Chapter 29: Chapter 29

Chapter 28

CAELUM

“Wake up, my love. Let’s finish this breakfast I have ordered before we proceed with our own getaway.” I took the bread from the basket and and continued, “Aeon has informed me about Rause having the time of her life, I might as well treat you the same, don’t you think?”

I arranged the plates on top of the table which I usually use for transporting the flowers, before leaning down to her peaceful form that is lying on top of the blanket.

“Mamour,” I brushed my hands on her cheeks and pushed her hair to the side. I reveled at the beauty which never failed to take my breath away, tracing my fingers from her forehead and down to her nose, twirling it around for I know that will make irritated. She merely swatted my hand away as she turned on her other side, letting out a sigh that is so contented, I couldn’t help but smile.

Huffing, I resulted in a much brutal way of waking her up.

I slipped my hand under her waist, heaving her up on my arms only to turn her upside down. Rubin shrieked, flapping her hands around as though she were a bird. Chuckling, I shifted her on my arms and putting her back on her feet, instantly regretting what I have done as she started to hit me with her fist in any part of my body that she could reach which is only below my face – ha!

“You bloody idiot! I almost died with what you did. That is so wrong, Caelum. So wrong.”

I laughed but stopped as I felt her hitting me again. I raise my hands in defeat as I smiled down at her, “Okay. I know that what I did was wrong but you refused to wake up and we have to go early to catch the train –“

“Train?!” Her voice breaks as she exclaimed, her fist afloat for she was about to prepare to hit me again; Her eyes were wilder than her hair and that’s saying something. “If you mean train – are we going somewhere? Where will we go?”

“Hmm, let’s see,” I put a finger under my chin and looked at her, enjoying the anticipation coming off of her in waves. “If you guess it right, I will award you with two days of enjoying Earth with me.”

“Deal!” she furrowed her brows and bit her lip. I can almost imagine the wheels on her head working in an overdrive as she tried to guess.

“Don’t cheat.” She added after a while as she cut her pancakes and shoving piece by piece within her mouth before resuming her ‘thinking episodes’. I looked at her with amusement, my lips refusing to turn into a grimace as I drink my coffee.

How did she manage to change a millennia’s worth of bitterness in me?

Rubin screwed her eyes shut, chewing her pancakes. I snorted, not being able to stop the insult bubbling in me. “You look like a sleepy goat.”

She glared at me, rolling her eyes and slipping back to that ‘thinking goat look’. I bit my tongue as I tried to keep silent about my random opinions at how she currently appear. As I started eating the strawberries, she slapped my hand away, making the strawberry topple off and Rubin dove at it, giving me a triumphant smile while she ate, “Japan. We are going to Japan.”

I gawked.

Clearly, Aeon has talked with this cheeky girl and have managed to tell her about my plans. That blasted baboon – I couldn’t wait to get to him and wring his neck. He taught Rubin loads of stuffs, I can’t believe that he confided to her the secrets about mind reading. I closed my mouth and pouted, weighing about my options – should I change the location now?

But before I could open my mouth to contradict, Rubin has spoken, her mouth half full of strawberries. “ Hon’ try fo sheat becauf I wof know – yo lifle earof yof gof red when you lie!” I glared at her, not understanding her point as she gulped the rest of the strawberries from her mouth, “Don’t cheat, liar!”

*

“Where are we?”

“Japan.”

She rolled her eyes, snorting, “ I mean, where exactly in Japan?”

I huffed, glaring at her, choosing not to answer her for she has been asking me for the past hour. The pleasure of having her face red because of irritation made me grin but I regretted it instantly as she gave me a death glare. I watched her as she ran off to gawk at the bizarre things she is seeing.

“Caelum, look! The train is hanging upside down. Do you hear me? It is hanging upside down! How can they do that?”

“Technology with the wonder of architecture, of course.” I smirked at how I drawled the words, only to pout when I noticed that she appears to be unaffected.

“This is so cool!” Rubin leans over the railing, gawking like a child that I have this sudden urge to pinch her cheeks and – “Why are you staring at me like that?”

