YOU CAN HEAR THE faint beatings of one's heart inside the room. Morning glories are in their full bloom outside the windows of my room. The blueness of their petals can be seen amidst the shade provided by the translucent white curtains. 

I lie on the cold floor beside my bed, wrapped in a bedsheet. There is no pillow underneath my head. My hair like a scattered halo is all over the floor. My hand is clutched close to my chest. 

There is no thought running in my head except for one: Cameron. 

Today marks the beginning of a new month ever since he has disappeared. I cannot move my legs, not my hands. It’s as if I am pinned down by some invisible force looming over me, threatening me. It is frightening but I find myself not caring about it not even a bit. 

All my thoughts revolve around one name, one person.

Cameron. 

Cameron Dayore. 

My dearest younger brother. 

I remember the day I held you in my arms for the first time. You were like a speckle of dust, luminant and light. Your first cry when I touched your nimble fingers and petal-like cheeks is still engraved in this wall of memories. 

Cameron. 

I remember the way you tried to stand strong for me when our father left us that night with nothing but haunting memories behind. You promised me you would stay by my side unlike everyone else. 

Cameron.

You traitor. 

I tilt my head and look over to the window. The curtains move under the fan’s movement letting me grab a view of the outside world. The hanging flowers and leaves dance to the wind flowing from the sea. 

My eyes wander lower and I see the back of the messy golden hair I’ve grown familiar with. He is wearing another one of Cameron’s shirts, this time an azure shirt with golden engravings on the collar. Cameron had specifically chosen that shirt on one of our tours to the market during his vacation. Strangely enough, I’ve never seen him wear that.

Aven is silently staring ahead into the void as the breeze plays with his locks. His hair, equally long at the front is caressing his face and I cannot help but wonder at the look of indifference on his face, does it not tickle? 

I exhale heavily and right at that moment, Aven turns his head to look into my room. His gleaming eyes wander in the room, searching for something and with every movement, the crease between his brows deepens. 

Then they fall on me who is still on the floor. I watch as the frown etched on his face slowly eases and the familiar indifference settles back on his face. On regular days he would just turn around and return to what he was doing before. But at the present, he did nothing of that sort. Instead, he stared, deep into my soul.  

I hold his gaze willingly, trying to gauge something from within those eyes but find nothing except a strange flutter in my chest. I am the one who breaks the contact by waking up. I scratch my head and yawn. Aven is still staring at me. 'What?' I mouth. There is no response from his side. 

I frowned. A few seconds later, he stands up and walks away from the window like it is nothing out of the ordinary. 

Weirdo. 

I am present in the shop, cleaning the crafts when the bell chimes. Aven lazily sits in my chair with his legs atop the desk as he casually watches me doing all the work by myself.

I spot a familiar hat entering my field of vision and straighten myself immediately. The smile on my lips is less flattering than all the other times. I am still feeling sluggish and irritated for some reason but I couldn’t afford to be rude to a customer - much less a seemingly regular one. 

“Welcome back!” I greet her. 

She smiles politely before nodding. “Are you back here for another gift for your boyfriend?”

“Yes. He loved the previous one.”

“I am glad to know! Your boyfriend must be fortunate have a girl who supports his interests by his side!”

She shyly tucks her hair behind her ear. “Thank you.”

“Well well, let’s look for another one for your collection shall we?” I say as I move in the direction of the antiques. I grow restless as I show her the best of Cameron’s creations. I can feel Aven’s stare boring holes in my back but I pretend to not notice them. 

“Where are you from?” I ask before I can contain myself. 

“Sorry?” she blinks.

“It’s just that you don’t seem to be from around here,” I explain myself. 

“Oh. you are right actually. I am from Fesia city.” It is my time to be surprised. “Fesia? Wow.”

“What’s wrong?”

“No it's just-” I wave my hands around, “My brother used to study and work at Fesia. But then he quit.”

“Ah I see.”

“Do you think you might know him?” I ask, pointing towards the missing person poster attached to the wall. My eyes run over Cameron’s black and white photo once again and I feel bile rising on my throat again. To distract myself, I shake my head and face the woman only to find her staring at me. 

Her hazel eyes appear black under the bronze light, startling me. I clear my throat. It seems to break her out of her trance and she speaks in a light tone,

“No. I don’t.” She then adds, “I am sorry.”

