Lin noticed Reiji's unsettled mind, 'Go! You don't have to sit with me.
Reiji got up instantly and went where Aki was.
'Who is this writer? Liu Cixin…interesting.. hatred towards your own kind ha!…'
Lin looks outside at the road holding the book.
A girl was walking ahead of his dad and the father was nervous. He stopped her and arranged her messy hair then carried her on his shoulder. The girl laughed and held onto his father's hair.
1966…
Some kids were playing. They were climbing up and down from the road into the field. They sat down to play with some ground beetles. A girl among them seemed timid and was left out. While playing alone with a beetle the girl saw a man sitting under the shade of a tree.
The girl got curious and stole a look to see him. The man smiled which make the little girl blush. The man called her near. She noticed and seemed to be telling the boy that she was going to see that man. The boy looked back at the man.
When she got near she was shy but brave.
She was small but her words were clear, 'What happened to your leg?'
Lin smiled and answered, 'How did you know I was hurt?'
There was no external injury.
'You have what I have. You have these little lights following you around. When I get hurt it follows me too.' the girl said.
'It does?' The girl nodded.
She stares into Lin's eyes.
'What are you looking at?' Lin asked.
'Your eyes. They are like me.' she smiled.
One golden red eye and another rusty red eye of this little girl were so lonely.
Lin shakes his head, 'No! Yours are like me.'
The girl tilted her head to the side.
'What are you seeing now?' Lin didn't remove his stare.
'There is a butterfly on your shoulder.' The girl points out.
Lin smiles hearing that, 'Do you want to play with it?'
The girl extends her hand and the butterfly sits on her hand. She sits beside Lin and holds his hand. She tried to flow her mana in him, 'You will get better. Uncle says that I should not tell anyone about it but you are in pain and I should help. So it is ok.'
Lin smiled, 'Who taught you that?!'
'My uncle, he is a doctor. He says I should help those who are hurt. But sometimes I don't want to help.
The girl was sad.
'Why?' his voice became down.
'They say I'm not a good girl. I have bad eyes. If they play with me their eyes will be like me.'
She sighs.
Lin knows that kids can't think this on their own. They must have heard it from their parents. They must have told them not to play with a girl with heterochromia, "Narrow-minded people."
'Do you hate them?' Lin asked.
'Hate?' the question made Lin feel bad to use such a severe word that she doesn't even know the meaning of.
'It's nothing. Don't your uncle love your eyes?' He changed the topic.
The girl smiles, 'He says my eyes are very pretty. Aunty says that too. She loves me so much. Brother Aoki plays with me too. They all love me.'
"So the 'love' you know is only this family. You also don't know the word hate because they didn't teach you to hate. You are confused why others don't like you." Lin pats the girl's head while thinking.
'You should only listen to your family. Your uncle, aunt, your brother. Don't listen to others if they say you are not a good girl and your eyes are bad.' Lin arranged her hair which was messed up.
'But I feel bad. They say My mommy daddy left me because I am a bad girl.' Lin was enraged hearing those words.
'I think they are true.' her voice was down.
Lin clenched his teeth. He doesn't know what he should say but asked, 'What did your uncle say?'
'My mommy told him that she will come soon and take me with them. If they can't come I will live with them. He said he will take me to his workplace every day. He will teach me how to make medicine.'As she was holding Lin's hand, she was drawing on his palm with her fingers as well as healing him.
She paused talking and kept drawing. After drawing a flower she starts speaking again, 'But I told him I like to play. So he said he will let me play anything I want. He said I should not cry or be sad if mommy cannot come. He said mommy was not well and can't see me right now. When she will be ok, she will come. And mommy sends letters every Sunday. He reads me. I want to read. I want to learn. But I am still a baby so I need to play.'
Lin laughs. His expression was sad before but now he felt good hearing the last sentence, 'You are right. Do you want to play with me? I will meet with you every Sunday.'
'You will? Really?' The girl jumped up from the ground with joy, 'I will wait for you here every Sunday. You didn't tell me your name.'
'You can call me L...Xen...My name is Xen Ryuji' he said.
She smiles, 'And I am…'
'I know...You are little Sora.' Lin touched her cheek.
She was surprised, 'You know my name?'
'I do.' Lin got up bending down on his knees.
