(Chapter - 35)

  [The Unspoken Words]

  Karu's glare and angry voice make Tori a bit nervous. He knows he's going to get a scolding now. Trying his best to calm Karu down with small gestures, he finally speaks.

  Tori : Okay okay… I'll explain. Cool down.

  The furrow in Karu’s brows eases. He lets out a sigh and his tone becomes calm.

  Karu : I know you're not someone who'd do this without a good reason. So, where were you?

  Tori : I went to walk Mehaki to her home.

  Karu : …Mehaki? She came here?

  Tori : Yes. She came here running because of a guy following her.

  Karu : Following her!?

  Tori tells him about what happened a while ago. Shock and worry trace over Karu's face.

  Karu : So that's why you locked the house and went with her.

  Tori : Yeah.

  Karu : Yesterday Asroy told us about Obhoy searching for the blessed girl, and now a weird guy follows Mehaki!

  Tori : That's why I was alert all the time. I didn’t see anyone. But Mehaki said his name was Onol.

  Karu : Would we ever stalk someone who saved us like that?

  Tori : Never.

  Karu : Exactly! He's up to something.

  Tori : And he was trying to flirt with Mehaki over that!

  Tori winces, barely hiding his frustration at the thought of Onol flirting with Mehaki. Karu raises an eyebrow and grins mischievously, resting a hand on his chin.

  Karu : Hey.

  Tori : ?

  Karu : Something else is going on, right?

  Tori : What is?

  Karu : We all are concerned for Mehaki. But you seem to feel something more for her.

  Tori : W-Wha…

  He gets flustered.

  Tori : N-No? It's just–

  Karu : Don't try to fool me. Wait…

  A sudden realization seems to hit Karu.

  Karu : That day! When you came back from practice, looking all bright and happy… You were with Mehaki right?

  Tori : Um…

  Karu : Right???

  Tori : Y-Yes, but we met by coincidence.

  Karu : Ohhhh!

  Karu enjoys Tori's red-flushed reaction.

  Karu : I clearly remember your face from that day! And you also didn’t seem to be surprised when Mehaki told us about her powers and all. Cuz you already knew!

  Tori : Yeah, I kind of… Helped her to focus on using the magic of the Ariya flower. And today she seemed to have gotten better at it.

  A hint of pride appears in his expression as he talks about Mehaki improving. Karu is overjoyed to catch him — if not red-handed, then close enough.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Karu : Hehehe. It’s written on your face, Tori. Now… How are you gonna lie to me?

  Karu narrows his eyes at him. Embarrassed, Tori tries to hide his reaction and keep his composure intact.

  Tori : O-Okay, fine! Let's go inside now. Or are we going to stay out all day?

  Karu : *Still trying to avoid the topic?* Sure, sure.

  His grin never fades. Tori unlocks the door and they go inside. In their room, Karu keeps giving him doubtful glares as Tori is searching for something in the drawers. It makes him uneasy.

  Tori : Will you stop staring at me now?

  Karu : Hehe. But you didn't give me an answer earlier.

  Tori : *Sigh* There's nothing to answer. I care for Mehaki as much as you all do. She's a nice person and a very good friend. That's all.

  Even though he tries to brush it off, his subtly blushing cheeks and the way he avoids Karu’s eyes say otherwise. But Karu chooses not to tease him anymore. Instead, his eyes fall on what Tori is rummaging in the drawers.

  Karu : What are you looking for?

  Tori : Hmm… This.

  Tori holds up a wind chime decor.

  Karu : Wind chimes?

  Tori : Yes. I bought it months ago, but didn’t hang it up.

  Karu : Then, why today all of a sudden?

  Tori : Just feeling like it. The sound of the chimes is relaxing. So…

  Tori ties the decor in the doorframe of the balcony.

  Karu : Oh right, spring is coming soon. Though it already came in somebody's heart, blooming the wish of hanging up the wind chimes all of a sudden~

  Tori deliberately ignores Karu's words, though it affects him — his hands flinch slightly as he ties the knot. After getting it done, he looks at the wind chimes subtly moving. His eyes soften with an unspoken feeling.

  Karu : It looks nice though.

  Tori : Yeah… Anyways, where are the others?

  Karu : Oh, they're still at the mall. They'll be home soon. I returned earlier thinking you'd be bored at home completely alone. But it turns out you were doing just fine. *Extra fine to be exact.*

  Tori : Ah… Thanks bro.

  They hear a click of the door from downstairs, then the voices of Miraz, Tushar and Asroy.

  Karu : Oh, they're back. Let's go downstairs and help them.

  Tori : Let's go.

