Chapter 90: Aspirations

"Well, that doesn't seem like a bad plan, but why would you do that?"

"Hmm, I just thought that my parents are probably looking for me, using the authorities and the police with their money," She explained, nibbling on a juicy meat. "So if I get to return, they'll keep on questioning me about a lot of things and scold me. But how am I going to explain what I've just been through? I don't think they'll believe me if I start telling them about devil's world and Castellia Fort and portals!"

Alicia chuckled, "That's true. All of these are really hard to believe if you haven't experienced it."

"Besides, if I feign ignorance about everything, I could start doing the things that I really love. But of course, I don't want to deceive my brother. He's the only exception. I'll tell him the truth and turn him by my side. I'll make sure we'll be best of friends and I won't be insecure of him anymore! I'll act like a true elder sister this time and support him with all my might. I want him to be comfortable and rely on me, even if he's smarter and better than me at everything."

"I'm sure your brother would love that," Haru said with a knowing tone. "I don't think he'd reject the love you would give him, Camille."

"Y-Yeah, thank you. If I return, I want to be as free as possible. Both of us, me and Arthur… I want us to free and do the things that we really want. We'll break out of our parents' suffocating expectations and slowly build the passion we've always sought. Although… I'm not sure if it'd be any worth anymore."

"Because the world is ending?" Alicia asked, skeptically. "Young lady, isn't that all the more reason not to care about it? I mean, the world's ending, so won't you just do what really matters to you? As much as what's medicine and money worth to me, that's probably the same for whatever you want to achieve and build! But you're gonna do it anyhow. I'm gonna do it, because it's my son's dream and you're gonna do it because you and your brother wants it."

Camille giggled, "Yeah, you're right, Alicia. You're right."

"And… old man?" Alicia turned to Mr. Wang. "Care to share your aspiration this time?"

Mr. Wang grunted, looked around, and sipped from his glass. "I want to die," He said, nodding with a wistful expression. "That dream of mind doesn't change. I want to die in the most peaceful way. I want to experience the original world once more, the world that's full of sadness and humiliation and misery, then I'll lay on my deathbed and depart without any unfinished business left. That's all I want."

"Won't you meeting that girl one last time, then? If you plan on taking off without unfinished business, has your heart truly accepted the heartbreak?"

Mr. Wang shook his head. "I never healed from the pain of that heartbreak, Alicia. But I also have never recovered from being mystified with my first love. I have… always loved Chu Hua. She's always in my heart and I'm gonna take the idea of her with me. I can't have her for myself anymore, since she isn't an object, but all I could have in my hands are the ghost of her. The concept of Chu Hua, the one I met when I got lost as a child and the one I fell in love with. But I guess… I could meet her even once."

"How 'bout our two youngest ones?" Alicia smiled at both Haru and Ali. "What are your plans when you get out of this place?"

Haru was silent for a while before finally speaking. "I'm going to stay here. Forever."

"Me too," Ali said.