Chapter 2 - The Long-Awaited Meeting

"This is my house," Musica said to Claire, upon reaching his house. "Also, our office."

"Argent Securities Agency?" Claire read the sign on the side post. "Is this where you stay?"

"Yeah. We are the main team."

"I've heard of the Argent Jewelry brand, are you somehow related?"

Suddenly, someone opened the window of Musica's house. A familiar guy peaked out of the window. He has a smooth and cute face, and an aqua-green color of hair and eyes. He had a cross earring on his left ear. He was waving on Musica.

"Yo, Musica! We're back already!" called the guy, waving high.

Musica was taken aback for a moment. He couldn't believe what he saw on his own house. "Sora?"

"Hey, buddy! Why are you still standing there?! Come here quick!" called once more by the blue green-eyed guy, Sora.

Musica ran quickly and opened the door. He completely forgot the girl he was with. The previous guy welcomed him. They hugged each other and tapped each backs.

"Where's that Clarence?!" he asked, letting go. The tone of his voice was a bit angry.

Sora crossed his arms and winked his eyes to the kitchen. "There, drinking his favorite, milk!"

We can only see the back view of the guy in the kitchen. He's tall, has a short silvery-gray hair and he's wearing a checkered yellow and blue polo, and black pants.

Musica walked towards the kitchen. Sora followed. The guy in there finally turned around. He smiled at Musica and so was he.

"Long time, no see, Musica!" he cheerfully said.

"Yeah..." he said, giving him a hug. Musica then ruffled his hair. "Hey, you've got new haircut there! You look manlier now!"

Sora appeared from behind. "We bought souvenirs for you."

Musica quitted ruffling Clarence's hair and turned to Sora. "Thanks!"

Then suddenly, he gave him a punch on his head. A lump formed.

"Ouch!" exclaimed Sora as he touched the lump on his head. "Why did you do that?!"

Next, the black-haired guy did the same to Clarence. He also had the same reaction as Sora.

The three men turned to chibis. Chibi-Musica's eyes were burning in fire. He's facing the two of them angrily. "You deserve it! I've been waiting for the two of you to come back as soon as quick! But you're gone for almost seven months now!" he yelled on the two of them.

At the same time, Claire went in and stopped by the doorway. The three guys noticed the shadow that just came in and they turned back to their normal selves.

"Oh, no... I forgot all about her!" he quietly exclaimed, sweat pouring down on his cheeks.

Sora and Clarence looked at the female by the doorway. Clarence's eyes turned big the moment he saw her. Claire's heart suddenly beat fast. He smiled and walked towards her. Finally, the two of them stood in front each other. They stood still, looking longingly in each other's eyes. He gave her a light yet sincere smile. She seemed to be mesmerized by his stare. He was the first one to make a move. They embraced each other tightly. There were smiles on their faces.

Sora and Musica looked at the first-ever reunion of the parted siblings. They were happy to see them met up at last.

It took almost more than a minute for the two of them let go of each embraces. They were still close to one another. His hands were gently placed over her shoulders. He kept his sincere smile, as so was she at him. "What's your name?" Clarence softly asked.

"Claire," she replied softly.

"We've finally met..." he said, excited in tone.

She nodded happily.

The house was so quiet for many seconds. At the same time, Sora came to their left. His left thigh was bent slightly and he held a video camera, capturing the sweet moment of the two siblings.

"You're frozen there for almost billions of seconds," Sora said, still capturing their moment.

Clarence and Claire noticed him. He smiled and put his left hand at the back of his head.

"Smile, both of you!" he said.

Clarence shyly smiled.

Musica walked near Sora and smiled at Claire. She smiled back.

"Oh..." Clarence said, looking back at her. "I'd like you to meet Sora," he continued, welcoming with his hand. "This is Claire."

Sora put the strap of his cam around his neck. "Hi, Claire! I'm so glad that we've finally met."

She nodded and smiled at him.

"And you Musica..." Clarence called.

"Hm? What is it?"

He smiled. "I guess I won't make any introduction for you and Claire. It's you who found her, right? Thank you very much."

Musica grinned. "Time dictates that the two of you should meet already. I'm just helping it out and you as well."

Clarence quietly laughed. "So now..." he said, looking back at Claire. "Let's go out for today," he said, holding her left hand then dragging her gently outside. They proceeded to walk.

"Where are you going?" Sora called out.

Clarence didn't look back. He just waved a hand and still continued to walk. Sora frowned.

"Let them, Sora," Musica said, tapping him on his back.

"Where and when did you meet her?" he asked.

"Last Thursday. In a hot spring house."

"Oh, I see. How? Tell me the whole story!" he excitedly asked.

"Sure!"

>>>>>> <<<<<<

"Say, Claire, do you know anything about me?" Clarence asked. They were still walking, now not hand-in-hand.

"None yet. We've just met," she said, laughing quietly.

"Well, you're right. What a silly question. Hahaha!"

