After charging themselves up and paying the bill, they drove back to the facility to continue the project from where they had left off.
A couple of hours later, the silence was broke by a sudden announcement.
"Eirene, I need to go back to Country J."
"Harlock..." Eirene uttered with a tinge of sadness.
"But don't worry, I'll find time to finish this within a year. If the technology was advanced enough I might start upgrading it to my ideal type."
"You know that I really don't mind being a one-arm person. You can actually put it to a halt. I can manage myself just fine. No need to trouble yourself over something that I had already given up." Eirene look utterly dejected over her situation.
"How could I? Look here.. if I successfully manage to do your bionic arm using the components that were already available in the market with the lowest possible cost, wouldn't it be a good progress of science and medical? Also we are able to help those who had the same condition as yours with less financial capacity. Some might even got it for free, who knows. Just a cost over benefit principle." Harlock explained patiently.
"But.."
"No need to fret, besides I like what I am doing. C'mon let's not get too emotional, you're ruining my image." Harlock joked with a dead pan face.
"Hmp. What image, you clearly don't have it Harlock."
"Whatever."
*
The day of Harlock's departure came...
The two of them came to the airport together with a chauffeur.
"Alright, see you a year later Eirene."
"Yeah, *sniff* see you." Eirene said suppressing the urge to cry but her eyes were already tearing up.
"Such a cry baby. You look uglier."
"Hey! Can you at least spout something a little bit nice for once? And for your information, I'm not crying for you, it is just the humid making my eyes tear up a bit."
"Whatever you say."
"Harlock.. no goodbyes please." She begged.
"Hmm. 'Kay. Whatever." Harlock shrugs nonchalantly.
"Haha you really never stop being a temperamental brat, Miss Whatever." Eirene teased while silently wiping the tears that haven't fallen off.
"My flight will be an hour from now. No need to see the plane off. After I boarded, go back to the facility immediately and take a breakfast. Have a plenty of rest."
"Hmm hmm. Be careful."
"I know."
That was the parting words between Eirene and Harlock. As promised, no goodbyes were uttered.
Harlock boarded without looking back or waved a hand. And Eirene smiled contentedly, she doesn't want goodbyes, for goodbye means never seeing each other again.
"And now, what am I going to do? Having breakfast, taking a rest? After that I'm surely taking boredom to a peak level. Might as well visit them." She murmured to herself.
"Uncle Yu, can we take a detour to the old villa?"
"Yes, young miss. But I'm afraid we can only spare a few minutes." The chauffeur said glancing at Eirene through the rear mirror.
"That's plenty already."
Uncle Yu smiled warmly. He remembered his young miss Harlock's order that this lady must not be alone at all times. Few minutes can be spared but not to exceed the one-hour limit.
He doesn't know why but perhaps that is what the young miss thought would be the best for her friend.
*
Dilapidated gate, wild grasses covering the frontyard and ruins of a burnt house were seen upon the wide range of land.
Arriving at this place, Eirene can't help but swelled up of nostalgia.
"Mother, Father, Elder Sis. I'm home." She whispered into the air.
Like a phantom, Eirene walks without a sound. Silently reminiscing things from her memory.
*
"You should take an example from your younger sister. She already knows what to do at a young age, unlike you, so unlady-like."
"Mom, please I told you I ain't the ideal type of daughter you wish me to be. Younger sis can fulfill that haha. Right Lil Sis?" She asked laughingly.
"Right Mom. Don't force Elder Sis anymore, she might run off from too much persuasion haha."
"The two of you are really like two peas in a pod. I don't know what to do with you two." Their mom said sighingly.
"Mom, you already had plenty of models to dress up, why bother Elder Sis in wearing that again?"
"I clearly designed it for her to wear in an upcoming banquet. Who knows I might suddenly have a son-in-law."
"Mom! Yucks! I don't ever have any plan to get married. Yeez." She retorted disgustingly.
Eirene just laugh at her sister's antics. Everyone in their family knows that her sister is some kind of against girly things. Not that she was denying her sexuality. It is just that she believes that men and women are equals and should have the same privilege to do things they had wanted to do.
To further prove her point, she entered a military school and graduated with flying colours. Currently, she was employed as one of the bodyguards for Country J's royal family.
Due to excellent performance in her duty, she was given a merit to take a month long vacation.
"Clearly my point young lady! How old are you now and yet you never introduces anyone to us, not even any guy friends."
"Because I know you'll start pairing me with them. That will take things awkwardly. And besides, I treated everyone platonically."
"Dad! Please tell Mom to stop already." She then turned to their father.
"Haha just let it pass, she just misses you."
"You're no help Dad. Lil Sis, get a boyfriend already so Mom won't pester me."
"You kidding me right? A big no no. I want to travel with my camera not a human guy."
"Why?! Why are my daughters so different from normal girls?!" Their mother questioned hysterically.
That's their normal routine, a family of four with a simple life in a rural area, along with the members in the household. Everyone lives harmoniously.
***