Ruby stirred the tea in her cup. The spiraling tea in her hand distracted her mind. It was as though the circle was trying to hypnotize Ruby. Her eyelashes faltered, sweeping the soft wind blowing to her limpid eyes. The lips hanging casually were pulled to a corner forming a thin smile on her face.
This afternoon Ruby and the twins were enjoying their leisure time as it had always been when a piece of news knocked on their door disrupting the peace and quiet they had.
"It was a mandatory rule from the academy. Are you okay with that?"
"It's not a problem, just,"
"I know, you are worried about the children. You should talk to them."
"En."
"If you can't leave them alone, I can bring them to live with us in the main residence."
"You don't have to."
"You, ah... I get it. Though, I can also hire an extra caretaker for them if you want to. How about it?"
"..I'll consider it. In the meantime, First Brother should withdraw those people. I don't need surveillance."
Guy was at a loss for words for a minute. His mouth was locked from wanting to explain, needing a special key to open it. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Have you ever thought that they weren't for surveillance?"
"If not for it, then what for? I don't see why they are that important to me, brother." Ruby was genuinely bewildered. It didn't seem like the bodyguards had any other job apart from always trying to meddle in her business. They kept asking her to tag along wherever she went. Ruby really wished to throw them out in the sea every time they started to act up.
Which she didn't. But she definitely told them to stay behind the curtain.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Guy had long predicted but didn't really expect it would come true in the end. Ruby waited but no other sound was heard from Guy again. Her ear which was pressed to the screen only heard a serene quietness like a cemetery ghostly sound.
Ruby got a little spook, so she hung up one-sidedly leaving Guy bitterly staring at his phone.
Ruby's long fingers tapped on the table. Truthfully, living in a dorm with a bunch of strangers was a big deal for Ruby. But, it also might be possible for Ruby now because she had already been used to sleeping under one roof with these excessive presences. It wasn't as unpleasant as how she thought it would be at first except when their tiny footsteps sometimes caused a racket around the apartment.
Noah stared at Ruby who was busy thinking. The thoughtful expression Ruby had, make Noah wonder what else was coming for them. Although, he could somewhat guess the purpose behind the conversation based on Ruby's reply and the gesture of her dodging eyes from colliding with his these last few seconds.
Noah bowed his head and brought the hot cocoa to his lips. He slowly drank the hot drink to avoid leaving traces on his cheeks, but it was useless because the steaming hot cocoa let out a cough and the air blew into the side of his mouth, splashing drops of brown water. His muffled, deep voice woke Ruby up from her daze from looking at the mustache appearing on Noah's upper lips, "Is there something you want to tell us about?"
Ruby wiped her eyes to sober up and asked back, "Do you remember when I told you I want to act?"
"Yes." Noah calmly muttered.
"I'm attending an academy soon, to see if I'm suited to act or not."
Oliver blinked. His rounded glittering eyes gawked at Ruby. The tone of Oliver's voice has raised a pitch higher, "You are going to school like us too?"
Ruby sighed, "Mhm."
"Don't like it?" Oliver was doubtful. His brows scrunched like crumpled paper. His small lips jerked upward a little. His confused thought was laid bare for them to see. It was precisely describing his question which was, 'Isn't it cool to go to school?'
"It's not about the matter of likes or dislikes. I want to try it. However, that's not the thing that has been on my mind either."
Noah and Oliver, "?"
A question mark boldly occupied a large part of their small head.
Sorry, they don't understand.
Ruby saw their ignorant face which looked both cute and innocent, as they were blankly gazing at her to hear the rest of her words.
Her calm expression broke into a sincere smile. Ruby couldn't help but giggle softly from the overloaded cuteness that transpired before her. Sadly, Ruby used her teacup to conceal the curved lips, afraid of being found out.
"The academy required me to live in a dorm. I can only go back home on weekends."
Contrary to Ruby's thought, there weren't any notable changes in the twins' reactions.
She asked with a weird face, "You guys are okay with it?"
Noah and Oliver replied in unison, "En."
Oliver curiously leaned closer to Ruby. His eyes narrowed and his brows wiggled, "Were you expecting us to say no?"
"Of course not. I'm glad you didn't. It saves me from trouble." Ruby uttered in a huff.
"You say that, but actually, you can't bear to part with us. You must be lonely~" His childish voice teasing Ruby was particularly annoying. Oliver laughed seeing Ruby keeping a nonchalant attitude.
Maybe because it was going to be hard to see them for the time being, or perhaps because she thought Oliver was adorable, Ruby was being more tolerant.
"If I'm lonely, I won't ever consider leaving you alone."
