------
In a spacious, golden chamber, the sound of chains grinding against each other reverberated with a clank. What followed is a woman's pained grunt.
The sound of the metal gates opening entered her ears, and her once clouded mind cleared up. Raising her head, she glared at the man who entered the prison.
Her beautiful white eyes turned viciously scary, but the other's golden ones didn't back down. It stared back at hers, with eyes that held apathy.
"You've awakened. I see, my chains weren't strong enough to keep you in a long sleep." The man was extremely gorgeous. He has long golden hair, and his wings were dyed black. Paired with this majestic beauty, is a bone-chilling gaze.
The woman returned it with a mocking laughed. She was visibly beaten, as several wounds that were slowly healing appeared all over her body, but her attitude was still arrogant.
"I've become way stronger than you are, if you did not use dirty tricks, you wouldn't even be able to lay your hands on me."
The man sighed and went towards where she is, he placed his hands on the chains and started chanting.
With every move of his mouth, several ancient letters would appear out of thin air and would blend with the chains. Making its power stronger and denser.
"Arggh!!" The woman screamed from pain, as the chains tightened and the suffocating feeling increased by a great degree.
"Why you have to meddle with mortals again, I could not fathom. But you brought this upon yourself. If you had let him die, he would have a chance to reincarnate. But your hypocritical pity had to work its way into another world, and now I'm left with more work." The man let out a sigh after he finished chanting.
Biting her lips from frustration, she glared at him.
"You don't understand any---"
"Silence!" With a word, the woman was forced to shut her mouth.
The man massaged his head and folded his wings that started quivering due to his anger.
"What do I not understand?"
"You took pity on one mortal that did not even experience something as worst as the rest of his billions of kin. For generations upon generations, viciousness had become comorbidity in the mortal world. However, all through those years, you did not bat an eye."
"You are nothing but an unctuous kid."
"What a God you are."
-----
"This is your first wish?" Sherdan was surprised after hearing his first wish, but for some reason, he wasn't taking this negatively.
Although he truly never expected that this would be Lucian's first wish. He glanced at the guy who was wearing a casual outfit beside him.
"Hmmm. I need money." Lucian wasn't in the least bit ashamed. In the first place, he knew Sherdan is someone who would rather prefer it if you tell him something straightforwardly rather than in a roundabout way.
But his 16-year-old self was too dumb before, that it had gone around in circles just to ask about one thing.
Sherdan just gave a nod and didn't say anything more. The two of them went inside the mall and Lucian pulled him inside a mobile phones store.
"You're buying a phone?" Sherdan asked Lucian who was holding up a box with the latest model of Samsung. He picked the one that is merchandised before it and showed it to Lucian.
"This one lasts longer. And it doesn't break after one fall. Even if you smash it a lot."
Lucian looked at the phone he was holding and laughed.
"Hmmm. Based on experience?"
This was a phone Sherdan once gave to Friedde as a gift. The latter would often throw it in the wall due to anger, but it was too tough, it wouldn't even crack.
Sherdan's hazel eyes met Lucian's black once, and for a second, both of them felt the urge to laugh.
Lucian coughed and avoided his eyes. He walked towards the other phone stalls and looked at the other displays.
He breathed in and out, trying to calm his heart. That's a close one!.
Sherdan's eyes followed Lucian's back, but after realizing he had been staring too much, he avoided his gaze.
Lucian ended up buying a version of the phone that wasn't old but wasn't the latest either. He picked it because it had several convenient functions for his mother, who often have problems with her phone.
Sherdan took the bags the clerk handed out to Lucian and gave the card for payment.
"Oh right, where did you get the money?" Lucian asked after they exited the store. He looked around for an ice cream stall.
"I asked for the card"
After hearing the word 'card', Lucian's ears perked up.
"You mean that golden card?" With a radiant eye, he stared at Sherdan with a curious look.
The Golden card, although it wasn't Golden, is the card Sherdan's parents handed out to Sherdan and Imogen as their budget for miscellaneous things. It was a Balance Unlimited card that fulfills one's dreams!.
Lucian calmed his heart. No evil thoughts. He reminded himself again to only ask money for the phone's expenses.
"Yes. They gave it to me before leaving." He stared at Lucian who was inhaling and exhaling cutely. And felt the urged to smile. Since they cleared up a misunderstanding, and after experiencing the retribution together, he felt closer to this guy.
Lucian, who had finally calmed his opportunistic self down, finally saw the ice cream stall and pulled Sherdan towards it. A little excited.
He wasn't able to buy one before when they had a double 'friendly' date because Lila was so impatient every step of the way. He had no choice but to only stare at the stall before, grieving silently. But now, there's a chance, so he better grab it.
"Sir, I want the choco vanilla flavor, extra-large in a cone."
"Sherdan do you want some?"
Remembering that Sherdan was beside him, he glanced his way and asked. He almost forgot.
Sherdan only nodded and was about to say what flavor he likes, but Lucian had already ordered.
"Cookies and Cream in a moderate-sized can, Mister. Add some Hershey's, okay?"
Sherdan was rendered quiet for a moment and couldn't help himself from looking at Lucian. He had forgotten, Lucian knows his memories.
Lucian realized what he had done and was so shocked. He apologized nonstop, but Sherdan didn't drag the issue any longer. It looks like he didn't get offended.
In the end, they ate their ice creams in peaceful silence.
"Anything else you need to buy?" Sherdan threw the can on the garbage they passed by and followed Lucian who had started walking again.
