Shatter: A Jonah Clemence x MC Romance (Ikemen Revolution)

9: Was it Worth it?

(Flashback, Levie's P.O.V)

I can still remember what Spring looked like...

What grass, and tree's, and buttercup flowers looked like once the dark, cold winter was finally gone...

That year, the moment when I finally turned 13...

And finally,

I could see the outside world.

For the first time, I was allowed to step outside of that wretched home.

Where the Mages' kept me locked inside...day after day after day, minute after minute after minute.

'I've never been outside before..' I told them, with tears in my eyes.

'Is it....is it really as beautiful as the books say?'

'You've been such a good boy, learning to vent your anger and harness your powers. I think it's time to get your reward, Levie.' The mage had replied to me, smiling largely enough to scrunch up his bright white moustache and beard.

'Be a good boy, and tomorrow, for your birthday, you'll get your wish.'

I couldn't sleep that night.

And that next morning, when I stepped outside...

The fresh air of the Spring flowers graced my features, hitting my face so hard, I felt dizzy.

It was like waking up from a nightmare.

A nightmare that I so desperately wanted to forget.

That house...

I'd never seen outside that house.

That day, my life changed forever.

The tree's, sparkling with leaves and cherry blossoms, the flowers and the stone walkways rounding about the courtyard -

The expansive concrete castle that glittered in the sun -

The stone fountains that sent glittering drops of water into the air and pelted the flowers with life -

My heart skipped a beat.

Then another.

And another.

Time had stopped.

My whole world -

It was different now.

I finally felt....

Alive.

Without thinking, my feet were carrying me into the grass, running headlong into the courtyard and jumping onto the lawn of the Castle. I rolled around and pulled out some sod, rubbing it onto my face and crying painstaking tears of joy and happiness as my 13-year old body shook and wept with the utter depravity of true freedom -

This is what it's like to be normal.

This is what...I've wanted for so long.

I got to my feet in milliseconds. With child-like energy fueling my every move, I raced to the nearest tree and jumped out to grab it -

"ACK!"

"Ah-ah. Not yet, Levie."

That same Mage with the white moustache and beard grabbed the back of my collar and pulled me back to fall onto my bottom. I looked up shakily as my wide, tear-filled eyes stared at him fearfully -