- Knock Knock
'I never expected old man to remember it.'
Lita hesitated momentarily before touching the handle and pulling it towards herself.
What she saw stupefied her after a figure quite familiar yet so distant stood next to her.
"Haven't seen you in a while, sis."
"Yan…."
***
It was a typical summer afternoon in Los Angeles, California. With the increasing temperatures due to global warming, it was unbearable to stay outside amid a blazing inferno that spewed out scorching flames during the day.
A young man with a playful smile and kind face was walking in the flaming streets, unhinged by all the heat. He was short, especially today, in the heat of hallucination. Dark attire, dark blonde hair, and dark brown eyes - Unmistakably, it was the dear brother.
"Come faster, Yan! Otherwise, you'll turn into an omelet," Lita shouted annoyedly.
'How can this fool wear all this stuff? No other guy in Los Angeles has jeans and a blazer now.'
"OY! Lita! She promised me a date. A DATE! Ya-Hoo…." The shouts pierced the heat and echoed throughout the avenue. Now, all the neighbors know that Yan is going to have a date.
'Poor soul, why would the witch give him hope just to crush it afterward? Evil has no boundaries.'
"Congrats. You remember that you're departing for The Tower less than a year later, right?" Lita gave him a thoughtful look.
"You are talking to the best student of the whole Awakener institution." Yan raised his eyebrows.
"Sure, sure… so what of a date? How did all this happen?"
"I've just told you the answer; in front of you is none other than the be…" Yan exclaimed proudly before getting interrupted.
"Oh, good luck with your date then…" Lita said annoyingly and headed inside. After getting her skin dried by the cold flow of the air conditioner, her nerves quelled a little.
"Wait! I haven't dated before. Bestow your knowledge upon this lowly mortal!" Yan begged, coming from behind.
'Pathetic…'
"Just be yourself, that is all. If she doesn't like you the way you are…" Lita Lingered for a moment.
'She's not worth it.'
"Good afternoon, sir. I am delighted you are doing well," Fabien greeted Yan and invited two siblings to the dining table downstairs.
After changing his clothes and taking a shower, Yan approached the table and sat next to Lita.
Today's main dish was grilled beef with barbecue sauce on it. It had a marinated shrimp salad beside it, of which nothing was left, thanks to Lita.
"So what if she doesn't like me the way I am?" Yan asked curiously.
"Give up; you're not on her level then." Lita acclaimed.
"But I am the number one st…" Yan murmured silently. Lita didn't allow him to finish his wording, though.
"Gift her flowers; when I first started dating, I adored someone giving me some. Also, the restaurants and cinema are too generic. Everyone does that! Take her out to the park." Lita whispered unevenly. To appear embarrassed, she made sure that her cheeks were red.
Lita was sure that Yan was getting bewitched by his crush and gave the worst advice she could've come up with.
'Sincerity is the greatest guilt. Some reality check could shape him for the better. I can't watch after him forever. The Tower knows no mercy.'
"You're the best, sis." Yan enthusiastically ran towards his room.
'Forgive me, Yan.'
***
'Forgive me, Yan.'
The man standing in front of her was no Yan… He was anything but Yan. The playful uncaring smile was now a forced facade concealing darkness. His eyes were barely open. From the dark circles beneath them, it was apparent that he didn't sleep for days.
"Did you come for money?"
"Please help me si…"
"Stop. Come up with something new the next time. Perhaps you don't have any leftover brain cells for that." She kept her indifferent tone throughout the whole conversation.
"You still do not understand? You're a walking dead; no way back from what you've done. I won't get myself involved again. Get out of my eyes." She struck.
"One last chance is all I am asking for. I'm getting departed to the dungeon for the next two weeks. You won't see my face. I need 5000$ for armaments, please! I will return the money from the dungeon earnings as soon as I return." He spoke in a pleading manner.
"Lies. I see you've already talked to Father. I'm shocked he didn't beat you to a pulp as always." She added, "Why don't you go ask Grace? She's sure to help the love of her life." Lita tried to suppress her laughter.
"Don't you dare mock her!" With days of sleepless nights and stress catching up on him, Yan lost his temper.
After a moment of silence, Yan whispered, "I'm sorry…"
"It's okay; that was totally expectable of you. I didn't mock her, though. She's worth respect compared to you" Stating her thoughts, Lita looked him straight in the face.
She felt guilt, sorrow, and pain. All of it was preventable. She could have solved the issue before it arose into disaster.
Her feelings quickly turned into a fury. She then tried to slam the door, yet to no avail. A hand was clenched onto the opposite handle.
"Lita! Please! I have it all planned, the…"
Lita pulled her grasp off the handle, caught unsuspecting Yan off guard, then landed a powerful push kick on his abdomen when the door got fully open. She closed the door before Yan could recollect himself.
'Pathetic…'
***
"No, I don't know why you're not fair.
I give you my love, but you don't care.
So what is right and what is wrong?
Gimme a sign."
The music reverberated across the street.
'It was a long drive to Malibu beach.'
Young handsome men with Rolex watches on their wrists and beautiful women with Louis Vuitton bags hanging down their shoulders were strolling down the valley toward the gigantic yellow mansion.
