A crimson-eyed boy was getting ready to head to the place he had long been waiting for. His heart pounded as the moment he'd been longing for was finally approaching.
"Hurry up! Haven't you been waiting for this?!" A voice rang out—sharp and loud—from a boy with deep ocean-blue eyes.
"Alright," he replied.
"I... I'm really grateful to your family. If they hadn't taken me in, I might have been long gone," he continued.
Hearing that, Ice—the owner of the blue eyes—looked at him with a face full of irritation. Halilintar, the crimson-eyed boy, blinked several times, confused by Ice's gaze.
"Taken in? Taken in?! What are you, trash?! Stop blabbering! We have to go now!" Ice snapped.
Startled, Halilintar quickly nodded and grabbed his belongings, heading toward the car.
During the ride, Halilintar gazed out the window with a faint smile on his lips—he could hardly wait to meet again.
After years of searching, his efforts were finally about to lead to a happy ending.
"Wait for me, Solar. I'm coming back."
[The Aftermath]
Bang!
And then... what did I get?
Right before my eyes—you fell from a great height. Your head cracked open, bleeding profusely, the smell piercing my nose.
Is this how you repaid me?
I was this close to reaching you. We were almost together again, and I swore I wouldn't leave you alone a second time.
That's what I thought—until I entered the school grounds and saw it with my own eyes. You had given up on life.
Why...?
I'm sorry, Solar!
I'm sorry I left you. Sorry I broke the promise we made... I'm sorry...
I held your body close, lifting your shattered head, uncaring of the thick scent of blood. Students and teachers surrounded us as I broke down, crying my heart out.
I couldn't believe it—that our reunion would mark the end of your life... and the beginning of my ruin.
If only I had found you sooner, if only I hadn't been kidnapped, maybe... maybe we'd be happy now.
If only... I'd arrived just a bit earlier... If I hadn't forgotten where we used to live... None of this would've happened.
This wasn't just some delusion. Solar didn't create an imaginary character named Halilintar by coincidence. Because... I am Halilintar.
After our father abandoned us at the orphanage, around age six or seven, we were walking together when a car suddenly stopped in front of us.
Scary-looking men got out and dragged us into the car. But I managed to help Solar escape—while I got caught. They were going to sell me. They kept transporting me far away—somewhere even I didn't know.
But midway through, a policeman caught them. My life didn't end that day.
By some miracle, that officer decided to adopt me. He had a son my age.
The conversation at the beginning? That was with Ice Allvino—the policeman's son. Through this family, I managed to gather some information about Solar.
By the time I was in my second year of high school, Ice invited some friends over—Gempa, Blaze, and Taufan. In the middle of their conversation, they mentioned someone strange.
Someone who often talked to themselves, saying there was a friend named Halilintar beside them.
That's when I knew. That's where Solar was. I made up my mind to move to that area.
Oddly enough, Ice decided to come with me. Even my foster parents supported the decision. My world seemed filled with luck.
But yours wasn't...
You must've suffered so much with all those visions, right? I'm here now—so why did you leave?
After the funeral, I felt empty. My eyes were blank. Something that had filled my mind was now gone, but it didn't bring me peace.
The dreams I had—of what we'd do together when reunited—vanished the moment you did.
"Solar... If only you'd waited just a bit longer..." I couldn't even finish my words.
I stayed by Solar's grave for a long time, long enough that Ice got mad and dragged me back to the boarding house.
[Our Promise, Only in This World]
"So, what about our promise?"
"Our... promise?"
I heard a voice. Distant, yet so familiar. Just as I thought—it was Solar. He appeared before me.
"Our promise, Solar!"
"If only... you had waited for me..."
"Being with me would only make you suffer, Halilintar. You have friends now, a family. Don't destroy that fate."
Solar's words made me furious.
"You ruined your own fate! Let me come with you!"
"Don't make Ice sad. He already sees you as his brother. Forget it. Our promise... was only for this world."
"What do I mean to you?!" I shouted at him, unable to hold it in.
"You're the best brother. The one who got kidnapped just to save his little brother."
"Go, Halilintar... Ice is worried about you. Your place isn't here. Live your life—live the best version of it. We'll meet again someday... Have fun..."
Solar smiled, then slowly faded away. I wasn't ready. I wanted to follow.
But my soul returned to the body that had tried to die from overdose.
"Are you insane?!" Ice yelled when he saw me open my eyes.
This time... I had truly lost him.
End.