The darkness seemed to engulf their voices. Raven sat besides Kenji on the rooftop, enjoying the sight of lanterns hanging on the buildings below them. They could hear lively chatters in the streets below them.
" Why did you tell them?" Raven's voice was so low leaving behind an anxious feeling lingering in her heart.
" I only told them it is your home and that you don't want to go back." Kenji replied.
A sigh escaped her lips, unable to hide the uneasiness in her heart.
She raised her head and stared at the sky. Tiny twinkling stars were embedded in the dark sky, far apart portraying the kind of loneliness beauty. She detested that kind of feeling.
" It's a relief you didn't tell them that much."
Kenji who had been looking in front of him, finally turned to her.
He could see how anxious Raven really was.
" But once we arrive there, they will know." She gave another sigh.
Kenji wanted to tell her to just stay if she didn't want to go, but he couldn't say it. Raven had already concluded she was going. And that was that.
Kenji placed his hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner. He patted her shoulder twice, before pulling his hand away.
Raven's lips curled upward.
" A star looks small from here, but as one gets closer to it, it appears big. Is that right?"
Kenji also looked up to the sky.
" Yes."
" This outbreak might be far more complicated than we actually think."
" Yes."
Raven turned to him and gave him a lazy smile.
" Stop saying 'yes'. It's annoying me very much."
Kenji gave her a confused look. He didn't actually think saying 'yes' would be that annoying.
Seeing him at loss of words, Raven laughed at him.
" You really are bad at words. Am I the first person to tell you that?"
" Yes."
Raven was surprised that she dramatically covered her mouth.
" Really?! How come? You probably live with hypocrites."
Kenji secretly laughed at her words. She was actually calling her soulmates hypocrites.
" By the way how will we travel?"
" By foot."
Raven looked at Kenji in disbelief.
It would take at least four days to reach Huntherb. Another four days to come back.
Not to mention that they could meet obstacles along the way. Many patients would already be dead by the time they arrived.
"You're joking."
" Yes. Rord had offered us horses."
Raven nodded. She couldn't help but admire the man.
" That's good." She said with a smile but her thought were elsewhere.
" If they know," She meant her soulmates.
"Will they still treat me the same?"
Kenji looked at her smiling face for a moment, wondering what he should say.
" I believe they will."
" Are you trying to comfort me?"
" No. I'm saying what I believe is true."
Raven nodded at him in gratitude.
" Well,"
She stood up.
" It's already late. I need a rest. Good night."
She patted his shoulder and walked away.
" A rest is definitely needed." Kenji murmured to himself and proceeded to studying the sky himself.
Just as Raven reached her room, she decided to take a walk instead.
The streets were still lively, considering it wasn't that late.
She didn't expect to meet Liza there.
Squatting in front of a child and telling her whatever lies she could come up with to make her stop crying.
Liza pulled out a candy from who knows where and gave it to the kid.The kid stopped crying and took the candy from her hands.
A small smile formed on her lips, as she stroked the child's hair.
Liza happened to glance aside and spotted Raven standing steps away from her.
She stood up, subconsciously holding the child's hand.
" I didn't know you were good with kids." Raven teased holding out her palm to the child for a handshake.
The child simply shrugged and slipped behind Liza. Hiding from a ' stranger'. Raven almost laughed at the child. She inwardly criticized her.
' Hiding from a stranger behind a stranger? That's an excellent level of stupidity."
Still she said nothing.
" Didn't know you're bad with kids."
Raven laughed it off. " I'm not bad with kids. This kid is simply bad with adults. Not my problem."
Liza shook her head, the corner of her lips lifting upward. She never got used to Raven's words. Never.
" Sai!" The loud worried voice startled both of them.
Before they could react, the kid escaped Liza's grip and run to the woman.
Sai hugged her mother tight. The mother hugged her even tighter.
" That looks beautiful." Liza murmured, her thought distant.
Raven only shrugged at the statement and fixed her attention on the pair of people. She predictedbwhat was going to happen next. The mother was going to slap her kid's head, scold her for a short time, hug her again, stand up, thank Liza and then walk away.
And that was exactly what happened.
Raven secretly admired her skills.
" Too good children are too innocent." Liza murmured. Raven gave her a look. She couldn't understand what was going on in Liza's mind.
" Yes. They are." She agreed.
Liza scoffed. " Have you ever seen an adult as innocent as children? Or maybe... Almost innocent. As children."
Raven nodded. Of course she had seen such a person. Shimei was almost like a child.
Almost.
Liza glanced at where the mother and daughter had been hugging each other affectionately.
" That innocence isn't always an advantage."
She paused.
" It's sometimes a disadvantage."