Mid spring of my first year here in the Capital Academy, a rumor spreaded throughout the whole school.
And that rumor brought us a mysterious girl.
…
Well, let's say that someone did the see the rumored ghost girl.
Even if she were seen, that someone who saw her wouldn't ever know why she is here or why is she possessing others.
Which is why I thought that the one who spreaded the rumors is the mysterious girl, Elia herself.
The thing about the weather being weird and the matter with the paper on my hands, surely has something to do with what she's trying to hide about herself.
Including her true identity, there are many things I want to ask her.
Like, why do you know me? Why did you state that you were my soulmate? Did we have some kind of an important relationship?
And why me..?
I shook my head, side to side, as I tried to avert Elia's eyes and to prevent showing her my face, right now.
There's no way I can ask all of those things and expect her to answer it all, which is why I will only ask one thing.
"Elia…"
With trembling voice, I called her and the mysterious girl looked up to me, whilst closing her lips shut, as if it was to stop her tears.
"Just, why did you appear before me?"
She opened her mouth, trying to stay something, only to close it again, before a sigh left her mouth.
"Fine, I'll tell you everything…" whilst trembling, she hugged herself and told me so.
…
"You know of the name Exelia, right?"
Exelia, it is the name of the Goddess of Light, who the name of this human realm was derived from.
"I am that Exelia"
With these words, I found one of my answers right, which made me get the gist of all the mystery.
Elia looked at me and asked, "You're not surprised"
I shook my head.
"Somehow, I did think that you might just be her. After all, you would get the name Elia if you take out the first two letter of the name Exelia"
Her lips slightly parted from each other, as she heard those words of mine, which made me smile softly.
"Hey"
She called, with her usual cheerful tone that made me remember that it was Elia, who I was talking with.
"You asked me earlier, why I appeared before you"
I nodded.
"After I was forcefully parted with my brother, I walked over this world. Every day, every night, even if it rain or even if it was hot.
I just walked.
There were no problems, if all I did was just walk. After all, I wouldn't die without eating a food and I don't have to sleep.
Since I am basically a dead soul, with flesh and bones"
Hearing the last sentence from her reminded me of my conversation with Fiore, during that time.
"The little sister was revived. Precisely, but time had already stopped for her"
This is why she said that she is basically a dead soul, with flesh and bones, breathing and living thanks to her brother's wish.
"Like I said, I would be fine without sleeping, but I got tired of doing things continuously, without a change.
So, I slept.
And that was a hundred years ago, from now, I guess…" she pressed her chin and nodded to herself.
My jaw fell down the ground.
"You slept all these times?!" I exclaimed, which in turn made Elia step back and nod, "W-well, yeah"
She cleared her throat.
"Seeing the large flower field I slept at turn into woods was surprising, you know. Then, when I looked around, a big school was standing all around!"
Is that why she said that she didn't know why she was at the woods?
Because it was too unfamiliar for her who slept at a flower field, and found herself waking up, in the woods.
"Why did you wake up then?"
Upon hearing those words of mine, Elia flicked her fingers and pointed at me, with a large smile.
"That's why I appeared before you"
She turned her back against me, whilst saying, "You know, while I was sleeping, I saw a dream, even though dead people don 't see one, I did"
"In that dream, there was a boy and I was in a dark place" such words made me raise an eyebrow.
Dark place and a boy..?
"That is my line. You… who are you?" the voice of a girl, who I saw as a light that day, came to my mind.
Elia turned to me and said, "Yep, it was around when you berserk, as a 7 year old kid"
"B-but, wait!" I took a step forward. "Yeah, let's say that you were the light I saw then. But, would seeing me just that once even be a helpful clue for you to know who I was?"
Elia pressed her chin, with a finger.
"Didn't you tell me your name that day?" she pointed her finger to me and I let out a tired exhale, "Haah..?"
I touched my face.
"You asked me my name, yeah I remember that, but I don't remember answering you, you know"
She tilted her head to the side and said, "You did"
Did I..?
"M-my name is Edward Finn von Collins" my own voice came to my mind, along with an image of myself trembling.
Now, I remember.
