I peer at his gaze. "And if I'm right... tell me your thoughts."
"Before all of this... I used to stay busy most of the time with my music and we never did anything like this before... as if the opportunities were there but none of us cared to take it back then. And now... as if our world is separated from the rest of the world-boring, bound by schedules."
Just then Levi lunges at Aiden from behind. "Oi how dare you dragged her away you opportunistic sloth?"
"And? What're you going to do about it hah?" He makes faces at Levi.
"We've been waiting for you two. See we haven't touched anything." I sigh. "Guys sit here already. Today feels so special."
"I... you're right." Levi raises his glass.
Aiden arches a brow. "What are you toasting to?"
"To us. Isn't that obvious?"
"Well," Aiden says, "I'll definitely drink to that."
I clink my glass with the rest of theirs. The spot Aiden picked is nice and everything was quiet until now. I hear voices of girls not far from here.
"That's Aiden Jordan!?" Someone screams.
"Ahhh really??"
"I cannot... My it is Aiden!"
"So handsome! But who are they with him? They look very familiar too." More people starts talking.
"I know right? They're cute too!"
I jinxed the peace with my words ugh!
"Looks like I can't be entirely free on any day." Aiden heavesva sigh.
"Look Aiden there waits your fans. Go meet them," Levi pokes him.
"They said you're cute. Why don't you come too?"
And now they're coming this way.
"Are you on vacation Aiden?" A girl with glasses ask.
"I... You can say that."
"Can we get a picture please?" They plead.
It's definitely not going to be 'a picture'.
"Sure," he says. Though he doesn't like these things when he's not working. He said that to me the other day.
"Are you... Levi? Levi Fawcett?" A cute looking girl asks Levi.
"That is my name yes," he answers nonchalantly.
"See... how cool he sounds!!" They clap.
"I told you he's Young Fawcett," that girl complains to her friend. "You didn't believe me."
That's what he's known as amid youngsters. Levi Young Fawcett. Young used to be his middle name as he told me before... also what his dad calls him by.
"Is he dating?" Someone whispers.
But the previous girl asks him directly, "Are you dating too?" while stealing a glance at Aiden.
That's... they still think Aiden and I are together.
"Are you just ignoring this brilliant eyed princely handsome guy here? That's Nereus Augustus girls. The handsome trio of the decade!"
"How can we ignore our prince... Our Raphael?"
Nero clears his throat. "We're being distracted... and late. Can we leave?" He tries to move away slowly.
But they're still pinning on them. I shouldn't but... why do I feel like taking them away from here?
"Young Fawcett... Are you dating someone?"
I grab Levi's hand. "Now I'm curious too. Do you have someone in mind?"
I realize what I just asked feeling the fiery gaze of him on me.
He smiles at them fondly. "I do have someone in mind, girls. I'm sorry. That person has been in my mind for so long."
This vague confession puts me on the edge. Well... who is he talking about? How long..?
"Aww cute! But I'm jealous too... She must be so lucky!" They squeal together.
Levi holds my gaze like steel. "I think I am the lucky one..." I steal an anxious glance at Levi.
"What about Mr. Augustus then?" A serious looking girl who's been silent all this time asks. "Is he taken too?"
She's beautiful and calm. And her question compels me to look at Nero. His bright greyish gem like eyes beckon me like a holy spirit. What's this energy? So blissful... Do I like Nero too?
His ears redden when he looks at me then he shrugs suddenly pulling himself away from the group. "I'm going back..."
"Wait Nero!" I run after him.
He stops near a massive tree.
"Why are you following me?" He asks without turning my way.
"Uh... you ran off so..." I slowly go to where he stands. He doesn't turn.
"Do you really want to go back to the hotel? I thought we'd go to the main attraction of Noboribetsu. Hot springs."
He turns this time to face me but I find a flash of disappointment there as if he wasn't waiting for that particular question.
"Right... Let's go then."
He starts to walk away but I grab his hand. "Wait..."
"What?"
"What are you feeling right now?" Well that really was not what I was going to ask.
His unexpected eyes freeze on me. "I feel like a bird who lost his voice."
His unhesitant lips move on their own, like mine when that question was released. "Not because of someone else or any illness but because he stopped singing-he suppressed his voice at his own will."
Suddenly he buries his face in my chest hugging me tight. The first ten seconds were so blurry that I froze on the spot. Then my hands find his body and I wrap them around him. He smells like this place... a place so far and quiet-like his eyes, calm gentle yet bound by an unknown gloom.
"I will listen to my heart now, Loretta. May it chooses the right thing."
I rub his back softly. "Yes. It certainly will."
"Never in my life had I thought of doing it," he looks up at me from under his thick lashes.
"Doing what?"
He holds my face at the question and in the next second his lips crashes into me. I find myself following in his steps-our tongues collide in sweet fiery madness and not a part of my complains when he devours my lips. Some blurry seconds pass and I realize he's stopped.
