Volume 1 Chapter 2 (1/2)

Chapter 4 – Hope

“I a…

“How er…

“Still waiting…”

shi+ra opens his eyes abruptly The echoes of an old and deep voice speaking inside his drea within his mind

The youth knows since long ago that he was different froh for the younger shi+ra, led hi hopeless and struck with mild depression

“People said a sad and tortured child was able to see so,” he muttered under his breath “Now I’ es now?”

He was coh and dissatisfied voice suddenly sneers at him

“I just came here for one year Don’t bullshi+tspirit appears before him

“Ol’ Good-Natured Spirit, I’ about you,” shi+ra said “There’s so er”

“Ohh yeeaaaah?” the spirit whom shi+ra calls as Good-Natured Spirit deeply furrowed his brows, looking back at the youth suspiciously Then, he softens his tone and spoke slowly, “kinda interesting Hmmm Did you want to chat about it?”

shi+ra didn’t answer “Time for supper,” then he walks home doard from the hill

The spirit fell silent His eyes locking the back of the youth with serious blaze flickering on his pupils He was infuriated at the thought of old voice shi+ra was talking about

“Who the friggin’ fuck trying to scheht now?”

shi+ra Yashura coo elsewhere to retreat to his own solitude Whether he went to the hill or lock hioing on in his life

His older female cousin, Mila Yashura, always scolds him and talks for hours about discipline and social life and planning ahead and the like

“Where are you going?” Mila Yashura stopped hi dinner room

“Library,” shi+ra answered with carefree manner

“There’s nothing for you to do at the library!”

“Reading?”

“That’s not what Iher hands on the hips

“Mila, just let hio,” Mila’s father, Patriarch Shuro Yashura who still s his pipe on dinner table said to her

Mila couldn’t rebuke at his own father’s words Then, she said so and sharp tone, “rehost!”

“Don’t worry Those people come to see me, I will not run,” shi+ra assured with the usual leisure tone of his, then proceeds slowly toward the library

In Malikh Family Household

Folks inside the room orried about the wounds on Bhela’s snohite hand Herpotions, which more than half of theht of her own daughter having an insoers

Afor permission to enter the room

“Elders brought so Lady Bhela to wears tomorrow”

“We understand You may leave,” said the mother with a flat tone

Pair of ht red silk-dress before the that the hter would wear this at public places

“For Elders to be so generous, how rare,” Bhela ly

“You don’t have to wear this” her mother said helplessly

“I must,” they don’t have a choice “Mother, I want to see Father”

“Mmm”

The two female silhouette leaves the room They visited the bedridden father who fallen in deep ill since two years ago

“Father…” Bhela appears outside the open door Sadness flooding her chest seeing the shrunkenweakly on the bed

The day after that, shi+ra didn’t go to the hill like he usually did In his sether with the self-acclaimed Good-Natured Spirit A board of chess was laid between them From the looks of it, shi+ra clearly lost

“How easy This is like I’ with that duhed out loud as heon shi+ra’s side He was elated to be able to totally crush the usually cunning youth’s strategy with an iron fist

“Let’s stop,” shi+ra stood up and leave his room The spirit silently penetrates the wall, followed behind

“Did you coo brat?” Good-Natured Spirit asked all of the sudden

“I don’t have time for that”

“It was a heavenly fortuitous encounter that you able to hold such a treasure Now you said ignorantly you don’t have a time for that Say, had your brain went away on a vacation?” the spirit rebuked “Besides, all this ti the entire day”

“I’ll look at it after this—” shi+ra abruptly closes his mouth as he walks past an old butler

“Young Master shi+ra,” the butler greets with his back slowly bowed

shi+ra nod at hi”