CHAPTER 12

Mia's tears started falling for the boy after hearing his story. At the same time, he just quietly stayed by her side, he had expected this reaction.

Being trapped and unable to escape, feeling lonely, no one to turn to for help. Mia knew these feelings well and cried out for the boy who went through them. In her case, she had met people who had helped her and lost them the same way, him on the other hand, had always been like this since the beginning. It was just too pitiful and heartbroken.

Mia was mad at herself, she was always thinking about herself and didn't stop to consider the people around her. The boy wiped tears off of Mia's cheeks and gently patted her on the back, comforting her.

Mia raised her head, then turned to him, with her face drenched in tears. "H-How… how could you live through such hell…?" Mia pressed her head on the boy's chest and continued sobbing.

'...' The boy got stiff at Mia's question. That's right, how was he able to live in such a way? What kept him going? He was not sure.

'I wonder how…' he pondered for a while and then the image of him and Mia together flashed through his head. The boy smiled, "Well… you see, Mia..."

Mia looked up at the boy.

"It's because you were always there with me."

The boy wrapped his arms around Mia, hugging her tight. Mia also hugged him back.

------

Mia woke up and found herself in tears. She immediately grabbed a notebook and noted down what happened in the dream. She didn't even know where to start, it was too unexpected.

As she was writing, Mia remembered what the boy had said to her back in the dream.

['Well… you see, Mia… It's because you were always there with me.']

'...can someone like me really give you such hopes…? Was I enough to be your reason…?' Mia thought to herself. She was wondering if someone such as herself was worthy to be the boy's reason to hang on.

She remembered her parents who had abandoned her. She bit her lip thinking about them, how she hated them and how much pain they had caused her, and yet she couldn't help wondering about their well-being. Maybe the fact that they were related, that had caused her to feel that way and that blank dream.

Sigh…

'Forget it.' Mia turned back and finished her writing. As she was putting the notebook back into her desk, Mia's eyes landed on Vin's diary.

The dairy that she had found since recently after Vin's passing, she had never opened it once. She used to be nervous and afraid of reading the contents, but now… she felt different.

Mia grabbed the dairy and opened them for the first time. She ran her fingers across the pages and formed a smile at the familiar handwriting.

'Hmm? What's this?'

Seemed like Mia had found something interesting in this dairy.

'[The pitch black world where there's no light

Run along the so called road but there's nothing in sight ...]'

'A poem…?'

'[...My slow burden movement won't leave me be

Like I thought there's no more hope for me

But you suddenly appear and hold out your small hand

Reaching out to me make me able to finally understand

Although I can't run but I got to see the sweet flower field

Although I can't run but I got to see the beautiful deep sea

Although I can't run but I got to see the lovely creatures

Although I can't run but I got the wonderful you by my side

Although I can't do anything but with the amazing lovely you

I finally have a reason to go on in life.]'

Mia chuckled. 'Wow, Vin. I didn't know you could write poems, haha, it syncs perfectly.'

She could picture Vin sitting at the desk writing during the night with only a dim lamp as his source of light.

Memories of the past flashed through Mia's mind. Back when she was little, she and Vin would stay up and talk the night away until Rosaria came and told them off to bed.

'How nostalgic…'

DING! DING! DING!

It's the orphanage bell. Mia put the dairy away and started preparing for school.

------

Mia arrived at school. As she was making her way to her classroom, a pair of arms emerged from behind and wrapped around her and she freaked out.

"Hey~~ I'm back!"

It was Vivi. She's finally returned from a long absence and was excited to talk to Mia again. But Mia's reaction seemed strange…

"Eh…?"

She suddenly jolted and turned around with a pale frightened expression. Has she always been this paranoid?

"V-Vivi?!"

"What's with that expression? Not happy to see me back?"

"N-No! But you… how… uh-"

Vivi grabbed Mia's hand and started running. "Let's talk later. We're gonna be late!"

While running, Vivi thought about the way Mia reacted to her surprise earlier. 'That was such a weird reaction. Did something happen when I was gone? Maybe I should ask her… No. knowing Mia, she'd probably tell me if needed. I shouldn't be nosy!'

'Although…' Vivi glanced at Mia who was running beside her, 'I hope it's nothing too serious.'

------

Lunch break came and Mia finally got to ask Vivi about her absence.

"Aaahh… I'm really sorry for leaving so suddenly that day! And sorry if I've caused any worries." Vivi sincerely apologized to Mia with her hands together and her head bowed.

"It's fine. I'm just really glad you came back okay. So what happened?"

"Haha, actually…"

「 Vivi went back to her dad's after receiving the bad news that he got into a serious accident. She rushed home feeling anxious and worried, hoping her father was alright.

"Dad? Dad, I'm here! Where are you?"

"Vivi? I'm over here!"

Vivi ran as fast as she could to where his voice came from. "Dad, are you alright…?"

"Hey, long time to see haha!"

Vivi just stood still,dumbfounded, after seeing her dad. She was told that he was in critical condition but what she saw at the moment was just him laughing and giggling away after seeing her, as if he was in his best health.

"...Dad, what's going on?? I thought you got into a bad accident."

"Haha silly kid. That was just a lie!"

"Huh?!"

"Now that you're here, come with me."

"To where?"

"Fishing, of course! It's been awhile since we've had a competition between us, hahaha-!" 」

"So anyway, he only sprained his leg a little and wanted me to accompany him. Sigh… I wish he would've just told me honestly. I was worried sick for nothing…"

"Seems like you two really get along well."

"You think so? I do love him but sometimes he's such a pain."

Mia laughed along with Vivi and thought to herself, 'maybe… he's just been lonely by himself for so long.'

Indeed. Vivi's mom passed away long ago. And for better education, her dad sent her away to her aunt and uncle, who absolutely adored and doted on Vivi as if she's their own child.

As for Vivi's dad, he chose to stay at their home, because that's where the memories and what remained of her mom resided. Vivi knew how much he loved her mom as his devotion for her had always inspired her. So she respected her dad's decision.

"Look, look!" Vivi showed Mia a picture of her and her dad comparing the fishes that they caught. "I caught more fish than him, isn't that amazing?! I bet I looked so cool back then haha!"

Mia looked at the picture Vivi showed her. In there, Vivi was standing next to her dad as both of them were showing their fishes to the camera. Both of them had big smiles on their faces, and they looked very similar, proof of their blood relation.

Mia felt bittersweet. She was happy for Vivi seeing her smile, but at the same time she was reminded of her lonely orphan background. Oh, how she wished she could experience things like this with her parents.

But Mia had to hold her feelings to herself.

"Yeah, you're amazing, Vivi."

Vivi flustered, "O-Of course I am! Heh!"

TAP-! TAP-! TAP-!

"Mia!" Cloud, who suddenly arrived, called out to Mia. His face was red and he was breathless, it seemed like he was running here. "Have you eaten…?"

Cloud swiftly scanned Mia and saw that she was already preparing to return to class. "Ah… seems like I'm late. I wanted to eat with you but the teacher called me to help with some work. I'm sorry, I didn't come on time."

"No, no, it's okay."

"..." Cloud made a disappointed expression. Then, he just realized there's someone sitting next to Mia, and she was staring at him intensively.

Cloud glanced at Mia, "Uhmm… who's this?"

As soon as he finished his question, Vivi's eyes widened as if she was surprised and quickly stood up as she still locked eyes with him.

"I could say the same to you. I'm Mia's friend. Who are YOU?"

Cloud's eyes twitch a bit at Vivi's words. 'What's with her attitude?'