(MY ANGEL'S WARMTH)
"LET'S GO."
I commanded with authority and permission as I deal with anything but a wasted time. Walking on the familiar pavement as my surrounding nearly changes after years, I marked a fulfilling smile on my face. Glancing besides, the gentlemen in a full suit approaches bowing with respect, yet smiling with his familiarity, as he responded.
"As you will."
Lending his hand and taking the steps beside me in a beating rhythm, I took off my vest, followed by the rigid red long sleeve wearing it in return and fast. Then I left my stilettos behind two steps back and slip my feet tying the knot into a rubber shoe. With the gentlemen picking everything swiftly and taking his stand waiting, I remove all my accessories and finally tied a bun to my long wavy hair up as I enter the Mercedes shutting the door. Looking in front as the gentlemen took his turn sitting in front, one girl sat beside me and the other waving from the driver's seat, changing the mood as the other immediately starts the car carefully that 'no one' notice and is behind, the lady beside me greeted.
"Welcome back, My Lady, Mika."
Wearing the secretarial clothes with her wavy hair falling up to her shoulders and her entire physic like out from a romantic office set up- genre of a CEO and his secretary, Yuna smiles greeting with honorifics.
Shaking my head, as I am aware that those words are her way of teasing, knowing how I hated to be addressed with that name, especially when we four are alone, the other two smirks reading the joke.
Sliding the seatbelt after throwing my clothes at the back of the van, Vince reminded, "Buckle up!" heeding his request, but rather a command a slam of the door from the driver's side made our gaze look in front.
Fixing the rearview mirror, then holding the wheels. With his perfect build body, husky and deep voice, and auburn colored eyes, Leo nodded as he hits the accelerator speeding up and away from my father's tail that at any moment will eventually realize that I am gone.
Smiling wide, I lean comfortably at my seat, knowing that I am in the capable hand of my team. Scrolling the windshield down, I slowly close my eyes, letting the icy breeze in, as I look up at the vast blue sky embracing the chance and probably will be the last for me to be free.
"Finally." Whispering as my scheming smile signed for the three of them to applause in silence as our never an old trick to trick everyone never failed to cease.
"This will hit him in the mark again." as Leo warns, but differently around and about the old scheme, we repeatedly making a fool out of 'his' men. Secretly having the slit of plans way ahead, and running away without his permission. Aided with the precaution and smooth flow of our routine that 'they' never found or even catch us in the act every time I come home, my team, my best friends, and the real family that I have and could rely on "Serves 'him' right." Taking the welcome words from Leo who smirks in return with me agreeing in two. He immediately steps on the accelerator once more, showcasing his ability as a drifter and the best agent and youngest henchman of my ever-fictitious father. The henchmen he's proud of, but amidst his knowledge, I am the one it serves loyally, together with the other two to whom only I could trust as my friend and spy.
"Phone." Vince quickly remarks, giving out his hand, demanding the same old precautious steps that became our hidden codes to follow strictly. Placing my phone in his hand as his eyes never cease to leave the monitor of his computer, he types fast with his finger syncing in return the tracks and guard that my father set to pin me down, but not secretly for him to make known and hack in, "Done." Throwing my phone back as I caught it down in one swoop, I smirk, impress as always by which he is very much aware of.
With Vince as the tech brainer in our team, he is my childhood friend whose brain runs for being a genius behind his perfect looks, life, and richness anyone did not know to be the hacker and inside technological spy of my team.
"Isn't it safe now, Leo?" Commanding, the voice with the tone and accent of a perfect seductive agent calls.
"Tsk!" Leo smirks, nodding in response.
As the prettiest and has the perfect stance, body, and decoy for being the sexiest and beautiful secretary directly serving 'him', Yuna marks her presence as the seducer and internal spy taking the close watch for everything 'he' does. My eyes and ears to the plans and schemes for the truth that we four are seeking, and they three as my spies to help me out at any cost.
"Let's go back." I ask, yet rather a command.
Hitting the cue as everything is clear, Leo took the fast-cut route out away from the risk and lens of the camera's the company provided and made spreading out entirely to the country.
"As always, perfect timing." Leo commented, smiling and hitting the route far, fast, and securely.
Nodding as they all assure that we are in a safe spot knowing exactly how to circulate the game plan that we four is secretly paying behind 'his' back.
