"Morning Arata." Alistar patted my head as we sat down together in the cafeteria.
"Morning Al." I smiled.
"Hmm... rare fro you to call me by nickname." He said as he stared at me and then pokes my cheek. "I'm happy. I get to hear you call me by my nickname."
"Hehe, all yours names are kinda a mouthful after all. Only Zhen and Liam have short names." I answered.
"Then why not just call me Al all the time from now on." He said with a smile. "After all, I'm by your side whenever you need me."
"Oh, what are you guys up to?" Hinako asks as she joins us with Himawari, Mao and Touya.
"Nothing much, right Arata?" Alistar smiles at them.
"Dad!" Spiro suddenly jumps onto my lap. "Hehe! Found you!"
"Oh, you're back! Did you have fun with Grandma and Grandpa?" I asked as I had him sit down beside me. His smiling so brightly, I'm glad I took him in.
"Yeah! We went to a beautiful beach, a tall mountain and a lush green forest!" He happily answered. "I saw where Dad stayed since he was young!"
"Oh, the Forest Villa..." I said in surprise.
Mom and Dad must've taken him there to get him to relax. The Forest Villa is special, rarely used unless a family member needs to stay away from loud noises and pollution. It's more of a sanctuary rather than a vacation home.
"Dad, where's Uncle William?" He said looking around. "Grandma and Grandpa said that I should give this to Uncle William."
He showed me a letter, it had the family seal. Why would Mom and Dad send a letter to Will with the family seal for that matter.
"I'll call him." Touya said as he left the table. "I'll be right back."
"Thanks." I answered.
"Something wrong, Le Fleur?" Dony asked me, his messy hair standing out in all directions.
"Nothing." I smiled.
"Lies will not go unseen before my eyes. I, the successor of Chalcedony can see the truth." He said. "Le Fleur, is something bothering you?"
"Dony... it's nothing. I just have a bad feeling in my chest is all." I told him. "I haven't gotten any visions of disasters like before, I haven't been called to the a Gatheirng again and... I still don't know when the end is."
"I understand now." Dony said. "The uncertainty of tomorrow is what's causing you to worry. But this is surprising."
"After Will and Liam's incident I'm afraid that something bad will happen to the others." I answered him.
"Why should you be afraid?" Al suddenly hugs me from behind. "We're here by your side, we'll protect you no matter what."
"That's what makes me worry. You guys putting your lives in danger because of me." I answered.
"Hmmm... so that's why..." Al sighed. "Arata, I guess you've completely forgotten."
"About what?" I asked.
"If it wasn't for you, I would've been dead a long time ago." He said and brought our heads together. "Arata, never forget that you've saved my life five times already. I don't mind risking it for you."
"Al..." I could feel the warmth in his words, it was so warm that I couldn't help but just smile.
"Oh? What's going on here?" Will asked as he joined us with the others.
"Uncle Will a letter for you, from Mom and Dad. She said to read it with Dad in private, just the two of you, as soon as you could!" Spiro smiled happily.
"Okay then. Arata, care to join me?" Will asked so I nodded.
"We'll be right back." I said and left with Will.
-----
"Alistar-senpai... I heard you say... that Arata-san... has saved... your life five times... when was it?" Himawari asked me.
"Ah, that's right, you girls don't know about how we met Arata." Alexis said as he sat down beside me. "The truth is..."
"I met Arata on his first day here at school. He was sittibg beside me. At the time he was still confused and scared." I told them. "Arata... saved my life five times after we met."
"Five times?" Felalona asked.
"Hmmm? Five times? Are you sure?" Hiro asked. "The bullet at his home, the table explosion here at school, the sniper in the cafeteria after the table explosion and the sniper from after the Gemini attack, right?"
"That makes four, when was the fifth time?" Theo asked.
"When he iffered his hand to me." I smiled.
"I see. I suppose that's true." Alexis smiled as he leaned his head on my shoulder.
"The hand held out to me the day I became the Brave of the Scared Sword was a gentle hand, a trembling hand, a cold hand that wished for nothing more than my own salvation." I answered. "'Move... Forward.' Arata's words that day was what saved me the most."
"Alistar-senpai... you really treasure Arata-san!" Himawari smiled to my surprise.
"Yeah! I treasure Arata a lot." I smiled. "After all, he was the one who, even on deaths door offered me his hand wishing for my happiness."
"Oh dear, look at me getting emotional." Shinono said as she brushed away her tear. "So, Arata-san gave you a reason to live, Alistar-senpai?"
"Yes. While I wandered aimlessly in the darkness, what appeared before me was a ray of light that shined even in the fleeting rays of the night." I answered. "So, for this life he had saved repeatedly, I would gladly risk everything to make him happy and to protect him."
"That's..." Himawari paused. "That's so beautiful!"
"Himawari-chan?" Hinako stared at her.
"For Arata-san who gave his everything to protect your life, you continued to live. And now, you protect hin as his Brave!" She exclaimed with sparkling eyes. "I've decided!"
"On what?" Reina asked her.
"That I wanna be someone who can also protect Arata-san's smile!" She exclaimed.
"Himawari... then I'm counting on you to watch Arata when I'm not around!" I smiled.
"Yes! Leave it to me!" She said and shook my hand.
------
"Is that okay?" I asked Hinako.
"Yeah. It's fine." She answered.
"Are you sure? Doesn't she like Alistar?" I said.
"She does but just as I came to terms with my feelings, this is her way of coming to terms with them and putting it to a closure." She answered and smiled.
"Well, if you say so." I answered.
"Speaking of which, where are Arata and William?" Hiro asked. "They've been gone for a while now."
"Yeah..." Andrew answered and that's when the two came back.
"Arata? William? Is something wrong?" I asked.
"Something bad has happened." Arata answered with a serious expression.