20. Reunion

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"Ahem!" Master Sylva cleared his throat, his cheeks a bit red. "I'm not sure why you're suddenly like this, but I'm guessing your journey was successful!"

"More than successful..." Celia muttered, feeling no different than awakening from a long slumber.

Saying her world had been turned upside down, was a mere breeze in the wind, and through it all, her greatest worry was how she would face Taze...

'Taze!'

Her heart felt heavy, and she longed to see him!

Her mind was filled with the endless beautiful memories from their first life, and she itched to pull Taze into an unending hug and apologize for all she had done!

But how to approach...?

If the alter-ego had clarified things, would he even want to see her?

What she feared the most was that cold gaze filled with hatred...

Still...

'I must see him!'

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than she was surrounded by Taze's aura.

"Oh, I forgot to say! You were within the spell for almost four days! Young Master Nowen came by with Miss Winters. He instructed Miss Winters to take an ill leave for you in your classes, but he himself refuses to leave.

"He has stood sentinel outside the doors for the entire four days!"

A tear ran down Celia's cheeks, as she recalled being trapped within the dark void of her mind, and how the green light had flared, guiding her to the crisp scent of nature...

That must have signalled Taze's arrival!

One second, Celia was in the spell room, and the next, she had flown out of the doors...

Outside the doors, Taze stood with his back to the wall, arms crossed and in a light doze.

"Taze!"

"Ei?" The familiar voice jolted him awake, and he blinked a few times to see a pair of silver-fringed ruby eyes looking at him.

But the look in those eyes...!

"Celia!" Taze didn't realize when he reached out, took Celia's wrist and yanked her into a full hug.

Celia emitted a soft gasp, as she found herself wrapped in Taze's warm arms, and her own arms wrapped around him.

"Little Fool!" She said amidst flowing tears. "Why are you here?! I thought you wouldn't see me again! Didn't I hurt you in so many lifetimes?! I'm so so sorry!!"

She sobbed uncontrollably into his shoulder, and all Taze could do was gently pat her back.

"There there. Shhhh... Don't say such things." He soothed.

Minutes passed with them like that...

Celia sobbed quietly, but it wasn't like she hadn't gotten herself under control...

She was just too embarrassed to lift her head!

'What does my face resemble right now?!! Even a flattened cake might look better!!!'

"Ehehehe." She felt Taze's deep chuckle from his chest. "How about I close my eyes while you lift your head?"

"You read my thoughts!"

"You were projecting!" He gently took her shoulders. "On three then... One, Two Three!"

He shut his eyes and Celia hastily turned away.

She took out a handkerchief and hastily wiped her face, though a sniff or two still escaped.

"Didn't your 'alter-ego' say anything?" She asked quietly. "With my own hands, I cast you into a fate of endless hurt and suffering... Shouldn't you be furious with me?"

She let out a soft gasp as Taze's arms encircled her from behind.

"I did get the gist of it, but I have no such memories." He spoke right into her ear, making her turn red. "Besides, it's not like you willingly cast that spell...

"Celia, you'll only be hurting me if you don't do something about this seven-year unrequited love. It's becoming a problem!"

She chuckled nervously and he hugged her tightly.

It was only now that she understood what he had meant by 'Seven Years'. She hadn't met Taze at the academy...

She had met him two years before in the flower fields!

"Ahahem!" An insistent cough jarred them both to attention, and they looked up to see Master Silva at the Spell Room door, red splotches on his cheeks.

They jumped apart, Celia bowing her head, and Taze scratching the back of his.

"Ehehe, Dr. Sylvadeen... We didn't see you there!" Taze greeted.

"Young love sure is awe-inspiring, and I was going to let you finish, but if you two continuously ignore my existence, then I'll be stuck here forever!"

He shook his head as he walked away, his ears reddening. "Young Master Nowen, Miss Scarlett, I'll pretend, just this once, that I didn't see such impropriety on school grounds!"

Celia's complexion resembled her ruby eyes, as she recalled the first life event where she had barged in on Taze and the teachers...

'This is loads more embarrassing than that!!!'

She attempted to flee, but Taze caught her wrist.

"Where can you run to?" He yanked her to his side, his arm going round her waist. "I haven't received an answer." He planted a bold kiss on her cheeks and whispered into her ears. "Say you'll be mine..."

It was like a hot jet of steam shot out of Celia's ears, given how red they had become. She gave a shy nod and quickly pulled away, running down the corridor and out of sight!

Taze merely chuckled at her retreating back, but before he could bask in his triumph, he sobered up.

"What do you want?" He asked aloud, recognizing the presence behind him.

"Calm yourself. I didn't come to argue." It was his alter-ego, but this time in his proper appearance as nineteen-year-old Taze.

In truth, the alter-ego had done more than tell Taze everything...

He had returned Taze's full memories about his first life and the lives following!

The alter-ego sighed, shaking his head. "You pretended not to have your memories because you love her so much...?"

"And you don't?" Taze challenged, and was surprised when the alter-ego placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I do." The alter-ego gravely replied. "I'm actually here to say goodbye."

Taze swivelled in surprise, and the alter-ego smiled. It was one of the few times Taze had seen the fellow give a genuine smile.

"Sharing those memories revealed something I had forgotten... I'm merely a fraction of you, and my original purpose was to guard your memories. But through the endless slumber, I came to believe I was the original you from that life...

"All this while, the person I hated wasn't Celia, but myself... for failing to wake up sooner that night."

"We both know we were poisoned... The incense in the room."

"It doesn't change anything... And I won't deny I was hurt and angry when I watched her hold Vitav's hand," His eyes narrowed. "...but I pushed Celia away for her own good. That fair-haired frog singled her out as his greatest threat."

"Pfft!" Taze resisted an urge to laugh. The alter-ego had never once repeated insults when referring to Vitav, and Taze subconsciously looked forward to what word would follow the term 'fair-haired'!

The alter-ego continued.

"Vitav hated her because her prediction was his downfall. But it wasn't. In that life, she would have merely predicted your death and left things there. But her love for me- ... Her love for you drove her to near madness till she identified Vitav and foiled his plans. So I concluded that her love for you would only lead her into danger."

He sighed. "I was being silly. I thought her lost memories were partly a blessing, and I fueled my anger to keep her away. I should have known meeting you would trigger those memories, and she would never back off."

The alter-ego scowled at him. "It's too late now, so keep an eye on her! The mind spell is just the first step... She will do anything to protect you! You can't be too soft on Lady Flora or that Fair-haired Fish!"

"Pfft! Ahem! I won't see you off, as you're a part of me." Taze said. "I hope you'll eventually settle on a consistent name for my brother!"

"Hmph. I'll leave this life to you." The alter-ego gave a cheeky salute, before walking away, slowly vanishing as he went.

Taze sighed a bit sadly.

Before now, he and the alter-ego hadn't seen eye-to-eye where Celia was concerned. Also, Taze often felt like an ignorant youth when compared to his alter-ego, and he couldn't help feeling a bit intimidated by the obviously older version of himself.

Still, it was sad to see him go...

The alter-ego's reappearance while he lay ill in bed, had given him the strength and guidance he needed to save his life, and the alter-ego had even put things in place to shield them from Lady Flora's clutches.

Would he even be here without him?

Still, he wasn't too sad... He remained a part of him, though he would miss discussing with himself!

"Tch! Even his departure was cool..."

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