Chereads / 3E (English Version) / Chapter 20 - Parting Again... I'll Still be Waiting for You

Chapter 20 - Parting Again... I'll Still be Waiting for You

Chapter 20

Medan, 4th February 2019

At the previous night, again 3E were staying in Eternal Solidarity building. They arrived at Medan at 11. After sending their girlfriends home, they decided to stay overnight in the studio building, and not to return to their apartments or their parents' residence.

This morning, again they woke up with the condition of their clothes being scattered everywhere in the room. Erick Vildy kept scratching his head as a signal of his confusion. Erwie Vincent did not seem to care much. He went to the bathroom to pee for a while. Erdie Vio was looking to the right and left in order to search where his green pajamas were.

Erwie Vincent got out of the bathroom. He wore back his yellow pajamas. Erick Vildy was yawning for a while. He wore back his red pajamas.

"It's been twice already like this. I begin to feel something strange here," said Erick Vildy scrambling his waists and frowning his forehead.

"There was somebody entering our room and taking off all our clothes and we were still asleep without realizing it even a bit? I think that's illogical, Rick… Except… Except that person also possesses a queer and mysterious power, like we do, like Rendy Ibrahim and Aldo Morales do. Is that right, Wie?" Erdie Vio turned to his middle brother.

"There's Jovan whom we can ask. Besides us, he was also inside this building last night. Perhaps he saw or heard something suspicious last night," said Erwie Vincent making a guess.

The other 2E nodded their heads approving the middle brother's idea. Three of them went out of their bedroom still wearing their pajamas. They went down to the second floor and headed directly to Silver God's bedroom.

***

Silver God still could not rise up the powers of the three lucky stars inside 3E's bodies. He began to feel depressed and did not know with whom he could share his load and burden.

Silver God began to turn out his self-cloning energy. He divided himself into three fruit gods. There came out Watermelon God, Pineapple God, and Melon God with their own cloaks in red, yellow, and green colors.

"Yesterday, we tried it once again… And those three lucky stars were the same, blinking merely once and then went out again. I don't know what to do anymore to rise up the three lucky stars," said Watermelon God began to be furious.

"Perhaps what Ruby Goddess said is true indeed," Pineapple God made his guessing with his relaxing smile.

"What was that indeed? Why can't I remember Ruby Goddess has ever said something related with these unrisen three lucky stars?" asked Melon God getting his face nearer to Pineapple God.

"Perhaps you've forgot… Ruby Goddess has ever said that these three lucky stars are very selective related with their hosts. If they think that a particular god or goddess isn't suitable being their host, they won't turn out. That's what I heard from Ruby Goddess someday in the past…" said Pineapple God.

"So, at last they choose those 3E to be their hosts, don't they? Is there a mistake? They choose three ordinary humans becoming their hosts, don't they?" said Watermelon God still frowning his forehead.

"Until now, we haven't been able to rise them up and borrow their powers. That's been the proof, isn't it?" said Pineapple God shrugging both of his shoulders relaxingly.

"Calm down, Watermelon God… I'm sure there must be another way to rise up those three lucky stars. It's only we haven't known what that is…" said Melon God with his enthusiastic and cheerful smile.

"I think we can't wait any longer, Melon God, Pineapple God… If we can't rise up those three lucky stars, we should ask 3E's help to rise them up. We should borrow 3E's powers to reform Ruby Goddess back to her figure. What do you think?"

"And we must tell the truth to 3E about who Silver God really is, mustn't we?" asked Pineapple God with his relaxed smile.

"We don't have another option, do we?" asked Watermelon God with his stiff smile.

From outside, 3E were looking at one another inasmuch as they heard three voices with three different characters coming from Jovan Dellas' room. One suspicion began to emerge here. Obviously, those three voices belonged to Jovan Dellas. Yet, from their speaking styles, rhythms, and intonations, it sounded as though there were three different persons inside the room. Was this Jovan Dellas a person with multiple personalities disorder?

Erick Vildy broke into the room harshly. The door was opened at once. There they saw three fruit gods inside Jovan Dellas' room. They were very astonished. The three fruit gods were looking at 3E with their widely-opened eyes. Having been caught with their hands in the cookie jars, they had got nothing to say anymore.

"Hah? Who are you?" shouted Erick Vildy being very astonished.

