Night Virus

25 : Vali's Childhood

-Chapter TwentyFive-

"Stay alive! Don't you leave us!"

"Damn it, Vali!"

There was a sound of shuffling of feet.

"It's your fault! You pushed Mina off the roof!"

"I didn't push her off the roof! She lost her footing!"

"If you just didn't push her, Vali wouldn't have died!"

"I didn't know she would save her!"

"Well, it was obvious someone should've saved her!"

Another shuffling of feet vibrated through the pavement.

"Giro! Rixon! There's nothing we can do. To save another comrade.. Vali..."

"It's because she kept clinging to me! Who gave you the right to stick to me?!"

"I-I.."

"Rixon! Calm down! It wasn't Mina's fault. She's still youn−"

"Her attitude doesn't matter compared to Vali's life!"

"Why do you care?"

It took me a few seconds to notice that I was the one who asked that. Everyone's eyes was focused on me.

Sophia's eyes flooded with tears. "Vali..."

I sat up, feeling normal. I opened and closed my hands, still not believing that I'm alive. I thought I would wake up with unbearable pain, like when I fell. Am I really alive?

I looked up at Rixon, whose eyes were wide as he searched my eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but I stopped him.

"You didn't answer my question." I don't know why I'm so persistent to know why he cared. Although, I guess I did want to know. Were my dreams true? Was he in my childhood? But if that's the case, why don't I remember? I only seem to remember through my dreams.

Rixon averted his gaze, making me narrow my eyes at him.

"What are you hiding from me? Why won't you say anything? Did something happen in my childhood? What happened?!" I asked, my voice higher than I meant it to be.

Dyer glanced at Rixon then me. When I noticed, his eyes widened and looked at the floor. Max looked up at his master then at me. He growled and crouched, revealing his snarling teeth.

"Max," Dyer whispered.

Max didn't stop though. For some reason, I felt what Max is trying to say.

Where's the Vali we know?

I stared at Max. I glanced around to see if anyone else heard that, but they were staring at me with bewildered eyes.

It struck me like a lightning bolt. My back started to sting again. I hugged myself tightly, gritting my teeth at the pain. What's happening?

Sophia rushed toward me. "Are you okay? Vali?"

I tried to look at her, but my eyes went to Rixon. He was looking at me with such a sad expression. Why?

I closed my eyes again, my back stung as if it was burning. But before I can process this in my brain, I blacked out.

"You're really leaving?"

I stared at his blue eyes, shining with each blinking firefly.

"Yeah." I looked away. "I've been through this before. I'm an unwanted child."

He took a step too quick that it made me step back. My eyes widened.

"You're not unwanted! They just haven't seen the real you. The you that's cheerful."

I relaxed. He really understood me. No one ever did. Everyone else thought of me as the creepy girl that never talks. All of them. Except for this odd one.

Before I knew it, I was hugging him. Tears escaped from my eyes.

He hugged me to his chest, feeling a flow of warmth. This made me not want to leave even more. I closed my eyes, letting the tears run.

"Hey, you still haven't said my name. Do you hate my name?"

I separated from his chest and looked up at him, his eyes filled with sadness. He took it the wrong way.

I shook my head. "It's just, I haven't really heard it. So, I don't know what it is."

He let me go and sat on the fountain.

"I was listening! I just couldn't hea−"

"I know. It's because I didn't say my name."

I stared at him, not understanding the situation. "Then what was the purpose of you asking me to say your name?"

"I just wanted to see if you trust me."

I frowned. He didn't trust me enough to tell me his name? He was testing me?

"But now, you're important to me. You've given me memories that I can cherish. I feel like not leaving you alone and showing you the world with me. If you want to. But I understand if you don't want to go with a monster like me." He laughed, but it wasn't a happy one.

"You're not a monster," I said, walking toward him. "I see a boy like me. Lonely. Not having a person to believe in. I'd like to go with you, but I'd like to know your name." I stood infront of him, ready to hear his answer this time.

He looked up at me, but I couldn't see his eyes anymore. It was dark. The fireflies were gone.

"Rixon."

I gasped for breath. My memory repeating over and over. His name...

Rixon. Rixon. Rixon. Rixon. Rixon.

They were connected. But why can't I remember anything from the past? Why can't I remember what happened? What happened with Rixon and me? What happened to my childhood?

"Vali! Are you okay?" I opened my eyes, face to face with chocolate brown eyes. Sophia.

I relaxed and sat up, realizing I was inside the car. I took a deep breath, trying to stop my brain from repeating the questions. "What happened?"

She shrugged. "I guess I didn't heal your back. I was more focused on reviving you at that time, even though I can't revive the dead. I'm not saying you were dead, but I'm happy you're alive. I don't want to see another person die infront of my eyes."

I understood what she's saying. Lydia's parents...

"Vali?" I looked behind me, seeing Dyer with Max beside him.

"Yeah?" I said, turning my body around so I can face him comfortably.

He looked at Max, who grunted, before looking back at me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Dyer placed his hand infront of me, palm down. When I looked at it, a ring that glowed a sunshine colored yellow was placed on his ring finger.

-End Of Chapter TwentyFour-