Touched the girl's cheeks and placed her hair braids correctly, 'Because...you have the most...prettiest eye in the world.'
'Really?!' she was hesitant to believe that.
Lin understood that 'Really! I will see you on Sunday then little Sora.'
'Ok, Xen!' The girl ran to his brother.
His brother was about to finish playing. He held her hand and saw back. They began to walk towards their home which was across the field. Lin was still standing there.
Aoki asked, 'What were you doing there?'
'I was talking with Xen.'Aoki was surprised but he believed her.
'You were again talking with no one.' Aoki said.
'Oni-chan! Can't you see him too?' she became upset.
The boy looked confused but agreed so that she doesn't feel bad, 'Silly! How can I see him from this far!'
She giggles, 'I'll tell Uncle that you can't see well. How can you not see what I see? I can see him but you can not.'
'Don't talk about it to anyone.' Aoki forbade.
Sora became upset, 'Not to uncle, aunty?'
Aoki was hesitant, 'I will tell them later.'
When she tripped Aoki was holding her hand firmly so she didn't fully fall down to the ground. Then he removed the dirt she had got on his leg and dress. Lin was listening and watching them as they were going back home.
'So she has begun to see us. She can even control her mana.' Lin muttered.
'As expected from a Ruan's blood.' A voice made him frown.
Lin was surprised,' Niyo! When did you…' A man in formal attire with his mid-rank follower came inside from the tree.
'I was looking for you. When you get hurt severely you disappear from the war. I was wondering where did you go this time. So I followed.' Niyo said.
Lin sighs, 'I don't want to go back.'
'But the war in Vietnam didn't end yet. Are you sure you don't want to go? You said you wanted to help them.' Niyo asked with concern.
'But I'm fed up with all these human wars. It doesn't make me feel good.' Lin didn't change his mind.
Niyo understood, so he didn't bother Lin, 'Ok! She is cute. She is like your wife's little self ha!'
'She is. Don't tell anyone about her, got it!!?' Lin's eyes were looking furious.
Niyo nodded, 'I won't! I won't! My lips are sealed.'
Every Sunday became precious for that little girl and Lin. When Sora turned five, her existence became exposed. Lin and Sayo came to meet her.
To meet Arata.
At first, Arata was surprised to see Sayo. Sora was hiding behind Arata, 'You !! Was I right then?'
'Yes, Arata-san!' Sayo bowed while Lin stepped back.
Lin didn't understand why she respected him that much. But the depth of her respect he could understand.
'Please don't!! I…please come in.' Arata invited them inside.
Sora saw Lin and smiled while hiding behind Arata. Sayo noticed that Lin and Sora knew each other. They telepathed. 'She knows you! How?' Sayo was surprised.
'Hm...We have been...friends for a while!' Lin said.
'Oh! You didn't tell me.' Sayo seemed dissatisfied.
'You could have read me. But you didn't. Let's get to the introduction, shall we?!' Lin changed the topic.
'This is my husband. Xen Ryuji.' Sayo introduced him to Arata.
'Oh! Nice to meet you, Xen-san…Xen?!.. Xen..you are Sora's friend Xen?'Arata was shocked to see the coincidence.
'She told you about me?'Lin peeks to see her.
Arata smiles, 'Well, She never actually hides anything from us. We really wanted to meet that friend of hers. Thanks to you she was able to have a good time which we couldn't provide.'
Lin politely disagrees, 'You are absolutely wrong. All she did was talk about how you loved her. Your family.'
Arata smiles but he was sad for a reason, 'I wish that's what she had felt.'
'Arata-san! Why do you think you didn't?! The way I can see, you did more than the best you could. Your wife, your boys didn't think of her as an outsider.' Sayo was expressing her gratitude towards them.
Arata's wife Haru came forward with Aito in her arms, 'She is like our daughter. We didn't even think of her as an outsider.'
'I know Haru-san! I know that very well. My daughter is your daughter as well. You have breastfed her. I can feel how much you love her. Thank you so very, much. I will be forever indebted to you.' Sayo said.
Lin was shocked to hear her say it.
He looked at her, "Sayo! A Pureblood Jinn making a promise to humans is a bit…"
"I can give my life for them if needed. Sora is mine. Would you not have done the same for your boys?!" Sayo's expression became dark.
Lin backed out, "Without any questions."
Sayo looked furious at Lin, "So don't stop me!"
