Lyre

Lyre kept on glancing at the handsome human boy as he tried to figure out his plans from his words.

He can still vividly recall the time his immediate elder brother tricked him into thinking he had changed, only for him to stab him harder in the back.

"You don't have to be afraid, okay?" Rain smiled at the frightened boy.

It hurts him to see the boy being scared of him. "Who hurt you?" He asked as he balled his hands into fists.

And for the first time, since he met Lyre, he finally figured out the boy might have been marred by others.

Lyre's spooked eyes met his, yet he said no words.

His heart was beating wildly in his chest, and it felt as if the organ was about to leap out of its confines.

"Don't be scared. I will protect you." Rain promised as he tried to keep his emotions in check.

Lyre frowned at him but didn't say a word. He was only waiting for the boy to leave before he thinks of another plan since the one he had earlier, drastically failed.

"I won't hurt you, okay?" Rain smiled, "don't worry, I will protect you from harm, okay?"

Lyre still didn't utter a word. No sound escaped from his mouth as he watched the strange human boy.

Rain sighed when he saw his words had no intended impact on the mute boy.

"Since you are mute, and can't possibly tell us your name. I will call you Jok—"

"Lyre."

He muttered, but Rain's ears caught the name.

"What? Lyre?"

Rain was shocked at not only the softness of the boy's voice but of the fact the boy might not be as mute as they thought him to be.

"Lyre."

He said once more, and this time, it was louder.

"Lyre?" Is that your name?" Rain blinked.

Lyre nodded his head, as he still kept a considerable distance between them.

He had a frightened expression on his face as he focused his attention on Rain.

"Your name is Lyre?" Rain smiled.

Lyre nodded once more.

"I love it. The name suits you." Rain smiled as he moved closer to Lyre.

Startled, Lyre almost fell from the bed when he noticed how close Rain was to him.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Rain fluttered as he went back, "I presume I was carried away by your sweet voice."

Beautiful voice?

Lyre thought as he peered at the human. He squinted as he tried to figure out what the human was going on.

Rain beamed at him as he rose from the bed. "I suppose I will see you later, okay?"

He doesn't want to go, but he figured out he won't get the shy boy to speak to him should he continue to stay there.

Lyre blinked but didn't say a word.

"See you during dinner, right?" He grinned.

Lyre nodded at him.

"Okay."

Smiling to himself, Rain left the room and gently closed the door behind him.

"Deep."

Lyre sighed as he relaxed on the bed.

His heart was still beating as fast as before. However, it wasn't from fear.

It was from being in proximity to the handsome boy.

Just a smile and that was enough to make the butterflies in his stomach take flight

"No, you can't do this, Lyre." He slapped his cheeks, "the mistress said it's preposterous to have such feelings for males. No, you can't!" He whacked himself real hard as he tried to get his mind out of whatever hole it slithered into.

"It's not natural to think boys are handsome, Lyre. You are abnormal!"

He can still hear his mother's voice as she scolded him for looking at other mermen.

Lyre lay on the bed and crawled into a ball.

He just understands nothing any more.

And you can say, he was fed up with life.

**********

"It's time for dinner!" Clar shouted as she opened the door to Lyre's room.

Lyre, who was startled by her presence, fell to the floor.

He was unlucky to be lying near the edge of the bed.

"What's wrong?" Clar rushed towards him. "Do you want to injure yourself, brother?" She scolded him as she helped him up.

It was clumsy, but she finally helped him up.

"You need not hurt yourself, brother." Clar pouted, "it makes Clar sad."

Lyre blinked at her.

He just couldn't understand why he was feeling down about it.

This wasn't the first time he has fallen from the bed.

And in each of those times, none of his siblings has acted as concerned as this little human female was.

"I don't want you to hurt yourself, brother." Clar smiled, "I still need to show you off to my friends at school!"

Lyre couldn't explain his feelings right then, but he felt warm inside.

The feeling was unlike any he has ever had, and it made him sigh.

"What's wrong?" Clar squinted at him. "Are you hurt? Do you want me to tell mother to take you to the hospital?"

Lyre frantically shook his head when he heard her mention 'mother.'

The name was like a trigger.

"Don't worry, I won't tell her about it." Clar smiled, "it's time for dinner, let's go downstairs." She took his hand in hers and dragged him towards the door.

Clar chattered as she led him towards the dining area. And Lyre finally decided he loves the sound of her voice.

Unlike earlier, her voice didn't sound as irritating as it did when he heard her speak for the first time.

Then, he thought she was making noise with her constant chats, but now, he feels warm hearing her speak.

Clar led him down the stairs and towards the dining area.

"Mom said she will enrol you in a school for special students. I don't know what the school is about. But she said it's an excellent school.

Don't worry, brother. I will make sure mom enrols me in your school so you won't feel lonely without me, okay?" She smiled at Lyre, who was still trying to understand all she was saying.