"Hah? So far there are three Jovan Dellas whom we know?" asked Erwie Vincent not believing his own eyesight.

"Hah? Three Jovan Dellas…! What's really happening here? Who are you actually?" asked Erdie Vio not being able to wink his eyes even once.

The three fruit gods were looking at one another for a while. Realizing there had been nothing which they could hide, three of them nodded their heads steadily. Each of them passed out their red, yellow, and green lights. At once, 3E's eyes were widely-opened seeing the queer phenomena in front of them. Those three lights joined one another again and turned to silver light. Jovan Dellas' figure was visible in front of them, with his white silvery cloak. Silver God was seen in his full appearance in front of 3E at the moment.

"Turning out to one Jovan Dellas again…" Erick Vildy was still frowning his forehead. "You also possess a kind of queer and mysterious power like we do, don't you, Jov?"

"I'm sorry, 3E… These times, I've been putting my real identity in secret. I'm not Jovan Dellas. I'm not a human either. I don't come from this dimension of yours. In our dimension, it's normal to see every god or goddess to perform their supernatural magic like what you've seen."

"So… So… these powers inside our bodies also derived from your dimension, didn't they?" asked Erwie Vincent relaxingly, making a guess.

Silver God nodded his head quickly. The next seconds, Silver God began to introduce three lucky stars, Ruby Goddess, and the nature of gods and goddesses to 3E.

***

This Monday morning seemed to be very boring for Yenty Marlina. Today she was absent from her college. She lost her mood to do anything for the rest of the day every time she remembered how Julia Dewi kissed her beloved prince, and what made it worse was that Erwie Vincent responded the romantic kiss with his great intimacy.

Yenty Marlina's tears rolled down. She was deep down in her great sadness and frustration. Erwie Vincent's face kept emerging under her self-consciousness endlessly. She kept imagining Erwie Vincent's face with his gentle and relaxing smile within her sorrow. She kept imagining hearing Erwie Vincent's gentle, wet hoarse and sexy voice. The voice kept sounding inside Yenty Marlina's soul and mind. It had been two days Yenty Marlina could not sleep well. Even she could not eat and drink properly. Everything turned to be tasteless and boring. Everything became black and white, without any other colors.

"The pain of one-sided love is indeed very painful, isn't it…" Rendy Ibrahim came out from nowhere and he was seen standing in front of Yenty Marlina's yard that morning. Yenty Marlina was astonished and she quickly stood up welcoming Rendy Ibrahim's arrival.

"Brother… Brother Rendy… Why do you come here suddenly early in the morning like this?" Yenty Marlina's soft and timid voice was heard here.

"I've just recovered from my illness. When I return to the court, Yenny Mariana and you were nowhere to be seen. It's such an unfortunate why both of you can leave the Black Crow team whereas you can be said quite qualified in dragon and lion dances these times and I've been quite proud of you both. So, I've been wondering and wondering, why Yenny Mariana and you can walk away from the team. Hearing 3E have come back to Medan and hearing that you both have seen 3E, no wonder that can happen…" said Rendy Ibrahim with his flat tone.

"Sorry, Brother Rendy. Sorry… Really really sorry… For my short time feeling, I've made a half-baked decision without considering it properly first," Yenty Marlina's soft and timid voice was still audible here.

"Who…? Who among those Makmur triplets being able to steal away your heart and then scratches such a deep injury like this?" asked Rendy Ibrahim again.

Yenty Marlina was definitely between her dilemmatic choices, whether to answer that question or not.

"Okay… I've got it now. You don't have to answer me," said Rendy Ibrahim raising up his hand to the air. "So, you've given up so easily to struggle for your love and happiness, Yenty?"

A sliver of Rendy Ibrahim's mysterious smile was visible at the edge of his lips.

"Hah?" Yenty Marlina's eyes were full of confusions as well as question-marks.

"I've got a power which can help you attain one of those Makmur triplets' love. Do you believe it or not?" Rendy Ibrahim's a bit cynical smile was visible here.

Yenty Marlina was shocked hearing that. "Power? You mean a kind of dark supernatural magic, don't you? A kind of dark supernatural magic which will make him abandon his girlfriend and turn to me, isn't it?"

