Everything was quiet. All I can hear is the sound of the air conditioning rattling across the room. I was sitting next to the bed Blaze was on. He was sleeping without making any bit of a sound. It was as if he was dead except that his chest and shoulders are moving as he breathes in and out. Looking at him in this situation, you may actually think of him as dead. All those bruises that his regenerating powers couldn't fix because of how he's too exhausted would literally make you think he has gone into a food processor.
He looked damaged as if he was purposely tortured by 6 men all at once.
I don't know what happened that it all came to this. I can't imagine how bad things had happened for him being one of Armania's greatest soldiers come into this. They must've had a hard time. I could no longer think of how Cira and the others are doing right now. Especially Cira who was said to have been caught by Arnold and his men.
The bracelet wrapped around Blaze's wrist caught my attention. It was a key that also doesn't look like a key at all. It was a gold bracelet with a purple stone with white prints of veins around it. It would be a great accessory. If they don't need it at all I would gladly take it.
Awaken by the disturbing thought of me taking the key and making it an accessory made me jump out of the chair and went outside the room. Alexander wasn't on the terrace where he was supposed to be.
Up until now, I am still amazed at how Alexander managed to live on earth without knowing much about it. Technology, living, and lifestyles are completely different from one another. But somehow, he managed to get a house and drive a car. It was as if he knew more than I do within the 3 years he had spent in this world.
I walked down the grand staircase looking for him. I knew he was just standing on the terrace with his hands on the railing thinking of things. He must be gathering all his thoughts right now. What would be his next move and how he's going to face it all?
But that is not what I was concerned about. I am worried about how he was feeling right now after finding out what had happened to Cira and what could've been happening to all his friends and his kingdom. His World.
I still don't know the whole story of how Cira has been caught. But I knew he had gone through Blaze's memory and had witnessed it all just like what he made me when I first woke up in Armania.
The sight was terrifying. And I have no idea how bad happened that day.
But I was worried about how hard it could be for him. Not being able to help his comrades and save everyone.
I looked around and I still couldn't see him. I almost got lost in his house. When I got into the kitchen, I realized that I was hungry. I didn't get to eat a thing since lunch yesterday. I only get to feel the hunger when I saw his refrigerator.
I spent an hour eating what I can get and cleaning the mess I made. I was about to go upstairs back to Blaze when I saw him appearing in the middle of the house. He just came out of nowhere. "Hey," I called to him while I was walking slowly and tiny steps towards him. He looked back at me emotionlessly.
I didn't know what to say. I wanted to comfort him about what had happened but I don't know how.
I saw something in his eyes that I couldn't explain. I have never even seen that look before. That made me even more worried about what he might do for his next move. I don't want his emotions to overcome his rational thinking.
"What are you going to do now?" I finally got the courage to ask him as I watch him go to the same terrace he had been standing on since earlier before he disappeared.
I wanted to know where he went but I didn't want to ask. I just want to know what is his plan to solve everything that is going on.
"It was the princess," he said looking straight to the vast darkness of the city skies.
"What do you mean?" I asked him.
"She was the reason why Cira was caught," he said and paused. " She got impatient waiting and asked her brother for help. And she was found by Arnold because of that." He continued.
I was disappointed but I wasn't surprised. I knew Alexander knew about the princess' attitude. I didn't like her the first time I talked to her. And now that I found out these things happened all because of her, I couldn't help but loathe her attitude.
How can someone be so selfish making things lead to this disaster?
"The kingdom seems fine," he told me. I looked up after hearing the first sound of relief I heard from him ever since the day he came to earth. He looked back at me and all I could see on his face is relief. And so did I.
"How do you say so?" I asked.
"They weren't killed and made into slaves just like you thought they were going to be," he said letting a short smile flash on his face.
how did he know I was thinking that way? Has he been reading my mind every minute of the day these past few days?
I wanted to complain about it just like I always do but I didn't. We both fell silent as we stood by each other. I didn't want to ask him again but I have to. I am more concerned about it than anything else right now. I want to know how next move to get feel relief knowing that he has a plan to make everything right.