She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. I chuckled at her, “You’re such a kid, love.”

“No. I am not.”

“Yes you are.’

“No!” She stomps her feet making me chuckle once again, catching the attention of a few onlookers who pointed at her as they talk behind their hand. Rubin glared at them, her hands tugging on my coat as she pleads, “Can you take us back to the factory? I don’t feel good when they stare at me like that.”

I rested my head on hers and smiled, pulling her inside the booth before flicking my hand, smiling as the cherry blossom appeared around us.

“Wow!” She exclaimed, her eyes twinkling with excitement. “This felt like being back in the forgotten field but not being in it! I mean, everything is pink.”

She giggled, heading for the trees, scoping a handful of petals on her arms only to throw it all around her. She repeated the action again, jumping up and down as though she coild spring right up and snatch the lowest branch. She huffed in frustration when she only reached the tips of the flowers, crouching down to the ground to pick the petals up and throw them around. I sighed in exasperation, shaking my head.

Should I just bring the both of us back to the factory? This appears to be worse than my idea before.

I clenched my jaw, gritting my teeth as Rubin giggled, throwing more petals; her hair flew about while some of the petals remain stucked, tangled in her tresses. The slight blush on her cheeks is so pretty that I have this sudden urge to kiss them, relishing at the warmth. Rubin shrieked, her delight making me shake my head.

How can she look so cute while doing that? I swear, if anyone attempts to do the same as her, I would laugh for they won’t be cute; they will be deemed an idiot.

My conflicting thoughts were halted by the sudden invasion of my personal space – courtesy of no other than Rubin, who scooted next to me, her arms full, “Look at all these petals!”

She laughs as she threw them before pulling at my hand, face split with a grin. “This is so fun, Caelum, I have never thought that this would be possible!”

I smirked at her, leaning down so that I was staring at her eyes, captivated by how green they are in contrast with her blushing cheeks, wishing that she will give me, even for just one-

“Nope,” She glared at me and push my lips away. I pouted even more as she shakes her head, “That’s for treating me like a kid.”

“But you are a kid.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes you are.” I tried to lean closer to kiss her but Rubin pushes me back. She put her hands on her waist and gritted out, “Not only me, but you also!”

I shake my head at her, watching her as she marches off, her hair as wild as her stance, bobbing along with bits and pieces of blossoms tangled on them. She looks like she just rolled off a pile of cherry blossom but she did not appear like a lunatic, it was as though she has fallen out of the sky and landed here.

Shaking my head, I decided to offer her more amusement, bringing out a camera to snap a picture or her.

“Oh!” She paused, her eyes wide as she study her surroundings. “I think it is going to rain, Caelum. We better hurry back. There’s the lightning and-“

I waved the camera in front of her before snapping a picture of her gaping mouth. Rubin puffed out her cheeks, dashing away as she chased me off and I ran, camera held tight. The laughter bubbling out of my chest is one that I haven’t heard in this lifetime before; It wasn’t forced and done deliberately, - it was random and true and I like it.

Rubin’s cheeks were tinged red with effort – her legs shaking so bad as she takes another step. I sighed as I took a step back and we collided, capturing her in my arms. I did not notice the Japanese couple who blushed at the sight of us while I swooped down on Rubin, shifting us back to the forgotten field again as I leaned back on a tree.

“You cheater.”

“That I am!”

Rubin stared at me and I shake my head. It didn’t take long as the both of us laughed, our bodies in a tangle as we lie down on the cool ground, the grass tickling our elbows. She settled her head on the hollow of my shoulder and neck, asking, “Where will we go next?”

I bit my lip.

“Do you want to see your mum?” Rubin nodded and I gingerly tuck a hair beneath her ear, smiling.

“Alright. Then let’s –“ her soft little finger on top of my lips made me stop. I looked down to see her eyes screwed up shut, blushing, “Just one more trip to the factory then we’ll go see my mum, please?”

She opens her eyes the same time as she said please and I gawked, not believing the fact that she knows this tactic. She is using her vulnerable face to win me over. I swear, she will be the death of me in this life.

