Like a string that keeps me from losing my way, my heart and my mind united to go after him. I decided to ride Spitfire. The heaviness in my heart vanished when I found Mikey at our usual spot, staring impassively at the scenery.
So he's just here. I finally calmed down.
Discreetly, I walked my steps and sat down beside him. I stole one glance. Mikey's expression lightened a little. I then turned my head and gazed at the view we never get tired of staring at.
The way his eyes lingered reminded me of the first times we met—when I saw myself in him.
Sometimes, I really wonder what Mikey's thinking. He always seems to be... out of this world... when he thinks like this. Sometimes, he'd even look... different.
I startled when Mikey's fingers slightly pulled the hem of my clothes. His eyes were on his hand then slowly rose up to my eyes. Gentle yet... sad.
I returned him a reassuring smile and moved closer to him until our bodies touched. My head rested on his shoulder. His hand made way to meet mine and I let my breaths match with his until he relaxes.
It's just heartbreaking that the reality we're facing today is unfortunately cannot be solved by money. So even if I use the money that I never wanted to use, it wouldn't really be of help.
Things kept getting so entangled. It's tiring.
Everyone's exhausted. Everything's exhausting.
"Mikey."
"Hm?"
My fingers played with his, hesitating. "I... met with Izana."
He didn't budge. I cleared my throat and composed myself.
"We just, you know, talked, but... he..."
"...wanted to take you too," he finished the sentence for me.
I slowly nodded.
"He wants to take you away from me."
I nodded again.
Mikey sighed and asked, "Do you want to?"
My eyes widened a fraction. My shoulders dropped down as I shook my head. Mikey released a quiet snort and smiled. His smile was comforting yet again... sad.
"That's enough," Mikey said. I forgot to breathe. "Don't pressure yourself to make the right choice."
My lips parted and then closed again.
He really knows me. Mikey knows me. All my life, I wanted to be understood. I wanted to be comforted that everything's okay, that... I'm okay, despite my shortcomings.
I wanted to be accepted for who I am in spite of my imperfections.
And I longed for peace—for the both of us, for all of us who are weary.
I put my eyes down. "And... if I betray you?"
"You won't."
My lips smiled downhill. "You sure about that?"
"You love me too much." Mikey simpered and I returned him a questionable look. "Don't tell me you don't." He's now being serious.
I put my hand over my mouth, containing my titter. "You're not sure." I chuckled and he glared, pinching my cheeks. "O-ow!"
I squeezed back his cheeks. We both stupidly pinched each other's cheeks until I gave up eventually. I pouted, massaging my stretched and reddened skin.
I jumped from his abrupt tickles. "Mikey! Wait! Stop!"
Whew. Thank goodness he stopped. I'm so weak when it comes to this. I might die of laughing.
He chortled as he laid his head over my shoulder.
Mikey began cracking my fingers out of nowhere. Fortunately, that doesn't hurt me. I saw the edge of his lips arose when he noticed it. I cracked his fingers back and his lips completely lifted as he also didn't feel any pain from it.
Tss. Such a proud guy.
I carefully rested my head over his. We caressed our palms and bumped our feet like little kids. Mikey gave out that cute titter of his before he straightened his body and swiftly moved his face in front of mine.
To my surprise, I locked eyes with him, nervous and was honestly... expecting something.
I glanced at his Adam's apple which moved downwards then back up. Mikey's now switching from my eyes to my lips as if he's still thinking about doing it or not. He even wetted his lips.
Do it! My other self yelling.
"U-uhm..." I pursed my lips and unconsciously wetted it too.
"Stop me," he said, grabbing my wrist to pull me closer to him. He placed it above his heart.
I looked at him in confusion. "I-I don't... want to..."
What the heck, Delle!
"Stop me," Mikey repeated. My brows furrowed.
His words were the opposite of his actions. Every time he tells me to stop, he pulls me closer. His eyes screams as if he wants me not to stop him. I swallowed hard and bit my lips, skeptical.
"B-but—"
"Stop me." This time, he's ordering it.
