"My performance? Oh uhm… I-it went good! Yeah, but I want to become an Influencer instead…"
In the midst of a room resides the surrounding walls of the hospital.
Trizha stood next to a sick, cancer-unfree patient who's laying sat up from her bed and whose name we all know—Wyne.
She looked concerned, and she is also holding the same ticket for the audition.
Meanwhile, I was watching the two have a conversation, peeking through the door frame from the other side of the wall.
Trizha looked as cheerful as before, and from what I know… she is always honest about the things she says unless she wants to tease, that much I knew even after only meeting her once or twice.
"...You sure you don't want to become an idol anymore? I thought you already told me that it'll be your dream forever…" Wyne exclaimed, concerningly.
And without a concerned look in her face, she just smiled brightly through it all. "Yep! And besides, I can still be rich as an influencer! Count me in!!"
And now, she's supposed to be honest to her friend, and she never told me about her own dreams until now, and she is supposed to be very honest about it even as a child, honest about her own decisions… but she's making a really funny face while saying it.
A face… that I wouldn't believe, and a face I wouldn't have thought would end with a lie.
It only took a few several hours of watching her roam around the hospital with her bald friend.
I didn't know she was a she, this is the first time I've seen someone bald while being a girl at the same time… but on other hand, the more I carefully watch Trizha, the more I begin to notice small changes in her expression—she seems down.
I know I only met her for only a few hours, or a day, but it felt like I had memorized her entire character.
And this side of her surprised me… just not in a good way.
She looks hurt, but never was.
She looked like she just watched a sad movie, but she hasn't done it just yet.
She looks like she got yelled at, but there was no reason for something as trivial as that to happen against her.
And for some reason, seeing her like this… sort made me feel like I began to dislike her.
It's weird, and I know it.
Why should I suddenly dislike the person who gave me salvation when I was at my lowest? That's right, and I'm sure that it's because she entered a route… that leads to her very Downfall.
Realizing that, I decided that I wanted to help her.
To pull her out of that 'route' immediately.
To pull her from the upcoming misery that she will experience because of herself.
And I tried… but I couldn't.
Why?
Because before I knew it, she had already left the hospital moments after my own realization.
So I left the hospital immediately, and ran to find her.
I ran, and ran.
Through the streets.
Through the crowd.
Through everything that once hated me, once disapproved of me, once abandoned me all alone…
I was alone, but I didn't feel it.
I don't feel loneliness even if it surrounds me.
And that is because of her… and now that she's approaching her own loneliness, I want to chase after her and save her myself.
I want her to smile everyday without worrying about the things she does.
I want to save her the same way she saved me… and I will do it… by unburdening myself by those who want to burden me for what I am.
Her route is filled with a lot of risks… and I don't care.
I will chase after her as fast as I could, as immediately as possible, in the most possible way possible.
Just as I don't want to leave her side… I also don't want her to leave my side.
And no, that's not selfishness… I just want her by my side, and that's it.
I want to keep remembering the person who saved me, the person who salvated me, the person who taught me that I was never alone.
If the same event happens to her as well, then I would like to stand next to her, and teach her… that she herself will never be alone in her own world, that she can still save and connect!
I will not allow her… to wither as a blooming flower!!!
***
And from that day so on, for months so on, for years so on, he has watched her.
For 9 years till now, he has watched her for the rest of his life.
For 9 years till now, he has watched her save others after him in ways he wouldn't expect would work.
For 9 years until now… he has watched her suffer walking in the route she chose to believe was true.
It was a side of her that should've made him dislike her, hate her, be disappointed in her because she is the savior who saved him, and simply watching her fall before herself was the biggest mistake she could ever have.
Falling because of herself… is the biggest mistake that someone like her has made.
However, that is not enough to change his perspective of her—for she, to him, is a savior, the Symbol of Connection… and the Greatest Influence of all time.
For nice years.
I have chased after her.
For nine years, I have independently taken care of myself.
For nine years, I avoided every possible scenario that could greatly affect my life, and that is all because of this name Trizha gave me… Nomoro Ketatsuki.
I will always treasure this name, for it gave a purpose and reason for the existence of my identity.
I have worked hard everyday, as well as the part-time jobs in a harsh and demanding country—Malaysia.