I tilted my head and studied her face – a slight pout forming on her lips as she focused her eyes at me, her arms settling on top of her chest while she crossed them.

Bloody arrows! I wonder how they feel against my –

“Stop that train of thought, will you?” I gasped, raising an eyebrow.

“What? You can read my thoughts now?” I watched her as she rolled her eyes at me. It was amusing how her emerald eyes disappear in the back of her head as she huffed, “No need for me to read your thoughts even if I could, Caelum. Your eyes says it all, not to mention your expression – it’s easily… perceivable.”

“Oh! Your vocabulary has improved!” I leaned in closer and wiggled my brows, “I wonder what interesting words you can say once I go down there. Perhaps we shall start with this –“

I trailed my hand on her cheeks and down to her arms, making her shiver. I smiled, enjoying this moment as I teased her with my touches. I can feel her body keel over, as though she had just been shot. I am frightened to think of what will happen if I proceed further into this lane but my hands burned of desire. I can feel my heart thundering and if I weren’t a god, I might as well have a heart attack.

“Stop this, Caelum!”

Her voice woke me up from my daze and the excitement I felt whizzed pass as though it were a punctured balloon. I drew my hand away from her so I could bring us back to the cherry blossom field, just by the tree where we were hiding before.

“Happy?” She lets out a hearty laugh which made me join in, “Very.”

She stands and brush the dust off her skirt. I was about to follow her example when she took my hand and started dragging me, making me stumble on my feet, “Hey!”

“Come on, I wanted to see the lake!”

“There’s a lake?”

“Yep. I saw the reflecting light while I was wondering awhile ago.” She looks down, tracing her toes on the ground.

“You’re not wearing shoes again.” She blushed a deep red, running to the opposite direction to avoid my inquisition as to why she refuse to wear anything on her feet. Rubin happily threw the blossoms around just like she did and I trailed behind her, deep in thought.

Ever since she came back, it was like she is savouring every moment, rejoicing with everything like she won’t last the month or week.

I do not want to assume about things that concerns her; her vulnerability as a human, of having a limited short life, of never seeing me again and dying yet it appears like that. I chose to ignore it but the signs were there – signs that shows how little time she had left. I clenched my fist and shake my head trying to forget this thoughts but I couldn’t. It is inevitable.

One way or another, she will leave me alone in the end for she was human and I remain immortal, unless…

“What were you thinking?”

“Huh?” I compose myself and smiled, “It’s nothing.”

“Nope. That’s not nothing. You were thinking about something and I can tell it by just looking at you,” she snaked her arms on my waist and leaned on my shoulder. “What is it, Caelum? What bothers you? Tell me.”

I sighed, pulling her close so I can wrap my arms around her, “It’s just that…you are human.”

“And why does it matter if I am human? I haven’t changed; I am still me.” She gave me a glare and tried to untangle herself from my hold.

“Yes. You are you – seeing as you are as stubborn like you were the first time I met you.” She stopped struggling and looks up to me, now aware of what I am pertaining about. “But I am worried about you, Rubin. I worry that something bad will happen because you are now banished.”

I smooth my hand on top of hair, patting her head gently. Rubin wrinkled her nose, pushing my hand back as she asked, “Why worry about me? I can handle myself.”

She pushed me away but I tugged at her hand, a little harder than I should.

“Pfft,” Rubin glared at me as she spit her hair off her mouth. “You are no fun when you are worried.”

“Rubin,” I took her hand on mine and kissed each of her fingers, only to have her roll her eyes at me. She started combing her hair and I huffed, continuing, “I know that you can handle yourself but I worry about you. I never want you to die.”

Rubin stopped combing her hair, her playful expression transitioning to a dejected one. She slips off my grasp with a rather tired expression, “Well, I guess that is how it should be – we have to face the end one way or another. It’s not like I have any other choice, do I? I mean, Hades won’t let me – he says that I had my chance in the past and I should be content with that,” her eyes filled with tears and she angrily wipes them away, her expression stubborn as she gave me a watery smile, “Will you let me see the factory next? Those chocolate bombs will cheer me up more than anything. I would like to try them again.”