I did tell her my name. More or less my mouth moved on its own, like how it does with those dreams of mine.
"Wait, then you got curious of me and came to see me?" I asked Elia, who shook her head and answered, "That's one thing, but the main is because I thought you were my brother"
Me? Your brother, Ghart..?
Quickly, I shook my head, whilst saying, "No way! No way! Just where did you look at me and thought that I might be him?"
"Aura..?" she pressed her chin.
With a dumfounded face, I retorted, "A God of Darkness surely has an intimidating aura. Do I look intimidating for you?"
"No…" she shook her head.
A sigh left my mouth. "See, I am not Ghart, I am Edward, just Edward…" whilst mumbling those, I slowly looked down.
"But, your eyes look the same!" she pointed out, which made me mumbled, "Eyes…"
She nodded, like a kid.
"The way you two look blankly at something, when thoughts fill your minds look the same, Ed!"
Way I look, huh..?
Somehow, the profile of the usual black haired boy, in my usual dreams, appeared into my mind.
That guy also looks blankly, doesn't he?
"I think that's all about why I appeared in front of you, because I thought you were my brother and…"
I tilted my head to the side, as I saw Elia looked down.
"And..?" repeating her words made her gasp and shook her head, "No, it is nothing! More than that, don't you have any more questions?"
I gasped.
"Then, how about this?" I showed her the paper, once again. "Why is your name, that is supposed to be written here, not found?"
Elia's smile, which I thought was permanent already, once again changed into a bitter one.
"This world is beautiful because it is imperfect. Humans are perfect because they die, they have an end.
Someone like me, who still lives on even after dying, is nothing but a distortion for this kind of world"
As if to calm herself down, she took a deep breath in and out.
"And a distortion is needed nowhere, Ed. Whether it is in the human realm, the other realms, the heaven or even the underworld, I am needed nowhere"
Somehow, that sight of her looked so scary and… pitiful.
"But, I still live, because that was the wish my brother made" whilst mumbling those words, Elia looked down.
Hearing those words of her made a voice echoed in my mind.
"I want to be together with her again. So, please revive her! I'll accept any punishment, anything! Just… let me see her smile once again"
Upon hearing those words, I looked at Elia, who locked eyes with me.
"Hey, Ed. Do you know why it is called the forbidden fruit, despite its power to grant any wish?"
I shook my head to her question.
"It is because it can grant any wish, in exchange of a curse. And the curse given to my brother, was our separation.
Him being an immortal was nothing but a side effect that will certainly happen to you, once you ate the forbidden fruit"
Whilst remaining silent, I followed her, who looked up the sky, with my eyes.
"My brother was given a curse by God and I was given a curse by the World… a curse that will forcefully make me alone"
Her words made me froze still and mumble, "Forcefully make you alone…"
"As time pass, I will be forgotten by those who knew me, even if I were to be standing in front of them"
She turned to me.
"After all, a distortion like me is nothing but a fleeting dream for you who lives on the present, Ed"
Forgotten like a fleeting dream…
Closing my eyes, I slowly reminded myself of the question that she had asked me a few days ago.
"What would you do if everything you see, feel and experience right now are all just a part of a dream, and everyone you've met didn't exist from the start?"
Hearing everything like how I wanted to, should I just accept it as it is or… No. I don't know what to do.
…
That night, I dreamt of my usual nightmare.
A nightmare where the events I don't want to remember are being repeatedly shown to me, as I hug my knees and cover my ears.
In that nightmare, I am always in the kid form of Hakuya Soraki, which made the images shown to me more depressing.
Midway, a familiar voice called me from behind, "Ed"
Upon turning, I saw a girl with a light blonde hair that shines beautifully like the moon, and has blue eyes, as pretty as the sky.
She was beautiful, but somehow, she looked like an hologram that may fade away, anytime now.
"Are you lonely?"
With her words, I nodded and turned my back against her, to hug my knees and hid my face, once again.
"Why?"
A sniffle was heard from me.
"Because, I was abandoned by Mom and Dad… I was betrayed by Hinata and I was rejected by Kyoko.
I'm lonely because everyone left me all alone"
Whilst hugging my knees, tears fell down my eyes and made me tighten my grip over my knees.
