CREAK!
The door opened, with a group of girls arriving, then the boys showed up. Everyone was wearing their usual dress and coats. Surprisingly it was afternoon here. Iris was dozing off on the counter as usual, unaware of their presence. Suddenly they heard heavy footsteps approaching them.
Beside the counter, the door creaked open. A giant man stood there, staring at them with a cold, blank gaze. Seeing him, a chill went down their spines; their blood ran cold.
His expression hardened into a glacial gaze, as though looking straight through their souls. No one dares to utter a word, like they have forgotten how to.
"Hey brat!"
Startled, he instinctively sidestepped as a voice rang out from behind him. Then a lady came out in a dazzling magenta dress, her stern gaze fixed on him.
But then, sensing another presence in the hall, her eyes locked onto them instantly.
"Oh! You guys came earlier than expected."
It was Miss Rose, whose unwavering gaze melted to a tender look. Everyone's expression went blank so their heads.
Miss Rose appeared in front of them in an instant.
"So how were your vacations?"
She inquired with a warm smile. Everyone's lips quivered, like they couldn't suddenly spill it out. There is no way those events can be called vacations right?
"Gooood."
Ruis unconsciously stretches it out. Miss Rose looked up on him, a bit perplexed.
"So a no?"
"No! It isn't like that! We enjoyed every moment there!"
Sara cried. Miss Rose sighs hearing this, like she had realized something.
"Ahhh... Look at me, inquiring questions upon questions with kids. Go to your rooms you all."
"Who is it?"
A slurred voice emerged from behind them.
It was Iris who was scrubbing her woozy eyes, when her vision became better. She snapped.
"Oh, welcome you all!"
She does her usual, graceful smile. The girls went and met up with her while the boys stood like idiots. After that, they all went out of the hall upstairs. Then disappearing from there.
"Why were you sitting there?"
Miss Rose's gaze went to the empty chairs and tables on the left side of the hall. Suddenly on one of the chairs a silhouette of a man gradually appeared and became clearer and clearer until he was clearly visible to the naked eye.
"Just decided to not disturb them now, after all, they had a tiring journey."
He wrapped his arms over his head. Chilling.
She didn't reply. Instead, she turned around and walked with heavy, slow steps toward the door where Azon stood aside.
"Don't scare the kids like that all the time."
She said to her brother before leaving.
When she was gone. Azon departs too. At last only couples were left.
"You should take some rest, you know, because of your condition. The kids didn't know about this yet..."
"I will but I'm bored if I don't do something."
"Well, we can visit Junari for a good time."
He placed his palm over her hand. She blushed, her eyes subconsciously went on his emerald pearls.
"Well I'm not in a mood to go anywhere, I will just take naps."
She said with her cheerful smile. Gets up and disappears in front of him.
Leon stared at the warm air where his wife was present, then he lifted his head and gazed upwards. In the still air.
His expression went contemplative, mused.
Moments Later...
Ruis opens his eyes, lying on a messy bed. It seemed like he had a good sleep as he for few seconds stared at the ceiling.
Getting up on back, he stretches his shoulders and leans to the headboard. For a moment, observing his surroundings.
Ender was not on his bed and his bed was perfectly tidy. Zack was still dozing soundly.
~ Well I guess he woke up earlier than us.
He gets up and goes to refresh himself.
***
Ender was standing on the roof of the building. His face blank, all of the district could be seen from here.
The sun was at its finest, its rays shimmering and spread everywhere, on every street, every window of every building. Everywhere where his gaze riveted. There was light.
Yet his expression remains unreadable.
Suddenly he felt a presence standing behind him, slowly turning around and Ruis was here. His expression was relaxed yet his eyes were saying something, as though he was observing him.
For a moment they both stared at each other with no exchange of words. After a minute, Ender broke contact and sighed. Leaning to the iron railing.
A cold breeze brushed past them, at this moment. Ender's lips twitched as he declared.
"The world creates monsters then asks why we exist."
Silence lingered between them. The wind following from Ender to Ruis was the answer.
Ruis wasn't startled, instead he simply gazed upwards, over the beautiful sky. For a moment he stayed like this, closing his eyes and feeling the moment, feeling the cool breeze.
Finally he relaxed his neck, staring at him.
"I don't want to prove to the world I'm a human or a monster. It will all go to vain because I know it won't listen to me."