Lin understood and didn't say anything to her. He saw a **white entity forming over every one of them.
'Sora! This is your mother.' As Arata introduced her to Sayo, Sora understood and was happy to see her.
Her joy was reflected in her eyes. Sayo bend down and hugged her tight. Lin found them so cute. Then Sora came to Lin and asked, 'So you were my daddy?'
Sayo and everyone were stunned at the question. Lin stared at her smiling face. Sayo was about to call her back.
Lin smiled holding her tiny hand, 'I told you your eyes were like mine. Didn't I!'
That made Sayo speechless.
Arata smiled and looked at Sayo, 'You have a wonderful husband. His love shows.'
Sayo was still shocked, 'Ya, I think I do. I guess I failed to see through him.'
Sayo stared at both of them. They were talking.
They were offered to join the lunch. Sayo accepted. Aoki and Sora were playing with Aito. Sora was so happy.
Arata said to Sayo, 'I have never seen her this much happy. She was bullied. I tried to stop but couldn't.'
'It wasn't your fault. Humans are despicable…' Sayo stopped Lin by placing her hand on his knee)
'I know...I can relate..'Arata looked towards Haru, 'But some of them can also heal you.'
Sayo and Lin understood he loves his wife so much, 'You have a beautiful family.'
'Are you going to take Sora back today?' Arata asked.
Sayo nodded, 'Yes! We want to. Everything is ok back at my home. She will be staying with her two little brothers as well. They are almost three.'
Arata was surprised but happy, 'Oh! You had another baby? That's amazing. She won't feel lonely then...um..can I please make a request?'
Sayo frowned, 'Yes, sure.'
Arata hesitates, ''Can Sora stay with us a few days more? I mean, it's all so sudden...I should have prepared myself but…'
They thought for a while.
Sayo asked Lin, "What should we do? Can we stay here for a few days?"
"We can. But will that be alright? We left Joshua and Reiji. Joshua is mature enough but Reiji…he can't stay without you." Lin became worried.
Sayo said, "I will go back. You stay here please and I will come back on that day."
Lin nodded, "I understand."
Sayo smiled, 'Um..ok! We will.'
Arata was happy, 'Thank you! I know you had your plans but thank you.'
Sayo smiled but her heart was not settled. They talked for a long. Sayo was happy, so Lin felt good. While getting back Lin was walking ahead of her and Sayo was looking back frequently.
Lin understands her worries, 'It's alright! I will come back after sending you off. I will watch over.'
Sayo looked at Lin, 'I realized, I have...never really thanked you enough…'
Lin smiles, 'You know how much I care for you right. I will love everything related to you. I know you are different and I also know you have doubts about me being capable of loving when my origin doesn't.'
Sayo became uncomfortable, 'I don't…'
Lin stopped her, 'It's ok! You will know my heart whenever you read it.'
Lin sends Sayo back and returns to the tree where he can see the home.
Everyone was happy.
The night fell.
He sat under the tree and kept reading the book. He saw Haru with Aito leave somewhere. He continued reading. Suddenly he felt something was wrong. He hurried but before he could reach the house caught on fire.
Arata, Aoki, and Sora were injured.
Lin reached and saw it was the elder brother of Sayo, Tao Ruan Shin.
Arata saw his son has died. He was crying holding him while Sora was in shock.
Lin screams, 'Shin! What have you done!!'
'You knew it too! You traitor!!' Tao Ruan Shin was someone who was hard to deal with.
But the opponent was none other than a Pureblood Dragon. They fought for a while but when Lin slipped and Shin targeted Sora and cast through his eye.
Lin became pale, 'Nooo !!! Soraaa !!!'
Arata moved without understanding what was going on and shielded Sora by hugging her to his chest. Arata felt his heart bleeding. Sora was crying to see him hurt. His blood was all over Sora's face.
'Un..cle…oni-chan…' Sora murmured.
'I'm sorry Sora!' Arata died holding her.
'Ahhhh!!!!' Sora cried with a broken heart.
Her scream with the pain of her loss, flames the house on fire again.
People who were trying to control the fire got afraid and ran away when they saw the fire rise and swallow the whole house.