Rendy Ibrahim burst out in his cheerful as well as cynical laughter. "If you can't attain it in the usual way, you must go through the unusual way. Just reckon my help for you is a kind of present and a kind of award due to your service and assistance towards the Black Crow team these times. Afterwards, after you've obtained one of those Makmur triplets' love, just regard we're even. Just reckon we don't owe each other anymore. What do you think?"

"But… But… Isn't that a kind of short-cut for me to attain him, Brother Rendy? Moreover, that will be very unfair for him and for his girlfriend. I… I…" Yenty Marlina's soft voice was still full of doubt. She was seen frowning her forehead deeper and deeper.

"You think this is unfair for them. So, how about your condition at the moment, with your one-sided love? Do you think that's fair for you? If you think that's fair for you, it's alright. Just reckon I've never told you anything."

Rendy Ibrahim just walked away. Shortly afterwards, Yenty Marlina ran after him until the little path in front of her house.

"Brother Rendy… Brother Rendy…" exclaimed Yenty Marlina again.

"I'm willing to accept Brother Rendy's help. I agree… Help me, Brother Rendy… I'm willing to do anything for him to turn to me," said Yenty Marlina with her soft voice, but from her eyes, Rendy Ibrahim could see she had been ready with her decision.

From Rendy Ibrahim's hands, there came out a beam of dark black light. Yenty Marlina's eyes turned bigger seeing it. She got two steps backward. Yet, her love had turned into an obsession. That obsession defeated any of her ratio and proper consideration. The dark black light clotted into a kind of pill. The pill was also in dark black color.

The pill was handed by Rendy Ibrahim to Yenty Marlina.

"By giving this pill to him, I assure you… He'll forget his girlfriend instantly and turn to you, Yenty. This pill may not surpass 24 hours. Or else, the efficacy will vanish away. That's why, give this pill to him tonight… One of those Makmur triplets will belong to you as soon as he swallows this pill," Rendy Ibrahim's convincing smile was visible here.

Yenty Marlina kept nodding her head as she accepted the pill. Tonight she would look for a chance to put the pill into Erwie Vincent's food or drink.

Rendy Ibrahim smiled cynically again. That's poison, Stupid. Congratulations for having fallen into my trap. That poison will tie up the person's soul and take out the lucky star hiding inside his soul. You think I'm still willing to help you in obtaining the man you've been admiring, don't you? You think I'm still willing to give you an assistance after your betrayal towards the Black Crow team, don't you? Really really stupid! That's why one of those Makmur triplets prefers his girlfriend to you whose stupidity can't be saved anymore…!

Rendy Ibrahim walked away from Yenty Marlina's house. A sliver of his cynical smile was decorating his pair of lips.

***

"So, Ruby Goddess wasn't safe from the last battle and finally she put the three lucky stars inside our bodies through the time labyrinth?" Erick Vildy was sitting unexcitedly at his seat.

"Die Die and I actually come from the past, don't we…?" Erwie Vincent was making a guess. "You can open the time labyrinth to the future and the past, can't you?"

"There are only Super God and Ruby Goddess who can open the time labyrinth. At that time, she opened the time labyrinth using the powers from these three lucky stars. Black Stone Demon tried to snatch them from her. They kept pulling here and there inside the time labyrinth. Because the boundary between two dimensions was forced constantly, a turbulence occurred and a dimension quake was inevitable. I couldn't save Ruby Goddess from the effects of the quake. The quake also caused Black Stone Demon flung into the human nature in this era, and also caused three of you, who were supposed to live in three different eras, gather together in the same era," said Silver God in his long narration.

Three E were now seen being unexcited at their own seats, due to not being able to accept the fact and the truth which they had just heard.

"Do you know which era Wie Wie and I come from?" asked Erdie Vio, still with his smile, but his smile seemed to be plain and colorless.

"No… Super God merely showed me what happened to me and three of you shortly after the dimension quake occurred. He merely showed me when the three lucky stars managed to enter your bodies. So, three of you gathered together in this same era. Finally, three of you met one another and there came 3E whom we all know at the present," said Silver God nonchalantly.

"I wonder why I'm eager to meet both of my biological parents, Silver God. If Ruby Goddess were here, could she show me the way to the past so I could meet my biological parents?" Erdie Vio's tears began to stagnate and then rolled down from his pair of eyes.

"Of course… But first, we must join the three powers of yours. By joining the powers of your three lucky stars, we can reform Ruby Goddess back to her figure. Are you… are you willing… willing to help me?" asked Silver God worriedly.

