A Place Without Heaven (Remake)

Chapter 39: Overcoming Flaws

      I yawned, as we reached Ana's house. "So this is Ana's house..." Gino mumbled. "It is somehow small" Reina said. "Oi! That's rude of you, Reina!" I scolded her. "Its fine, I'm used to it. It is small because only I and mom live here" Ana said, as we entered. "I see, where's your dad?" I asked. "He passed away when I was still not born" Ana said. Suddenly, the mood got all gloomy. "Well, there's no point worrying about the past, right? Right?" Gino said. "You're right, sorry for asking Ana" I said. "I don't mind" She said. There it is your smile....your fake smile whenever you look at us.

In a certain room, were a piano. Somehow, I can imagine them playing the piano and singing happily together. "Ana, can I play this?" I asked, as I entered the room. "Well, yes...Ed-kun, you can play a piano?" She asked. "Yeah" I nodded, as I sat down. I started tapping the tiles, softly and with gentle. "It's a nice harmony..." Gino exclaimed. "It has a soothing feeling" Reina said. "Ed's amazing!" Russell said. "Well, yeah" Forth chuckled. "Why don't you join him, Ana?" Kirt said. "Me?' She asked. "Yeah, with your singing, it'll be a perfect duo" Kirt grinned. "Well, I guess if you guys insist" She said, as she came near me. She started singing, as I toned my playing to it. "Yep, my ears were right!" Kirt said. Ana continued to sing, with a smile, the play ended. "I finally got to see your true smile" I said, as we finished. "Eh?" She mumbled. "You see, I've noticed it sooner, that you are always showing a façade of smile" I said. She ran away, all flustered.

"Why did I run?" Ana mumbled to herself. "But, well....what am I doing!?" she exclaimed.

I saw Ana, as we were packing for the next stop to Benigrul, for tomorrow. Unlike, earlier she wore a masked, her fake smile. "Sorry for running ear—"She said. "What happened?" I asked, interrupting her. "Eh?" She wondered. "Something's wrong with you, you're not the usual Ana" I said. "The usual...me?" She mumbled. "Yeah!" I said, as she started to cry. "I...I'm a failure...!" She said.

We went over her room, excluded the others. They thought that the merrier comforts her, would only worsen it. "So what did you mean by you're a failure?" I asked. "It's what it means. I knew that Kyla-san was saying the truth, even Harold-san was saying the truth" She said. "Like I said, what is that truth you're referring to?" I asked. "Like they all say, I am unlike my mom. Mom is always shining wherever she is. And I'm the opposite. I am always gloomy wherever I go. Mom is cheerful, yet I am shy. Mom is strong, and I am weak. I am unlike her, we're the exact opposite!" She exclaimed. "Well, you're right, you're not similar, so what of it?" I asked. "Like I said, I am different from Mom!" She said. "I get that part, so what of it?" I asked, once again. "It means that I broke everyone's expectation about me, from the point that they thought I would grow like my mom, strong refined and bright!" She said. "So what if you broke their expectations?" I asked. "Ed-kun, are you pretending? Are you mocking with me? If you are then get out you're not helping!" She shouted. "Like I said, you're different from your mom so what of it" I said, as I grabbed her hand. She remained silent. "It's fine if you're different, because you're not her and she's not you!" I said. "It's okay if you broke everyone's expectations! You can just live with ignoring them, because it is your very own life! You can do whatever you want! You are free! You are not bounded by chains restraining you to grasp the freedom!" I said. "Ed-kun..." She mumbled. "Ana, stop crying my dear, I'm sure someday there will be a person who'll appear to free you...no, there will be a person who'll appear to accompany you to your own very freedom. Until, then you are mine to protect, so don't worry my dear" Ana's mom said, in her mind. With a very gentle and warm hand she patted her. I am not the one seeing it, yet I am touched. "Sweet dreams, Ana" I whispered to her ear, as I wiped her tears. She had fallen asleep from crying so much. I was about to left her room. "Mo...m..." She mumbled, in her dreams. I chuckled and left her room. "Mom! I found it! The person, I found him!" Ana said, as she chased over her mother. "I see, I'm glad for you Ana" Neraida-san patted her. It was surely a distant memory of her that served as her sweet dream for tonight. "How nice..." I mumbled.

The next day, we are about to depart to go to Benigrul. "Ed-kun!" Ana called me. "Hmm? What's wrong?" I asked. "Uhm, t-thank you for last night. I'm sorry for causing you all troubles!" She said, as she bowed to us. We looked at each other for a minute. "Its fine" Gino patted her head, as he went inside the wagon. "You're welcome" Kirt patted her as well. "You don't have to bow like that" Forth patted her head also, with a blush. "It's a thank you from us as well Ana" Russell said, as he also patted her head. "It doesn't suit you" Reina too patted her. "Everyone..." Ana sobbed. "Welcome back, Ana!" I patted her head, as I smiled. "I'm back!" She cried. Like this, I hope for trivial thing to occur like an everyday fragments. Forever, like this unchanging and unwavering, every day is my treasure's fragments.