Lin couldn't control the fire so instead of controlling it, he surrounded himself and Aoki, Arata, and Sora with spells. Tao Shin has lost all his power because of hurting innocents. Lin didn't shield himself from the fire but he was untouched by the fire. Lin then understood it was not the fire to burn anyone. It was Sora's power that blazed because of being hurt.
Lin tried to unfold Arata from Sora's hug but Sora didn't let him go. She was crying with ache and agony. After a long time when her mana had reduced a bit, the fire died down. Lin carried Sora in his arms while going out and he saw Aito was crying and Haru was lying unconscious beside him outside the house. Everyone was trying to wake her up. Sayo and Siya came running.
Sayo took Sora from him and asked, 'Arata-san?!!'
Lin's expression made Siya cry out loud. Siya ran to the house and saw the soul of Arata and Aoki. They were both holding hands and standing in front of his wife's unconscious body. Aoki sat beside his mom.
Siya called Arata, 'A-chan!'
Arata turned back to her. He was surprised to see her, 'Siya! You...I don't know what happened.'
Siya cries while talking, 'A-chan! You…you are…'
'Oh! I see...I'm dead!' Arata kept looking at his hand, ' I didn't know death was like this. We used to study dead bodies, didn't we?! You always said there is a place beyond death. That you can see souls leaving to that place. I never believed you.'
'A-chan! I…I have always loved you A-chan! I couldn't say... that to you. I should have said that to you.' Siya gets close.
Arata smiles, 'I knew that too. But you never said anything so I pretended not to know.'
Siya asked, 'In your next life, promise me you will be mine.'
Arata was silent. He didn't say anything.
Siya became impatient, 'Promise me A-chan! And I promise I will find you.'
Arata frowned, 'Silly! How can I promise something when I don't even know it.'
Siya gets closer, 'A-chan!'
Arata's soul began to fade, 'I guess it's time. Aoki!' He went to Aoki and hugged Aito before he faded.
'Nooo! No!!' Siya fell to the ground while crying.
Sayo and Lin were standing far away silently. Sayo's eyes were teary and couldn't hold on to the tears. She buried her face in the Sora's hair.
Lin spoke up, 'It was brother Shin.'
'What?! Brother!?' Sayo was shocked.
Lin nodded, 'He was the one to kill them. Sora was targeted by him but Arata-san took the fatal hit.'
'Thank you Arata-san! Thank you so much.' Sayo couldn't hold on anymore and knelt down crying desperately.
Lin never saw her cry. Never in his life. But today that person is crying her heart out. Lin holds Sayo in his embrace and stayed silent.
A moment after he saw Shin was getting out of that fire.
He saw Siya and Shin arguing and before he could look away Lin saw Siya killing Shin and burning him right away. Lin was utterly shocked by the scene. Lin ran towards them and saw there was nothing he could do, 'Siya!! What have you done?!!'
Sayo was behind him, 'She did the right thing!'
Siya and Sayo both were fuming with rage which Lin could see, 'But this thing has made it worse. It will be threatening towards Sora's future.'
Siya's eyes blinked in confusion, 'I will defend her. Whatever happened here was not her fault. I wanted to remove myself from the house of Ruan anyway. So it doesn't matter. I will look after her till you catch the culprit.'
Sayo nodded, 'We need to catch the guy who fabricated the information that Sora had been bred to destroy us. In the meantime, stay hidden while we gather the proof so that your punishment gets canceled.'
Siya said, 'No need to focus on useless things. You just focus on Sora. Arata-san died protecting her. At least do this to pay him back.'
Siya looked at Lin, 'I'm putting my trust in you Lin Ryuji. Even though she is not your daughter, NEVER disrespect her in the slightest.'
Lin bows to her, 'I never intend to disrespect my daughter. I always protect whatever is mine.'
Siya told Sayo, 'I will take her to the ruins of Ruan Castle for now. No one will search for her there as it's close to the desert. Don't be too late.'
While Siya was leaving with Sora Lin felt uncomfortable and made her stop, 'Wait I will go with you. She doesn't know you yet. She may…'
Siya nodded and let him carry Sora. Sayo and Siya looked at each other as they were pleased to see this side of Lin.
'I will leave everything to you then Sayo. If you need me, let me know.' Lin said.
Sayo appreciated his thought, ' I will manage.'
'I will keep her safe.' Lin assures her.
Sayo nodded and kissed both of their foreheads, 'I know you will.'