Drawing a cunning smile on her face, Yuna reminded. "The president will surely be disappointed by this, My Lady." She warns, but deep inside is satisfied for having the thrill I can only give them with my scheming plans.
With that warning by which I only heeded with the same cunning smile in return and nodding in satisfaction thanking her from the words in between, the other two smiles shaking their heads with the satisfaction of our ever cat and mouse play.
"As I said it before, I didn't go back home to accept my heredity." I reminded them, by which they nodded fully aware of. "Not any richness that this life has offered me, but to find the thing that I have lost, and maybe," pausing as the reminder of those words rush in a circling path out from me, I look away, hoping for the same old thing from those five years ago.
'He came back, the one you are looking for, you both are searching for each other, he was here, that boy, your,'
To the memory and the past that I want to remember with the words and the name I somehow knew but could not remember, I can only whisper.
"Rafael." Whispering his name that I failed to have a slight chance to meet and see him 'again'.
The lingering thoughts and fast beat of my heart that wanted to know and remember everything from my forgotten past continue to live even after the left chances of those five years that passed.
"This time I'll make sure to meet him." I promise as I stare at the vast blue sky, which is the only thing in this world that can make me calm.
The name that he knew and talk to me about, which rings its familiarity but I failed to remember. The identity of the person I very much knew, but I could not remember. The times that we should be able to meet, yet chances and probable fate comes in between as that change turns into nothing. His existence that I kept on searching, but somehow, something in a trick of time forbids me too, from the only thing that I ever wanted, seeing him is like searching a needle in a pile of haystack.
'Try nothing reckless', that's the warning he wanted you to follow, for he will surely be back and will be the one to find you.'
To the advice, yet better as a warning, I smile as those words knock in return.
"As he said it." I mumble.
With the three of them nodding in agreement with my remarks, the past that I forgot, the things that I am chasing for, and the person I am searching for even now, are the thing they are much aware of more than anyone else. The ones who knew everything from the beginning where I could trust and the only left person that I could. From the beginning of my schemes, the cage that I escape from multiple times and the chain I am forced to break free is only the tip of an iceberg I had been under 'his' false protection.
"You don't have to worry about anything, you know me, and besides, we all knew that you are my flock of birds who's always been with me in my schemes ever since then." I joked around changing the atmosphere, making them giggle, remembering the mischievous times I always made them cover up for me.
"But that's been five years ago, My Lady." As Yuna recalls, reminding everyone, especially me.
Stopping out of my thoughts as I knew then and remember that defying him is the greatest mistake, yet I also knew that something has changed, that something is wrong back then. The memories of those five years ago where I'm chain and force to study abroad, locking me up to the world far away to that place. The time that my name changed, the trouble of the past, the decline, and the sudden succession of the company are drawn to everything that they are keeping something very big and important away from me. For five years that I'm forced in silence, the shadows that I left were the only window that I had ever have since those ten years ago is not enough, as I need to dig further even if it means I'm digging afoot to my graveyard. The society that I could not go through further, even how hard I've tried, the clue to his identity, my family's involvement, and everything must be a hint of the past that I lost.
"Are you certain that we 'three' are still loyal to you, just like those first five years of ten years ago?" Yuna suddenly asks.
Taking it as a hypothetical remark, I giggle, laughing in silence, taking it as a joke she concocted. I looked outside the car's window, letting the wind blow gently past me as we rode the long-familiar road of the vast forest side of the province, I well knew, but still, hide the things that I long for ever since.
Taking a deep breath, I answer her. "If you three are not, then tell me just who is the one's storming out the reports to me back to the states 24/7 secretly and carefully?" I laid out their scheme and job adding, "The one who let me slip in and out from the country and back to my imprisoned world with no one noticing?" as I emphasize. "The ones who accepted to my favor and my spy's?" teasing, they three laughs as the recollection of our teenage days swarm defying everything and lurking professionally in the genius behind the back of the 'Lords'.
"So, the formality just ends here, right, Miyu?" Yuna calls, dropping the name only them have the right to call and address me with.
Smiling vaguely, I glance back outside as my past rings slowly back to my mind. Those five years ago that I dwell into an illusion of captive freedom, from the past ten years to which slowly my memories start to come back, one thing became clear. My lost past, the memories that I found gaining, the times that I seek for the truth from those fifteen years ago of a tragic fate of that night, the things that came swiftly from luck and omen, everything starts and ends in that place.
