•Kellin•

"Kellin!" Wha--?!" he exclaimed.

*Yep. I did get his attention.*

"What the f--? How--?" he went on.

I set his fork down on his plate.

"Sit down, Matt. You wouldn't believe me so I had to show you." I said.

Matt was breathing so hard, he could almost suck everything from his plate. After a while, he calmed down. He sat back down on his chair.

"So. You really are an Essence user." he said.

"Yeah. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I didn't know how."

"It's okay."

We both ate again in awkward silence. He's probably really shocked about this, given that I lived 18 years without knowing I'm an Essence user. As I slowly chewed my food, Matt looked back up to me and broke the silence.

"So. You gonna take the job? In this LUSCRA?" he asked.

"It's not a job. It's a . . . . I don't know exactly what it is. But that's the other thing I wanted to talk to you about."

He let out a soft sigh.

"You're gonna ask for my permission, right?" he asked.

" . . . . . Yeah." I agreed.

Matt wiped his mouth with his napkin. He thought for a moment.

"Are you done eating?" he asked.

"Yes. Why?" I said.

He raised his hands up and a waiter for our bill. I glanced at it and saw a Pn30 price. Since I was saving up, I let him pay the bill.

"Let's go somewhere." he said, as he stood up.

"Where?" I asked.

"You'll see."

We got out of the café, and into his grey sedan parked outside. He got this car in his 18th birthday from our father. He has it ever since. I pressed the music player on his dashboard. Flawless by Complex Operation was on. I remember me and him jamming out to this song when we were kids. We drove away from the city and the huge traffic, and into the coast.

*I knew he's gonna take me here.*

When Matt and I were young, us two and our father used to go to this small coastal village just past Elenha City. There, we set up tents on the beach. Our father fishes for our dinner, and Matt cooks whatever he brings us. I often just lay down on the sand waiting for our father to call me for dinner. But ever since our father died , we haven't had any chance to go here anymore.

Matt pulled up just before we hit the beach because cars aren't allowed in the sand.

"Why'd you take me here?" I asked, as I got out of the car.

"Let's talk at the beach."

We walked down to the beach and he sat down on the sand. I did the same as well.

"Remember when Father used to take us here?" he asked.

He took a pebble and threw it into the water.

"You used to just lie down and stare at the sky. And I used to throw pebbles at the ocean everytime I had the chance."

"Yeah." I whispered.

I hear the soft crash of the waves to the shore.

"When Father died, I promised him I would take care of you."

*You did. Of course you did.*

"You used to be bullied so much back then, right?"

"Yeah. Out of all my bullies, you were the most annoying one." I teased.

"Yeah, right. I remember you crying after that one kid called you a butt plug." he chuckled.

"Oh shut up."

We both let out a deep sigh. I missed this place. Makes me reminisce.

"You said that this LUSCRA knows what happened two years ago. When Scola was . . . . . murdered."

My hands began to shake. Sweat dripped from my forehead.

"Y-yeah. I d-did." I said.

Matt put his hands on my shoulder and patted.

"Relax, Kel." he said.

I slowly caught my breath and wiped the sweat off my forehead.

"Did this Sol tell you how she was murdered?"

"Yep. Said that an Essence user killed her. He didn't go over it, though. I was gonna find out soon, he said."

Silence fell over us. He took another pebble and threw it into the ocean.

"Kel." he said.

"Yeah?"

I glanced over at him. He looked serious this time, staring at the horizon as the sun sets.

"Father loved her." he said.

I looked at my shaking hands as he said that. Matt picked up another pebble and threw it at the water. I knew Father loved Scola so much. And Scola loved us, too. She became a mother to us when our father dated her.

"Right now, I'm not going to give you permission to join LUSCRA." he said.

He paused for a moment.

"You're going to decide that on your own." he said

*Wow. Is this happening?*

My brother has always been protective of me. Well, not really that much, but I still can't go to one of those "college parties".

"I only ask for one thing, Kel." he said.

"What is it?" I asked.

He shot me a serious look.

"You're an Essece user all along, right?" he asked.

*I feel like I know where this is going.*

"If you happen to meet Scola's murderer. . . . . . . "

*I knew it.*

"Avenge her. For us. For father." he said.

Silence fell over us again. I haven't seen my brother this serious before. You could really tell how Scola meant a lot to him. But I loved her too. She became someone so important to us, a mother. Even though she and our Father isn't married, we considered her as our maternal support. And so I made up my mind.

"I will, Matt. I promise." I said.

Matt looked at the horizon. The sun has already set, and the sky grew dark.

"Thanks." he said with a smile.

*She also meant a lot to me, Matt. I promise I'll find the one who murdered her.*

"It's getting late. We should go. I'll drive you to the train station." he said.

"Yeah, good idea." I agreed.

And so, we left the coastal village. There were many memories left on that beach. But that's all in the past now. If they were still alive, Scola and Father would've taken us here whenever they got the chance. But sadly, back then, they were both always so busy with their jobs.

Matt dropped me at the train station in Elenha City. We said our goodbyes, and he drove away, probably back to his dorm. I took the train back to Glywall, and walked home. When I got home, I changed, and went straight to bed.

I don't know what will happen in the future. Especially now that I know I had powers all along. Matt trusted me to make the right decision.

*Will I join LUSCRA or not?*

As I pondered upon the question, slowly, I get a little sleepier. My eyes were about to close, but suddenly, my phone vibrated. I checked it, and there was a message from Sol.

"Chase will pick you up tomorrow. Bring your bracelets, of course. After your confirmation, we will begin your training." it said.

By confirmation, I assume he means if I really want to join or not. I let out a deep sigh.

*It's like a real job, huh? It has training and everything.*

I continued to think about my choice. After a while, I reached a firm, and rather sleepy, decision.