"What are you going to do now?" I asked for the second time.
He fell silent for a few seconds. I stood there and waited for his response.
"There's no longer use for us to get the key from the Wongs," he said and paused.
As he pause, I just realized that since Blaze has bought a key with him, then there was no need for a plan to take the key from Liam Wong. And that only means..
"We can go back right now," he said, Unknowingly, I felt as if my world stopped when he said that. "But I still have to wait for Blaze to recover,"
I don't know why I felt some kind of relief after hearing him say that. I was supposed to be relieved they were going back to save Cira and everyone.
When he said they are no longer going to take the key from Liam Wong, I felt a small weight on my shoulder after thinking that there would only be a very short time that he was going to be here with me.
I felt awful for being relieved after hearing they were going to stay here for a while.
It was as if I was secretly wishing that they are not going back at all.
And I hate myself for thinking about it that way right now that he was around because I saw him look at me with an unexplainable look. I was expecting something that would show me how disappointed he was in me but I didn't. If it wasn't a look of surprise and disappointment, I don't know what it is.
After that short talk with Alexander, I went back to the room where Blaze was lying. He still looked exhausted and bruised but I noticed some of the bruises are disappearing. This just means that he was recovering very fast.
I felt that unwanted weight again. The relief disappeared when I realized they could be leaving tomorrow.
---------------
*A FEW DAYS AGO*
"Find her," Boss said with a surprisingly calm voice. Boss is one of the calmest people I have ever met. I like this person more than the other. And I'll do to make everything right just to please the Boss. "If she has the information that we need then we have to find her. Doing this last chance is risky alone, we must find a piece of better information to make sure,"
I was expecting the boss to be agitated by now. Eager to make the progress that we have been wanting these past few years. With the information that this girl has, it would please the boss so much.
And I'll do everything for it. No matter what happens.
We've been waiting for this progress for a very long time. Our last resort is to make sure that this plan goes right. And this girl is one of the keys to our success. Or not. But it would help to have the confirmation that the girl may give us to make our plan successful. Though for me, breaking a businessman into pieces is not that big of a problem.
Except that making sure he'd break his guards is our last resort. It must turn good or nothing.
"I know what you're thinking," Boss said while holding a book and turning its pages. "But we're not going to go through the same process again, remember the last time," Boss added.
I remember that disaster as clear as day. That is why we need the girl to give us the information we need for a sure win. It was one of my biggest mistakes. Doing things in ways that weren't even in the plan gave me a lot of trauma.
And I have already promised my boss that I am not going to do that again. I've learned from my past mistakes.
I may have done it once but I am never going to do it twice.
"I know," I answered.
"You know what, I forgot that I still have to make you do something for me," Boss put the book down. I don't even know why to take out a book in this very dark place. "Is that okay?"
"My pleasure,"
..
After taking the order from the boss, I went inside the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. The blues on my hair reflected the light coming from the bulb beneath the ceiling. I saw it as I walk naked toward the pool in my private apartment.
I felt relief as I soak myself in the water. When the cold wet water covered my whole body, I started to feel the comfort that I have been aiming for. Doing this has always been therapy for me. After all the stress and anxiety these past few days I finally get to have a break.
I thought about the things that had happened these past few days, weeks, months, and years. They were all exhausting. But I've been exhausting myself for a huge cause. It is to be able to breathe fresh waters again.
I remembered the promise I made to myself a few years ago. It is not to trust other people. I had to change to be able to not do the same mistake anymore.
But the promise was broken when I met the boss.
The only person worthy of my trust is the Boss. I found that out when the Boss sheltered and took care of me after knowing who I was and after finding out what I did. Boss never complained about anything that I have done. Nothing stopped the Boss from keeping me and thinking that taking care of me would give success in the future.
And I, a person who longs for trust from other people immediately fell under the trap. But like I had said, I regret nothing about it.
But I regret nothing. Because I know I will be able to achieve the same goals I have with the Boss if I'd give the Boss the Trust that I have in myself.
The huge faith and trust that I will be able to correct the mistakes I had made.