The next day was the final exhibition of the year in the museum.

– Khaos, do you want to come with us to see the last exhibition? – Dracarus asked, picking up his car keys.

– Sure, why not? It seems interesting since you’re always going. Although I’m starting to think you go there more often now to see Eclipse. – She playfully laughed.

– What–?! What do you mean…?

– Hahah. Nevermind, nevermind. – She smirked.

Dracarus was flustered, he didn’t expect Khaos to notice his feelings towards Eclipse…

Han, Dracarus and the Goddess, went together to see the final art event. Musa as well. 

Arriving there, there was already a crowd of people to see the final works. At the entrance, the group of friends were greeting the public. They were really happy when they saw them along with the supreme authority of the nation.

– Oh my, the Goddess is here…! – Lydia was excited about meeting her.

– Yeah, apparently she came with them. – Catherine pointed out. 

“I’ll finally meet her… The Goddess of Portus.” Eclipse wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.

The four friends walked over to the royal family.

– Good morning Dear Goddess. It’s a pleasure to meet you in person. – Catherine was the first to speak.

– Good morning to all of you. It’s also a pleasure of mine. Are you the talented group that befriended Han and Dracarus? – She smiled, trying not to scare them due to her ghoulish appearance.

She was probably around two metres tall with a quite scaringly beauty. Extremely long pitch black hair, pale horns as her skin and ruby eyes with a black sclera.

– Haha, yes, Miss. – Catherine tried to be as friendly and cool with her, but she was also really nervous inside. 

– Well then, what are your names? – Khaos asked, looking at them.

– Oh, I’m Catherine. You probably already knew about me… I'm the daughter of Cyrus Lawrence. 

– Hm, so you’re that girl… I’m sorry for everything you had to go through because of him… – The Goddess' eyes softened in sadness.

– Ah… Don’t worry about it. I’m fine now. – Thinking about it all over again wasn’t a good thing to do. She was happy now, she was loved.

– I’m glad to hear that then. – Khaos gently smiled at her with a hint of grief. – What about the others?

– I’m Xavier, nice to meet you.

– I’m Lydia, you probably remember me. – Lydia was really shy.

– Yes, of course I do. – Khaos grinned. – It’s good to see that you’re doing fine. About your case though… We still haven’t found the culprit. We’re still investigating this. Once we find anything we’ll contact your parents. 

Eclipse glanced away from her. She seemed guilty over something.

– What about you? – Khaos was asking Eclipse her name.

She was already suspecting she was the girl Dracarus mentioned.

– Huh– Eclipse. – Plain, with a hint of nervousness.

She felt sorta endangered by her presence but she tried ignoring it. After all, she was hiding something and couldn’t let any suspicion out.

– Oh… So you’re that girl Dracarus kept mentioning. – She looked at him and he seemed extremely embarrassed. – He really admires your artworks. – Khaos smiled at Eclipse.

– Ah… I’m aware. – Eclipse flusteredly tried to laugh it off.

“Does he really talk about me because of that or is it something else?”

– Anyways, it was nice meeting you, cuties. I’ll head inside the museum to see your pieces. – Khaos confidently walked in.

She indeed looked like a majesty.

Khaos went inside with Han, and Dracarus and Musa stayed with them at the entrance.

– Hey, uh… You look really pretty. – Musa said, approaching Eclipse.

– Oh, thank you…

“I wonder who she is to be with them…”

– Mind if I ask… Who are you?

– Oh, my name is Musa. I live with them in the castle.

– Ah, I see… – She seemed timid but a sweet girl. – You’re pretty too. – She smiled at Musa.

– Ah– Thank you! You’re really kind…

Musa was flustered, it was rare for someone to find her pretty.

– You’re the one who sold that flower to Han, right? – She asked.

– Huh? – Eclipse was clueless for a second. – Ohh, yes. It was me.

“So that flower was for her…”

– Thank you. It was really pretty. 

– Mhm. – She giggled. – I’m glad you liked it. – She gently smiled at her.

“Woah… Now I understand them, she really is pretty, and her smile…”

– I… I will join Khaos and Han. – Musa waved her goodbye and went inside.

“What a cute girl…”

After two hours of greeting people, they were tired and hungry.

– Ah, my legs hurt from being here standing for two hours straight. – Catherine was tired of doing that.

