Chapter 58: The Supposedly Chosen

"Hey human, who told you to follow me up to here?" Erika asked Light. She was on her way to their farm where trees and hills were green- but the sight of her unwanted guest irritated her that she stopped walking and confronted him "fair enough. Let's just go and release stupid feelings."

Light followed her but he maintained at least a meter of distance between them because of what he saw, Erika has the tendency to react impulsively and he was afraid of getting into her nerves because he was aware that he needs her.

Erika led him to a green field that was bountiful of trees and vegetables and birds and air that was enough for him to feel relieved. He felt safe as they ventured the place and when they came to a stop, he wasn't able to restrain himself from falling down the prairie to relax and ponder how beautiful things seem to his eyes as he watched even the tiniest movement of the green leaves of the tree that served as their shade. Erika did not bother telling him off because she was tired herself and her energy to nag had worn down. She looked at Light who seemed to be enjoying the sight because she can hear him sighing in relief.

"This is my safe place." Erika said and laid down the grass in the opposite direction of Light so the tree could hide her and so she could stay away from the 'human' whose presence irritates her. "Since there is no house near here, no one can hear whatever I shout."

Light leaned on the tree and looked at his left so he can hear her more clearly. He heard a noise that told him that Erika was also leaning on the tree.

"I…"

Light looked at her from the other side of the tree.

"I hate humans! I hate this world! I'm tired damn it!"

Erika was crying as she shouted, and her voice cracked because of letting out her frustrations in such a loud way. Light was astonished but he refused to look at her again because she looked sadder that time.

"Why do good people have to suffer? Why do I have to carry on every day while bearing this pain? All my life, I just wanted to be happy, I have suffered so greatly. Isn't that not enough? All those days of seeing myself suffering made me have a negative outlook in the world that I don't even want to exist anymore." Erika cried and peeped on the other side of the tree. "Hey human what are you crying there for?"

Light was startled. He did not realize that he had been crying all those times as he heard the words straight form Erika. She surely had the ability to make anyone feel what she felt… and that was shy she always tried to smile whenever she could.

"Well, if you came here just to cry, then so be it."

Erika stood up and approached Light. She tapped him on his shoulder, and he looked up to see the kindest face he saw in his life that it reminded him of someone he had seen before. She sat beside him and started making frail, beautiful notes that were completely unfamiliar to his Knowledge. He let himself settle with the sound of her voice and the sound of the wind as it combed the green grasses and the trees- and the beauty of the blue sky.

"It must have been so hard…

Dealing in this world…"

Light leaned on the tree and moved his face to avoid himself from being seen because her singing was so beautiful that even the wind sympathized with her and that feeling when it rushed to caress his cheeks made him emotional.

"And sometimes you feel like you have you have lost it all."

Light had a vivid vision of the nearly black necklace of Joy that threatened him every time that he can no longer bear to see it on her neck.

"it must be tiring to mask your every pain…

With a fake smile on your face…

So I'll wait for you to smile..

So we'l l be happy together."

"Erika… was that-"

"It was the song I wrote last night when a tune suddenly came to mind." Erika said and left him.

"I'm not really good at saying comforting words but…. Uhm, I can sing songs." She said and maintained a meter of distance between them.

"Your song… it was… incomplete." Light said.

"Yes. It was a whimsical song."

"It's… I mean-"

"No. Don't tell me. Don't comment on it." Erika said and turned around. "You can come here anytime but I am not assuring that I'll be here when you do."

Light lightened up and smiled at her while the sight of her face that was looking at the sky just told him that she didn't care.

"So, about me… Uhm…" Light said and looked at her as she faced him. "I don't know if you'll be able to believe me…"

"Just get to the point. No more beating behind the bush." Erika sulked as she interrupted him.

"I… I have been trying to rescue people who had been suffering…. And… i.. ah… realized that it was beautiful and hard because I can absorb their pain…

"I have met many people with different pain. Their pain is haunting in the first place, but do you know what's more haunting? It was that their pains were mostly inflicted by other people that they reject the help they deserve…

"Sometimes I wonder why there are so many people who suffers like pain and loneliness has been a part of them that it has been stuck with them like glue…

"Why does people have to suffer like this? Why do good people out of everyone have to suffer greatly until they can no longer take it? If I can only completely eradicate that pain in this worl-"

"You know, despite unpleasant, pain is necessary in this world." Erika smiled at him like she did a while ago. "I'm sure you have already realized this but pain makes people more appreciative of the small happiness that comes their way. When a person who had been sad all her life, the moment when happiness- no matter how small it is- no matter how evanescent it is- that feeling will stick to them until they can finally recover."

"Pain makes everyone realize that they are still alive because they can still feel." She added.

"But some people choose to die because of pain because they grew tired of it."

"If you are tired, don't you want to rest?" Erika asked him and looked beyond the blue sky. A faint smile painted her cheeks. "You must have been suffering and fighting for your life. but good job! I'll give you 5/5 stars for getting here. Good job on fighting- that- you must be commended."

Light looked down at the sleeves of his uniform- underneath the black sheet of fabric were the battle scars he acquired as he saved more people.

'Damn they still hurt' he thought as he tried to lengthen the sleeves to conceal the cuts.

"Why are you hiding them?" Erika asked him.

"They are unsightly" Light answered as he smiled "and it might trigger you".

Erika approached him and held his wrists. "They aren't unsightly you idiot. In fact, you should be proud of them" she reached her pockets and brought out a cream. She tucked he sleeves of Light's uniform and applied cream on his wounds.

"I AM STRONG" she read the cut on Light's arms that still looked fresh and applied cream to it. "These cuts are the witnesses of how well you overcame your pain."

She smiled again.

'that smile… I'm sure I know of it!' Light thought. He had been wondering why she looked familiar and he remembered it now. Back when he was still on the heavens, he was shown 2 images of people which the head guardians deliberated to know where Light would be sent. He can never forget that smile and the oddly cut curly hair that was highlighted with faded highlights.

If the heavens did not choose Joy, he'd be sent to Erika.

"Light, you are indeed strong." Erika said as he deliberated. She was done putting cream on his wounds on the both of his arms and she was already untucking his sleeves. Light couldn't believe that she was that human. "But weird. Have you lost you sanity?"

Light snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her. Like Joy, she was suffering so greatly.