"If everyone left you all alone, then where do you belong?" the girl asked and, "I don't belong anywhere!" like a kid, I wailed and hit the ground, with my right hand.
The girl bit her lips.
"You're wrong! You are wrong, %$. Look carefully…" she pointed out to the brighter side that was contrast with the dark side, we were at.
There I saw familiar faces.
"Who are they?" I turned back to the girl behind me, before looking back over the brighter side.
The girl smiled and answered, "There are your friends"
"Friends…" after mumbling so, I looked at them one by one and felt something wrong… someone was missing.
Quickly, I stood up and my body changed into Edward Finn von Collins's body.
"But, there is one more…" I turned to the girl behind me, "There was a girl I got close with, lately. Why isn't she there?"
I pointed out the brighter side, where the others were at and looked back there, to check if the girl really wasn't there.
"She can't go there" the girl mumbled, which made look back at her and gasp, "Eh..?"
A blue butterfly flickered behind the girl, and while she slowly looked up at me, the butterfly faded away.
"Because she doesn't belong there with you, she belongs here in this side"
She pushed me to the brighter side, with a face saying, "Leave me alone and go to where you're supposed to be, little prince".
"Elia… No! I-I..!"
Whilst mumbling those words, I tried to grab her hand, but she quickly disappeared and I fell down on my knees
She had disappeared, leaving the words, "Don't forget me…" that sounded like a broken machine was speaking, along with fragments of light.
Once again, she called me by a name that I wasn't able to hear clearly.
"What are you saying? Where are you going? Don't leave me! Don't go anywhere! Don't make me cry like this! I…"
Tears fell down my eyes and every drop of tears reminded me of my days with that mysterious girl.
"I still have many things I want to tell you!" whilst shouting so, I tried to grasp the fragments of light.
A drop made me remember the times she called my name, "Ed!" with the high-pitched, cheerful voice of hers.
"I still have many things I want to show you!" covering the fragments of light, as if I were hugging them, were all I could do to prevent them from going away.
Another drop made me remember her addicting laughter and child-like smiles, which made me somewhat at ease.
"There are many things I want to do with you!"
A new drop made me remember her sad face, when she told me everything about her, about her brother and about her intentions.
"I still want to spend the days with you! Please! Please..."
My voice started to break and tears kept on falling down my eyes, as I grunted and hit the ground.
"D-don't…"
A sniffle was heard from me.
"Don't make me wake up from this dream!" upon shouting up, the fragments of light that I was grabbing went off from me.
I tried to grab it back, but it also disappeared like her, who called herself a fleeting dream of us who lives on.
"ELIA!!!"
My eyes opened up, quick.
The sunlight nearly made me go blind because it was too much strong, or maybe it was the result of being in a very dark place, until now.
"Good morning, Ed!"
Russell greeted me, as he went down from the bunk bed, which in turn I replied with mumbling his name, "Russell…"
"What's wrong? You look a bit tired"
Upon seeing him tilt his head to the side, an image came flowing to my mind, along with a high-pitched, cheerful voice.
"Right! Where's Elia?"
Turning around, the sight of a blonde girl who always drowsily greet me, when I wake up, were found nowhere.
"Don't tell me, she went on ahead to the cafeteria with Gino and Kirt, leaving the two of us alone?"
Russell called my name, "Ed"
"Or is she teasing Reina and making her all angry? Anna won't be her shield, I always told her, but she just keep on teasing the crimson girl. Wait, is she playing with Lux?"
Russell called my name, once again, "Ed…" this time with hesitation.
"Perhaps, she's talking with Forth, who she is scared of? That guy isn't scary, he is only awkward…"
Russell bit his lips, before grabbing my shoulders and called my name, "Ed!" whilst shaking me.
"Ed, just… just who is this Elia that you are talking about, since you woke up?"
Hearing those words from Russell, I remembered her statement once again, "I am a fleeting dream for you who lives on, Ed"
No, there's no way, right..?
"W-what are you talking about, Russell? Is this some kind of a joke? April fools have already passed, you know"
Russell shook his head.