"Well, what do you all think let's stop the pretenses then, right, Leo, Vince, Yuna?"
Laughing silently as we held our right fist up, we four signed the fist bump that became the sign and the warning that in the fight we're in, we are the only ones who we can only trust.
'Don't waver as you all must stay in outmost secrecy, from now on you are the only ones that I could relay, be my eyes and ears, I will not expect far greater than anything, but take care of the rest for me.'
Reminded by the promise of the past they took with me, the fight we started is only beginning. Taking the road up ahead as our cold war ticks past to that five years that pass, I look outside as my heart beats fast to the scenery at my sight that never changes even after a very long time. The place and the landscape stayed the same, and the scent never ceases to fade. I slowly held out my hand as the clear sky dims and the rain pours slowly with its raindrops falling on my hand.
'Now, as the rightful owner of the estate, no one will ever hurt them or will try to.'
With the memory of the past, that's ringing its reminder unto me right now. I reminisce somewhat taking it in slow but a little cold like the rain that falls from the dark turn sky. As I close my eyes for a while, my words came back to me.
'I will temporarily leave this place to erase any suspicion that might arise. I can't let my father know about this, for now, owning the legal rights of the land is the only way for me to protect the villagers, the only way for me to ensure that everything remains the same. I don't know why, how, and what, not just because my father's company wanted it desperately to themselves, but there is something that keeps me on wanting to protect that place. As long as no one knew who I am they can't lay a single finger in that place until I find what I was looking for I want you three to look after this place for times that I am away, I will find a chance to come back without my father knowing, for the time I'll hide in a mask as I'll let the Villager have the title for safekeeping and to lead me out in anything, and that's the only way I can protect it.'
To protect that place, that's the words I often wonder why, yet before I could think of the reason, I always ended up accepting it just what it is. Like, I do not need a reason or have a doubt to for that place is the one that I should protect. Claiming that promise to myself and everyone that I grew to love and started a real family, I found into that small village. To the land a few meters away to that place where everything started, my heart, and the lingering agony and fear from the truth that I kept on digging to be the most dangerous thing. I knew that the past that I still could not remember for now stays and hidden in the place I'm protecting for ten years now.
'From now on, in this village, they will know me as,'
"FOR Miss Mikaella de Lionore."
Replaying cheerfully with a yes, I immediately stand taking the biggest box of chocolate red velvet forest cake in my hands. Waiting patiently and not long and by minutes ago after I entered the famous cake shop of Rose in the last city of the urban area just a few kilometers ahead before the private village of Sakura Farm.
The city that as big as the busy street of NYC, which is popular for its pastry products, lumber, fruits, honey products, and the last stop where popular hotels are located and servicing the people. The place where the different company scouts usually been waiting, for the chance to enter, visit and convince the near-far village of Sakura to sell the land from the villagers. An attempt that they kept on trying ever since those ten years ago, but could not have their break for the owner is taking by its anonymous code and very mystery by the name,
"Miyu, there coming." As Yuna warns, taking the end of the other line. Nodding in response with hum to clarify, I take my leave. Immediately and swiftly after receiving a report showing that my father's henchmen are on their way confirming the location of where I am, and with his in-genius mind, he then tract me back and is now being hunted to be taken back.
"I'm on my way." Hanging up, I rush inside a clothing store five feet far too where I've been.
Taking a beat of the fastest steps, I immediately took a plain white shirt, black pants, a jacket, and pair of running shoes. Minutes inside the changing room throwing my previous clothes in the trash. I let my wavy hair loose from its bun and took a cap covering my eyes after taking the price tags, I settle everything paying swiftly and fast in cash as I pretend to be an ordinary shopper.
"Where are you?"
Vince hastily, but firmly asks as I heard the stir of the drifting wheels from the other line showing that they have just been found and currently taking the cat and mouse chase all over the city.
"There's no time for a chase, lose them as soon as possible and take on foot by then. I'll meet you at the old storage house." Instructing them what to do as I hang up. I took a run on an ally two corners ahead from the busy marketplace of the city. Stopping dead in tracks as the second ticks just before I could take the step outside leaning myself in the corner wall peeping with an eye when two of 'HIS' henchmen in their civilian clothes is looking around a few steps ahead at the corner of a café store.