Erick Vildy stood up steadily this time. He walked to his siblings and put his hands onto his two siblings' shoulders.

"Alright… We reform Ruby Goddess back to her figure. We'll ask for Ruby Goddess' help to open the time labyrinth, to bring Wie Wie and Die Die to the past to see their biological parents."

The other 2E looked at Erick Vildy with their eyes full of gratitude.

"Rick… Rick… Why do you want us to go back to the past to see our biological parents?" now, Erwie Vincent's tears were seen rolling down from his eyes.

"I understand your position and feeling. If I were you, at least I'd want to know and make sure that both of my parents are living well and prosperously although they live without me…" said Erick Vildy looking at another direction. He could not stand the grief and sad situation like this.

"Thanks, Rick… Thanks very much… I'll only make sure they're alright. I won't live my future along with my curiosity and my guilt not knowing about my biological parents' existence. After I make sure that they're alright, I'll come back…" said Erwie Vincent nodding his head steadily.

"I'll go with you to the past. I'll make sure to bring you back to this era. Frankly, without both of you by my side, I feel like my life has turned tasteless without any destinations," said Erick Vildy showing out his comfort along with his tears rolling down freely from his eyes.

Now, Erdie Vio's typical smile was visible, full of his cheerfulness and enthusiasm, "It's impossible we don't return… For Wie Wie and I, you're our world. Three of us will complete one another. Three of us will always be together. Three E will never break up. Okay?"

Three E nodded their heads one another. Three lights began to glow from their bodies. Three lights began to join to one spot above their heads. Silver God also nodded his head steadily. He glowed his silvery light to the spot as well. The silver light and the three lights began to join and spread into various directions.

Ruby Goddess… Come back… Please come back… This is me, Silver God…. Come back to me… I know you can hear me, Ruby Goddess… Please come back to me, Ruby Goddess…

The light as the result of the silver light and the three lights combination began to form a human figure. Head, body, hands, and legs began to be visible. The outer cloak and the accessories began to be formed. The light faded slowly. The real Ruby Goddess' figure was visible in front of them.

Three 3E were very astonished, inasmuch as the real Ruby Goddess' figure looked exactly the same with Stella Kuangdinata's figure.

"Stella! Stella Kuangdinata!" shouted 3E simultaneously.

Silver God frowned his forehead. Why did 3E shout out a strange name towards his ears? This was obvious Ruby Goddess, whom he loved deeply. Why did they shout out another strange name?

"Ruby Goddess… Ruby Goddess… I'm finally managed to reform you back to your figure. Finally I can see you again. Finally I can meet you again. Finally, you're real within Silver God's embrace, Ruby Goddess…" said Silver God seizing his beloved goddess into his hug.

Silver God's tears stagnated and then rolled down from his eyes. He kept hugging his beloved goddess as though he did not want to release his embrace.

Ruby Goddess cried within her beloved prince's embrace. Three E were still in between their grief and astonishment. They could solely watch what was happening in front of them with their dumbfounded eyes.

***

Mr. Faiz and Mrs. Florencia were seen coming out from the Buddhist temple where Mrs. Florencia usually prayed and followed the Buddhist services. They got into the car. The chauffeur seemed to be ready behind his steering wheel.

The car went out from the temple yard. Mr. Faiz and Mrs. Florencia were seen sitting at the second row. Along the way, Mrs. Florencia kept immersing her head deep down in her husband's embrace.

"Hug me, Faiz… I don't know whether to be happy or sad hearing this fact. I… I… I… Everything mixes here and there and connects one another. I'm confused which feeling of mine is more dominant," said Mrs. Florencia in the middle between her grief and happiness.

"If only Master Ce Hui weren't famous with her prediction which is 80% true these times, I wouldn't believe what she told us just now. It's too imaginative, too fantastic, too impossible to be accepted as a fact… But, believe it or not… All her predictions are suitable with the facts and truths we've been seeing so far," said Mr. Faiz nodding his head again and again.

"I'm now relieved, Faiz… Our 3E aren't gays. They hug one another when sleeping, they take bath together when they've been adults, and they even sleep in nude positions. Now, I know why they can be like that. That reason… That reason really makes me relieved, Faiz…" said Mrs. Florencia again immersing her head within her husband's embrace.