Ender was speechless hearing this statement. He somehow inquired.
"Then what's the way?"
"I will find my own world... or perhaps I have already found it."
Ender was baffled, like he wasn't getting his point. For a moment he stayed like this, until...
"If there is no world for me to find, I will simply create it. I will create a perfect world, a perfect story."
He blurted out, Ruis nodded nonchalantly, hands in his trouser's pockets.
"Perfection doesn't mean the one I want it to be."
He mumbled with a smile, Ender was astonished but on surface his eyes had barely widened.
At last, Ender sighed and walked past him. Ruis didn't say anything to him and let him go.
After he was gone. Ruis stood there watching the sky, the sun was going down as darkness was gradually emerging on the sky.
"There is darkness in every world."
His gaze shifted over the town where people were walking hastily to their homes. Houses and shops were lighting up in golden lights.
"But there is light."
He stayed silent for a moment. Letting the cool breeze pass him, the red coin in the center was almost gone and the sky-blue moon was rising from the darkness.
"In the end I have darkness within me."
He glanced over his shadow Illuminated by the moon.
"Yet there is light."
The blue light gleaming over his face, embracing him from above. As there was his shadow below.
***
It was the girls room. All of them hadn't left their room today. Misha was doing some skin care on her face. Wearing some hair rollers over her hair.
Sitting in front of the dressing table. On another dressing table alongside Sara's bed.
Lisa was combing her hair, though she had taken her barrette hair clip off which she almost wears all the time so right now her hair was weared down, loose.
It actually felt like she was another person, her deep black strands weared down till her back. Mixed up with the crimson eyes that were lost over the mirror. She was mused while subconsciously combining it.
Amidst all this Sara was dozing like a mummy on her bed.
TAP!
TAP!
A soft rap at the door shattered Lisa's train of thought; before she could ask who it was, it answered.
"It's me.."
Misha had gotten up and now was already in front of the door, opening it she got baffled by Zack's concerned expression.
"Do you need something?"
She asked in her clumsy tone. All relaxed.
"Yeah... I fumbled. Can I come in?"
He spoke in a low voice, though it seemed he wasn't baffled by her appearance right now like he had seen her like this plenty of times.
Misha stood aside and let him in, his eyes were fretful, restless, like the sleep didn't do him justice. Nevertheless as he entered. His gaze directly went over Lisa because she was sitting in front of him and staring at him.
The first time seeing her hair down, he was startled.
"Pervert."
She continued combing it. Zack's expression went dull, unresponsive.
Then his sight went over Sara who had covered herself with a cotton blanket, sleeping like a petrified mummy.
Misha let him sit on her bed as she sat beside him. Lisa just moved her chair in their direction. Putting her comb over the table.
"So what happened?"
Misha mumbled, apprehensive. Lisa was intrigued too.
Zack bit his lips and took a sigh before they started moving.
***
In one of the living rooms, all the adults were gathered. Except for Mr Sherlock, Leon was sitting beside his spouse. Miss Rose with her brother. The environment wasn't very chummy but a bit talkative.
CREAK!
The door opened and Mr Sherlock entered, hanging his coat and hat off on the door hanger. He sat on the middle sofa as in front of him both sides were occupied by them.
"So, anything new captain?"
Iris asked with her usual tone.
Mr Sherlock nodded with a no and suddenly out of nowhere a book summoned his hands. He opened a specific page and was lost in it.
With this the room gradually became more chummy but Azon was still composed, his arms crossed as usual.
"Hey captain."
Mr Sherlock glanced at where the call had come from, it was Leon who called him.
"I was wondering if we should explain to kids why we really invite them to our order."
"Fine, tell them tomorrow."
He said resolutely.
"Also I was thinking captain if we should host a tour for kids to other cities so that they could learn more about the world."
It was Miss Rose this time, her tone solemnly sober yet her cheeks were a bit thrilled about it. Mr Sherlock wasn't startled, instead he simply declared.
"Alright. Leon Darius Rad will manage it."
Leon was a bit surprised hearing his full name, his jaw unconsciously opened.
It wasn't the first time because all of them knew each other's names. Instead they rarely declared each other with their full names.
Mr Sherlock's gaze went over him, he had a barely noticeable smile.
"So? What do you think about it?"
"Ah... well.. Not that bad, instead I'm eager to be with them. You know, hehehehehe.."
And just like that, the night went on.