"They surely know' where to find me." Taking a disappointed breath out, I found an immediate escape route, smiling sinisterly as a group of teenagers pass by, I blend myself in, taking my view-blocking from their sight yet.
"You with a cap, stop right there."
Screaming loud as one of them pins his finger point at me, I took a step backward, clutching my left fist as I throw the box of cake flying towards them and without looking back, shouting,
"Everybody, run it's a bomb!"
Creating a fuss as the near crowd runs into a complete panic and chaos, I run for it. Sending the cake splat on the ground, it caught the henchmen in the trap of trying to break through to the fuss of people screaming and running for their safety. Smiling in victory as I run fast glancing back for a time, giving them a wave of how foolish they were, I immediately wore the jacket around zipping it up. Tying my loose hair in a bun hiding it inside of the cap now covering my head and nape with the hood of the jacket, I blend into the crowd as I walk to the other side of the city.
Taking the chance unsuspiciously, I waited for the bus standing near but not too far from the crowd of students and businessmen around. Looking in front, waiting for the passengers to get out as the bus arrives and the door opens, I then took a run as another two of 'HIS' henchmen met mine as I lock a quick eye to eye.
"Ojou!"
One of them screamingly calls as they both rushes, running after me in another array of a field cat-and-mouse chase.
"They are getting on my nerves now." Grinding my teeth as I'm taking a fast breath in taking the chances as I'm running faster than a while trying to lose them, just then I found a risk in a few distances ahead. "This better be it."
Drifting a turn on a corner as the red light is slowly turning into a 'go', I leap a few steps, breaking the law behind, when then just a few split moments a voice screams and a horn echoed from a distance.
"Miss!"
Slowly turning my glance beside as everything runs into a picture motion scene. The truck that by meters will hit me with a fatal wound at hand, then exchanged, when a hand grabs my arm and pulls me by my waist holding me inside locking me into a tight embrace. To the second now busy road that turns the red light to green, my eyes fall in a transfixed state as everything somewhat freezes as a familiar pain and longing start hitting my heart.
'You wouldn't leave me, right?'
As everything falls into the ground, and the breeze of the wind sways my hair as it loses its bun. My cap that flew sending it from a near-far, as I am in captivity on a stranger's arm, for a moment in that split few seconds I am caught, and in a complete stun. To my tears that wanted to fall, like when fate and destiny agreed, my puzzled brain shakes as our eyes meet.
'Forever, even if our time ends and a cruel fate will run ahead. I will always be here, as I will always stay by your side, I promise you that.'
"Miyu." He whispers, ending the words from the vivid recollection of my past like it was all meant to be.
Caught in the moment or am I too overwhelmed, yet maybe my brain and the wind just played a trick on me, the name that I just heard, the whisper that started and ended by seconds, my heart, this pain, this wants, and longing just came crushing as his tears fall willingly by an aching heart.
"Who, who are you?" somewhat stuttering as I almost and in the brim of losing control of stopping my tears from falling.
His hand that suddenly took a tight grip on mine and his embrace that slowly losing, he pulls me a little further out as his presence changes in pain and worry into desperate protection and escape. In seconds as he turns his face ahead, he drags me out the moment that the light turns into the red once more realizing.
"Stop!"
Looking back as a familiar voice echoed. I look back ahead, and to his hand that firmly holding mine tight running as he drags me escaping out unto the crowded corners of the city and away from 'HIS' henchmen, who desperately crowing after us, he asks, rather than a commanding warning.
"Just run, don't look back, and trust me."
Hitting like a missing puzzle piece that just landed, and I could find from its long history of missing, his voice, tone, assurance, protection, and those words he said rings the terrible wants and serendipity from somewhat a lost track of time I knew but forgot.
'Just run, don't look back, and trust me, Miyu.'
Hearing the words that echoed repeating and again as it fades out slowly by each second, the boy in my dreams, the one who's just a shadow in a distant past, became the picture out real, but like a mirror in his eyes.
"In here."
Pulling me inside a narrow space in between the two tallest structures. He immediately took my back, hugging me into an embrace in front of him. I slowly look ahead, hating the pain that's creeping like an eating bun inside of me, yet, as I stare at his worried face, assuring from his gaze that the one's chasing after us is gone. My tears finally escape as the lingering thoughts, lingering feeling, and the only name my dreams and perhaps my past that keeps on screaming inside is calling for the name I always call.
HIRO