"What are you looking at, Lord Vyrion?"
"..."
"Lord Vyrion?"
"..."
"Oh~ Lord Vyrion~?"
The tall black-haired man who had been silently gazing at the stars that filled the night sky finally gave up ignoring the woman who interrupted his 'me time'. He turned his ruby eyes to hers who smiled brightly as she managed to get his attention, "You know what I do every night, Vega."
Vega giggled, then stepped her long legs cheerfully towards Vyrion, looking at the stars that were shining bright white, "Too bad the stars here are different from Eartha."
"..."
Vyrion just silently watched the stars above his head. really? He didn't remember.
Vega smiled bitterly. How she missed Vyrion's warm and gentle persona, "Oh," she remembered something, "there might be a new human."
Vyrion closed his eyes, displeased with new people coming into his life, "Do I seem interested in having friends, Vega?"
Of course not, but Vega didn't want to upset Vyrion if this news wasn't told, "The owner of the castle, Mr. Laurent, recently passed away—"
"Oh?" The corners of Vyrion's lips lifted into a tiny smile, "Good news. I just realized he hasn't been here in six months."
"Lord Vyrion! Have some sympathy," Vega warned, angry and saddened by his attitude.
Sadly, Vyrion didn't care, he leaned his body against the balcony railing of his room while waving his hand not to be dramatic about his reaction to Alfred Laurent's death.
Vega let out a small sigh "Promise me you'll be nice to the new castle owner since she's a girl, Lord Vyrion! Promise me!"
*****
Corale stroked her full stomach as she finished her dinner. At first, she had no appetite, but after tasting it, her appetite slowly rose, rose, and rose until there was no food left on the plate.
'Mom's food always the best~'
Speaking to her mother, as soon as Gael returned home, Corale rushed towards the living room at her mother's request. She wondered what her mother wanted to talk about, whether it was about Gael.
Her friendship with Gael was slowly improving, but if the problem was more than that, she couldn't answer it yet.
"Corale, honey. Come here," her mother greeted her as soon as she reached the first floor, her hands that had been on the wooden table, patting the chair beside her.
Corale realized that her mother was not alone, her father and older brother were there too, this made her curious at first become a little nervous, "What is it, Mom?"
"Sit down first, Corale," her father says gently.
Corale sat down, ignoring her family's intense stares at her, "What's wrong?" she asked worriedly, "I'm all right." she continued before her family answered her question. Her problem with Gael was practically over, she didn't want to be brought up again.
"Corale, baby," her mother caressed Corale's tense hand gently, "you know we love you, right?"
Why suddenly say that?
Although it sounded strange, Corale nodded slightly in agreement, "I love you too, Mom, Dad, and everyone," she says softly, "thank you for being patient waiting for me to be myself again."
"Of course, Corale," her older brother Raphael says just as gently.
Corale smiled widely, it was really heartwarming to see her brother again after so long, "Nice to see you, Raphael."
Since Raphael was busy studying and working in Strasbourg, he came home only once a month, making the house a bit quieter, and when he came back the atmosphere was more lively and fresh.
There was a lot Corale wanted to do and talk about with her brother. She couldn't wait for the conversation with her parents to finish.
"Corale," her mother called, "we have something to tell you."
Corale refocused her eyes on her mother, "About what?"
Melani exchanged glances with her husband, Edwin, then nodded and looked back at Corale seriously, "I want you to study in England."
"..."
Corale's eyes widened in shock.
England?
How could that be? Where did her parents get that much money for her studies in England?
Melani looked down at her clenched hands on the table, "You know your father is in England, right?"
Her father ...
Corale realized that what her mother was talking about was her biological father, Alfred, not Edwin. It was obvious where the tuition money was coming from, "Mom, you know I don't know Dad very well."
So far, Corale only knew her father lived in England, nothing more. Of course she wanted to be close to her biological father too, but her father's thoughts were different from hers.
Alfred only sent short messages and money so far, there was never any intention of going to France to meet her with the excuse that he was very busy.
Corale doesn't really mind, she gets the love of her stepfather, so she doesn't feel too much pain, what's more, she only found out her real father was Alfred when she was eighteen years old.
"I understand," says her mother, "but we agreed we wanted you to study in England, Corale."
"Why?"
"Because not long ago your father Alfred passed away."
*****
Corale Vincent took a deep breath.
"Corale, everything will be fine," Raphael encouraged, ruffling the top of his sister's head who had been taking a deep breath since leaving the house.
Corale looked down gloomily.
How could she calm down? She would be leaving in an hour for England by plane, leaving her beloved family behind, leaving her hometown to study at a University that was not what she wanted.
Corale looked at the dilemma of Raphael's face who looked at her gently.
How could her family hide all this until one day before her departure to England? Moreover, Raphael worked hard to buy plane tickets for her. Her mother borrowed money from a friend who lives in England so she could get everything she needed before getting a job there. And her father took care of a passport special for her.
Corale's parents' struggle couldn't be wasted, therefore she couldn't refuse, immediately packing her clothes after she finished chatting with her family.
Corale still couldn't believe she was going to be living in England for a while so she couldn't sleep well all night thinking about it, and again not with her real father, just alone.