"Mikey, I don't—"
"Stop me... Della..." he said again. "...when I'm doing something wrong."
Oh.
I blinked once. "...Why?"
Duh. Obviously, you should stop someone when he's doing the wrong thing, right? Where did your mind go, Delle?
"Because I can't stop myself," he almost whispered and looked away.
Ah.
"Would you... have stayed even then?"
He let me go. I let him.
My lungs heightened.
"Would you trust me... even then?" I asked that with pure sincerity since it's what I can say for now.
He pursed his lips, amused with my reply. "It seems yes or no isn't the answer, huh."
I weakly smiled. "It seems like it, huh."
"Uh-huh."
Mikey stretched his body and turned it sideways to align his position with the linear ground. He laid his head on top of my thighs and shut his eyes just like before.
"You're going to sleep again, huh," I figured and he chuckled. I looked back at the scenery. "Well. I'll just carry you when you fall asleep."
Mikey yawned. "Yeah?"
"Mhm."
He stopped talking so I focused on him. My brows flew up, catching him out of the blue staring at me with open eyes and a contented smile plastered on his face.
"G-geez, you scared m—"
"You're so beautiful, Della," Mikey suddenly said.
What the...
Flushed, I instantly covered his eyes.
What is with him today? He keeps turning me into a tomato!
Mikey chortled and changed the topic.
"Did you figure out your dreams?" He asked.
I pouted, removing my hands and was about to answer his question when Mikey unexpectedly grasped it and kissed my palm, forcing me to blush harder.
Another one?!
"Ah! M-mike—!"
"What was it you're going to say again?" Mikey smirked.
"You..!"
I slightly flicked his forehead as a joke. Mikey laughed it off. He really enjoys teasing me.
I suppressed my smile and exhaled. "Hmm... I'm still not quite sure... but I guess a business of my own would be nice."
"A business..." Mikey pushed the inside of his cheek with his tongue. "That's pretty cool."
I beamed, perceiving it. "Mhm. I think I want it because it'll make me look cool," I kind of joked. Mikey laughed with me.
"Then, I'll be your business partner," he suggested. "So we're both cool."
I raised a brow. "You sure?"
He paused. "No."
I laughed. He smiled and closed his eyes. I gave Mikey a brief massage on his head, scratching and rubbing his hair to make him fall asleep, and started voicing out random things I just felt I wanted him to hear.
"Mikey, do you remember... what it feels like putting on your headphones with your favorite tune, watching the city's movements, wondering what the other worlds are like?"
I played with his hair. Mikey listened with his eyes shut. A peaceful smile sticked on his face. I continued.
"When dogs or cats or birds or even butterflies come at you and you feel like you're in a magical world and you're the main character of the story..."
"Nah, that rarely happens," he uttered. We snorted. "Okay, continue."
I giggled. "When you wake up every morning, longing to feel the warmth of the sun, riding your motorcycle, feeling the fresh air, just... being alive..."
"Yeah, it'd be nice..."
"And when you have those moments where you just can't stop laughing until your stomach hurts and is breathlessly enjoying your friends' or family's company..."
"Haha, yeah..."
"Or the times when we go for a ride at night and we think that the moon and the stars are watching over us, to keep an eye on us..."
"Mm-hmm..." He yawned.
"A scarf keeping us warm during the cold days, a handkerchief that reminds us of our tears, and a motorcycle that gets us to places we've never gone before..."
"Mmm..."
"The fact that even seahorses get married..." I briefly chuckled, my eyes set on the sky above. "Sea otters even hold hands so they don't drift apart..."
"There are also night rainbows which are called 'Moonbows'. Amazing, right?"
I grinned and gazed straight at the view.
"Did you know, Mikey, that male puppies let female puppies win play fights?" I giggled. "And... according to neuroscientists, love is as strong as illegal dru... Mikey?"
I paused. Ah. He's already asleep. That's fast.
A silly idea then popped in my head. I began taking out some of my clips and pins and cautiously put it on him. Gosh, I hope this won't cause my death. Hahaha!