But her voice breaks as she sobbed, her lips quivering. I can feel my chest constricting as I looked at her, pulling at her sleeves and wiping her nose with it. Her shoulders kept on shaking with every sob that wrecked her small form.

I scratched the back of my neck, feeling guilty of what I have done. I shouldn’t have said those words to her and ruin her mood. We are having fun and she is ecstatic of everything I have shown her yet here I am, acting stupid as I voiced out my worries, making her cry.

With shaking hands, I took her hand on mine, pulling her under the shade while her body shakes occasionally. I put my arms around her, steadying her, “Shh, it’s alright, love.”

“No, Caelum. It won’t be alright. I’d never get the chance to – to spend a millennia with you. I shouldn’t have pierced myself with that –”

“Don’t bring that up, Rubin, for it is done. The arrow is meant to destroy what becomes of us both, so forget about it. If you did it the other way and pierced me, I wouldn’t be here to show you all these things or even show you comfort and loving you deserve.” My voice falters as she bowed her head, her tears falling fast against her cheek.

“Let us just forget about all this ends and faults, alright? I won’t even mention life or death or future or the past, only if you promise not to be distraught or occupy your thoughts with it, are we clear?” Rubin nodded and sniffed, her sleeves automatically on her nose so she can wipe it. She brushed the sides of her face and looks up at me, eyes shining and lips quivering.

“Will you let me hug you properly now, Rubin?”

She hiccupped, nodding her head as she leans in closer. I took a step and enclosed her tight in my arms, willing myself not to burst in anger at how unfair the fates are when it comes to us.

She rested her cheek on my chest and we stayed like that, holding each other as though we are afraid to let go; like this is our last chance to hold each other. I couldn’t myself as I rested my chin on top of her head and tightened my arms around her, quite afraid that if I left her, she will fade away.

I waited until she stopped shaking before I pulled away gently, carefully leaning down so I can see her face, “Feeling alright now?”

“Hmhmm,” She answered, cheeks flushed.

“I’m going to take us back to the factory and maybe you could do with some lie in. You seem so tired.” Rubin hums against my chest as she leans closer, head peacefully settled on the crook of my neck as I carried her up in my arms. I marveled at how she felt against my body; so little yet so important, like she is my personal version of heaven.

I flicked my hand and my office starts to warp itself in the cherry blossom trees; the walls swallowing the branches, the grass yellowing until it turns a pastel color before it finally becomes the carpet.

In a minute, I have transported the both of us in Kyoto, Japan.

The huge selection of chocolates I have specially prepared for Rubin was arranged neatly on top of the table. Rubin shifted her head as I put her down on the floor, watching her reaction as she blinks. I pulled away from her and coaxed her into sitting down, smiling slightly of the surprised expression she has on her face.

I took some chocolate bombs and offered it to her, cheeks flushing pink as she looks at them with a cute expression, mouth wide.

I tilted my head and raised a brow at her, “Now, now. You are not acting like this to make me feed you, are you?” I wiggled my brows as I continue teasing her, “Because Zeus help me, I will really feed you likr you were a child!”

She shrieks, my fingers landing on her waist, her most vulnerable point.

“Hey!” She started hitting my fingers away but I continue, making her shriek once more.

Oh, Feta. If she don’t stop soon enough, I’ll be deaf, forever.

“Alright, alright! No need to feed me.”

“But you clearly want me to feed you, you icky little baby!”

“I AM NOT A BABY!”

“Oh, yes you are. You want me to feed you so you are a baby,” Rubin gritted her teeth and slapped my hand hard as she takes the chocolate, “I’ll eat it okay, no need for you to call me a baby.”

Someone knocked and we stopped, pulling away from each other while our chest heaves up and down; face flushed accompanied by wild grins that stretched our faces as Missy entered folder on one hand.

“How’s your vacation, Sora-san?” Missy adjusted her eyeglasses and smiled at the both of us, a knowing look on her eyes. I smirked.

