His Gaze

Chapter III: What If

"Ehh..? You want me to.. do a public performance..?"

"Can you?? Please!! It's my last request.."

According to the Akademiya, the act of public performance had been banned. So Nilou definitely wanted to decline.
But the person requesting was a mother.
A mother with a deceased child.
She wanted to bring her child to see a performance, and she preferred for it to be outdoors so that she could experience the world as she had always been inside due to her illness.
She didn't have much time.

"I.. Uhm.. I-I'll.. try my best."

"Thank you so much!!"

The mother walked away.
Nilou fell to her knees.
What have I agreed to..?

"Nilou! Are you serious?! You could be detained behind bars! It's such a risk. I told you many times not to be so nice.."
Mr. Zubayr yelled, scolding Nilou who was stiffened.

"B-But.. Mr. Zubayr, it might've be the last time the child could even see a performance so.. so.."

"Tell her to cancel! It's a risk!"

"..Yes sir..."

The red haired didn't want to disappoint the mother, but she had no choice.
A week later, something terrible happened.
A day after the performance that she cancelled, the child of the mother was pronounced dead.

"No.. No this wasn't.. No.. I-I'm sorry.."
She stared at the crying mother in despair, disbelief, despondent.
The child was probably looking forward to it.
The child could've had a happy smile on before.
The child..

You'll be okay.
You'll be okay.
You'll be okay.
You'll be okay.
You're okay.

That was the first time she didn't find joy in dancing.

-

"Nilou?"

She found herself dozed off, tears in her eyes, and her head resting on Cyno's shoulder.
Wait, her head resting on Cyno's shoulder?

"Oh— Oh m-my gosh! I'm so sorry.."

"It's.. It's alright. You fell asleep while listening to me explaining a joke."

"Ah.. Would you like to repeat it? I won't sleep this time!"

"..It's fine. Are you alright?"

"..Yes?"

"You were crying."

I was..?
Maybe it was the dream I had.
Well it wasn't entirely a dream.
It happened.

"Oh.. sorry, I just had a bad dream.."

Cyno decided not to question her further, and continued on their conversation.

"How come you're not afraid of me?"

"Afraid of you..?"
"Well.. I was."

"I know. I'm not talking about the past, I'm talking about right now. You were such a scaredy lamb back then."

"..Oh."
"Maybe because.. I've grown to you..?"