"At times I used to think you would never realize... that you were gone too far and I would never be able to bring you back. I'd never get the old Loretta back," he continues in his sweet melodious voice, "but after you woke up I realized my rigorous prayers were finally heard. Now... you are seeing me as me." He heaves a sigh of relief.
"But am I?" I don't even realize before the question slips. "When I look at you Nero... I see this dense fog you're surrounded by and your face becomes blurred. There's a lot of things I would like to know... but you'd think the time is improper." I guess I have been storing them up for a while.
His eyebrows tremble as he releases me.
"I don't know what burden you're carrying by yourself-alone, but help me understand Nero. Please."
"Is telling everything necessary? Is truth always important... when silence or pretense can can save a life?"
"I... I don't know. Is that life worth saving? Is that life worth your suffering?"
He shakes his head. "Yes. More than anything. I used to think-for a brief period-that person may be worth nothing. And I was a complete fool. I imagined unforgiven things..."
Just then I hear Levi shouting. "Okay we were a bit slow there but you two... You two have taken quite a time!"
"What is he saying Loretta?" Aiden yells this time. "Boring you with his art related theories?"
"No. I... just need some time to calm my head."
"Then it's about time we face the hot springs hm?" He says coming this way.
Levi comes up to me. "You do look a little troubled. Everything alright?"
"Yes. Now can we go?" I guess things will be a little awkward between me and Nero... or maybe I'm overthinking this. Who knows?
••••
I have never been to one before and I imagined it... well it's similar to my imagination. Only better.
Ah those white and blue smokes... And those bushes, the cooling pleasant scent of water... this is pure haven.
A while passes. Why's it so... Did l... fall asleep? Those guys... are they still on the other side? They won't leave without me anyway. I shouldn't worry too much.
"I couldn't even imagine relaxing here without dozing off... Even though it's only for some good long minutes. It's not surprising," I speak to myself.
"I couldn't relax either knowing you'd be here all by yourself."
I know that voice! What's he doing here?! He didn't see me right? I'm half under the water... ah calm down my heart!
"Stop being a tease Aiden," I try to say it as calmly as it's possible but I'm a little mad and embarrassed. Why is he here? Guys are girls should be separated!
He pouts. "You like it when Levi does the same thing."
"No, I don't!"
I almost yell but he shuts my mouth with his hand. "Shh... they will kill me if they come to know of this."
"That you... snuck your way here? Oh I will tell them for sure," I say strictly to hide my caught on fire cheeks.
"No you'll not," he says confidently. His wet chest presses against my back. "Not if I do this." He turns my head then kisses me, slow at first then the need grows.
Oh god... Kissing two guys on the same day was never in my wishlist. Oh my... Loretta Knight kissed Aiden plenty of times surely cause she was dating him but for me this is a first! And his mouth feels so good inside me. Geez what am I thinking!?
I pull away first closing my lips keeping a hand over them.
"It's been a while... I missed them." His eyes drift lower to my lips again.
My eyes roll out at his comment.
"Hey Nero, where did Aiden go?" I hear Levi's voice from the other side.
"Uh-oh... they..." I start biting my lips.
"Guess it's my cue to slip out," Aiden says. "See you outside."
I watch him disappear quickly. So I have already kissed all three of them and... I don't think I consider them just friends, do I? Ahh stop it my head! The trip is ending. Tomorrow we'll be leaving... Why don't I have fun while I can and save those heavily serious things for the end?
••••
It's been three hours since we've got back. Suddenly the day feels short-as if I didn't even get to have... No, I will get to spend more time with them, right? After this everything will still be the same right? Will life go on like this?
The endless vermillion sky sparkling with the afternoon sun... Why do we live? Why can a life not be permanent like the sky? All these stream of necessary and unnecessary thoughts flow through my mind as I continue looking at the sky.
"The sunset is lovely, isn't it?"
I feel two arms being locked around my neck. "Levi..?" I feel goosebumps all of a sudden.
"Hm... just came to... uh.. nevermind."
"Give me company?" I ask.
"I could want nothing more."
He shows no sign of releasing me and I don't grumble.
"What if I was born in a different timeline..?" The question leaves my tongue unintentionally.
"Hm... it'd be good. Oh sometimes imagining stuffs like that feels good too."
His face is too close to mine. And I get this urge to kiss him. "How so?" I ask suppressing that desire.
"If we were two stage performers of 17th century who fell in love... or you a Princess of Austria and I, a Knight of England?"
His breath tickles my neck and I turn my head. "We love to live in fantasy, don't we?" I do it often though.
"If we live in reality 24/7 our soul may die." He keeps staring at my lips.
His hands slide down my arms and I tremble at how close he is. "Levi... I..."
His velvety thin reddish lips close onto mine.