– Same, and it’s almost lunch time. Does anyone want to come with me to buy food for us? – Eclipse was willing to go buy some food for them all.

– I can go with you. – Xavier decided.

The others went inside while Xavier and Eclipse left to buy something to eat. 

– Well then, I'll go see the works since y’all gonna lunch. – Dracarus added.

– You can have lunch with us if you want. We’ll bring food for you too. – Eclipse offered lunch to him as well.

– Huh– Thank you…

~~~

Dracarus was admiring Eclipse’s work as usual.

“I can’t believe Khaos said that… Is it that obvious?”

He was walking around her piece when he noticed she added a little text on the flower.

– Huh? Sometimes the people you like the most, are the first to betray you. Could this be about someone in her life?

Suddenly he felt someone standing besides him.

– Her works are really interesting and meaningful, don’t you agree? – A mysterious person wearing a hood and a mask was talking to him.

– Yes… – He agreed, quite dubious.

– I’m also a big fan of hers. It’s a pity we’ll never be able to talk and be friends…

The person kept talking as if they were intending something.

Dracarus sensed something fishy and looked at the individual. He was wearing a dark hoodie. From that angle, he couldn’t even see his or her face. Out of curiosity, he asked about the one’s identity. 

– …Who are you?

– Me…? – The individual looked at him.

– Yeah, who else would I be talking to?

– Well, you can call me Moon.

– …

Dracarus not so long after, realised something.

“Wait… Moon? The Shadow of The Moon?!”

When he looked around, the person was nowhere to be found. He didn’t even notice them quietly leave.

He was quite worried and shocked. “What the hell?! Could this person be connected to the murderer?? Or the murderer himself?!”

As he was about to leave the place to look for this person, Khaos appeared unexpectedly.

– Dracarus! You’re here.

– Oh… yeah. – He sighed.

He didn’t tell her about what happened.

– Their works are really amazing. I guess I’ll come with you more often.

– I’m glad you enjoyed the exhibition.

– Xavier and Eclipse must be already coming back, why don’t you join us in the room they’re all gathered in? – Khaos proposed.

– Uh– Sure. – He walked off with her to the room, still looking around if he saw the person somewhere.

– By the way… Her name is Drakon, right? – Khaos asked about Eclipse’s family name.

– Yes, why?

– Hm… Nothing much. She just… reminds me of someone from my past, I just can’t remember exactly who. 

– Caelum’s family. Isn’t it that? – Dracarus, trying to help her.

– Yes, I know it’s the same name but… It’s not him she’s reminding me of. – Khaos was trying hard to remember but it happened too long ago… Her memories of that time were fading.

“Could she really be related to his family…? It’s quite impossible but… Who knows.”

~~~

Eclipse and Xavier were chatting while coming back to the place. 

– Eclipse… Is it that hard to move on from something? – He suddenly asked, nervously.

– Hmm, it depends on the context… What are you talking about?

– Loving someone. – He didn’t like to talk about his own problems but being alone with someone made him more free to ask for help.

– Uh– I don’t really know about that, I’ve never loved someone else before… But if you’re talking about Catherine, I might be able to help. 

– What do you mean? 

– Well, there’s someone interested in you for a long time… Honestly I don’t even know how you never noticed her. – Eclipse rolled her eyes mockingly. Lydia’s feelings towards him were quite obvious. Everyone could guess that.

– Huh? Really? – He was absolutely clueless… Despite being already suspicious of Lydia.

– Yeah! Can’t you really notice the way Lydia looks at you and how she secretly cares about you? I thought it was pretty obvious, even Catherine noticed it. 

– Oh… – He was surprised. – I mean… She kissed my cheek at the festival but I didn’t think much about it…

“Huh?! How couldn’t he notice? Are all boys like this?”

– Well, now you know. You could try giving her more attention, who knows you might fall in love with her as well. – Eclipse stared at him, making him shy.

“Well… it’s worth a try… Lydia’s really sweet.”

– Wait… you said you have never been in love with someone else before… Did you perhaps fall in love with someone recently? – He was now the one staring at her… She was the shy one now.

– What…? How do you even remember I said that?!

– Well, you never really express how you feel so hearing that was kind of surprising. – He was curious now of who it was. – Who is it?

“No way… I’m screwed up.”

