Afterglow

Part 2

"I'm not certain whether they are or they aren't. All I know is that they stopped fighting the government when I was conceived." Yuu sighed, his eyes glistening. "I joined the rebels because they promised to help me find them. I traveled so far just to get where I am right now. O'-two said that they're located somewhere in Route 39 and that the government is keeping them on purpose."

"I see," I reached out a hand to pat his head. Xin told me to never touch people when they are sad or telling something that hits home. She said it might initiate them to break down. But seeing Yuu like this though I never knew him long enough, I would protest against Xin's idea. Physical contact could probably help people know that there were still people who would reach out to catch and help them up when they fall. That notion wasn't really bad. "And what will you say if you finally meet them?"

Yuu laughed this time. "I'll probably ask them to give me a brother and a sister. It's so lonely to be alone. In fact, I hate it. But seriously, I might ask them to do one favor for me: stay."

That's just...sad. The boy with me was just a kid whose childhood was robbed from him. He was longing for a family. He was longing for his family for sixteen years already.

"If they are never taken away from you, how do you envision your life now, Yuu?" I asked, pulling him to my side. My arm rested on his shoulder, and for a moment I didn't mind acting like an older sibling. Back in the flower shop, Diva would always do the same thing. She was like the big sister I never had, and Xin was the annoying youngest sibling that would always ruin a household. With Yuu by my side, I finally understood what it was like to be an older sibling.

"I probably have a younger brother and his name will be Lui. I'll beg mum and dad to name him Lui! And I probably have a younger sister, too—I'll name her Ring! Maybe we will spend time together in our backyard, planting and tending flowers. We will wait for the first rain of the summer because uncle said mom liked rainy season a lot. He said dad, too!" Yuu's voice began to tremble. I didn't know what to do, if I should withdraw my hand from his hair or if I should shush him. How could I stop him from talking when saying this was making happy? Tears trickled down from his eyes as he tried to laugh it off, but it made him sound more broken.

Yuu continued, "Maybe, we will go to amusement parks on holidays. Or I'll ask dad to teach me how to cook food. We can also devote our time developing this technological projects mum and dad started 'cause uncle told me that mum and dad are great scientists, especially dad. He was a beast—oops...sorry. I always get this pumped when people ask that question. It's just...I never really know what it feels to live in a complete family."

"It's okay! Cry it out! I'm never good with this but...maybe longing for something you don't have is pretty normal. Diva told me that." Before I could continue with my attempt to sound like a wise guru, we heard the footfalls from the rattling staircase. O'-two emerged from the top stair with a takeout food in his hands. He was making this weird face in the darkness, more like out of disgust. Seriously, he looked like a mad husky. He handed us our meal that wiped the drama off Yuu's face.

"You'll go on without me. Yuu, I will reunite with you at Route 39, Readele. Until then, protect Miku Hatsu—"

"No, no, no. My name's just Miku. No surname," I interrupted o'-two since they kept on referring to me as this Hatsune when I wasn't that person in the first place. Surprisingly, o'-two just rolled his eyes at me.

"Fine," he said, brushing his dark fringe up. "Until then, protect Miku No Surname for me. Be sure to bring her and yourself in the meeting point in one piece. Yuu, listen carefully. Do not trust anyone besides me."

Did he just make fun of me—

"Not even Miku? I think she's kind and trustwor—" Yuu shut his mouth quickly.