Dawn of Realizations

Hal thought he'd be screwed once Noah found out that he told Eli.

It was his friend's deepest secret, after all. He always let pride take over him whenever his step mother was the topic. He acted ruthless and unforgiving, but in reality, he kept wishing for a second chance even when that thread of hope was as good as untouchable at that point. The only thing that made this whole premise reasonable was the fact that Noah did get to spend time with Venus before she turned a complete one hundred eighty. He got to see that other side of the coin which remained obscure when she's still the sitting Empress and eventually ended up forgotten after she died.

"People often conceal their truest desires since they usually turn out to be impossible in the eyes of many," Hal mused out loud while Eli only stayed deep in thought.

"If not that, then it could be that the person just wanted to protect another desire - one that can't happen without abandoning the other."

The world that Metis made sure is cruel, but that's mainly why it felt as real as this universe. Things like these certainly happen in real life, and one of the most enduring genres of those dramatic rollercoasters it would bring is family relationships. Venus's house fell, Hal's parents mistreated him, and Noah thirsted for parental love until the end. She couldn't consider everyone's sufferings as mere dictates of ink. They're no fiction at all. That's because if they are, she won't be able to meet them as they are now. She won't be able to feel how raw their emotions were and witness how much their pasts had marred them. She'd only take them lightly since she knew that all of them weren't true to begin with.

"It's probably really difficult... Having no choice but to shrug off your lifelong yearning for both reasons, that is," Eli pondered out loud, making his eyes widen in surprise.

"What do you mean?" Hal asked in bafflement.

"Noah thought it's impossible for Venus to turn over a new leaf. He also wanted to protect everyone, which eventually led him to turn against her. Because of these things, he buried his desire and true emotions."

Hal only mustered an enlightened face at this, suddenly recalling the fact that Eli always meant well when it came to them. Something so obvious didn't come to light until she pointed it out. She's actually thinking this far ahead. Then again, she's always trying to understand their point of views, including the bad ones. She'd go through all that trouble because she genuinely wants to get closer and she cares.

Now, he felt dumb for getting all riled up for the attention she's pouring onto Noah, which didn't really make sense to begin with.

"The part when Noah called you mother doesn't seem to reek of bad news, though. It may be a poison that triggered it, but that didn't change the fact that it was his desire. Try to look deeper into it, Eli. Wouldn't that mean he revived that desire because he now thought that it's possible to happen?" Hal voiced out with a gentle smile, much to her surprise.

"You mean, that one about Venus changing?" Eli questioned, puzzled.

"Well, you're now here to make it possible, after all."

Then, she gaped.

Eli was not sure how come she got involved in the equation, but didn't seem to find it in her to argue. Now that she thought about it, both she and Noah had been wanting the same thing. They longed for the day when Venus would accept her mistakes and completely change for the better. If he only had come clean with that in the first place, she'd be able to find something worth meeting in the middle for. Then again, it's easier said than done in his case, especially when he'd been suppressing those thoughts for a long time now. There's also that lingering regret and sorrow from having found his yearning to be in vain.

Right now, however, the wind can finally blow to another direction. He's no longer alone in this, after all.

"Thank you for helping me realize that, Hal. I think I know what to do now," Eli beamed at him which he only mirrored in return.

"Let's just say that this whole fiasco was a blessing in disguise. I'm also relieved that Noah's issue can finally come to a close... Hopefully."

"I think it'll work out fine. Oh, and by the way, can I ask one last thing?"

"What?"

"When are you going to release me?"

That's only when Hal realized that he's still trapping Eli along with the bookshelf. A bit flustered, he just pulled back slowly and scratched the back of his head, evading her deadpan look all the while. He then cleared his throat before apologizing for catching her off guard. In reply, she only told him that it's probably a blessing in disguise as well since she did figure out his biggest insecurity because of it. Unable to point out what exactly she's referring to, he just tilted his head at her quizzically.

"Your 'cute' height..."

"Hey!"

With that, their secret talk, which Eli thought would go downhill, had wrapped up in a cheerful note, though it's only her who felt pleased at the end. Hal was moping about her finding out his weakness. She didn't find it as a flaw of his, though. She's just glad that she could finally be the one annoying him. But then, that fact didn't seem too obvious to her classmate since they just kept on fussing about his height until they eventually reached the office. Everyone's a bit flabbergasted upon finding Eli guffawing at Hal's face as soon as they stepped a foot inside.

"Both of you... seem happy, I guess?" Zeke commented, snapping the two out of their little world.

"Ezekiel, listen! You see, Hal was actually sensitive when it came to-"

"Stop it, Eli...! And don't tell that guy. Ezekiel has no sense of humor. He might lose all his remaining respect on me."

"Pft...! What are you saying? It's already so obvious, Hal."

"Then don't say it!"

At that moment, all Zeke thought about was what's exactly the reason why he deserved to be called a man of no humor.