  They go downstairs and get busy with their daily chores. Miraz also joins them. The brotherly bond of the colorful four and the fatherly care of Miraz always keep the atmosphere of the home joyful. The wind chimes on the balcony sways in the wind, creating a soft, twinkling tune, as if singing a song of peace. A peace that seems so stable.

  At the same time, somewhere covered in darkness, a cavern where sunlight barely reaches, Obhoy sits on a big stone anticipating someone. His lava-skinned body emits fire. It’s the only light in the whole place. Sudden footsteps begin to sound closer and closer to him, bringing his anticipation to an end. He glances at the person, with his fiery red eyes.

  Obhoy : Oh, you came to visit. Looks like you have something to say to me… Shomoy.

  Shomoy stops at a distance, his expression serious with furrowed eyebrows, resentment hidden in his eyes.

  Obhoy : What's the matter, little brother? Still couldn’t find Asroy? Well… I found him before you.

  Shomoy tenses up, his heart beats faster in fear of harm happening to his oldest brother. He manages to speak despite the restlessness.

  Shomoy : Did you hurt him?

  Obhoy : Heh… Not yet. Since you told me he'd be useful for me to find the blessed girl. And… I’ll find her soon enough.

  Shomoy : …

  Obhoy : I know you've been secretly looking for Asroy, to take him back to the family.

  Shomoy flinches, averting his eyes from Obhoy.

  Obhoy : What's the use of it? Once I get the powers of that girl, no one will be any match for me. Even if Asroy does end up being the head of the family, it won't matter at all. I'll be the strongest in the world of magical powers! No one will be able to fight against me. Hahaha!

  His monstrous laughter echoes through the empty, dark cavern.

  Shomoy : …Then what? You think brother Asroy will just sit back watching you do all that?

  Obhoy : You're still a kid, aren't you? Oh, right. You’re just 15… Asroy wouldn’t be able to stop me. He's already weaker than me. He lost to me in every fight, that's why I was able to hypnotize him. Now it will be easier to use him however I want.

  Shomoy’s face drains of color at his words.

  Shomoy : *He hypnotized brother Asroy!? Oh no… I still couldn’t find him! How do I stop all this? If only sister Anami had told me about brother that day… Then–*

  He takes out the Ariya flower from his pocket and stares at it with eyes clouded with worry. Obhoy strikes the flower with his powers, making Shomoy startled as the flower falls on the ground.

  Obhoy : Did you find anything about her? The blessed girl?

  Shomoy : …

  He picks the flower up again, softly brushing the dust off. He answers nervously while avoiding eye contact.

  Shomoy : No, I'm still trying to.

  Obhoy : Ha! Can't you be more useful?

  Shomoy : *I lied on purpose. If he finds out about sister Anami now, he might kill brother Asroy since he’ll have no ‘use’ of him anymore. I won't be able to save brother Asroy or anyone. I need sister Anami's help to find him since she seemed to know where he is. I must save him…*

  Obhoy : Why don’t you just look into the future like you did before and find her out?

  Shomoy : I can't. It's too difficult for me. I become overly exhausted and collapse from weakness. It's like testing my final limits.

  Obhoy : Right… *Sigh* You’re such a weakling. You even fainted the last time you did that, it was really bothersome.

  Shomoy : …

  Obhoy : Too bad that hypnosis doesn’t work on people with time travelling powers. Otherwise, I would've done that to you and found out whether you lie about stuff or not.

  Shomoy clenches his fists at the sides, internally glad that he won't be hypnotized. Still the worry for Asroy doesn’t leave his mind.

  Obhoy : Well, I have to thank you for informing me about the Ariya flower. You pushed yourself to your very limits for it, after all. Heheh…

  He chuckles. With a slight shiver, Shomoy glances at him, hiding his fearful mind behind alertness.

  Obhoy : Now get lost! And come back when I call for you. You must listen to your elders. Isn't that right, Shomoy?

  Shomoy : *As if you ever listened to your elders! You're the one who cut brother Asroy out from our family.*

  Obhoy : You know what will happen if you don’t listen to me, don’t you? I'll forget about our deal as well. Hahahaha!

  Obhoy ignites a circle of fire around Shomoy. He gets terrified and vanishes in a flash of light, thanks to his power of travelling through time. Obhoy stops the fire and grins with glowing red eyes. The sound of his exhale echoes like a beast growling from the dark.

  Obhoy : Stupid Shomoy.

  Night falls, and the city slowly drifts to sleep. Lights go out one by one, letting the darkness take over. The wind chimes in the balcony of Miraz Monjil still jingles. Everyone is sound asleep. In the bedroom next to Tori and Karu's, Tushar and Asroy. As the wind coming through the window flutters Asroy's tousled hair, he opens his glowing eyes. His dark red pupils carry a faint orange glow from beneath — Obhoy’s hypnosis has awakened within him.

  *****

  *

  *

  *****