"Always on my mind, forever in my heart
You'll be with me forever
Death leaves behind a heartache, no one can heal
Love leaves behind memories, no one can steal
As is a tale, so is life; Not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters. "
– Seneca
°°°°°
Jun Jie couldn't help but feel a little sentimental upon seeing this figure before him. He didn't know why...
What wouldn't he give up on just to get back his memories from the past? He didn't ask for more, just those memories he had of her would be enough...
It might be his obsession with her or might it be his instinctive desire to be with her that led him to unknowingly be absurdly fond of her or so he had thought!
Thankfully, with her revelation he got to at least make out a clear cut reason as to why he was so head over heals for her.
Thinking so, his sinister eyes grew soft, shedding away all the traces of coldness in them. He kept on staring at her affectionately not minding in the least that currently, he was in the position of a lamb about to be slaughtered!
' Ai'er is that you? '
It has been ages since he last saw her.
He might have forgotten everything even his essence but not her!
It was as though his subconscious mind won't allow him to erase her sole existence that seemed to have been imprinted both in his heart and soul and that he could only remember her, only her!
Jun jie was satisfied with just that anyway.
If only she could be with him, everything he had lost be it his memory, his identity, his powers, he would reclaim it all. If only...
Even so he could care less about those for he wouldn't mind losing everything he possessed rather just to be with her. He could give up everything but it would always be only her he couldn't give up on!
Until now he was still unable to conclude the reason he had become what he was now...
Otherwise, he wouldn't have lived like a vagabond wandering, feeling both anxious and helpless until the moment she appeared before him.
He didn't mind at all if she couldn't remember him, deny ever thought of him or even not cared about him rather he would once again give his best and win her over just like he did before. For, Jun Jie would be nothing without his Ai'er!
On the flip side, nothing much about her had changed. He thought internally shaking his head feeling fuzzy in his head!
Even though she at present was not the same person she was before and even though he wasn't the same anymore either, still they reunited with one another which was better than what he intended.
It felt different for him to have lost every single fragment of memories he possessed but unlike her, his condition was far better for he at least had been able to remember some instances, and fortunately for him, he remembered her which was more than enough!
Possibly because every trait of hers was deeply ingrained in his very soul, no matter how many a time she rebirths, his beloved Ai Nian would still be the same.
Airi who had been possessed by her other personality Ai Nian, was at the moment not at all aware of anything around her nor did she had any inkling to the latter's thoughts. If it was so then she would've certainly thought twice to trust this guy who seemed to have lost his memory other than only just knowing his name and was even ridiculously unaware of his surname as well!
" Speak or die! " A cold voice dripping with malice was soon heard.
Jun Jie kept his emotions hidden and was back to being a stuttering fool like before.
" I-I really... real-ly d-don't reme-member. I ha-had j-just the-thought of this pl-place! " Jun Jie stammered his reply, looking all guilty.
"..."
Mio'er who wanted to speak was stunned speechless upon seeing this guy's level of acting skills!
" Really? " Ai Nian narrowed her eyes at Jun Jie as if considering his answer.
Mio'er seeing everything from afar didn't want his Mistress being lied to!
He rushed over to Ai Nian excitedly shouting 'Mistress!' 'Mistress!' at the top of his lungs along the way.
Ai Nian distracted by the sudden outburst turned to look in his direction. She stared at the fluffy little Mio'er with a pair of ice-cold eyes pasted on her expressionless face.
"Mistress! Mistress!... Ahh, Mistress, you are back. Do you recognize me as your most favorite little Mio'er? I know you do right! " Mio'er shamelessly added 'favorite' along with his already distasteful dialogue and stared up at her fawningly with his pair of big starry eyes.
He would never lose out to the other party, for he possessed more capability at brown-nosing his Mistress so much so that the wily lord won't stand a chance against him... huh!
Mio'er thought to himself feeling all proud.
( ͡ᵔ ͜ʖ ͡ᵔ)
"..."
Ai Nian did not at all expected such a sight and was taken aback by this unknown ball of excitement!
She turned towards Jun Jie who too was taken by surprise with how unashamedly the little rat announced his presence.
"Who is this oddball? Does it know the way? " Ai Nian indifferently asked Jun Jie while scrutinizing at the oddball pointing her forefinger towards the latter.
The ecstatic Mio'er suddenly stiffened up when he heard this and pretentiously donned on a downcast look.
He felt hurt!
His Mistress was his Mistress afterall...
His shameless approach didn't work on her as expected. His tactic to latch upon a favorable position under his Mistress failed once again!
Jun Jie amusedly watched on the scene, taking pleasure in his misery. He pondered if he should let him take the fall or not.
ヽ(>_<ヽ) ―⊂|=0ヘ(^ ^ )
" I gu-guess so... " Jun Jie was now fully prepared to push the calamity onto the little fellow but he was interrupted.
" What guess huh? I know how to get out of this place! " Little Mio'er confessed arrogantly smirking knowingly, his eyes looking at his nemesis.
Heh... trying to put me down? It's impossible!
Ai Nian was satisfied with Mio'er's reply and thus urged him to continue.
" If that is the case then hurry up and say it without making a fuss! " Ai Nian commanded Mio'er impassively.
(・`ω´・)
" Ahh, sure My Mistress. This cute little subordinate of yours shall abide by your commands." Mio'er was delighted on having been shown preference from his Mistress, unlike that pesky lord who was left forgotten.
Fat chance!
( ͡ᵔ ͜ʖ ͡ᵔ)
Trying to compete with this little cutie, he should have thought otherwise!
"Ahh, Mistress! Here's what we need rather you need to do to get out. This place has an invisible barrier surrounding it which wouldn't let anyone come or go outside. It allows no physical interference! Neither one could force in from outside nor could get out using their physical being using force. As such no matter how many wars break out, this place won't even feel a ripple. Anything broken or destroyed inside would be replenished soon after. So, trying physically won't work but instead trying the mind over matter thing certainly could! "
" Mind over matter... " Ai Nian frowned upon hearing the term.
" What you should mean is that we could not do so physically but mentally? " She further proposed.
" That is so my Mistress! I knew it! My Mistress certainly would find out the cause. You are the best Mistress! " Mio'er responded flatteringly throwing in praises here and there.
" You only need to think rather imagine yourself out of this place and you would be out in no time! "
" Then let's do that! " Ai Nian stated expeditiously, clearly uninterested in Mio'er's compliments.
(︶︿︶)
Just as Ai Nian started imagining herself out of this place when she felt a pricking sensation as if being pricked by a dozen or so painful needles into her brain. A series of black dotes appeared before her eyes, both clouding her vision and mind when she fell faint to the ground.