But I was glad, after all, I grew up working tirelessly and grew big not just in height but also in body.
I was every job's demand, yet I only took the ones that I could do.
I did all of that as a child, starting from 11 to 16, and today, until this very day.
And because of my hardwork, I was able to see Trizha again by signing myself in the public school she is in.
That's right… this is actually, and surprisingly… my first day of school.
The very first one.
At that.
My entire life after the tragedy, I had worked tirelessly and never complained about it.
I'm only glad, and also glad that I learned a whole or a lot of stuff independently all alone.
All alone, and yet, I never felt like it.
And now I stand here… staring motionlessly at the door that Trizha… and her other two friends whom she saved along the way, had just entered.
Along the way, I have observed her while on my way here.
She looked as cheerful as before, even after nine years without seeing me.
I'm sure that she… has forgotten about me.
But that doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter if she doesn't know who I am, forgot about me, forgot who 'Nomoro Ketatsuki' is… all that matters is that I keep my eyes on her while she continues to walk that negative route of hers.
But I'll admit… I do want her to remember who I am, to remember the person she saved that day.
And even if she doesn't, that's fine by me.
I won't complain.
Even if she only saw me as someone else, that's fine by me.
I won't complain.
Even if she sees me as a demon, the same demon that everyone knows about…
…I won't complain.
It's fine.
If that's how she sees me, then that's how she sees me.
She can hate me, dislike me, disdain me for all she wants, and there's nothing I can do there, there's nothing I can do to change her view about me, nothing but reclaim my name, and the name she gave me… Nomoro Ketatsuki.
And even so, I shouldn't be concerned or worry about such trivial things.
That's not what I am here for.
I am here to continue keeping watch of her.
I will watch her yet again, and that is still without a leash… her life goes on according to herself, that is how a life works—it is done by those who govern it.
But if she goes too far… then I'll try my best on doing a few things.
He opens the door, and enters with soft spoken steps, eyes on the floor out of shyness, passing through Wyne, Margaret and alas… Trizha.
"Ah, I almost forgot—i was going to inform you all about a new classmate coming in our classroom today."
Most of the students gasped in excitement hearing those words. Some were cheered up, some of the male students were expecting a girl, and the girls themselves were thinking the same. That was until T. Myrcella spoke up.
"Piece of advice; don't be too harsh on 'him.'"
The class froze in disbelief. A boy? They didn't expect that.
"Your new classmate… he's a well-known individual. Even the media itself recognises this kid—in his… negative ways, that is. Making absurd rumors about him related to fantasy, like demons."
Murmurs returned, but they were all instantly silenced when the door creaked open and a deep "I'm coming in." was heard.
"As any new classmate that comes to our classroom, I still expect you all courtesy towards him."
A loud sound of a step was heard, echoing all throughout the classroom.
Everyone froze, except for T. Myrcella. If anyone would have a different reaction, it would be Trizha herself, and her only.
She had seen this young man before, and did not expect him to be here at all times…
"Everyone, introducing your new classmate…"
The young man stepped into the classroom. That large body for a young man himself, short hair as if he went through the military, and sharp, constructed cat-like eyes. And that unreadable expression… there was no doubt about it.
Everyone was in disbelief. As much as Trizha is, they recognized this person too well.
"An orphan, belonging from abroad, specifically Japan…"
"...Nomoro Ketatsuki." Nomoro suddenly cut off. Well, in this world.
"And I am… no foreigner from overseas. I am a local known as Narasao Tarosono, who was renamed with the name Nomoro Ketatsuki instead… because that was a name that was given to me for a reason you all wouldn't understand. And I am here to…"
His eyes secretly wander and roam the room, searching for Trizha.
And when he saw her, what he saw was the same Trizha Frantzes he's always known about.
She may look like she has never changed, but he could tell… that she did.
And to him, it is desperate for him to make sure that won't happen.
Indeed, her 'change' is already dangerous to her, by him.
And with these thoughts in his head, expressing them compared to what he originally said outside the mind… he will, without them knowing, tell them all what he is here for.
And he's here for that very reason; he's here to…
"...retrieve Trizha Frantzes from the route she chose. And I'll make sure it's all a coincidence, I'll make sure it doesn't interrupt her, and I'll try my best… to save her."