1 Prologue

That night, the sky was pitch black. Without any tiny dots to emit light, the whole world was shrouded in seemingly endless darkness.

At this moment, the moon and the stars seemed to cease to exist, its existence completely covered by dark stormy clouds.

As if it was angered by the cruelity of the world, endless waves of snake-like lightnings striked down as the rain started to grew heavier and heavier.

Pitter patters were the only sound one can hear as countless ripples formed on the surfaces of the multiple brown puddles scattered on the ground.

Within the heavy rain, lies a young girl. She was lying on the ground with her long brown hair messily scattered. Her long white dress was now a mixture of brown and red.

Her chest would slowly move up and down from time to time, a movement so minute that one would miss if one wasn't taking a careful look. However, it gets slower and slower as time passes by. It wouldn't take much time for her heart to finally stop beating. It was evident, her time was near.

As if the sky was taking a pity of her, it let a strand of light pass through the seemingly impregnable cloud and to her dying figure.

Her eyes were only slightly opened. However, under the illumination of light, it could not hide the brilliance it once hold. The stars in her eyes had long dimmed down, just like her hope for life.

A sliver of silver peeked through her head as it basked its last moment in the light. At least, near her end, she was finally able to let herself, her true self, exposed to the world. She can finally be free from the chains she was once shackled with.

Her eyes slowly closed as her sight turns darker and darker till she can see nothing but black. Her long thick eyelashes fanned over her closed eyes as a tear slipped over her pale face.

Since when? Since when was the last time she had cried?

The rain had draped her lonely figure in layers of cold, it was as if it had taken pity of her, trying to help her end her sufferings, just a little bit faster. Her pale face was facing the dark sky without any resistance, letting the rain hit every part of her defenseless body.

Suddenly, the rain stop pouring. Strange, she could still hear the sound of water pitter pattering against the muddy ground. However, the cold feeling of water crashing to her exposed skin was gone.

Just as she was about to gather her whole energy to open her eyes, she could feel drops of warm water falling down to her cheeks. Her sight slowly recovered.

Above her was an umbrella, big enough to cover half of her figure. And under the umbrella, was a familiar face.

She saw as the man, kneeling beside her, wiped the tears endlessly gushing out of his puffed eyes. He finally stopped his actions when he realized just how futile his efforts were.

His mouth was left trembling and agape. However no sound, not even the slightest bit, was produced. Instead, his red eyes firmly stared at hers.

It had been a long time since he actually dared to stare right to her eyes. In front of her, he had always been that one shy boy. And just like how they first met, he never shared a word with her.

Of course, it wasn't because he didn't want to. It's just that, he can't, and, she was not bothered with it.

The man dropped the only thing protecting them from the rain to the ground before he brought her into his arms.

The arms wrapping around her cold body was strong, so strong that it made her heart ache. Fool, did he thought that she wouldn't go as long as he had a good grip of her?

Probably, he is the only one who had truly cared for her in this cold world.

The girl smiled, probably because she found it funny or maybe, touched, as her sight refused to leave the man's delicate face, not even half a second.

She didn't feel like it before but now that he's here, she felt like there was so much things she had wanted to talk with him. There's so much stories to tell and so much desires to share, however, it was as if her voice was stuck in her throat.

'Hah, so be it.'

She let out a helpless smile as she took a deep last look at the man before she slowly closed her eyes. And just like that, her smile slowly turned stiff before her chest stopped moving.

'Ah, he came.'

'Just if I wasn't this greedy.

Just if I'm willing to let go.

This family, had never once belonged to me.'

She smiled at him, and also to herself. She once had a dream. She wanted to be happy, to be able to face every of her day with a smile.

She once had a wish, to return to where she had belonged to.

If there is a next time,

If the Gods were so kind so as to give her another chance,

She wanted to live for herself,

And also,

She wanted to once again,

MEET HIM.

THE END