It was a tragedy that day, the Verse professed their surprise project of opening an all level education facility in which many of the selected student candidate are said to be special people. In the end, they ended their statement, stating the sadness they feel as they mourn of the eldest alpha son of the verse, Yuhan. Some showed sympathy, some are standing against the Verse for putting their children in harm's way. In the end, the students are evacuated to a hotel, staying for a day, some are three or four, depending on how far their home is, the booking of flights if ever, etc.
Garen rode the same bus as Liliane and Ziel. The bus stops at the only bus station in the downtown, The one in front of the primary school... Alas, Garen is home in no time, back to the town where everything begun...
The sun is still hiding below the horizon and the school looked like one on a scary horror movie. But, it was a normal scenery for early birds like Ziel and Garen. [6 AM] the sky would still be portraying a soft shade of purple, shifting to lavender then, one that is a soft blue tint. It's been a few years and sufferings are as long as an eternal night but, everything would feel as if it was just yesterday and that the painful memories were only a long dream.
Liliane only lives near that primary school but, her feet seems like it doesn't want to take a step away from her current place.
"It's changed so much..." Liliane says, staring at the school's front.
The school felt so large and big when they were mere children that would run about in the entire school but, now, it just feels so tiny that one could never expect of the nightmare it once held.
"I had my thoughts about that Yuhan person that Liliane would never stop talking about. They seem to be doing things but, she wouldn't tell me anything..."
"I'm gonna head home first, Garen, take care of her..." Ziel says as she walked her way home, a district near the school, opposite from Liliane's district.
It was a Saturday, Liliane could remember sneaking inside the school during Saturdays. Actually, she was never allowed to go outside of her home, her mom was so strict with her. Liliane was only allowed outside when she goes to school and had to be home right away.
Of course, strict rules when broken, comes with heavy punishments.
"Lili..." Garen spoke with his caring voice and softly held Liliane's hand.
The front of the school already shows everything clearly. Everything they knew... It's gone. The hallways are built differently, new buildings... The citrus tree, no more. The lush of green grass and beautiful wild flowers that they used to lie down to, replaced with cement. It looks unfamiliar.
"Do you want to go inside?" Garen asks in which, Liliane replied "no" by shaking her head.
"There is no need..." Liliane says.
"Alright" Garen smiled softly.
Liliane stood there for another twenty-three minutes, staring at the school's name plate. Garen was with her but, instead of gazing at the same direction as Liliane's, he was gazing at her blue eyes. It's such a beautiful pair of eyes yet, it only illuminates sadness and regrets.
The sun was slowly rising up and the sky is in a shade of bright blue periwinkle and butter cream gradient along the sun's edges. The sun was already up and the town bells sounded, announcing the start of the day for everyone [6:30]. Garen and Liliane temporarily separated to head on their own homes.
~~~~~~
The house was empty as expected, both of Garen's parents are out. There was no food on the table, no one even cooked, they must've went out extremely early. Garen washes some rice and cooked it in a rice cooker. He then, took out some slices of frozen ham and fried it along with an egg.
"Sigh... I miss her already... But, she just got home... She might want to rest..." Garen says.
As he fixes his luggage, he found himself scanning his entire room. It's only been more than a week, this room used to feel so dark and cold. How often? How often did he spent himself locked up in this room? Torturing himself with guilt, regret, and longing. The white ceiling that he would stare as he think of her and the blue walls that reminds him of the color of her eyes. It was a haven once but, it became a torture room after that bloody day.
Garen simply scoffs as he is reminded of these things, painful ones that doesn't now have no ounce of familiarity within his heart. He just simply remember of the details but, no longer feel the pain from those times. He remembers how he would reach out to the white ceiling, trying to remember the warmth in his heart from those times that both he and Liliane stared under the cloudy sky. He remembers the cold sensations when he touched and leaned on to the blue wall that desperately try to remember her, who he lost.
He was in fact, slowly losing himself as he immersed himself within this space. He remembered and remembered until he actually slowly forgets of her image, like a scene that froze from too many playbacks, gradually blurring the longer you stare.
"Lili is with me now..." And that was all that matters to him.
Never again, will he let anything harm Liliane. He shall make sure to eradicate anything that causes her pain. He has to be even more powerful to do so.
Garen took out a box from under his bed. The box was made out of craft paper folded to form a box. He carefully opens it and smiles as though he is so happy that he was about to cry. Unable to grab anything in time from the explosion that happened that day, nothing was taken except of what they are already holding. On the box, was a small photobook, two rings, and a folded ripped page from a notebook.
How nostalgic... He thought to himself as he carefully dust off the box and the contents. Garen never thought that he would ever have the courage to open that box, it was like his very own heart, the young and innocent heart that he dedicated to Liliane. These things reminds him of his love, the reasons why he loves her, and the wishes and dreams he formed during those times.
"I don't think it fits now..." Garen softly chuckled as he brushed his fingertips on the two rings.
The rings are but mere cheap rings they saw once when they were on their little adventure during the time when they were kicked out of class. Cheap and thin metal rings that has a blue paint on one and pink paint on the other. It was so tiny and could only fit on children's fingers.
"The letter..."
Garen looks at it and remembers this one tiny event when the both of them fought one time. Garen was already losing himself due to transitioning as an alpha back then. He insulted her so much that made her slap him in the face for the very first time, her face looked extremely angry but, her eyes looked so hurt and sad more than the stinging heat on his cheeks. Garen felt hurt with the reflected emotion he saw on Liliane's eyes as he was facing her. Back then, he felt a squeezing pain in his heart for the very first time, pinching on his every nerves. He apologized at that very spot.
Liliane waited on the same spot that they would always hang out but, Garen couldn't face her. He watched from afar, watching Liliane drew and scribble a few to past time as she wait for him to arrive. Garen never showed up until she left. For the very first time, Liliane throws away her notebook before she left. Garen thought that it was weird for her to do so as she loves to draw and write.
"Sorry for hurting you..."
"I'm sorry..."
"Sorry..."
It was a bunch of apology practices perhaps... Garen flipped through more pages and saw a few princess drawings... Then...
"I love you."
Garen felt his heart sunk for the very first time in his life, he didn't knew how to comprehend it back then, he never felt such feeling before, he felt hurt but also, blank as if empty. He felt like it was an emotion where it should be expressed by crying but, he didn't knew what to do. He felt frozen and his chest was tightening so much that it slowly doesn't feel painful but, he felt as though trying to forget how to breath.
She threw it away... This must be her feelings towards me now... She no longer want it.
Young Garen thought so back then...