Blood Of Platinum
Chapter 40. Foreign Places in New Town. 5
In the dark, lightless building, Stelani and the other children had fallen asleep after eating. Blanketed with a worn-out thin cloth full of holes, they slept soundly. There was nothing to indicate the time there and none of them cared. They were full and satisfied with the bread and water they had eaten. The drugs they bought were stored near a pile of rubble there
Theo, being the only child still awake after all the heavy things he went through. Physically and mentally, he was the one who felt the most tired. However, that night he was the one who was still awake and could not sleep.
Theo muttered softly seeing Stelani and the other children sleeping soundly.
“Thank God they've had better”
Slowly, Theo got up and walked out of the room towards the bottom floor. There was only a chair and a table on the floor. Theo decided to sit there. The night wind blew into the building without doors and windows. That night she couldn't stop thinking about what she heard while hiding from Justin's men.
“When I have decided not to think about it anymore, why can't I really get rid of this curiosity?”
Theo was as depressed as his own mind. Not only that, the figure of the swordless man she saw this afternoon was still clear in her memory.
“That guy..the guy the gorilla wants? Before I knew what the problem was, I still remembered clearly what his face was like”
Theo felt something strange now. His face now changed from a depressed look because his own mind became a face full of questions and confusion.
‘Think of it when I saw him I knew absolutely nothing about the problem between the gorilla and the man with the sword. But when compared to the gorilla's cold eyes after killing all three women in the bar, I was much more afraid to meet the sword-wielding man without the scabbard. Wh why?. Though I do not know him, why can the fear appear?’
Theo's mind didn't stop here. He still felt that something was not right with him.
‘In addition, although I intended to say hello to the good brother but when I saw him with the man with the sword, suddenly my chest felt tight as if there was pressure that made my legs do not want to move closer. A feeling of fear.really, I somehow felt so afraid to see it. Although I wanted to say hello to that good brother, but once I saw that man with him I somehow felt very scared. What's the matter with me?’
The more thought out, Theo's face became more confused and gradually turned pale. His forehead was sweating even though there was night angina blowing in the building even a little.
Theo took a deep breath and exhaled, took a deep breath and exhaled. That thing
keep doing it over and over again until he feels calm. After he felt that he had improved, he took out something from behind the collar of his shirt. Something he had held tightly on several occasions.
On her neck, she is seen wearing a necklace of thin straps that at first glance is not so important. But the moment he took out the necklace pendulum that had been hidden behind his collar, that thought might change. The long jewel-shaped pendulum measures about 5-6 cm in beautiful bright purple.
Theo looked at his necklace and began to look sad. A sad face that he could no longer hide that night.
“Only this thing is the only thing left for me”
Theo clasped his pendulum necklace and closed his eyes for a moment and prayed in his heart. The prayer he mentions every night.
‘I was able to survive this long with all the hatred I had for Justin. I curse this foreign place like hell, I curse all those who continue to use children like us at will. A place without a future and this hope.I wish they disappeared forever!’.
Without Theo noticing, the jewel necklace was shining.
“I wish Justin and this place disappeared along with my hatred for them all”
******
At the inn, the Yuki brothers had slept very soundly. Ryou who had just fallen asleep for less than fifteen minutes was already in dreamland, while the most tired Kaito was still trying to find his comfortable position.
“Abiz once. I know I'm used to being awake at ‘world night’, but since that strange loop I shouldn't have slept for more than 12 hours. Why am I so hard to sleep?”
Kaito got up from his bed and sat down while letting out a long grunt. Unlike Ryou who could grumble at length just because of a small thing, Kaito almost held himself back from saying a grumbling sentence. But this time he did so out of envy with Ryou who had gone slumbering in just fifteen minutes.
“This is really unfair. I'm just as tired as that stray cat, aren't I?”
Kaito continued his little grunt while looking to the right side where the two brothers slept.
Although she grumbled with envy not being able to sleep as fast as Ryou, but seeing the faces of the two of them sleeping soundly made her happy. He subconsciously smiled and said in a soft voice.
“I'm glad to see you both. Thank you for coming to me”
Kaito looked at the two for a while before he started to stretch himself back.
Just trying to sleep, Kaito instantly woke up from his bed with a face full of sweat and pale.
“Aah!!”
Kaito really looked surprised. His breath was like waking from a nightmare even though he had not even slept at all. I don't know what really happened, he seemed to lose his composure for a moment. He rubbed his forehead that was filled with sweat back then and muttered to himself.
“What is it?! Why is it like someone is calling me? It feels so tight and painful. What really happened?!”