I pursed my lips to avoid bursting out laughing. He looks so cute! I can already imagine him seeing himself in the mirror when he wakes up!
My giggles gradually faded as I stared at his sleeping face.
His soft, blonde, fluffy hair that smells like baby powder attracted my fingers. Mikey's forehead that's smooth like milk. His thick brows and ticklish lashes. Mikey's cute shaped nose. His kissable lips and refined chin.
Everything about him makes me want to have him.
I caressed his cheek, watching him sleep and said the same thing.
"You're so beautiful, Mikey."
My heart sank.
"Mikey, did you know... that someone wants to always see you? To always look at you. To watch over you. Laugh with you. Cry with you. Smile with you. Talk with you. Ride with you. Eat with you. Hug you. Kiss you. Hold hands with you. Share each other's day with you. Rant with you. Solve problems with you..."
The words began to feel heavy.
"...To always be with you. To stay with you. To explore the world with you. Be in peace with you. Do everything with you and... even build a family with you..."
I lowered my head down close his. "And did you know, Mikey?" I uttered softly. "That that someone loves you very, very much... and she wants to be yours if destiny will let her, and if you allow her to be yours and you to be hers."
I leaned closer to his ear and slowly and gently whispered...
"I love you... Mikey," I breathed. "I'll always love you."
I kissed his forehead. A complex smile became my expression.
"...It's as simple... and as complicated as that."
Hours later, I woke up inside my room in shock, realizing that I also fell asleep. That means Mikey escorted me back home and carried me here. Geez, just when my room was messy.
I squeezed my head to reduce the headache. I stretched myself up out of bed. Aunt Sora and Masaru's not at home again. Maybe out for some family matters.
I got in the bathroom for a long shower. Wore my most comfortable outfit. Cooked myself my own food. Turned on the tv to distract myself for a moment when a knock emerged from my door.
I lowered the volume of the television, breathing out the heaviness I've been feeling the minute I arose.
"W-who is it?" I froze a bit when no one answered. "Is this another prank?" I muttered to myself.
I clasped my hands and shut my eyes.
"D-dear Lord... if I'm gonna die today—"
"Pfft!"
Huh?
Laughs suddenly scattered the living room as the door unlocked. My brief startled reaction immediately flipped into a vexed one.
Tsk. It's those three again. I groaned, massaging my temple.
Right. They have their skills of opening locked doors.
"You know this is trespassing, right? Barging in to someone's home?" I crossed my arms.
Kei wiped her eyes as if joyful tears were shed. "Sorry, Nel. Haha. We thought you're in trouble after you said that." She tittered.
"Turns out you were just preparing to open the door." Kae chortled. I pouted, glancing at Mizen who hid his smile when our eyes met. "You're still naturally funny, Nellie."
I scratched my head. "Hays. Alright, alright. Why are you here again?"
"Oh, come on. Didn't we tell you? We're going to keep popping up like this. Just in case something's up."
"And there is."
I heeded to Mizen then remembered the Tenjiku problem. I parted my lips. The three sternly looked at me and instantly figured it out with my reaction.
"So there really is." Kei blew the hair on her face. The laughing atmosphere vanished. "I was right. Something's up. Just like what we've discovered."
"Discovered?"
"About what happened to your gang."
"And?"
They glanced at each then back at me.
"We've investigated and... it's serious than we thought."
I pressed my lips. "Mhm. I... suppose it is."
But I think it's just... a total twisted misunderstanding that came to this point.
"Nel, I know you won't agree to this, but we have to take you away from this."
"What? No! No."
Kae made a blue face. "Nellie, you're one of the targets. If they get here before we could take you away—"
"Shh," Mizen cut Kae, putting a finger over his mouth.
We stopped talking. We let our ears do their job and heard some engines parking. My chest tightened. I really have a bad feeling about this.
Mizen gritted his teeth and voiced, "Someone's outside."
This time, my heart really raced... as if my life depended on it, like a whisper that screamed the danger at me, but I was too late to hear it.
I know.
They're here.
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