Chapter 19: Is he cares for me?

' Elly..! Get up! '. Call a voice.

' Rigel? brother Cass? ' mumbles Crystelle.

Crystelle opens her eyes slowly.

The dark place without any light comes to her eyes.

' Why is it so dark? ' mumbles Crystelle alone.

Pang!

A sudden sound that feels familiar comes to her ear.

' Mom..! Did Dad hurt you again? asked a voice from afar in that dark place.

Crystelle clears her eyes and focuses on looking at that dark place.

Suddenly, there's a boy with beautiful purple hair, just like her. That boy was sitting under the only light in that dark place.

' Uhuk! uhuk! hic, hic.' cries that boy.

Crystelle hesitates but slowly gets near that boy and pats his back.

' Why did you cry, boy? she asked.

That boy turns his head to face Crystelle.

Crystelle shock. It's weird when his face looks familiar, but she can't remember that face at all.

'My mom,' said that boy.

Crystelle tilts her head.

'What's wrong with your mom?" asked Crystelle.

That boy suddenly became quiet.

' I want her to be happy, but because of dad, she always gets hurt,'' complains that boy.

Crystelle sat beside that boy. He continued his story.

' My mom was a kind empress, and my father was a tyrant emperor. I was always stuck in the middle of them. I want to protect my mom, but the only way is to be just like my father, but if I am like him, my mom will get hurt by my actions more than she already has.' said that boy again.

Crystelle frown.

' You're a prince? So why must you have been like him if you knew he was a tyrant emperor then? Why don't you choose your path, boy? ' asked Crystelle.

That boy shakes his head slowly.

' I can't,' said him.

Crystelle made a confused face.

' Why?' ask her again.

That boy smiled.

' It's already too late..' dejected that boy.

'It's in the past now, at that time... I think if I want to kill my father, I must become stronger than him, so I've concluded that if I had my mom's power, I could gain the throne. Thus, I killed my mom and held her power without any thought. But I regret it now.' said that boy with a regretful tone.

Crystelle shock.

' You had killed her! What's wrong with you, boy? She's your mother!' mad Crystelle.

That boy just nodded at Crystelle's words.

' I know. That's why I regret it now. My mom wanted me to become a strong emperor just to protect her from Dad, but it turned out that I was the one to make her life end just like that. I was wrong to think that I could protect her all by myself!' cries that boy.

Crystelle feels sympathy for him. She pats his back slowly again.

' I will make sure that my mom will become happy again.' said that boy suddenly.

Crystelle tilts her head.

' With what? It's in the past, and she's gone now, right?' asked Crystelle.

That boy suddenly grabs Crystelle's hand.

Crystelle is shocked and freezes.

' Please don't turn away and just get through the path you choose now, Mom!' said that boy firmly at Crystelle.

Crystelle was shocked again.

' I am not your mom! ' denies Crystelle.

That boy shakes his head.

'Yes, you're not now, but you will be my beautiful, kind mom,' said that boy gently while caring for Crystelle's face.

Crystelle was stunned by his actions toward her.

That boy continued his talk.

' I am here for you... I want you to make the right decision this time, Mom. That's why I gave you that dream from before—to make sure you choose another path than you already had, Mom. I am sorry because I was the one to take your life, but I will make sure it never happens now!' said that boy confidently.

Crystelle speechless.

' B-but!, if I choose another path, you will..' hesitated Crystalstelle, confused in this situation.

That boy just silently nodded his head.

' It's okay. I will always be your son, Mom. I don't regret it if you find your destiny, Mother. If I were to be reborn again, I would gladly choose to be your son again.' said that boy with a gentle voice and a genuine smile on his face.

Crystelle shed tears.

'Why did you?' cried Crystelle.

That boy smiled, but with a painful expression this time. To let go of his mother's hands again, his heart aches. It's hurt. But he had to let those warm and soft hands go from his palm.