Kaito was completely made not to sleep with that sensation of surprise. Now it could be said he was 100% awake from his sleep. He still could not forget the tightness and pain he had just felt. Like being hit by an electric shock, both of his hands trembled nonstop. Cold sweat gradually began to come out soaking his palms.
“I...why do I still not feel calm? Who called me just now?”
With the moonlight coming in from the window of the room, Kaito could only wait until his heart calmed down and his hands stopped shaking. That night was another difficult night for Kaito.
******
After a few minutes, the light on his necklace gradually disappeared and returned to how it was when Theo opened his eyes.
“I will never stop praying. I will keep praying that this place will disappear. I want to get a new light for all of us in order to live better”
Finished taking off his prayer, he put his pendulum back in his collar and began to think clearly.
“Now Theo, you have to think about more important things than the problem of the gorilla. What should you do now?. Stealing again at the altar after a full week will raise suspicions so it's best not to do” tomorrow
He tried to think of a better way than just stealing gems and gold. After all, the three women who used to wear them had already become corpses. It is impossible for a corpse to wear jewelry on its body. The focus now is money.
“No more gems needed, now I just need money!. To be honest, working like today wasn't so bad for me. It's just that if it continues like this, with my limited energy and a rarely filled stomach.I guess I'll just kill myself slowly. I can't keep going like this!”
The night was long for Theo. All his thoughts were heavy things. Who would have thought an 11-year-old could think such a heavy thing. Theo's burden completely exceeds that of adults.
As if not tired, he still kept awake thinking about everything alone.
At night in the city there are people who wake up because they can not stop the curiosity, there are also those who wake up thinking about what tomorrow will look like. There are people who have slept well to unwind and some are still looking for something uncertain. On that night, the estranged place in the city and in the city itself bears witness to the sheer number of lives that time has to bet on.
******
The sun rises brightly. The new day has changed. Kino opened her eyes slowly and saw her sister still sleeping beside her. Kino smiled looking at him and got out of bed.
“Kaito-san?”
Kino was surprised to see Kaito standing in front of the wardrobe with wet hair.
“Good morning, Kino. How did you sleep?”
“Good morning, Kaito-san. Did Kaito-san just take a shower?”
“Become”
“What's all okay?”
“All good, don't worry. I felt the need to cool my head for a while so I used my time to take a shower. You know Kino, like you said yesterday I really don't smell the slightest sweat on my body. I also did not feel any sticky or uncomfortable feeling after running all day yesterday”
“So. It turns out that it is true yes, the strange rule is still there”
“It seems so. But isn't that better?. You do not need to go to the toilet at all or feel uncomfortable because you do not take a shower. Your clothes also keep clean without any smell”
“It sounds easier but I feel like I'm not human anymore” Kino replied with a smile hearing Kaito's words just now
Kaito just smiled thinly and picked up a small towel in the closet. He dried his hair by turning his back on Kino who was still on the bed. Kaito's face immediately changed when he heard Kino ask something unexpected by him suddenly.
“Kaito-san, you are not doing well right?”
“Why–”
“Kaito-san doesn't look okay to me at the moment. Can't you sleep last night or have nightmares?. Kaito-san can tell me, I will definitely listen to you”
Not yet had time to finish his sentence, Kaito had already been made silent by Kino's words. Now, Kaito was just staring at Kino who was looking at him from the bed with his anxious face. His heart said with confidence.
‘I really can't lie to him. It seems like the plan to go to a foreign place with Ryou without being known by him should be carefully thought out’
Kaito tried to calm himself down as if nothing had happened.
“Kino, why have you asked such a strange thing in the morning?”
“It's not strange. Kaito-san should see what kind of face you are making now. If there was a mirror”
“Face? Whatchu mean? What kind of face am I making right now in your eyes?”
Kino looked at Kaito with a serious look then said “face filled with pain and tightness as if something was felt”
“……!!”
And another checkmate from Kino. Kaito this time could not hide his expression of shock and shock. Kino really hit it right on target.
“Kaito-san looks so anxious and has thoughts that weigh you down. If you don't mind I'll listen. Is this a problem with your memory pieces?. Did something happen?”
“……”
Kaito chose silence. If he answered, he was sure Kino would know everything. About her feeling a sudden tightness and pain, about her feeling called by something and about her plan with Ryou. Kaito chose to smile and replied “all is fine” on Kino.
Kino looks sad to hear it and does not accept that sentence. He just didn't want to force her to talk.
“So. I-i understand. If Kaito-san already has enough fidelity to me, I will be ready to listen to you”
That sounds like a simple ordinary sentence. However, the emphasis on the word ‘trust’ makes it like a sharp sword piercing the heart. Kaito feels that Kino may be thinking that he still does not deserve to be fully trusted by him.
