in his sleep. It caused him to sleep until morning. It gives a refreshing feeling, a feeling that he had already forgotten long ago.
He stand up and went into the window and opened the thick curtain making the room illuminated by the sun's light.
A picture of a boy and a girl that is framed can be seen in the table at the side of Exyle's bed.
The girl is ruffling the boy's hair while smiling widely at the camera while making a peace sign hand gesture. The boy is looking at the girl while smiling letting her do what she wants with his hair.
Who would have taught that the boy in that picture that had the carefree appearance is the same cold and lifeless looking man that is standing in the window.
Exyle went to look at the picture and a slight smile form is his thin lips but soon disappear and replace by a sad smile full of longing. He gave a long sigh.
"Rachella, I miss you"
He said in a low voice. The temperature of the room are slowly decreasing and Exyle's face is turning serious.
Suddenly a giggle coming from the outside was heard by Exyle making the temperature returned back to normal.
He went back again to the window to see Ania giggling while talking to three rabbits.
Her laughter echo until it reached the house. The three rabbit are talking to her while she keeps listening.
On Ella's face, amazement can be seen. Her face was full of dirt but her big round eyes are sparkling. She chased the three running rabbits until she fell to a muddy ground. She looked like a pig lying on a mud.
On the other side Exyle, who is looking at her hadn't realize the small smile slowly forming in his cold face. The cold atmosphere is slowly fading away.
Ania who felt that she is being watched suddenly looked at his direction and was shocked to see him looking at her. She gave him a sweetest smile.
This leave Exyle off guard causing him to close the curtain.
His heart is pounding unable to understand why. The last time he felt it is already been a long time.
But the image of the girl smilling keep on flashing in his mind making him unable to forget. But then his eyes spot the picture on the table making him remember the painful past. Her death.
This made the mood returns to the way it was, cold and serious.
Ania, who's outside frown.
Why did he closed it?
Did I do something wrong?
Is he angry at me?
Thinking till here, Ania felt a pain in her heart like it was breaking.