Rio's eyes moved to the next option. The name engraved on the white petal made his heart pleasant.
"Lia? She treated me best since I met her although Wifey was a little hesitant at first. She loves me the most for sure but Lia mentioned that she needed to marry a human to reverse her wheel of destiny.
Yeah...she loves me unconditionally now but it didn't develop without a base of a condition. Marriage and prophecy were the foundation of it. However, she seems to be the ideal right answer more than others." He thought in a self-assured manner.
His eyes moved to the next white petal in line that took away his joy from him.
"...Layla? No... she didn't try to contact me again. It can not be her..." with a sour heart he moved to the next one.
"Nyla? This girl is a mystery herself. I thought she was just chasing me for her goals and had gained intense attraction for me after I had dueled with Talia who apologized to her.
But I didn't realize it was love toward me. This Monarch Eve said it's a Heavenly treasure from Goddess so it shouldn't be wrong.
However, Nyla wanted to use me as a tool to escape her arrange marriage with that playboy. So Her affection for me didn't start without a reason. It can't be her either." Rio sighed inwardly as the last two choices were the easiest to decide.
He moved to the three he had to pick from and thought carefully about each of them.
"Who could it be? Grandfather or Lia or second mother? I used to think Grandfather was a single Oldman but later I found he was enveloped in secrets and riddles that hid him well. He pretended we don't have money so we can stay in a small town.
It would go that way of hiding me from Second Mother if Grandpa didn't find out he was going to die. It feels like he wanted to hide me away from Second Mother for some reason. This makes me certain to doubt him as well. If I'm not wrong he may be related to my birth parents.
As for Second Mother, if grandfather wanted to keep me away at distance from her then he should've had a good reason. Not forgetting the fact that she is connected to my birth parents. It also removes her from being the person who loves me unconditionally.
So ultimately, it can be only Lia. There is no one who loved me like her. She even went against her own father, Emperor Dylan for me. She is hiding my strength from everyone or else I might have been killed already for having core and root at the same time. So It's Lia..." Rio smile gently and hovered his hand to tap the white leaf in front of him that he chose.
However, a tingling sensation flickered on his neck, his heartbeat became faster and he halted his hands from tapping the space in front of him.
Rio hesitated as his sixth sense kicked in at right time to warn him that something was perilous happening.
'Why am I feeling this tingling? What's wrong.'
He started thinking about everything carefully from start to end since The boy arrived at this place and remembered what Eve told him.
'Keep the bitterness of heart away from your mind or else you will lose.'
As if this was the key to the puzzle of the unsafe feeling he processed her words meticulously.
"Why would she say such things..." His eyes moved to each of the white petals and stopped on the one that made him feel bitter.
"Layla..."
A scene of newly unsealed memories of childhood started playing in his mind.
A girl rushed to save a little boy. He was just a child. She brought him to medical care and even tried to cheer him up.
'What benefits could I have given her at that time?
Money? I don't have that and she is probably one of the richest people in the human world.
Rescue from an arranged marriage? We were too young for that.
A person of prophecy? These are not even common on earth.
A child of someone she knew? Her grandfather wouldn't thrash me if that was the case.
I had nothing...I was a nobody.'
Rio mumbled inwardly and a forced smile flashed on his cold face.
'What's happening to him?'
Eve observed the blonde-haired boy contemplating alone as he was deciding which white petal to pick.
Meanwhile, Rio was lost in his memories as a few more scenes from old times played in his mind.
***
A 16-year-old girl, whose face could make anyone feel peaceful with a single look, had her cheeks moist as her eyes were red from tears.
"What happened, Big Sister Layla?" The young boy asked in puzzlement as he sat beside her.
He was a 13-years-old and had a face full of naivety but his eyes were filled with concern for the beauty beside her.
"Government has sent my AI watch. Grandpa said I have to stay in the land of Asura until I reach the purple stage." The black-haired girl said in a sorrowful tone, forgetting the fact she had to hide it from others.
"So why are you crying?" The crimson-haired boy asked with questioning eyes, he didn't think to ask about the land of asura or the purple stage as his first priority was not to see her in tears.
"Won't you get mad at me and blame me that I forgot you because I wasn't here with you because of the training?" Layla said in a quiet tone while her tears slid down her cheeks as she looked at him with expectant eyes.
"Are you crying because you're worried I'll blame you? Don't worry about such things. I'll never blame you in my life no matter what happens in the future.
Because I know big sister Layla is the only person who loves me and she will come back again to me even if it takes some time." He assured the black-haired girl with a gentle smile and ruffled her hair while wiping away the tears from her wet cheeks.
"Would you really wait for Me?" Her voice was filled with sadness but her eyes flickered with a glint of hope.
As time passed, they had become best friends of each other. For her, He was her only best friend.
Deep down in their inexperienced hearts, the duo had profound feelings for each other.
They were like siblings who loved to bicker with each other. They were genuine best friends who knew each other's secrets. They were like loving partners who cared for each other and thought about what would benefit them.
They were each other's mother and father who adored one another when they were upset and loved unconditionally.
The little sweethearts had both found the little family in themselves that they always craved.
"I'll always wait for you. I promise." He said in a resolute voice.
"Won't you miss me?" She asked again with an expectant expression.
Layla thought he doesn't care much that she is going away for many days.
"I don't wanna be the reason to hold you back. Although I always miss you on weekdays. It would be like living in hell to not be with the only friend I have." He said with a bittersweet smile.
Rio also was sad by hearing the peace of news of her departure but he didn't want to sadden her by showing his tears. He wished only the best for her, a happy life where she would be happy.
"Am I just a friend to you?" She asked in a bitter voice while gazing into his innocent sea-green eyes.
"You're my best friend. My future wife. Don't ever forget that." He said in a commanding tone to the black-haired beauty who brought serenity to his heart as they giggled together.
Two years later...
When Rio turned fifteen doctor Lady gave him the inheritance that his adopted grandfather left for him.
There was enough money to rent his own accommodation. He was tired of living in school dormitories and wanted to spend his time alone.
Rio decided to rent one bedroom-hall-kitchen apartment nearby his school.
He decided to buy local ready-made food to eat for his meals as the boy didn't know how to cook.
This routine continued for a few weeks but one day He fell sick and caught a high fever while Layla was away at the land of Asura.
He was laying on his bed in his new rented one-bedroom-hall-kitchen place, covered with a blue blanket that Layla had bought for him.
Someone called him on his cell phone as it started ringing...
====////====
[SnowNote]
My personal favorite is Nyla but I can't give her the title of unconditionally loving Rio. I won't be unfair to what they deserve.
Wait for the as it will make more sense.
Please vote with Power stones and Golden tickets.
* I'll add the important character images on:
Like it? Add to the library!
Edited By: TheWhiteSnow