“Not yet finished, Missy, not yet.” Missy chuckled, already heading towards my table to take the papers I have already prepared for her to take. She stacked them in a folder before she looks at me and to Rubin. Noticing the chocolates, she asked, “Do you need more chocolates, Sora-sama?”

“Ye-“Rubin started answering but I interrupted her, putting a hand over her mouth. “This will do, Missy. Arigatou.”

Missy bowed and only then did I looked at Rubin who is biting hard on my fingers. I hissed, removing my hands upon her mouth, “What did you do that for?”

“I want more!”

“You have plenty.”

“But I want more varieties, not pieces.” She picks a chocolate bomb and shoves it inside her mouth. “I don’t even like this caramel – ugh!”

“Stop complaining, Rubin. I will ask Missy to-“ The door cracked open and Missy came in, her arms adorned with more chocolates.

“Wow!”

Rubin bolted up from her seat and snatched the chocolates, waving them at me, “Well, you lose this whatever stupid game you are playing at, Caelum, because Missy knows me!”

I rolled my eyes at her and wait until Missy went out of the room before shifting our location.

Rubin’s mouth was wide open as she stared around, her chocolates fading, replaced by the interior of the tent and only those that is on her arms, remains.

“No fair.”

“I’m fair.” I motion for her to sit down at the mouth of the tent, taking the hammock from beside her and attaching it on the tree nearby

“Why are we here, Caelum?”

“I’ll teach you how to fish.”

“What? Fish? But that doesn’t taste delicious. I’ve had it back at my mum’s and it isn’t how I expected it-“

“I’m going to cook it so it will be delicious.” I pointed out, taking some collapsible chairs, cooler and fishing rods from the tent.

“But how? Will you be able to conjure them?”

“I can but where’s the fun in that?” I crouched down on the earth before digging, trying to find us some earthworms to use for bait.

“What are you looking for?”

“Earthworms. We will use them as a bait.”

“Oh!” She walks out of the tent and settled next to me. I looked down at her feet and notice how filthy she has become. Sighing, I stopped digging and went inside the tent to take some of my spare shoes, shrinking it so that it fits her better. I offered my hand to where she was crouched from and we head down to the river bank.

“Sit,” Rubin was stunned of her surrounding sceneries that she quickly obeyed, settling down on the rock, her eyes wide. “No need to act so surprise about everything, Rubin, there will still be more.”

“More?”

“Yes, more. Much better than the last,” I can almost imagine her jump up and down on her seat but she controlled herself better as she clapped her hands instead. I raised an eyebrow and nodded in appreciation, making her blush a deep red, hiding her face. “Now, don’t hide from me, mamour, we would have to work together if you want an early dinner.”

I instructed her to put the shoes on before passing her a fishing rod, instructing her of what she has to do. After a while, she caught her first fish but she was so happy that she raised the rod up to her head making the lines tangle with mine.

“Hey!”

“I caught it.”

“Hey,” I tried to take the rod from her hand but she ran the opposite way, pulling me towards her. I hastily snatched the fish that is thrashing about while Rubin started to panic.

“Stop it, Rubin, just – just let go of the rod!”

“Caelum!” She shrieks, eyes wide as she held on tight, “Caelum, it’s jumping towards me.”

“Let go of the rod, now!” I need not telling her trice as she lets go of the rod and the thrashing fish broke free from the bait and into the water.

“Oh no, Caelum! The fish, we lose it.”

“We can catch another one,” I pass the rod back to her and we resumed our place by the river bank, silently gazing at the fading scenery as the sun settled down on the mountains.

“We haven’t catch anything and I’m hungry.”

“Stop complaining and resume your post, Rubin. I am sure that some fish will come out and take the bait.”

“But they already went home!”

“Huh?” I looked up from where I am sitting and saw that she was staring at the water, a frown gracing her face, “How can you say that they went home?”

“It’s already sunset, duh.” Rubin rolled her eyes and it appears that all of the fishes have chosen to listen to Rubin’s words since we ended up wasting our half an hour waiting to catch some fish.

