Distance

>>Leonidas

I ran towards the royal study and opened the door with enthusiasm, "Sorin!" I looked at her and she raised her head from the book she was reading.

"Your back," She smiled at me softly.

"I got it done!" I went over to her, she was sitting on one of the couches that were on the left side of the work desk and shit tons of paper, I still have to work on, "This task is finally complete!"

"Really?" I nodded, "Welldone!" She put her hand out and I knew what she was asking for. I placed the scroll that had the documentation of abolishment of demon slavery and the signs of all the noble family heads.

She opened it and smiled, "Your birthday is in two days, right?" She seemed excited.

"Yes," I replied.

"Let's announce this then." She looked at me with glittering eyes, "I'm so proud of you!" Her smile made me happy. It had been a while since she smiled like this. These past few days she just looked so dejected. I don't know why she's been so down but seeing her smile is really great! I wonder though, what is going on in her mind?

She's even done something unexpected. A thing no one would expect from her. I don't know why she asked me for such a favor or what's going through her mind but I did the favor for her anyway, "Sorin?" I called her name.

"Yes?" She was still happily staring at the scroll.

"About the other thing." I stared, "The one for Leroy-" Her eyes lit up more, "I've done that too."

"Yes!!?" She stood up in excitement, "Really!?"

"Yes," I nodded and she hugged me out of the blue. It made me nervous all of the sudden and I felt weirdly giddy.

"Thank you!!" She embraced me tighter and I could her body against mine pretty clearly. It started making my heart go weird!

>>Sorin

Oh My God!

I'm so glad I asked Leonidas for these favors! I knew I didn't have much time left, so I had no other choice but he got all the work done. These two things are very important to me right now.

"Um," Leon started, "Sorin…" He seemed a little nervous, so I turned my face up which was previously buried in his lower chest while still hugging him.

"Hm?" I looked at him with big eyes.

He looked down at me and froze, then clenched his jaw and grabbed my arms, "That's it!" He then pushed me apart from him, "You have no self awareness!"

"What?" I looked at him confused for a moment then it hit me, "Oh…" I was sort of rubbing myself on him like a cat…

The realization made me blush.

Oh Shit.

What is wrong with me? Getting one good news after so many bad ones got to my head like vodka! I pursed my lips together in shame and looked away shyly, "Sorry…"

"It's alright, I don't really mind…"

Hmm?

I looked back at him, "You don't…?" His answer made me sort of happy and for some reason, gave me a weird kind of hope.

Am I imagining things?

"Um, well," He got a little nervous.

"Leon," I called his name and gently grabbed his hand, "Your answer?" I was hoping for something here and I really wanted an answer from him.

"Uhh-" His gaze started traveling everywhere when suddenly there was a knock on the door, "Come in!" He gave a frantic answer.

The door opened and the person I didn't want to see the most entered the room.

Sonomi

My heart dropped at the sight of her.

"Oh!' Leonidas , "What are you doing here?" I looked at Leon with wide surprised eyes. He was talking as if he already knew her.

She pouted, her cheeks puffed a little and she looked like a beautiful mannequin doll, "You told me, you were taking me around."

Oh… They've already met…

"Ah right!" He walked towards her, his hand automatically slipping out of mine. It was a weird feeling, like he himself was slipping away. I saw as his hand slowly slipped out of mine and how he walked away from me, creating a distance far bigger than the eye can see, "We can go right now." He stood next to her and they both looked at me, "I'm leaving." He told me, "We'll talk next time." He nodded at me, "For sure,"

As I looked at them standing next to each other, I realized how much they suited each other.

There was a sharp pain in my chest and I moved my hand and placed it right over my heart. What was I hoping for? I really am a dumb person, aren't I?

"Alright…" I tried to pass them a smile but I don't think I managed to do a good job at that, "Have fun…"

There's a distance between us that will always remain, because to begin with, we were never supposed to be close.

***

>>Sorin

I was walking in the corridor when someone shouted my name, "Sorin!" It made me jump and turn around in fear because I recognized the voice.

"What's the meaning of this?!" Leroy had a paper crumbled in his hand that he showed me, "You're sending me to the west!" He was angry, "So far away from the capital!!?" He was hurt, "Why!?!" His pupils were shaking, "Tell me why!?!" He was looking into my eyes for answers, "Did I do something wrong?" He was confused.

And the more I looked at him, the more guilty I felt.