'Don't cry. Please create your destiny, Mom. I just want you to be happy and have a better family than ours,' said that boy again.

Crystelle's crying became even harder. Her whole body is starting to tremble. She lost herself in her tears.

That boy started to fade in front of her eyes.

' It looks like it's time...'' mumbled that boy.

Hearing his words, Crystelle immediately holds that boy's hand tightly and doesn't want to let go. She clenches his hands like her life depends on it.

Look at his mother's crying face. He grits his lip while trying to keep himself from crying too. But his tears still fall. His hand reached to touch his mother's face. 'Such a youthful face you had, mother. You should be happy. You deserve it. But I'm not. I don't deserve such happiness. I shouldn't even have been born in the first place and ruined your life.'

The boy thought in his head.

' I love you, mom. Please take care of yourself and distance yourself from Dad. But please know that I will always be your only son and devoted just to you, mother. ' said that boy for the last time, and then, before his mother, he faded away completely.

Crystelle cries wholeheartedly and trembles in that dark place alone.

'Why did you cry?' asks a voice while gently caring for Crystelle's tears.

' Did you dream about your future again? Is it the painful one?' asks that voice again in a soft tone.

Crystelle slowly opens her eyes.

Her whole body throbs so much that it makes it hard to move.

Crystelle frown.

' It's hurt!' mumbled Crystelle.

'Is it still hurt? Should I call for the medic?' asks Rigel, worried.

Crystelle was shocked when she saw his face right in front of her eyes.

' Wh, what are you doing here?' asks Crystelle.

'It looks like it's my room, so did the crown prince get back to the palace already?' thought Crystelle while staring at all of her inch-sized rooms.

Rigel sigh. He looks like he was calming himself.

' Who does this to you? You got bruises all over your body,' asks Rigel.

Crystelle clenched her fist.

' No one..' denied her while turning her head away.

Rigel's face becomes red.

' Don't try to lie to me! Is it someone I know? Don't hide it from me!' shouted Rigel. He trembles to hold his anger while clenching Crystelle's shoulder tightly.

Crystelle is shocked and scared.

'It hurts!' thought Crystelle.

' Wh, why did you shout so suddenly?' hesitated Crystelle.

Rigel was shocked and sighed again. He calmed himself down and slowly released Crystelle from his clench.

"Sorry, Elly, I can't control myself for a moment,' said Rigel.

' It must hurt,' dejected him.

Crystelle smile.

' I am okay. You don't have to worry.'' persuaded Crystelle.

Rigel stares at Crystelle.

' Even so, I am still worried about you.'' sighs him.

Rigel gets up from his seat and gets near Crystelle slowly.

Crystelle flustered.

' Ri, Rigel.. '

Suddenly, Rigel embraces her gently and pats Crystelle's head.

Crystelle freeze. She can feel Rigel trembles like he is holding something precious to him.

'I am scared,' whispered Rigel.

Crystelle was stunned and just silently heard his words.

'You don't know how shocked I was when I found you passed out on the ground with blood all over your clothes, whispers Rigel again.

' I thought I would lose you. You had been unconscious for 4 days and left me behind alone.' trembles Rigel.

Crystelle speechless. ' It's already been 4 days after that? I was unconscious for that long!'' shocked Crystelle in her mind.

' Hey.. I am awake now, and haven't we promised each other that we would never leave each other behind before? ' calm Crystelle while patting Rigel's back gently.

' Mm.' whimpers Rigel.

Crystelle grin.

' I am okay; it's always been like this. So I am alright, Rigel. ' Crystelle embraces Rigel back.

' Always..? ' Rigel made a dejected face.

Crystelle frown.

' Why the long face? I am okay! really!' flustered Crystelle.

' I know, but..' hesitates Rigel.

Crystelle tilted her head.

' but..?' continues Crystelle.

Suddenly, Rigel holds her hand gently and cares for it.