Now Kaito is starting to get upset.
“Kh..”.
“Kaito-san?. What's up?”
Kaito stood up and fell silent without answering Kino's question. He did not see Kino's face directly and in an instant things turned awkward. It was as if there was a dividing line drawn there making him and Kino like strangers now.
“...Mmm..Pagi”.
Ryou who had opened his eyes immediately woke up while looking at his brother. Kino who was happy to see Ryou wake up immediately greeted him with a smile.
“Good morning, Ryou”
“Morning Kino. Kaito, morn”
“Pagi. I didn't know you could wake up on your own without having an opening play in the morning. Last time I saw you sleeping in a diner while at ‘world noon’ that time, you even slept like a dead person. I've questioned your life or death status to your brother”
“It's still morning, Kaito. Even though I just woke up, but if just mocking or issuing sharp criticisms hurt my heart I can still do it while closing my eyes. Want to try it as breakfast today?”
Ryou's first warm-up that morning was to stare intently at Kaito while taking out a spicy sentence from his mouth as usual.
Kaito seemed to regret having mocked the wild cat who just woke up. Wrong, not a wild cat but a lion. He regretted teasing the lion who had just woken up from his sleep. It's like he's digging his own grave in the morning.
Kino couldn't possibly let that continue since they had all just welcomed the first morning of the normal city.
“Ryou, it's still morning. I think Ryou should take a shower to cool your mind. Look, Kaito-san just finished taking a shower. He looks better than ever. I think you should do it” too
“Better than before? What's the matter?” Ryou was astonished by Kino's words
Kaito just turned his head to the side to avoid Kino's gaze looking at him with a smile. Ryou could not stop the curiosity in his mind.
‘Kaito like avoiding Kino's gaze. They don't fight, do they? Kino is not a person who likes to fight with others. Unlike me who has difficulty controlling emotions, Kino's innate nature is so calm that it is almost impossible in his life to have enemies. It means that there is something Kaito has hidden from him and Kino seems to have guessed it’
Enough with all the complicated things in the morning, Kino decided to take a bath first so that his mind was calm.
Ryou looked at Kaito with a serious look and stood up from his bed to approach him.
“You're not avoiding it, are you? What happened?” Ryou approached her and asked with a sharp look
His voice was slow so Kino could not hear him. Kaito sighed and a sharp look of eyes was shown on Ryou.
“Ryou, I'll be honest with you, Kino it's very dangerous. I feel that our plan to go to a foreign place together without involving him cannot be done alone without the help of a third party. I have a hunch he might easily figure out our plan this way”
“A–what did you say..Hmph!!” Ryou spoke a little loudly now
“Ssst...small your voice!” Kaito immediately covered Ryou's mouth with his hand
Ryou forcibly takes Kaito's hand out of his mouth and looks annoyed. Now it was her turn to hold onto Kaito's hand firmly.
“I know something happened between you and Kino. You're trying to hide something from us again, aren't you? Don't forget what you said in ‘world night’ back then, Kaito! Don't let me down on you. You must remember, one slap of mine is still saved for you!”
Both brothers are the same. They trust and care about him. Because of being too trusting and caring it makes Kaito confused to convey what he feels. Kaito just shut up.
After finishing the bath, Kino came out with wet hair and saw the two people in front of her standing enveloped in a tense atmosphere. He also saw the younger brother holding onto Kaito's hand forcefully.
“Ryou, why?! What the hell's going on? You two please don't fight in the morning like this!”
“Kino..”
“Ryou, please release Kaito-san. Calm yourself now”
Kino tries to release Ryou's hand which turns out to hold Kaito's hand firmly. Ryou did little against the older brother and immediately let go of him with a feeling of annoyance.
“Cih!”
“Ryou..Kaito-san, forgive Ryou. I'm sure she didn't mean anything bad to you” Kino felt guilty apologizing to her.
Ryou looked at Kaito coldly and said a cold sentence to him.
“I won't apologize because you know well who's wrong here!”
It's still morning and it's all getting hot again. Kino could only see the two of them staring coldly at each other with sad faces. Kaito knew this would not end quickly and he decided to say it.
“Kino, about this morning.I'm sorry to you”.
“Kaito-san?”
“I'm sorry to you guys. I don't think it's any use hiding anything. I'm just confused where to say it, that's all. After all the things that happened and the things that we experienced together, I can't possibly ignore you guys”
“.....” both went silent
“Last night I felt someone call me”
******
