Distant...?

Cyeire, in her classroom, was listening to the lesson her teacher was explaining, she suddenly jolted. The classroom's door that was closed was opened in a very rushed way that it broke. The lower hinged loosened and the door lost connection to the wall and fell.

"May I excuse miss Cyeire Cezkrus, it's an emergency." A guy, one year older than the age of Max, said after suddenly appearing, the uniform he wears was not even the school's uniform of the classroom he barged into.

"... Of course." It took some time before the teacher answered with a nod. After having the teacher's approval, the guy led her out of the room.

" Now we can get marrie-" he was slapped before he could ever finish his cheery claim, a mere jest. "Ah... No, what I meant to say was, Max left and will never come ba-" again, for the hundredth time of the month, he was slapped to his senses. Funny enough, he was satisfied and overjoyed. Well, attention from your crush whether bad or good is still attention from your crush, no?

"Your jests aren't funny, Russel." Cyeire said firmly as she cross her arms, looking at him straight in the eyes, coldly as she sighed. She was serious, he was too, only to her.

"Well, it would be better if it was a joke. He really is gone. I can't feel his presence anywhere." He was shrugging as he defend himself from her punches. He stopped defending when he was charged in and clutched by the collar.

Suddenly, the principal walked in.

"If you kids plan on fighting, go someplace else." The principal's voice hold deep authority, she was clear and firm. She looked down at the two. Seemingly approving of their fight, but truly, she was asking them to leave.

"Thank you." Russel smiled as he drag Cyeire out. On the other hand, she did not fight back and let herself be dragged, too stunned for the sudden news that her brother was gone. They were out of the gates. "Come on now, don't be sad, smiley faces and angry faces suits you better, Honey. Be full of energy!" Russel gently caresses Cyeire's cheek. That was enough to get him beaten up, well, he did not fight back, he never did. A few moments passed and Cyeire came back to her senses, realizing that they were being watched, she dragged the black and blue Russel to a secluded area.

"WHY? Why would he not be here?! I left him at home , I even slept on the sofa with him on the opposite side to make sure he's safe at home. Not even three hours has passed when I left him there! HOW WOULD YOU KNOW THAT HE'S NOT HERE?! WE LEGALLY CAN'T OWN FAST VEHICLES! HOW CAN HE LEAVE THAT FAST!?" Cyeire panted when she finished, her heart beating rapidly, and as if a homing instinct, she started running to their home's direction which was 5 hours(run) away on foot. Russel followed him. He caught up, and though out of breath, he spoke as he run.

"I was dying... then! haaa...remember how he saved me, he did not only gave me life! We shared life, that's why I knew, I can tell he is alive and whether he is far from me or away from me! Because I'm only borrowing time and days, no... Every beats of his life." Cyeire stopped recklessly running straight and leaned on a nearby building to take a breath as this was news to her. Max never really tell her everything unless she asked specifically. Russel crouched and took a deep breath. "Even stores know how far.... or near they get their resources. Even.... research papers should state where they took their references. I too am the same. You need me to find him!" Russel persuaded, nearly pleading. Waiting for the opportunity to finally be even a little bit closer to the person who completely caught his heart. The sister of the person who revived his heart. And now, the time has come! He has forgotten to think whether it would be a good or bad situation, all he knew is that it works in his favor. "Please use me!"

Cyeire looked intently at the sincere eyes that locked eyes with her, eyes full of desperation and (the same amount of stars in the sky)hints of his love. She could not help but sigh.

"Excuse me, could I have your number?" A beautiful girl asked for Russel's number, she saw how Russel looked at Cyeire and hoped he too would look at her like so—she was jealous. Her lips were red, skin was white, clothes were revealing, body was eye-hookingly lust-worthy, voice was quite angelic. Yet Russel did not bat an eye. His eyes locked on Cyeire's, and when Cyeire looked at the lady, breaking their eye contact, Russel frowned his once trembling lips.

"No." A curt answer from Russel made the lady leave.

"Shame..." The lady whispered dejectedly, yet she has no plans to give up.

Russel, hugged Cyeire from behind when she attempted to leave.

"Please..." Pleading, Russel sniffles quietly on her back. If he was ever trying to hide his cries, he FAILED, he was too tall to hide behind her as he is a head taller. As his tears fall to the right shoulder of Cyeire, his hug tightened, as though asking her not to throw him away.

"I never said 'no'... so take me back home." Cyeire covered his eyes with both her hands when she turned to him. She knew Russel would cry even more with what she said. Then she waited patiently for Russel to calm down, which calmed her down in the process. The rhythm of their breathing synced. Then suddenly, he crouched down, his right hand clenching unto his shirt near his heart, for seconds, it stopped. Suddenly, it beats loudly, and then in a great frenzy.

"Haaa.... Haaaah....!" Gasping for air, Russel instinctively said.

"i la..... lahv... Hyu...!" As if a whisper, words hardly came out. His hands trembled as he hold Cyeire's. ("I love you")

A few seconds and he calmed down, yet he was extremely weak.

"I'm sorry...."

"No, it's alright. The fact that you're still alive meant that my brother is too. Considering what happened, he must be in danger. I need your help to find him as soon as possible."

'oh... Right.....'

"Right! I'll help you!" Russel cheered with puffy eyes and pale complexion. Cyeire who was standing up next to the crouching him only looked down at him with cold eyes. He gulped, yet whatever he gulped was stuck to his throat, his heart felt pierced and aching. He was looking at her like sun, yet he felt no warmth, rather a cold, monochrome, numbness all over his body and surroundings.

'She only cares about her family... right....I forgot,'

'ahh~.... It hurts.'

"Does your heart hurts again?!" Cyeire worriedly grabbed him by the shoulders and looked at him with care. Yet her sight seemed to focus some place else.

He stood up abruptly. "N,no! I am- YOUR brother is fine, I just... I felt something inside my shirt, it made me uncomfortable, must have been the price tag!" He lied, yet everything about him, from the voice to behavior became natural. Almost as if he did not lie at all. "That's why.... I pressed my chest." He added. Making his lie seem like a lie, yet it was blatantly ignored by her. She could not care any less about him now that she knew it was not the pain of her brother. And since nothing is sure as well.

"If you are fine now, let's go." She dragged him back, back to where the school gate is, where Russel parked his car. She was holding his hand, making him feel butterfly in his stomach, yet torns in his heart.

'This is hard and painful....' he thought

'this is nice too....' he was double thinking. Trying very hard to ignore the pain.

***

They arrived at the Cezkrus mansion. She hurriedly went to her brother's room, it was empty, both dark and depressing, the opposite of what it used to be, like mansion's very core was gone, everything seemed to turned dull.

'The curse....about the 29th day of the second month..... No same blood shall be in one room. Or the their blood will be turned like water and oil..... No longer they shall be connected, no longer they shall be one. They will meet nevermore, forevermore.'

"WHAT DAY IS IT TODAY?!"

"L,leap year. The 29th day of February, Wednesday." Russel answered despite Cyeire's aggressive behavior and mean tone.

"Shiny Honey In Tea!!" Cyeire cursed.

'??????'