8 To The Academy  

TYH2 008

-playlist chapter: Linkin Park - In The End (Mellen Gi Remix)

...

The sky outside looks gloomy and dark. Cloudy had filled most of the afternoon's skies. An ancient castle-shaped building looms behind a pine tree.

Their goal is near.

Up close, many piles of stone full of green moss blanketed the ancient castle. Some paint that was once white now turns gray and peels off here and there. Not a beautiful sight.

"What is the Academy you mean?" asked Vin with his innocent face.

More than an hour's drive they took in silence. The last time they spoke was when Vera asked that silly question. And of course not answered by Hojo.

"You could say so. You'll know after you get there," replied Hojo without interest. Wagging one of his hands as a sign for Vin and Vera to shut up.

Vin nodded understandingly. While the super-intelligent Vera has come back can't think so. Vera can smell the smell of deception. Hojo is unbelievable!

Vera snorted in annoyance. Vera couldn't believe what Hojo was saying. Not even when they reached in front of an ancient castle whose part of the side had almost been destroyed. There was no sign of anyone else in the castle.

"This place? Not at all worthy of being called an academy?!" grumbled Vera after getting out of the car.

Vin opened his mouth to ask Vera to remain silent. Hojo laughed loudly.

Hojo can already guess that Vera is a smart girl. Too smart to be fooled easily. Unlike his brother, Vin is stupid.

"It's not. This is my home. So welcome. May you stay here for a few days." replied Hojo, walking first to open the front door.

"..."

Vin and Vera are glued to the spot. In addition to being tricked, they are also taken to a remote place. The old castle in the middle of this forest is very fragile to just live in humans. Neither Vin nor Vera could touch the wall near them for fear that it would collapse.

"Hojo, are you cheating on me?" exclaimed Vin disappointedly.

"Cheating? For what?" Hojo replied very normally. It was as if such a question wasn't the first time Hojo had heard. Many people have accused him of that.

"What's your plan to take us to a remote place like this?" turned Vera who looked at Hojo like a snake ready to peck with venomous poison.

"You need a break today. You've experienced a lot and your body definitely won't be able to travel far. Although you can, I don't. I need a break, Vin. I'm just an exhausted old man." hissed Hojo, raving because the reality was so obvious.

Hojo is no longer a young man like Vin. At least Hojo's aging body needs rest. And Hojo was sad to realize that fact.

"So this isn't an actual academy?" urged Vin disappointed.

Hojo laughed again. Tired, and tired. His eyes and body were very tired.

"Who are you?" hissed Vera, asking again, for the third time.

Hojo sighed. Looking at Vera with pity and fatigue. But Hojo was more sorry for himself and his body. Hojo just walks towards his room to sleep instead of hearing Vera's babbling or Vin's stupid rabbit stare.

...

"Big brother, are you serious about what you're saying?" snapped Vera after hearing Vin's story about the Contract Agreement.

"What else can I do? Your future is more important than anything else. If I were in prison for life, what would you do? How can I calm down when you're alone out there without me?" replied Vin weakly.

At that point, Vin felt extremely useless. Having superpowers like telekinesis doesn't necessarily make him rich. Unless Vin knows about the Black Organization?

"But, that's no excuse!" Vera screamed again.

Vera knew very well that Vin answered honestly. However, that overly honest honesty unwittingly hurt Vera's heart. The little girl, who was growing up felt only to be a burden on her older brother all this time.

"What else do you want to hear? Vera, many times I said you were the reason I kept going. Being haunted by this useless power was in no way a reason to stay alive.

Every time I see a knife in the kitchen, I'd love to slice my neck. But I'm still got you, Vera. You are the light that shines on the darkness of my heart. You are the stick that demands that I keep walking in the crowd. You kept me here and didn't get lost." Vin said it very smoothly.

The only sentence Vin can order to explain to Vera is that she often asks him to use his superpowers to protect himself. When older children bully him at work.

Or when they were unlucky and passed through the rundown alley then some street children blocked it. Snatched their last few pieces of money or the food Vin brought from the restaurant where he worked.

"Isn't big brother tired of using that excuse?" Vera let out a deep breath.

Vera looked at Vin's tired face that lowered her head. Vin didn't dare to look vera in the face while his younger sister was angry.

"Don't start again. Vera, we better take a break. Or are you hungry? Let's find something in the kitchen. If we are lucky, we will find food. If it's Hojo's house, as he said." replied Vin, walking away vera towards the kitchen.

In the end, Vera could only snort in annoyance and follow Vin behind.

"..."

"Look, Vera. There is a lot of food that doesn't seem to have time to cook. In a few days, all the food will dry up."

"Is the fridge not working?" said Vera without thinking.

"There are only vegetables. What do you want for dinner?" Vin ignored Vera who was torn.

Vin knew very well that Vera was starving. Just like him. It had been almost two days that they had not eaten because the money left was robbed by the street children.

"Whatever," vera said, sitting on one of the wooden chairs beside the door to the back garden of the abandoned castle.

At first glance, Vin stared at Vera for a few seconds, then turned to stare at the abandoned back garden of the castle whose door was wide open. Somehow Vin felt sad when he saw some orchids that were about to die.

"It seems like this place rarely rains. Vera, if you don't mind please water the unlikely orchid flower," commanded Vin, while herself was busy chopping vegetables.

"I don't want. Brother, don't you think this place is too suspicious?" grumbled Vera, increasingly annoyed.

-TBC-