"They're too close one another, too solid, too harmonious, and I think that closeness isn't normal. Yet, now I slowly understand why that can happen. Moreover, you said you heard from Julia Dewi, Melisa and Sabrina, they could share food from the same one plate… Each of them didn't put the food into their own mouths, but into the other two siblings' mouths. The queer thing is, each of them wasn't lack of or more of food," said Mr. Faiz nodding his head again and again. "Now, I slowly understand why such thing can occur."

"You think, do three of them need to know this fact, Faiz?" asked Mrs. Florencia still in her husband's embrace.

"If it isn't urgent, I think they don't need to know, Flor. Tonight we're having an important feast with Melisa's, Julia Dewi's and Sabrina's parents, Flor. At least, the conversations tonight about our 3E's marriage plans with their three daughters must be taking a lot of our time and concern. Let's just focus our concern to the future first. Let the past just go away to the past. Alright, Flor…?"

"Alright, Faiz… I just follow your plan and consideration…" said Mrs. Florencia with her stiff smile.

Mr. Faiz sniffed for a while with his bearable laughter, "By seeing 3E's closeness and harmony, I used to think that there were indeed several people in the world who could rely on one another, could complete and help one another like the real pairs of soul mates."

"And now, after you've known all of these facts, what do you reckon about their closeness and harmony, Faiz?" asked Mrs. Florencia a little bit curious.

"I'm disappointed again, Flor…" said Mr. Faiz with his skeptical tone. "Like when I was little then… When I was little, I used to watch Super Sentai serials from Japan. I used to be sure, believe, and hope that there would be a hero who could help and save me whenever I was in troubles. But, when I've grown up, I must be disappointed with the fact that the one who can be our real hero, and who can be ready 24 hours for us, is ourselves…"

"Don't worry, Faiz… Although I can't be ready 24 hours for you, I'm dead certain I'll be there whenever you need my help and existence. I'll try my best, Faiz… Because I'm your life-partner… Just now I forgot to ask something to Master Ce Hui, Faiz… Can we continue this fate to the next life?" uttered Mrs. Florencia half kidding.

Mr. Faiz burst out in his laughter. He seized his wife back into his embrace. The rest of the journey was finished with their conversations about their 3E's marriage plans.

***

"So… So, it's true you're Ruby Goddess, and not… not… not Stella Kuangdinata?" asked Erdie Vio once again, while turning himself around Ruby Goddess and paying attention to her from hair to toes.

"Definitely not… Why can you be so sure that I'm Stella Kuangdinata? Do I look precisely the same with her?" asked Ruby Goddess with her bit queer and mysterious tone.

Erick Vildy patted on his forehead for a while, "Unfortunately her photo isn't in the cellphone anymore. Otherwise, we'd show you her photo and you'd be shocked with your similarities. You're just like two peas in one pod. Exactly the same… If Stella Kuangdinata were still alive and she were here at this moment, you both would be like identical twins and nobody could tell your differences."

"So, this Stella Kuangdinata has been dead?" asked Silver God frowning his forehead deeply. "Why haven't you said something about this Stella all these times?"

"Long story…" said Erwie Vincent with his relaxing tone. "And moreover, this Stella brings some uncomfortable memories for three of us, so we seldom talk about her."

"So… So… Can this Ruby Goddess open… open the time labyrinth and send Wie Wie and I to the past to see our biological parents?" asked Erdie Vio worriedly.

Ruby Goddess turned to Silver God and looked at him.

"They're 3E, the three humans coming from three different eras, Ruby Goddess. At that time, you inserted the three lucky stars into their bodies. Your fight with Black Stone Demon at that time created a kind of dimension quake and that quake caused them to gather together in one same era. Now, Wie Wie and Die Die want to go back to their eras and meet their biological parents," said Silver God giving his beloved goddess a little bit explanation.

"Don't you have parents as well in this era? All parents are just the same, aren't they?" asked Ruby Goddess being difficult in finding the perfect vocabularies for Erwie Vincent and Erdie Vio.

Erick Vildy shook his head, "Of course they're different. Although my parents have been treating three of us equally for all these times, that won't be the same compared with the affection from their real biological parents, will it? Let them go back to their eras, Ruby Goddess. Wie Wie and Die Die merely want to make sure that their parents are alright and afterwards they'll return to this era."