It feels like you don't trust me. We are friends, yet I didn't feel like it until now. Well, you had a problem, but you don't want to share it with me.' hesitated Rigel.

'Am I not good enough for you, Elly?' asked Rigel honestly while staring at Crystelle's face.

Crystelle blushed. ' this stunning creature! He does it again!' flustered Crystelle.

' You are not!' firm Crystelle said, shy.

She holds Rigel's hand tightly back.

' I am your fiance! I trust you wholeheartedly! This is my problem, so I will be the one to solve it. You don't have to take it seriously, and I will choose you as my fiance over that crown prince. That's right. You are the only one good enough to stand beside me! And if I even get married, I will gladly choose you as my partner! ' calm Crystelle talks

Rigel blushed.

' Really?' asked him.

Crystelle quickly covered her mouth. ' What you've just said, Crystelle! mad at herself.

Crystelle blushed and just nodded her head in the end.

Rigel smiles and cares for Crystelle's shining purple hair.

' Chu' kisses him on her hair.

' Thank you,' says Rigel while showing his stunning smile at her.

' I will gladly choose you as my marriage partner too, Elly. It feels like I have already gotten an answer from you, so please look forward to it in the future. ' Although his cheeks slowly turned red, his eyes didn't move even an inch from Crystelle's eyes.

At this moment, Crystelle blushes even more. ' Arghh! stop it! My heart can't take it anymore!'. cries Crystelle.

' Pardon, Your Highness. Your carriage was already ready at the front gate,' informed the royal knight from the outside of Crystelle's room.

Rigel sigh.

'It looks like it's time to go back already.' dejected Rigel.

Crystelle grin.

' After I recover, let's have an outing together, Rigel' Crystelle said to him in shyness.

Rigel blushed.

' Like a date? asked him, doubted.

Crystelle nodded.

' Between us? Just us two? Ask him again.

Crystelle nodded again.

'Yes, Prince Rigel,' confirmed Crystelle.

Rigel grins excitedly and bends his body a little.

' Chu'kisses him on her hand.

' I will look forward to it, Elly. Please recover as soon as possible,' said Rigelgently.

Crystelle chuckle.

' Your wish is my command, my prince. I will,'' smiled Crystelle.

Rigel was fascinated by her smile and blushed.

' Why are you so cute today too, Elly?' thought he while immediately averting his eyes from Crystelle. From his ears to his neck, it's all turned red. His heart throbbing so fast.

'Ehem.' Let a little cough out from his throat, Rigel then quickly composed himself before her.

Then he gently cares for Crystelle's hand again.

' I don't want to go back.'' dejected him. He didn't want to let go of her hand.

Crystelle blush.

' I will meet you next time, Rigel. Please look forward to that day then.' gentle Crystelle talks.

' I will! confirmed Rigel while he nodded hard.

Crystelle feels awkward after that.

' Ermm.. should not you go back already, Rigel? asked Crystelle, hesitant.

Rigel nodded his head, but he still didn't move even a little.

' Erk.. Rigel?asks Crystelle.

'Yes, Elly?' replied Rigel instantly.

Crystelle makes a face. she frowns.

' Go back to the palace already, Rigel. ordered Crystelle.

Rigel whimpers.

' Okay.. '. He slowly gets up and walks towards the door.

' I will meet you again, Elly. Please recover soon,' said Rigel

' Yes, yes. Just go back already, Rigel.' tired Crystelle.

' Elly..?' called Rigel again.

Crystelle sigh.

' Comes again? What is it now? asks Crystelle, bored.

"Nothing! 'chuckles Rigel, then he runs away from the room.

' Rigel!'mad Crystelle.

' That boy! '

Sigh, Crystelle, then she grins.

' Thank you, Rigel,' chuckled Crystelle.

'It looks like my own destiny will be happy forever, my son..' mumbled Crystelle while staring out the window with determination in her eyes.

'I will create my destiny with him!' determined Crystelle in her heart.

' I will! '.