Various expensive sports cars were parked nearby: Lamborghini, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, and whatnot.
Lita Had a high-slit purple iris dress and a regular backpack hanging on her back. She struggled to maintain her balance, walking down the slope in high-heeled shoes while trying to type on her phone.
- I'm here, where are you?
- The party is almost over! Just where have you been?
- Family.
- Anyways, come to the shore. We will find you.
Lita left her backpack in the lobby and then headed to the shore. The place was vast, and it was easy to get disoriented. On her way to the said location, she met a familiar face.
"Why are you here, Shahir?"
A short man with shiny blonde hair and golden rectangle glasses reacted in surprise. "Likita? What in the world are you doing here?"
"Right back at you."
Shahir had a formal white suit with golden buttons and a bow. He had a malicious square face and green eyes. People looking at them would mistake him for Lita's little relative.
"I thought you were a cautious one. You were one of the only people I saw potential at the academy. Can you afford yourself a rest at the time when we're about to step into The Tower?" Lita remarked.
"I will batter you up after we get out of The Tower. No, I will kill you inside The Tower. That should be enough to repay my debts." Shahir said jokingly, or not jokingly.
"Are you relying on the skills The Tower may grant you? How low you have come." Lita looked at him in skepticism.
"Luck is as important as one's prowess," Shahir stated.
"Luck follows the strong," Lita exclaimed, pristinely smiling. She turned back and, before going off, hesitantly voiced, "Don't die early. I will get sad if my punching bag wears out."
The inside of the mansion was stuffed with many people; the shore was even more crowded.
"Lita! Took you long enough."
"How have you been, Mira? Where is Sara?"
Mira spoke mournfully, "Sara is dancing with her lover, ugh… I am so jealous. Speaking of which, you should speak to Robert. He's been looking out for you for a long time. Damn, you should introduce me to one of your suitors. Ugh… just as I was talking."
A handsome man with gleaming bright eyes approached them.
"Huh? Hudson?" Mira was taken aback.
'So you're finally making a move, huh.' Lita thought.
The gentleman bowed, stretching his left hand towards Mira.
"I was mesmerized by your looks and smart from the beginning of the second year when we were put in the same class. I want to know more about you. Mira, would you accompany me on a dance?"
"... Sure."
Mira gently took his hand and was carried to the center of the terrace.
Lita wandered the place, picking up some sweets and wine on her way. She talked to many people, sharing the memories they had in the academy.
After a while, a young figure weaved his hand from afar and slowly approached her with a wide appealing smile.
"Good to see you, Lita. You look as graceful as ever. Is everything to your liking?"
Lita stopped breathing the cake and looked up at the black eyes opposite the bar table. He had a tall stature and was well-dressed in a neat-looking cherry-red suit. He had a small oblong face, his hair the same color as his eyes. The man stemmed the aura of an elegant noble. He was the deemed prince on a white horse that every girl had fantasies of.
His grin widened as he looked at Lita.
'Bastard. He knew my weakness of Carrot-honey cake.'
"Stop with the pleasantries. You know I hate it, Robert." Lita responded after wiping the cream off her face with the handkerchief Robert handed her.
"Haha. I can't stop admiring how well you can mask yourself. You're only second to my sister." he flustered.
"It's just that I have boundaries. How is the business?" She tried to change the topic.
"The government is on our tails. Since the dungeons have calmed down for years, they have some free hands." After taking a sip of red wine, he carried on, "Moreover, we two will head to The Tower soon enough, so it's best to lay down for a while."
Lita's usual polite smile was distorted. "Not happening. We should take the opportunity when the competitors are on guard here to spread it further north." Lita asserted. "Understood?"
"Ah, I really hate you. It's quite ironic that while your brother is getting toyed with by my sister, I am dancing on your fingers. Is this somewhat of a revenge?" Robert gave a bitter laugh.
"Your sister will have it worse. I am going to cook and skin her alive." she regained her smile.
"I hope so." He gave a satisfied sigh. "So when are you heading to The Tower?"
"I have a flight in a few hours. I even brought my luggage here."
"Wow, I wish you a torturous death, my love." He took another sip of wine, emptying the glass. "Would you mind accompanying me on a dance?"
"Of course."
They took each other's hand and went to the dance scene. While performing the waltz, They got all the attention of bystanders.
"I want to stand with you on a mountain.
I want to bathe with you in the sea.
I want to lay like this forever.
Until the sky falls down on me."
'Pathetic... I truly am pathetic.'
***
Below the starless night, the man stood atop the roof of a warehouse, lightning extruding his body and filling his dull gray eyes. His body was covered in blood, yet he had no scratch on it.
The bloody figure had a silencer pistol in his right hand and a long knife in the other. He was out of breath, barely keeping his foot. His hair was even messier than usual.
"You're not getting away!" A woman with a sickle screamed from behind.
She was furious and craved the man's blood. She excelled at speed, yet the man was as fast, if not faster. The man dropped down instead of jumping to the other building.
The woman came to the brink of the building, her eyes searching for prey.
The view in front of her contorted. It flew high towards the boundless sky, and when it flipped, her sight was cast upon this very man. She was decapitated. The man's gloomy eyes were the last thing she saw before embracing darkness.