Spitting Blood into a Fish Tank Vol. I [A Wish to Wish]

09 - and they grow

09 - and they grow

The piece, Violin Sonata by Amy Beach, tells a story.

Rosin applied, shoulder rest never used, dynamics advances, he plays.

The grand piano accompanies, its heavy tuts brings a deep atmosphere to the endless hall, her fingers dance.

When the piece ends, loud applause bangs throughout the hall.

The live concert, the performance of the two reincarnated souls, went splendidly.

Altero holds his violin down, Nuri looks at the uncountable audiences from the grand piano.

The shimmering light showers Altero's handsome youth face, "Wanna grab some ice cream?"

Nuri giggles, "Sounds good."

"Bring your dog, in case we crash to some troublesome reporters or fans." Altero brushes his hair to the back.

"Yeah." Nuri smiles at the camera.

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.

.

"Here, we are in XXX Grand Hall precisely after the Prodigy Duo's concert!" a reporter stands beside Altero, "Altero Vaultour, our outstanding violinist, despite being at the age of nine, what makes you a violinist in the first place?"

"Everything lights from interest and commitment." Altero answers shortly.

The reporter's smile cracks, as well as everyone's near.

They had an awkward silence, and the atmosphere chills.

"Child! Have mercy! Say two sentences to save the reporter's face, won't you?" was what they wanted to say but kept their mouths shut.

"It must have taken a lot of time to be a professional. How many hours do you usually take to practice your violin?" the reporter's smile sings 'I won't give up!'.

"Not much, only five to eight hours a day." Altero licks his vanilla ice cream.

The crowd of musicians near them lost their self-confidence.

"... Incredible!" the reporter cries inwardly, "Ah, we also have our exceptional pianist, Nuri Alphest. There's a hot gossip that you have someone in mind, who could he be?"

Nuri beams and giggles, "What else if not my dear piano?"

"..." the reporter who doesn't understand a musician's love life stays quiet in confusion.

The crowd pities the reporter.

Truly, it has never been a good ending to any reporter whose next project title is "The Music Prodigy Duo : Nuri Alphest and Altero Vaultour!".

Whether it is by spreading falsehoods, digging faulty, or even writing about the duo's goodness, their salary is not worth compared to the humiliation in public over the youngs.

Altero keeps his straight face intact as he finishes his third vanilla ice cream while Nuri hugs her unnamed dog by her arms.

Hot, dim, crowded, and fake.

The two hate the damned creatures, humans.

Creatures that lick anyone's feet to rise from their low social status.

More corrupt than the devil himself.

---["but you are just like them, are you not?"]---

Nuri flinches and looks at her back only to find no one. She frowns and bites her bottom lip, looking around, searching for what or who that whispered to her, but nothing.

"What's wrong?" Altero notices the girl's confused frown.

"Nothing," Nuri regains her composure, "Nothing."

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.

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Grow they grow.

Who will remember the once Lita Dan and Miyamo Kei?

Who will remember the once forsaken pup in the damp alley?

Now they are Nuri Alphest and Altero Vaultour.

Now they are immortals.

"You're kidding me," Altero furrows his eyebrows, "You're just... thirteen. That's a young age in the eyes of... others."

"Can't be helped," Nuri sighs, "It seems like the Hell has found me."

Altero hitched, "... The Hell where you used to be?"

Nuri nods, "My real father is reincarnated to this body's father. I suspect that he was reincarnated around a month ago."

"That's #," Altero pat Nuri's head, "Well, you're not the only one."

Nuri looks at Altero's grey eyes, "What... You too?"

"The heavens and purgatory found me around a month ago too. They tried to purify my soul and kill me as a God every time I fall asleep through my dream realm."

Nuri plays with her unnamed dog's paws, "Do you think... Do you think that they were working together to find us?"

"If so, they're sick." Altero smirks.

"I think it's us who are sick, to the point where the three realms operate together just to refrain us from destroying this world." Nuri scoffs.

"And it's whole content." Altero adds.

Nuri hums, "'Till we die."

Altero lifts his soda and with a 'click!', they toast, "'Till we die."

Under the faint luminescence, the starry gazes of the wandering souls, and the watchful eyes of the three realms, the three reincarnated souls live.