Oliver pouted, His mouth protruding till its shape became a triangle on the end. His fluffy hair bounced as he pestered Ruby, giving off the impression of a cat eager to be caressed, "Then let's bet!"
"You can't gamble at this age, Oliver." Ruby flicked Oliver on his forehead.
The flick which landed on his forehead didn't bear any malicious intent because It was so gentle that it was more like a feather brushing past him, rendering him speechless from feeling the undisguised love stroking him in a flash.
Oliver's eyelashes quivered for a moment before he blinked, shooing away the impossible thought. His cheeks puffed up cutely with a little bit of a red touch adorning them. Oliver stubbornly challenged Ruby, "Let's bet!!"
Ruby acted as if she was thinking really hard. She knitted her brows. Putting on a serious face, Ruby asked Oliver, "What are you betting on?"
"I will grant you a wish!"
"Oh," Ruby burst out laughing right after. Her laugh was loud and clear permeating the dull air. Her body trembled from the intense laughter. Tears leaked out from the corner of Ruby's eyes. Once she had enough, she finished it with a light chuckle.
She glimpsed over at Oliver's displeased expression and smiled brightly out in the open unlike the one from before. Even though the tenderness seeped out of her glowing almond eyes was hidden back from them.
"I thought you would say something grander than a wish. But I guess, that's your limit."
Oliver murmured in a rare wronged tone, "What do you know? I am still a kid."
Noah's face darkened. He was also a bit upset. He couldn't hold back from saying, "Don't be too harsh on Oliver."
Did Ruby feel apologetic? Possibly.
That's why she immediately apologized. "Yes. It's my fault."
Nonetheless, Ruby still smiled. She told them the lesson she had painstakingly learned in her previous world. "Being small and powerless is not something you should be sad about. However, being able to keep moving toward a better life is something worthy to be proud of."
"You didn't bend to give up."
"You bend to jump higher."
"Get it?"
Tut.
A Transparent thread pulled on their heartstrings, awakening a new comprehension of life they thought they had already known. The twins' hearts were shaken. They figured Ruby always had an inkling of finding the best way to force herself into their space and she really did.
They hated it when people looked at them pitifully and said they were born unlucky as if it was the saddest thing that could happen to a person. That they needed to be saved.
How they dream of being seen as who they really are.
Vulnerable to being squashed by a typhoon but was unbelievably resilient from being flattened to death.
Ruby was shy from the sudden silence after saying such cheesy things. A few minutes went on without none of them uttering a word.
The tips of Ruby's ear gradually reddened as time went by. She couldn't bear the ongoing stillness hovering between them. So, she turned sideways pretending to look for a distant future.
Very, very distant.
Ruby slowly said, "I will bet the same thing then."
Fortunately, the twins' consciousness didn't drift too far from the present time. Otherwise, it would become another dark past Ruby wanted to forget.
Noah snapped out from reminiscing about his old memories. Hooking his lips a little, Noah said, "It's a tempting offer."
Oliver's cheeky smile steadily crept up from the ugly memories. He spoke with determination, "I must remember to charge you double." His tiny fist punched the air. Showing how pumped he was.
Both of them didn't seem like someone who had recalled their nightmares. Rather, the aura they gave off had softened a lot. The damp, gooey swamp they use to stand on as a foothold quietly chose a new form, becoming thicker and sturdier. It no longer loved its last's skin, therefore the black swamp tore it apart, revealing its luster.
"Double? Aren't you greedy?"
"Even if I'm this greedy, it won't be enough to become rich in one night."
"..You have a point."
The rest of the afternoon was spent in a warm-hearted atmosphere. They were either discussing something trivial or just staying silent in the same place to savor the company of each other.
People forget about the time when they began to feel comfortable.
The next week came so fast. Ruby promised to drive them on their first day of school before completely moving into the dorm.
Ruby slammed the break and parked on the side of the school gate.
"Want me to walk you inside?"
Noah and Oliver rejected the offer without a second thought. Although they were nervous, they wouldn't want to be known as a mama-boy!
"We'll be fine. We can take care of ourselves."
"Huu.. Okay."
It's a bit disappointing realizing that her little birds had learned how to fly and were approaching the bridge of no return to break free from the cuddle of her wings.
Ruby got back into her car and waved her hand while grinning from ear to ear.
"I'll come to visit you when I have the time!"
Noah walked briskly, holding Oliver's hand. In turn, Oliver yelled. "Don't force yourself!"
"I'm not! Since I will be visiting you through my dream!"
Unbelievable. What did those kids think? She wasn't going to run over and said she missed them.
Noah and Oliver choked, "...."
This is it.
They will miss this infuriating side of her.