"I don't know who you are talking about, nor know what April fools is. And I am seriously not joking, Ed"
I bit my lips and pushed him away, strongly.
"Why! Why have you forgotten her? Why the hell did you forgot her?! Why? Why..? Why! Tell me, why..?"
Tears fell down, and I gasped.
"Right, I am wrong. This isn't reality, this is the dream. So, if I wake up, everything will be back to the usual"
I hit my head strong enough to make a sound, which made Russell freaked out, "Ed!"
"When I wake up, Elia will be there to greet me and everyone remembers her. And as usual, we will go to the cafeteria and noisily eat our food"
I kept on hitting my own head, trying to wake me up from this bad taste of dream, which in turn kept on making Russell stop me.
"What's wrong, Ed? We can hear you from the hallway"
The dandelion boy came in with the lazy boy, followed by the crimson girl and the timid lavender girl, who had Lux on her shoulder.
Even the four-eyed guy came, as well.
"Calm down, Ed. Tell me what's wrong?" the dandelion guy grabbed my hands, and tried to stop me from hitting my own head.
I looked up at him.
"Nothing's wrong. After all, I am just seeing a nightmare right now. And all I have to do is to wake up from all of this"
Ignoring the fact that they were all trying to stop me, I kept on hitting my own head.
They say that you wouldn't feel pain, when you are inside a dream, but why is it that I can feel it right now, when this is supposed to be the dream?
Why..?
There's no way I'll accept that the fact that you just went on and left me all alone like this, isn't a dream, Elia.
There's no way, I'll accept such--..!
A slap that hurt like hell interrupted my monologue and took me back from drifting away to nowhere.
I turned my head around and saw a girl with crimson hair that fluttered, like a blazing fire, there.
She slapped me..?
"I don't know who you are talking about, nor know why that person is making you act like this, and I don't have any intention to know, as well.
If we knew that person, but for some reason we forget about her. Isn't not forgetting her more important than shouting at Russell, like this?"
She's scolding me, like how she always do…
I wasn't able to say anything back to this stubborn crimson girl. No, I wouldn't say anything back, because every bit of her words were right.
What the heck am I doing, acting all like that?
Hahaha…. Damn it!
…
Later then, we were scolded by Mr. Gustav, our homeroom professor and by the District one's Dorm Leader.
On the way back to our room, I grabbed Russell's sleeves, "I was sorry earlier…" and apologized to him.
Surely, this won't be enough, though…
"It is fine, I'm also sorry for not knowing that person. "Elia" was her name you said?" I nodded to him, who soon asked, "What kind of person was she?"
I pressed my chin.
"Hmm, I can't list it down. But well, she's noisy, annoying, troublesome and a pain in the ass, all the time"
Russell's eyes widened up, as if he was telling me, "Why did you got so worked up for such person?"
"Despite all of that, she was someone important to me, to the point that I acted like that towards you guys, earlier"
Upon closing my eyes, Elia annoying smile and high-pitched, cheerful voice, calling my name came into my mind,
"Hey, Russell"
After calling him, I walked a few steps ahead and turned back to him.
"What will you do if you woke up one day, and found that all the things you've seen, feel and experience were all just part of a dream?"
He looked at me with eyes wide, which he soon squinted.
"Well, when that comes, I will scratch my head and mumble, "What nice dream that was!" like that"
He beamed his usual smile, at me, which I in turn replied with a smile.
"Next time…" I looked up the sky. "Next time, I want to try doing that, instead of raging on, like that"
Russell went beside me and hit my back strongly, before uttering, "You will be able to. Next time, Ed"
I nodded.
"Let's go! I'm hungry" I rubbed my stomach and Russell pressed his chin, "What if Gino and the others are eating already?"
I gasped and mumbled, "Leaving us beside?" which in turn made Russell nod, with obvious hesitation.
"That is no good. Let's hurry up!!!"
…
The end came so quickly.
I do think of those days I spent with you as a short one, but I am sure that I alone won't ever forget it, Elia…
Even if such time came, I'm sure things will happen so that I can remember you.
The petals of the cherry blossom trees fell down the ground, and were soon replaced by green leaves.
Summer has come..!