"Nothing. I've bought all the necessary things. Let's go home."
Sherdan was quiet for a second but ended up following behind him.
"Hmm"
Lucian stopped in his tracks and turn around to face Sherdan. With a slightly uncertain smile, he asked.
"My mother's birthday celebration would be at the end of the week. It's not a big gathering, but we will prepare some food."
"Uh. How about coming over?" Sherdan was a little surprised by this invitation but didn't voice it out.
"Okay", he agreed. For some reason he does not know, he felt a little happy.
The last day of weekdays kicked off, and the classes that started were about to end with a blink of an eye once again. Sherdan walked beside his friends, chatting with them a little.
The hot weather during the mornings came back. The only difference is that during the evening, the temperature would fall to a great degree. It was so cold that you might freeze if you turn off the heater at night.
On the other side, Lila's class finally came to an end. She turns around and faced Lucian who still had his head buried in his arms.
"Oy Lucian!"
"Lucian! Let's go home!. It's the end of classes, you know?" Lila called out. But Lucian remained unresponsive. He was laying his head on the table. Several sweats appeared all over his body, soaking his uniform wet.
Lila shook him, aiming to wake him up. But after her hands grazed against his skin, her eyes turned wide from shock.
Lucian's temperature was above normal!. He was so hot he's practically boiling!.
"Hey! Lucian!"
"Oh crap, he's unconscious!"
"Guys help!"
Lucian woke up with a searing headache. The last time he felt this horrible was when he experienced the first retribution.
"You're awake" Lucian heard a familiar voice and saw Sherdan beside his bed.
He was frowning, unable to remember what had happened. Sherdan saw him trying to stand up and pressed him down.
"Don't stand up. Your fever's high."
Lucian compelled. He was also feeling like shit right now, so better yet lay down and recuperate.
"What happened?"
Sherdan took an infrared thermometer on one of the cabinets and went back to where he is. It appears they're in the school clinic.
"You collapsed from fever." He placed the thermometer in front of Lucian's forehead and after a click, the result came out. It was 38° Celsius, still the same as earlier.
"You're still burning."
"I'd take you to the hospital"
Lucian laughed after hearing what he said. What hospital? He had never gone to a hospital over such passing matters.
"It's just flu. All these needs are a biogesic, a little sleep and it's gone."
Lucian was about to laugh again but remembered something.
"Crap, I still need to buy ingredients for tomorrow" He stood up and ignored his dizziness, but he was once again stopped by Sherdan.
"You're sick."
Lucian just grunted. He needs to do something really important.
"I need to prepare for tomorrow's birthday. It's almost dark outside, the stores might close. Oh and had you told my mom?"
The other replied with a nod. And after seeing Lucian's persistence, he ended up sighing. This guy is too hard-headed.
"Your mother told me you don't need to buy anything anymore. She also told me you can just adjust the celebration."
He called earlier after he came back and saw that Lucian was still sleeping even after he had sent Imogen home. He told Lucian's mother about the matter and Lucian's mother only replied with a kind voice. She told Sherdan to convey her messages to Lucian.
"We can just celebrate after this year. Or another year." That is what she said. But Lucian still kept on walking.
Seeing that he can't stop him, he just followed behind.
"Mother's birthday happens only once a year. We have to celebrate it." He was determined. As if something was driving him to push this through, despite his declining body.
Sherdan saw something on Lucian's eyes that we're similar to his, and he ended up letting him do what he wants. He strode towards Lucian and, and kneeled in front of him. His back facing the other.
This notion made Lucian's movement stop.
"What are you doing?"
"Hop on."
Lucian heard his answer but was unable to comprehend what he meant for a second. Hop on? Hop on you mean?
"Eh?"
"Hurry. The stores will close." Sherdan urged Lucian who was still dumbfounded by this sudden turn of events. Lucian who was still surprised climbed up to his back, his mind in a turmoil.
Sherdan brought him to the car and asked for the list of things to buy. It took a long time before Sherdan finished buying everything on the list.
And when he gets back to the car, he was already filled with sweat. His breathing was a little ragged, his curly hair had slumped down from the sweat. It made him look like he had only taken a bath recently.
When he entered the car, he saw Lucian sleeping peacefully. His brown hair was a mess. He had only found out about it now, but it looks like the 16-year-old Lucian had a natural brown hair. He probably died his hair black in his 32. Nonetheless, in Sherdan's opinion, both hairs suited him.
Sherdan pulled his hair up that was still accumulating sweat.
He gave the plastic bags filled with groceries to the driver, and the other placed them behind the car. It wasn't that many, but placing it inside might make the car smell like vegetables and fruits.
There were even some fish and meat. He won't, absolutely, put that inside a car that is tightly closed and has aircon. Unless he wants to vomit.
He took out his phone and called for Lucian's mom.
"Auntie, I'd bring Lucian back. Where is your house located?"
The two of them converse for a long time along the ride and Lucian's mother kept on thanking Sherdan. It was a little awkward, as he wasn't even the one who had find out Lucian was sick. But he just warmly talked to her and didn't argue anymore.
After hanging up the phone, his gaze landed on Lucian who was still sleeping. His misbehaving hands reached out to part his brown hair.
He didn't hold back anymore. Lucian was sleeping, so there's no need for him to feel afraid, as he wouldn't need to find a reason as to why he would insinuate a physical contact.
Lately, he noticed that he's always acting weird.
"I wonder why."