"Moreover, Rick will accompany us and…" not until Erdie Vio finished up his sentence, did Ruby Goddess interrupt him.

"No… Rick doesn't derive from that era, Die," said Ruby Goddess shaking her head gently. "He can't go to that era together with you. Wie Wie can't go to your era and you can't go to his era, either. The adult humans like you aren't the same with us gods and goddesses who can travel from one nature to another through the time labyrinth. There are some aspects which differ you humans and gods and goddesses like us."

"This is really unfair… We've promised one another, not to be separated in different places again," uttered Erwie Vincent leaning against the wall behind him unexcitedly.

"Now, we're going to be separated in three different eras," muttered Erdie Vio sitting unexcitedly at his seat.

"It's okay… With or without me, you both still have to go to your eras for a while and make sure that your parents are alright. After that, you both will return," said Erick Vildy putting his hands onto his two siblings' shoulders, giving them such an encouragement to continue what had been their choices and decisions.

The middle and the youngest brothers stared at their eldest brother for a while. Erick Vildy nodded his head steadily. Shortly afterwards, both Erwie Vincent and Erdie Vio also nodded their heads steadily.

"That's it… There's only one choice which can be taken, Wie, Die… Not both of them can be taken. If both of you want to go back to your own eras to look at your biological parents' circumstances, that's fine. I'll open the time labyrinth for you both," said Ruby Goddess.

"But you must go alone and come back afterwards. To be honest to you, 3E… Every time Black Stone Demon can rise up from his hermitage and target the three lucky stars inside your bodies. If those three lucky stars are separated in different places and even less in three different eras, it'll be very difficult for me and for Ruby Goddess to maximize their powers to defeat Black Stone Demon. You understand, don't you? So, you both must return to this era," said Silver God a bit worriedly this time.

Erwie Vincent and Erdie Vio nodded their heads steadily.

"They'll come back surely… I'm dead certain they'll come back… I believe in them, Silver God, Ruby Goddess…" said Erick Vildy as his tears began to roll down.

Erwie Vincent and Erdie Vio wiped out their eldest brother's tears.

"Don't cry, Rick. We'll return… Keep those tears for our encounter and victory later on. We'll return later on, Rick…" said Erwie Vincent grasping his brother's arm.

Three E's lights began to glow everywhere. Three lights with three different colors began to join one another and spread to two different directions as Ruby Goddess raised up her hands to the air. Erwie Vincent's and Erdie Vio's bodies were still shining meanwhile Erick Vildy's light started to fade slowly. The two lights spreading to two different directions just now, started to form two circles and there opened two time labyrinths in two different spots.

"We'll certainly return, Rick. For us, you're our only brother. We'll definitely return… Wait for us, Rick…" said Erdie Vio not being able to repress his tears. His whole body disappeared slowly being swallowed by the green light.

"For us, you're the unchangeable brother. We'll return, Rick. Wait for us, Rick…" Erwie Vincent could not repress his tears either. His whole body also disappeared slowly being swallowed by the yellow light.

"I'll wait for you both, Wie, Die. I'll wait for you. Return as quickly as possible… For me, you both are really unchangeable compared with anything in the world. I'll always wait for you both, Wie, Die," shouted Erick Vildy not being able to repress his tears as well.

At last, Erick Vildy's hand was released from his brothers' hands.

"Let's make a promise each other, Die. Whatever happens in the past, we must strengthen our hearts to return and join Rick again. Do you agree?" asked Erwie Vincent when only his head was visible not having been swallowed by the yellow light.

"Yes, Wie… I promise… I'll still return. Whatever I see or I bump into in the past, nothing can replace this brotherhood of ours these times. Do you think the same, Wie?" uttered Erdie Vio when solely his head was visible not having been swallowed by the green light.

Erwie Vincent and Erdie Vio both were swallowed into their own lights. The yellow and the green lights were sucked into their own time labyrinths. There was merely Erick Vildy left in his era together with his tears formed into a stream.

"I'm sure you both will be back. There are still Julia Dewi and Sabrina waiting for both of you here. Come back quickly, Wie, Die… I'll always wait for you here…" said Erick Vildy as though he was talking to himself.

Silver God and Ruby Goddess were standing behind Erick Vildy. Both of them were staring at each other with their eyes full of sympathy.