Maia couldn't exactly complain once Maddin enveloped her in a tight hug even though the hug itself was already suffocating her. Still, she was glad that she was expressing herself so freely.
"Maia, is it really you? My little sister, omg, you've grown so much. You even have a boyfriend now"
Maia glanced at Damian who was just smilingly looking at the both of them. He muttered a quick 'I'm happy for you' before smiling warmly at her again. Maia just smiled at him.
"But wait how did you find me?"
Maddin slightly pushed Maia away from her before looking at her.
"Ahhh right Kuya Magnus and Maki are with me"
"Kuya and Maki? Where?"
Maia hesitated for a while before looking at Damian who was now also standing up.
"Outside Ate, along with Kuya Maddox"
Maia's initial reading of Maddin was right on the spot. The sour expression on her face after she mentioned Maddox was a clear indication that she hated hearing her twin's name.
"Of course he is"
Maddin exclaimed shortly before going in front of the tent.
"Hey guys, I'm out for commission today. Let everyone go home"
"But, Mads this line is insane"
"Yea well sorry, my little sister comes first okay?"
The bouncers glanced at Maia before nodding at Maddin. Maybe they found her unusual because of the red eyes and white hair but Maia could care less about what they think right now.
"Let's go this way"
Maddin revealed another exit from the tent, since the matchmaking booth was just a tent set up it was easier to come and go from two sides.
"Remember where you left them?"
"Just outside your booth actually"
Maddin nodded before taking the lead to go up front where they could see the two bouncers shooing people away.
"Is it alright for you to do that?"
Damian pointed at the disappointed people in front of Maddin's tent who were leaving one by one. Maddin just shrugged at him.
"They'll be captivated by my charms again don't worry. It's easy to just get the crowd in once they got a taste of my performances."
"Is that your gift ate?"
Maddin nodded at Maia, she was about to elaborate when three familiar figures entered their line of sight. Maia could make out a brief of their conversation.
"They're asking Maki if he has a love interest or girlfriend already"
Maddin made a face before walking faster to join the crowd.
"Would you stop harassing my baby brother?"
Before the three men could utter another word, Maddin grabbed Maki by his shoulders and hugged him tight.
"Oh my dear Maki, you grew up well. It doesn't matter if you have a girlfriend or wife, your Ate is here to protect you now"
Maki dumbfoundedly stared at Maia and Damian who avoided his gaze.
"Maddin?"
Maddin's gaze then went to Magnus, soon enough Magnus warm smile brought tears to Maddin's eyes again and as he let go of Maki, he ran straight to Magnus for a hug.
"Kuya"
"Hey, you're doing well aren't you?"
Maddin nodded as she hug Magnus tighter. Maia made noticed how a cloud hung over Maddox's expression.
"Wow, you can't do the same warm welcome to me can you"
Maddox retort made Maddin shift her gaze to him but she only rolled her eyes at her twin brother. Magnus made a mental note of this before inviting Maddin to talk inside to which Maddin obliged.
Maddin took them inside a tent with two beds laid out on both ends.
"Seat please, where did you guys come from?"
"Sakura City obviously"
Maddox sarcastically said to which Maddin replied.
"I'm not talking to you"
Maddin poured water on cups before handing them out to them one by one. She hesitated a bit before giving Maddox a cup.
"I've been wondering about this for a while. But did you two fight?"
"No"
"Yes"
Maia flinched when the twins both answered at the same time with different responses. Magnus let out a sigh before looking at the twins.
"Tell me what happened"
It was an order, not a request, Maia noted. Seeing how the twins both flinched at Magnus' short order shows how much authority being the eldest has.
Maddin looked away before she shyly said.
"When Maddox first met me, he wanted the both of us to be together but I told him no, at least not yet. Then he proceeded on saying that he should just buy the Kuwa Circus"
Magnus then glared at Maddox who threw his hands up in the air.
"It was a proposal and she didn't even let me finish my sentence. I told her I'd buy the Kuwa Circus so that they could have more funds. It was more like investing rather than killing the circus business off"
Maia, Maki, and Damian took note of Maddox's business-like tone and speech.
"Ha, what now? Having been adopted by business tycoons already made you one of them? Is that how is it?"
"So? Having been adopted by circus people made you one like them didn't it?"
"Enough"
Magnus looked at the twins who flinched and quieted down as soon as they heard him.
"Maddin, if Maddox's intentions were to help you then it wasn't something that you should just disregard out of pride. And Maddox if your intention is true then you should've talked to her as a brother, not as a businessman"
Maia let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when Magnus looked at her and Maki.
She made a mental note not to do anything that would anger Magnus. Ever.
"I hope the two of you would reconcile on your own then"
Magnus finally said, a clear indication to drop the topic.
"Maddin, couldn't you remember anything before too?"
Maddin sat on the other bed before answering Magnus' question.
"That's right Kuya. When I woke up 15 years ago, I had a head injury. The people of Kuwa Circus were traveling from city to city back then when they saw me. They, no, we all thought that my memory loss was because of my head injury. But, a few months ago, I remembered everything so clearly again"
"Because of Maia's scream?"
Maddin rolled her eyes at Maddox but answered nonetheless.
"Yes, I instinctively knew that the scream came from Maia. After that, a shiver ran down my spine. When I heard Maia's scream, I was practicing my tarot cards"
"What did you get Ate?"
"I got the World card during that time, it may be a coincidence but I didn't want to speculate."
"What's the world card signifies?"
"The end and beginning of a new cycle"
Of course it has an ominous meaning, Maki thought. That's just great, now one prophecy to another shows its connection.
"Then why didn't you want to go with Maddox before?"
Damian asked her but before Maddin could answer, Maddox intervened.
"Dude, if you're my sister's boyfriend then show some respect"
Damian's eyes squinted before he rephrased what he said with uncertainty.
"Kuya Maddox?"
Maddox smiled and approved nodding to which Maddin snorted.
"I needed to make sure that everyone in Kuwa Circus is properly settled in Lucky City."
"And how is that going?"
Magnus asked Maddin
"It's almost done Kuya, why?"
"Because you need to finish up quickly, we need to get everyone together"
"Everyone? Do you possibly know where Makoto and Marvyll are?"
Instead of answering, Magnus nodded at her. Maddin's eyes quietly lit up and a smile was plastered on her face now.
"But Kuya, it seems like you lot have forgotten what today is"
Maia was staring at her sister when the outside started getting noisier. She stood up to lift one part of the tent and saw people carrying various stuff, decorations, and food.
That was when it hit her. It was a holiday that she hadn't celebrated for years so she naturally forgot about it.
Maia looked back at her brothers, Damian and at Maddin who was smiling at her.
"It's Christmas"