Lin and Siya both kept walking through the forest. Sora was still weeping in her sleep while holding Lin tight. Lin pats her back. When they reached the castle they arranged a room. Lin lay her down on the bed Siya had cleaned.
Siya became worried, 'Her soul has darkened.'
'Isn't it natural! She saw her loved one die.' Lin's voice was shaking,
Siya nods, 'The clan won't understand that. Even though Purebloods accepted mixed-blood they still strongly despise mixing with humans.'
Lin rubs his forehead in worry, 'She is still a baby. She doesn't understand all this.'
'The quicker she learns the faster she can master herself. She needs to be made flawless.' Siya looked at Sora.
Lin nods, 'I know what you are trying to say. But keeping her here…'
Siya stops him, 'I will teach her everything. You can come by anytime you want.'
'I will stay with her.' Siya was surprised to hear Lin.
'I had felt it before. Why do you seem so taken by her? Isn't hatred should be your feeling?' Siya asked.
Lin smiled while playing with Sora's hair, 'I wonder! At first, I went to kill her. She was the reason Sayo couldn't concentrate on her life. Continuously fought with the law of mixbloods, with Purebloods.'
Siya became curious, 'What changed your mind? I'm sure Sayo knew that you would do that. You are possessive after all.'
Lin scoffs, 'Not more than her. She had cast a charm on her which she had lifted a while ago while she kissed our forehead.'
Siya thought for a while, 'You mean to say…She sealed her from you too?!'
'Ya...No Jinn could have harmed her. She is half-human after all. It's protection by itself. Sora has a headstrong personality like her mother so she can't be weakened. Her human self acted as a shield while the other half was connected to her mother which would have repealed the spells.' Lin explained.
Siya understood now, 'I see! She didn't want to take any risks. So Arata-san died in vain.'
Lin denies, 'He didn't. Because he intervened, that's why I could defeat Shin that easily. Otherwise, the fight would have ended badly. So his death was not in vain.'
'Is this kid really that special?!' Siya again looked at Sora's sleeping face.
'I don't know...In her, somehow, I saw my mother. Like how lonely my mother was here. Sora was healing a kid who had bullied her before. She didn't feel to do yet she did because she was told "you should help those who are in pain"' Lin smiled.
'A-chan! So A-chan is in..her too. That man!!' Siya couldn't stop her tears and went outside.
Sora was weeping in her sleep.
'How can I ease your pain Sora!?' Lin brushed over her tiny hand.
Sora touched his hand and held onto his fingers. She mumbled in her sleep, 'Papa!'
That made Lin's heart cry. He kissed that little hand.
In a dark room, Lin was resting, closing his eye. Somebody knocked and was talking.
'Master Xen Ruan! Forgive me. Lord Lin is resting now. He wishes not to meet with anyone.' the voice bade Sora.
Sora asked, 'Is a mother not in there?'
'Lord Ruan is attending a medical research conference instead of Lord Lin.' she said.
Sora nodded, 'Oh! It's ok. You can leave.'
'But…' she was hesitant.
'Is there anything…you want to say?' Sora looked at her with a frown.
'No, Master.' The attendant left the hall.
Sora inhales a breath, 'Father, It's me…Sora. Do you really not wish to see me?'
Lin saw she was leaving. He clenches his fist but couldn't stop himself, 'Come on in! No need to light the room.'
'Ok, Baba!' A lady in a long black robe entered the room.
Lin was lying on his armchair. Sora sat down on the floor placing her head on Lin's lap. Lin's eyes became teary.
'I'm sorry Baba! But...Please let me go... Joshua, Reiji will only have a tainted future because of me. Let me go before they come back. I don't belong here. I don't belong in the human world either...but I can live there because I'm grown up now.'
She closed her eyes, 'I don't regret saving him baba. He was Aito's baby. I would do anything to protect them. I don't regret it. Ma would have done the same, so she has agreed to let me go there. I will visit every once in a while Baba...but please, don't push me away.' As Sora was crying Lin couldn't hold on to his tears.
Aki returned holding his breath and sat at once. Lin was startled and tears dropped from one of his eyes. Aki was confused to see Lin like that, 'Are you..is everything ok? Are you alright?!'
Lin laughed and brushed it off, 'It's nothing! I just remembered something. I was reading this book and got lost in thoughts.'