I wave my hands before me frantically. “No! Don’t be sorry!”Aven snorts. We whip our heads to him. He covers his face with his hands, his gaze grim but I see through it for his lips hiding behind his pale hand are tilted up in a smirk. 

I sigh. “This one is lovely.” the woman says, hinting at the twin birds’ sculpture. I blink twice. “Oh.”

“What’s wrong?”

“It is nothing. The birds are the simplest of them all with nothing out of the ordinary that makes them charming. Why do you like it then?”

“If you think that way, why do you have it in your store?” she asks it playfully but it stabs through my chest. 

Because Cameron wanted my creation to have a place in this store. 

“It’s just there,” I say quietly. “My brother wanted it to be there.”

“Ah, I see. But I still stand by my point- it is lovely. The loveliest of them all.” she takes it in her hand and examines it with a smile. “These fine lines are careful yet tender touches of the creator. Their love towards nature, and their desire to break free from something- it all reflects in this piece. Everything about it is lovely.” she beams. “I am having this one.”

I stand there dumbfounded. With effort I manage to speak yet when I do, I stutter. “I-I see. Let me pack it up for you.” I hesitate. “Are you sure you don’t want anything else?”

“Nope,” she responds with a cheerful smile. 

How lovely this girl is. 

I quickly pack it up and tell her the amount so she can pay. When she grabs the pack, I pause. I feel my face heating up as I speak. “If it is alright with you, may I know your name?”

Her dark eyes bore into mine, sending a sense of foreboding in my mind. “Sora. My name is Sora.”

“Sora. hmm.” It is Aven who speaks this time. He grins a friendly and innocent one. “That’s a lovely name.” Sora stares at him for a while before thanking him with a smile and leaving. I thank her once again and once she is out of eye shot, I whirl my head around and glare at Aven. 

“What was that about?”

“Why? Are you jealous?”

I scoff. “Jealous he says. That girl has a boyfriend you damned fish!”

“So?”

I look at him ridiculed. “So? Are you really asking me so?” I march over to him and grab him by the collar of his shirt. “You have zero sense of decency.” Aven raises his arms in mock surrender and chuckles. But then, the playful gleam leaves his eyes bringing back the mysterious creature I know. “She will be our perfect target.”

“What the hell do you mean?” I tighten my hold on his collar. “Darling, dearest. My Clara. That girl you just met, is another seeker of the unknown.” he tilts his head and the words settle in my mind. “She seeks not the comfort of her boyfriend but of the sweetness of death.”

I feel my hold on his collar loosens. “You are lying.”He smirks, his eyes searching mine in the familiar predatory way. Suddenly, he moves forward and grabs me by my waist before pulling me onto him. “Am I?” He whispers into the space between us.

“You-”

The door to the shop slams open. The bell rings frantically. “Clara you won’t believe what we-!” 

“...?” 

Startled, we both look at the door. Bastian and Victor, are both staring at us dumbfounded. But the moment doesn’t last for long for the trance is broken by a string of profanities leaving Bastian’s lips. I cringe at it. Victor looks equally shaken by this turn of events. Bastian wags a shaking finger at Aven and asks, “Who the fuck is he?!”

I try to break free from Aven’s arms only for the guy to tighten his hold on me. And as if it wasn’t enough, he rests his head on my front and closes his eyes. “Darling you didn’t tell me we will have visitors except for your customers.”

“Huh?!” The three of us say in unison. 

“Clara??”

“Aven what the hell?”

“Shh… just let me hold you dear.”

“You crazy fishy bastard-” I swear at him at the same time as Bastian yells again. 

“Stop.” Victor’s voice rings amidst the chaos. He sighs and rubs the crease between his eyebrows. “I don’t know who you are or what your relationship with Clara is, but,” he turns to me. “Clara, we need to talk. Alone.”

“Talk here. Nothing goes in her mind that I don’t know.” I stomp on his feet making him hiss. “That was unnecessary darling,” he says through gritted teeth. 

“I’ll be there,” I announce as I use the chance to escape from him. Aven rolls his eyes but doesn’t try to do anything. “Whatever. I will know everything soon.”

“Who is this slimy bastard Clara?” Bastian asks again, agitated. I sigh. 

“A random fish. Don’t mind him.”