…
"Hmmmm, I suppose so…" Ran replied to El's question, her voice trailing off.
…
El's somber expression deepened as he asked her a question concerning the matters at hand. "So, what do you know about the people in the restaurant? Why? What was their actual crime?"
Ran glanced at El from the corner of her eye before responding, "There are many versions circulating, not only in the city but also in the underside. I'm not sure myself which one is true. One thing is certain though: it had something to do with the nobility, as there was no trial to determine whether the accusations were right or not."
"I see…" El struggled to find words in response. His understanding of the nobility in the Ryxhaton Empire and their commoners was only superficial, gleaned from the books lining the shelves of his room. There was no mention of the underside, the upper side, or the history between the two, save for what 'the man' had told him that day in the restaurant.
As they continued their journey, Ran suddenly posed a question to El. "You saw that female staff in the restaurant, right? The one who brought me and the others to eat?"
"Yes, I saw her," El nodded his head.
"She is already dead," Ran stated flatly, her expression unchanged.
"What???" The revelation struck El like a jolt of electricity, coursing through him from his toes to the top of his head.
"It was three days ago when the others brought the news. Her body was hanged right in front of the mayor's office," as she spoke, Ran turned her face toward El.
Yet, despite her impassive demeanor, El sensed the turbulent emotions roiling beneath the surface. It was…
Fury.
An intense rage radiated from Ran, evident even in her eyes. No, it wasn't just her; even without looking back, El could feel the cold anger emanating from the others behind him and Ran's.
After a silence that stretched for nearly two minutes, El finally found his voice. "… I… I… why are they so cruel??" the words tumbled out from his mouth, a reflection of his confusion and turmoil within.
Without answering El's vague question, Ran shifted the topic. "That woman's name was Rima. Her biological sister is currently living with us in the underside. We don't know who spilled the beans to her about big sis Rima, so we had to tie her up in our base. She's passed out twice already, yet she keeps trying to escape to the city."
El fell silent, his gaze fixed on the ground as he followed Ran's steps.
"You must be wondering why I'm telling you this, right?" Ran asked suddenly, turning her head to meet his gaze.
"… Yes…" El replied, locking eyes with her. His emerald eyes met her grayish ones.
"I wanted to see if what you said earlier was true. Now I'm sixty percent sure you're not from here."
"… Based on what?" El inquired, curiosity piqued.
"Your eyes!"
"My eyes??"
"Yes… though, it's still just a guess. Well, if you actually showed me signs that you were from the upper side… hmmmm…" as she spoke, Ran revealed her left hand, which had been hidden beneath the long sleeves of her faded grayish-blue sweater, which was oversized on her thin frame. In her grasp lay a small pocketknife, its sharpened edge glinting in the dim light of the alleyway.
"Glam's plan earlier wasn't so bad either way," Ran continued, her gaze fixed on El.
On the other hand, El himself didn't even feel anything about it. The truth was, for the past few days, whenever he looked back to his action of stood in a daze like a statue – looking at the barbed wire fences which said to be the line that separated people on the city with the underside, he had these overwhelming urged to actually crossed it. Besides, the plan of Glam's and his, let's said – underling, needed for him to actually had parents. How the hell could he have even gotten one? And the silver ryton given to him by the man also safely stashed in hidden compartment, with El typically had only brought around two coins at most inside his pocket, whenever he went wandering outside of the house.
So basically, they're plan is a bust from the start, no matter which angle El seen it.
"Uh-huh…" El replied briefly.
And after exchanging glances once again, El suddenly muttered under his breath – it was out of context from the current somber atmosphere. And it was enough too, for Ran who were at El's side to hear it. "You are really pretty though…"
"Huh…" caught off guard, Ran ended up in a daze.
"I mean, you are really pretty. I swear you look like an angel…" El declared abruptly, a sincere smile gracing his lips. He also raised his voice slightly, causing those behind them to pause, taken aback by the unexpected compliment that had slipped from El's very own lips.
"???"
"!!??"
"… ?? !! ???"
"What the hell???"
…
"Wha—why you… why?" Ran stuttered on the spot – her voice faltering as a crimson hue crept across her cheeks. It was even more apparent as most people that El so far seen from the underside indeed had pale, sickly skin. But from El's brief observation, he was sure – Ran's skin was white from the start, making the blush even more visible on her face.
"Why? Of course, it's because you are pretty!? What else?" El replied guilelessly with no shame whatsoever on his face, blissfully unaware of the tension in the air. He sensed a mix of happiness and confusion radiating from Ran, though the undercurrent of anger was unmistakable much more palpable. And to El, this seemed like a positive goodie-shoes sign.
He recalled fond memories of his late aunt, who had always beamed with joy at his compliments. It all started because she had once told him that all women in general appreciated being praised as beautiful, pretty, gorgeous, cute or etc.
El remembered all of those words clearly inside his mind, as if it was already etched in the deepest part of his very own brain. It was the special secrets that could make her aunt happy and bring a smile to her weary face despite the hunger and thirst surrounding them that time.
'Surely, it will work on other women too, right?' El mused inwardly. Besides, he really – really genuinely believed that his aunt was beautiful, and so it was with Ran. His aunt had been the one closest to El, so his instincts, which were always ready to sing a choir of praises for women, gradually stirred awake from their deep slumber.
"Y-y-y-y-you, you…" Ran had stammered even more, mouth agape as she struggled to find the right words. Her previously expressionless face had cracked at that very moment.
"Youyou?? What you?" El said while raising his eyebrows in a real confusion. He then went on to continue his praise at her.
"Ummmm, anyway, it was your eyes especially. Your eyes are really pretty like the… like… ummmhh... ah… like the stormy sea I once seen on the picture in the village. Full of depth and mystery. In short, you are really pretty, Ran. Beautiful, maybe. Or perhaps, if you didn't like it – gorgeous…" El stated with a smile while pondering seriously which one was better and would resonate best, especially as he noticed Ran's emotions shifting slowly toward happiness, which in turn filled him with joy too.
He didn't know what Ran thought about him at that moment, but El for no apparent reason, truly wanted her to become his friend. He would do his best to make her like him. He had only one friend before, who had passed away from thirst, and now he was greedy for more – of that thing called, friends. He really wanted more of them. His late aunt had also advised him to befriend people his age in case he ever survived by any chance, and Ran seemed to fit the bill perfectly – especially considering her height was the same as his.
So basically, her age must have been the same as his as well, right?
…
After delivering to the best of his current ability, all of those heartfelt compliments, El waited for Ran's reaction with eager anticipation. He imagined that she would smile back at him and then say that she liked him. And after that, they would shake hands to seal the deal - of their newfound friendship. Or a hug perhaps. Or perhaps a kiss on the cheeks. And then, they would become friends forever. Living happily – ever after together. Just like what his last friend said and described, if he was having a girl his age as a friend.
Even if one of them would be dead earlier than the others, at least, El would have one more friend to count on his fingers, about his experience in life, and how he went on to wrote later today – if it was possible – on his notes, about him having two friends starting today.
That was what pretty much the summary of what was going on inside El's head right now.
But the reality that soon dawned upon the poor, naïve, innocent El was far from his daydreams. Not a handshake, unfortunately. Not a hug too. Nor a kiss on the cheeks. Nor a smile and holding hands as the friendships growing stronger.
But instead… he was met with something altogether different.
A swift, outstretched palm, fingers conjoined, flew toward El's cheek.
Uh yep. It was pretty much a slap at that point…
"You... pervert!!?"
…