I softly shook my head at him, "No," I replied gently.

"Then what!?!" He was desperate for answers.

I sighed, "The woman you like," I said, "She's a noble from the west."

"What?" He was confused, "What are you talking about?"

I chuckled very softly but it was mostly a pity laugh.

"I heard you." I told him the truth, "That night, I heard it all." His eyes went wide, "You told me you liked someone, someone you met at my party."

"Y-you did?" He was surprised, "You-" He got further confused, "You weren't asleep?" My words distracted him from his initial purpose of approaching me.

I gave him a broken smile back and then hugged him, "You're my family." I tightened my embrace, "I want you to be happy."

He didn't hug me back. He stood there in shock while I kept hugging him. Then he shook his head and grabbed my shoulder to push me away, "No!" He pushed us apart, "If you want me to be happy, then why are you pushing me away!?"

He looked into my eyes for answers.

"I'm not pushing you away." I replied calmly, "I want you to live freely, not as a servant."

"And that'll make me happy? Being away from you?"

"I'm giving you back what's yours."

"Restoring my title as a noble?" He was still concerned, "I never asked for that!" He shook his head.

"But I want you to have it." I said, "I want you to live the rest of your life in luxury."

"You think I can do that? Who will be here with you then if not me?!"

"I'll be fine," I told him, "What I want the most now is to see you happy." I don't know if he's a key character like me too but if he is, wouldn't death come for him too? I don't want that. So I'm removing him from here too. I'm removing him from the center of any story and giving him his own life, "And seeing you happy will make me happy."

"Sorin," He frowned as he kept his eyes on me., "Why do you look so sad then?"

His words shocked me and my eyes went wide momentarily. I look sad?

Oh…

I smiled at him, "I'm not," I told him

"Sorin," He held my hand, "What are you hiding from me?" He wasn't convinced. It was understandable though, he's the closest person to me, so of course he can see through me.

But I'm sorry Leroy.

I promised not to hide anything from you but here I am hiding everything, from everyone.

"Nothing," I replied and took his hands in mine, "Just please, go and live your life."

He got his hand out from between mine, "No," He glared at me, "I'm not leaving you."

I sighed, "Leroy, I don't want you in the palace anymore."

"But I'm not leaving you!"

"I'll be fine," I told him, "I'm not alone now."

He shook his head, "No one knows you better than me. I take care of you everyday. I have since you were a baby!" He clenched his jaw as he glared at me, "I'm not going."

"It's too late," I told him, "Your title has officially been restored." I looked back at him firmly too, "Your family mansion is going through repairs now and in a few days, servants will be appointed to work there as well."

"Repairs? Servants?" He was bewildered, "The state doesn't provide the financing for that."

"I'm using mine." I told him, "You deserve the best."

"Sorin!"

"What!!?" I finally yelled back at him, "It's my money, I can do whatever I want with it!!"

"You're throwing me out!!"

"I'm not!" I was getting angry too, "I'm giving you what you deserve!"

He clenched his fists and was about to say something but closed his mouth instead. Then he took a deep breath, "You want me away from you?" He held my arms, "Why?" He asked rather softly, "Don't do this to me Sorin." He looked straight into my eyes and I could see his pain, "We're family…"

I looked away in despair. Right. We're family and that is why, as your sister, I want you to be happy but you're not going to leave like this huh?

I looked back at him. I guess that was sort of given. He stayed by my side all these years, solely because we're family.

"..." I took a deep breath, "I won't be here either." I told him the truth.

"What?"

"The oracle told me I'm going to die soon." I think Leroy is that one person in my entire life that deserves to know this.

His eyes went wide, I could see the fear slowly creep up on his face and I heard it, when the beating of his heart got louder.

"You're lying…" I shook my head in denial.

"It will happen." I replied calmly, "One way or another."

He grabbed my shoulders, "You're lying!" He shook me, "Tell me, you're lying!!"

"You've seen it too, many incidents happening to me that can lead to death." He looked at me in horror, "This is why I'm sending you away. Because I'll be gone too."

He shook his head, "No…" He let my shoulders go and backed away, "After all this…? After all we went through…?" A tear slipped out of his eyes, "Isn't that just too cruel?"

My heart hurt and I bit my lower lip. I had gone through the same rush of negative feelings a few days ago.

"Leroy," I grabbed his hand, "I want you to come somewhere with me."

"Where?" His voice was almost inaudible.

"To visit the Oracle."