– Ahem…! First of all, I must say I’m not that deep in love like you are… – She looked back at him, jokingly frowning. – But… It’s Dracarus. – She looked away embarrassed.

– …! – Xavier was indeed speechless. 

– Please… don’t tell anyone about it. Especially him. – Eclipse really didn’t want anyone to know about this. She just told Xavier about it because he was in a similar situation.

– Pinky promise. 

He intertwined his little finger with hers, proving his promise. 

She smirked, trusting him.

~~~

They returned to the room where the others were and Khaos was saying her goodbyes to them.

– Alright my dear kids, I’ll need to leave now, enjoy your meal and thanks for this time we spent. 

– Kids? – Dracarus looked at her in indignation.

– Yes you’re all still my kids, especially you and Han. I don’t care if you’re half my age–

– You’re 250 years old…?! – Catherine was surprised. She never thought Dracarus was that old.

She already knew about Han’s since he was interviewed a long time ago, but hearing about Dracarus being even older was indeed shocking.

– Actually I’m 225…

– Alright, Imma go now, have fun telling your story, Dracarus, haha, bye bye! – Khaos cheered, by the door.

Everyone bowed goodbye to Khaos and she left the museum.

– Dracarus, how are you that old and still look so young? – Catherine was really interested.

– Well, thanks to my powers and the blessing Khaos gave me.

– Are you really her son? – Lydia got in the conversation as well. – You look a lot like her.

– Not really, she just kind of adopted me, same with Han. – He looked at him and Han crossed his arms.

– Well, uh– … I’m sorry if this might be something I shouldn’t ask but I’m quite curious… What happened before she “adopted” you? – Catherine didn’t want to seem rude but was really curious about his past since he never mentioned it in any interview.

–  I was used since I was a kid in an illegal organization that experimented on Vital Society’s minors. – He sighed, laying his back against the sofa. – I tried to get as strong as possible despite having to endure such agonising and mortifying things and find out every weakness of the mastermind of that place, so that I could defeat him someday and free every innocent kid there. I ended up murdering him and leaving that horrifying place. I guess there’s still some survivors from there… – He remembered Blue, one of the kids.

– Oh… – Catherine was quite terrified and so were the others. – I’m sorry for asking about it, that seemed quite traumatising…

– Ah, don’t worry. It’s all in the past now. – He drank from his water bottle. – Those memories don’t haunt me anymore.

“Hopefully they’ll never return to harm me…”

– Is that why you use all those black bandages sometimes…? – Eclipse asked, looking into his eyes.

Dracarus looked at her confused. “How is she so attentive at this type of thing? I barely use them anymore…”

– Yeah… kind of. 

– Aren’t the scars healed? – She, really clueless.

– Mhm. – He answered, quite awkwardly. “Why is she so interested in this…?”

“Why would he wear bandages if they’re healed? … Could it be that he’s insecure about showing them?”

– You shouldn’t need to cover them… They represent how strong you are from getting over what you’ve been through… It’s pretty.

Dracarus’ eyes widened in disbelief. “I… No one ever told me something like that… No one ever tried to comfort me about that…” He felt heartened. As if Eclipse had seen right through him. “Why does she always do these things with such innocent eyes?” His heartbeat was rapid… “She keeps on making me feel reassured and all nervous at the same time but not a bad nervousness… I actually enjoy it. These emotions and feelings— So is this the meaning of falling in love?”

– Ehh? She’s really in love, getting quite poetic now… – Xavier was talking to himself in a low tone.

– What did you say? – Lydia noticed and directly asked him what he was mumbling about.

– Oh, hum– nothing. – He looked at her quite startled. He promised Eclipse to not tell anyone.

“ …? How random…” Lydia kept staring at him.

– Erm– But you never saw them. How is it pretty? – Dracarus was awkwardly shy.

– Oh– I meant the interpretation… But they can be pretty as well, it’s a part of your body. – She admitted, with the most blank expression.

“What…? Is she indirectly saying my body is pretty…?!” Dracarus was getting even more shy.

– Uh– Thanks…? – He didn’t really know how to answer that but those words definitely would get stuck in his head.

“Ah I see where this is going…” Han pinched his own nose. “It seems the winter is coming and so is the romance.”

The rest of the group was silent, they were just observing the conversation. 

“I think Eclipse has something to tell me later…” Lydia was getting suspicious of her. 

~~~