“Oops!” Rubin smirk as I heard her stomach rumble for the seventh time, “I’m sorry if it bothered you but I’m just really--” I motioned for her stop talking and waved my hand, a couple of fishes soaring up from the river. Rubin gave me a look before she ran off, “I’m going to a start the fire!”

I cheekily took the fishes out of the river bank, putting them inside a pail. Rubin was fumbling with the matches and I sighed, taking it from her, “You have to scratch the head on this rough part to light it up.”

“Oh!” she gasped, watching the little fire that emitted from the stick. I threw the match down at the wood, flicking my hand so that it easily lights up. The fire swallowing the wood. “This is brilliant, fantastic! Everything you show me is outstanding.”

I shake my heat at her chosen compliments as I tarted threading the fish on the sticks and settling them over the fire. Rubin spread some blanket and laid the plates on the table.

“Are we only going to eat fish? Nothing more?” I struggled not to roll my eyes as I conjured a basket of bread and hand it to her, face stretched into a wide grin.

An owl hooted from afar. The dusty purple sky transitions into black and soon, we were overwhelmed with darkness.

“Must have been nice to just live in a cottage far from people and noise and technology,” she sighs as she poke the woods, turning the fish so she can cook the other side.

“Are you suggesting that we stay for another day?” she shakes her head and gave me a tight smile.

“No. It’s just that, given the chance, someday, I would like to live far away with you and live a fairytale life. A simple yet beautiful life,” I snorted which earned me a rock thrown at my head.

“Hey! What’s that for?”

“You’re being rude.”

“You’re being unrealistic.”

“How so?” I scratched my head and fixed her a glance, “Well, we wouldn’t live a fairytale life as you stated since I will have you complain about most of the things we will be using. Plus, I can’t live without technology, so…” She blushed a deep red and I chuckled.

I inched closer to her and snaked my arms around her waist, “And, I don’t believe it would be that simple to live with you, for you always find a way to annoy me to ends, break my composure and blow my mind – that’s considered complicated, not simple.”

She momentarily sat there, staring at me with her wide green eyes as though she did not understand any of the words I said.

“Did I really?” She leans closer and whispered, “Did I really do all that to you?” I huffed, reaching out my hand to squeeze her cheeks.

“Yes. Believe it or not, you have changed me greatly. I do not know if I should be grateful or not,” I took the fish from the top of the fire and put it on a plate, settling them on the table. “The past few hundred years were not really my best years. I spend it by trying to make do with the powers I am given with since I have limitless life. I was in a deep impression that I can do everything I wanted to do with nothing holding me back, no restrictions – a freedom that took me years to realize that I have to enjoy myself somehow.”

I turn to her, my lips curving to a lopsided smile. “The thing is that I have given up hope of ever finding the meaning on why I am here. Every time I wake up from the dream I saw you in, it leaves me desperate for some contact – for some connection; That somehow, in this long life I have been given, you are there, just waiting in the middle.”

She stands from where she was sitting by the fire and settled next to me inside the tent, her feet softly padding through the blanket, “I’m sorry it took me so long to get to you, if I had only known that you were waiting for me, I would’ve got to you sooner.” She put her hand on the sides of my face and sighs, her wild hair blowing about.

“There’s no point of apologizing for there’s no way for us to know.” I took her hand on mine and leaned in to kiss her gently, “It does not do to wallow in the past and punish ourselves with things that we cannot control. Of all these things happened in the past, I would like to show you something that has kept me occupied for hundreds of years, my only connection to you even after all those tragedy I have faced.”

I stood, walking further inside the tent where a trunk is stowed next to the bed. I opened it, searching for the box I have sworn to show the contents to no one, but her. Rubin curiously peered behind my shoulder and the moment her eyes made contact with the box, she bolted up and ran out of the tent which leads out to the forest.

I let go of the box and the contents fell on the carpet as I tried to chase after her, my chest constricting like I am suffering a kind of frenzy. I collapsed on my knees and watched her as her pretty white dress fades into the dark and the yellowing pages of sketches containing the mysterious girl in my dream – stared at me with that same face Rubin has.

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