"Then, how about me? Do you know something about me?"

"Hmm... That's a very hard question... But, let me just guess, ok?"

"Sure."

"You prefer eating vegetables than meat, right?"

She was amazed. "Wow... How did you tell?"

He shortly laughed. "I just got a feeling. I couldn't imagine that I guessed that correctly."

"Tell me about yourself, bro."

"Well..." He took a long pause before continuing. "I'm different from all of you..." he said, very lowly.

She heard him but just waited for his next words.

"How old are you now?" Clarence asked.

"Hmm. I'm not really sure. I lost track," she chuckled. "How about you?"

"I also lost track." He said softly and in a lowered voice, "I've been living for many decades now..."

"Eh?" She couldn't understand him.

To shove away her confusion about him, he gave her a smile, as if saying not to worry about it. He tried to change the topic. "How did you know that you have a sibling?"

"A fortune-teller told me."

He seemed amazed about it. "Did you believe that fortune-teller so easily?"

"Yes. Her fortune-telling never backfires," she said. "And I had a feeling as well, that I have a brother."

"How's your life being not with our parents?" he asked, a little worried.

"Well, I'd been in the care of many people. They were kind to me."

He sighed. "Thank goodness! I want to thank them for taking care of you. Hope that I'll meet them soon."

She nodded. "Of course."

>>>>>> <<<<<<

Both Abie and Claire laid on the same bed. Abie kept asking her about herself. Claire was answering her attentively.

"How old are you, Claire?"

"Sorry, I lost track," she said innocently.

"Ah. I see. No worries. I shouldn't have asked. Sorry."

"How about you, Abie?"

"I look at least a year or two older than you." She laughed shortly.

She then looked closer at Claire. "It's so obvious you two are siblings. You are as good-looking as Clarence. "

Claire looked away. "Many tell me the same thing but I really don't care about it."

"Oh, really? It seems to me like you don't make any fuss in things around you."

She nodded. "Yeah..."

"Hmm..." Abie tried to change the topic. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

She cuddly shook her head. "None."

"Not even one? Or suitor?"

"I didn't have any one but many asked me already."

"Many?! Are they cute?"

"No. I don't like them. But honestly, I'm not interested in men. And I'm not even hoping that I would do so..."

"I don't believe you!" she exclaimed. "Not even a dream guy?"

"Hmm... Now that you ask me..." she thought. "Maybe I prefer someone who's like bro!" She then laughed quietly, covering her face with a pillow.

"Oh? So you prefer a guy who's like Clarence, huh?"

"Though it's just our very first meeting, I can feel that he's very nice."

Abie put her two hands on her heart and let out a happy sigh. "He is, really..."

Claire sat up. She smiled at her. "I'm happy that you are his girlfriend..."

"I feel the same way for you, Claire," she said. "Anyway, have you met Musica and Sora already?"

"Yes. They're bro's best friends, right?"

"Maybe one of them suits you!"

Claire forcefully threw her back down on the bed. "Oh, please! I'm not really interested in such things!"

"I guess, it's fine since you're still young. By the way, where do you live?"

"In a faraway village."

"What? In a faraway village?" she asked in confusion. "Where is that?"

"I mean, in a village in northeast. It's close to where Family House Spring House is. That is where I work. Have you been there?"

"Oh, yeah. I go there every winter and during special occasions. How long have you been working there? I could have seen you..."

"Just this year..."

>>>>>> <<<<<<

Musica, Clarence and Sora were eating snacks and drinking juice in can as late as eleven.

"Hey, Clarence," Musica called, looking seriously at him. "Tell me something."

Clarence drank first before responding to him. "What is it?"

Musica and Sora looked at each other, as if they're talking with those stares. He looked back to Clarence. "We've been talking about this since afternoon," Musica said. "When I first met you, I easily felt that you're not a human being, unlike Sora, since the two of you were together back there, right?"

Both of them nodded.

"But when it comes to Claire..." he continued. "She feels very different from you... You know what I mean..."

"That's right, Clarence." Sora agreed. "Claire feels like a human. I mean, she's a REAL human being. So how come the two of you are... siblings?"

"Maybe she's not your sister..." Musica added. His tone was very low to avoid hurting his feelings.

Clarence finished his drink. "She is."

Both didn't utter a word. They didn't know what to say to him.

"Father told me this... Only once in my life..." Clarence continued, remembering the exact tone and words like his father's. "It's natural."

"Natural?" both asked in confusion.

He stood up. "Don't know..." He put his can in the trashcan. "I'm going to rest now. Night," he said, leaving.

He was now lying on his bed, with his right hand brushing up his bangs away. He kept his hand there. "She's definitely my sister whom I'd been looking for two years in this human world..." Musica and Sora's thoughts about him and Claire clung into his mind. She's a REAL human being. So how come the two of you are..."

He closed his eyes. "The girl who has the same face as I have... she's DEFINITELY my sister."