If only he didn't.

CHAPTER 23, THE SUN AND THE MOON BOTH SHINE BRIGHT ON YOU (HERO POV)

KEL sat on his carpet, leaning against the frame of his bed, not actually doing much, but doing something. AUBREY sat patiently on the floor as MARI, also sitting on the floor, experimented on her hair, braiding it or continuously brushing it, maybe even adding a hair clip that disappeared in AUBREY's hair. MARI hummed a melody, a melody of which she had talked about always, the melody of the recital, the most important event in her life. SUNNY sat on a pillow he just found, yawning and looking at the floor. BASIL was slightly busy with helping his grandmother, she had a slight cold and therefore couldn't join us. But what did I do? Nothing strange, just watching MARI's coordination with AUBREY's hair, watching MARI's body shine bright and beautifully from the sun's help and purity. 

"I'm kinda thirsty..." KEL stretched before standing up. 

"Go get a drink for yourself, KEL. Either downstairs or at the vending machine close by." AUBREY replied, before looking at herself in a small mirror MARI handed her earlier.

"But I don't have any moneeeeey." KEL yawned and showed the pockets of his shorts, empty, as usual. 

"Hah." SUNNY quietly chuckled before turning completely silent again. 

"Do you want money, KEL? What do you need for an ORANGE JOE?...Uh, 2 dollars?" I took 2 dollars out of my pocket, and immediately as I took them out, they were swiftly grabbed and put into another one's pocket. Hmm, I wonder whose pocket...

"Sweet!" KEL muttered under his breath before running down the stairs and disappearing. 

"MARI, can I go real quickly? I'll be back soon, I just want to get a SODIE POP, is that okay? Can I borrow quickly from you? I'll compromise it, I promise!" AUBREY turned around, facing MARI and smiled. 

"Of course! You don't have to ask! You don't have to give anything back, AUBREY, don't worry about it." MARI handed 2 dollars to her and AUBREY left quickly, with a Thank you! and a loud noise of her almost falling down the stairs.

SUNNY just kind of left, before he left though, he slightly smirked at me, before closing the door. 

"I'm kind of tired, I'll probably go. Do you think they'll know if I leave? Will they come back sooner?" MARI slightly yawned and stretched. 

"I'm not- I'm not very sure, honestly, sometimes they get on with it faster, sometimes they hang out and go do something else, you know?" I replied, slowly inching closer to her "Do you have a headache? If you're that tired, you can stay here, i-if you want." 

"No, it's fine! I'm sure it's fine. Unless you want me to stay? How cute!" She giggled before taking my hand, enveloping my hand into both of hers, the light shining beautifully, but not as radiant as she did. Not as bright as I felt when I felt her touch. For me, even the smallest sense of touch can affect me, especially from her. 

"Well- Uh- Hah! Ah...Well- If- Ahem...You know- God! I mean...No, yeah, of course! Of course I want you to stay, we're friends, friends are better together, we're...We're friends, right?" 

"Of course, HERO! Of course, we're friends! I'd say even more! God...I'm so tired right now...Ah, so tired, woe is me...I am just so tired...If only someone could, you know, carry me? My legs refuse to work! Especially my knee! But my legs! Oh, woe is me! Shall I sit on the ground, holding one's hand, and fall asleep as so? Oh, woe is me, for I have been cursed! Oh, who shall carry me to their place of slumber? Oh, I shan't...I shan't be reassured of my safety and brought to a place of slumber, Oh..." She dramatically close her eyes, enunciating each and every of her words. The dramatic and demanding MARI had been brought upon me, I wonder what she desires? Be carried to bed? She's so demanding sometimes, but I love it when she is, she's a wonderful and organized...Beauty. 

"If you wanted me to carry you to my bed, you could've just told me, MARMALADE." I let go of her hands as she continued her seemingly never ending rambling, as I carefully wrapped my around her back and her knees, making sure she was comfortable, as her rambling changed into a sort of "Oh, how lucky am I? My wish has been granted! I sure hope that one will complete my wish and finish by carrying me onto one's place of rest?" as I lifted her gently, she giggled with complete glee and comfort. 

"Oh wow, what a coincidence! You're carrying me as if I was a bride! Do you really consider me one now? Oh, be patient, my dear HERO! We will get married soon! You must be patient, my dear! Is that a coincidence, though?" She smiled, rustling with my hair as I was already at the bed. It was honestly a breeze...Especially having a beauty so close to me...Ah, how lucky was I? (I sound absolutely terrible)

I slowly put her down on the bed, I kinda spent a long time making it, gosh, I had to do it all over again, like everyday. But it didn't matter at the moment, nothing did. 

"Earth to HERO? Earth-to-HERO? Hi hi! Hey-Hey!" Her smile shined brighter and prettier, as she waved at me, trying to catch my attention I quickly lost thinking of the future, and also my bed. 

"Y-Yeah? Sorry, MARI. Let me help you." As she lay on the bed, I gently got on the bed with her, with my blanket in my grasp, soon to cover her with the blanke-

A door opened loudly. 

"Hi HER-...What- What happened?" KEL stood out of the door, with AUBREY, SUNNY behind him and BASIL who just arrived with them. 

I quickly got off her, she immediately got off my bed. Both blank-faced. Both red from embarrassment. 

"Were you- Were you busy? Sorry. We just wanna like...Like- Yeah, like-" 

AUBREY gently smiled, pulling KEL out of the room "We just wanted to get KEL's STUPID water pistol! 'Cause he wanted to STUPIDLY shoot water at cars! Who does that?" 

"AUBREY, I think...I think that was your idea, haha..." BASIL tapped her shoulder. 

"I know that! So anyways, what were you two doing? We got SODIES and STUPID KEL got an ORANGE JOE. We also saw BASIL who just came back, as his GRANDMA was feeling better!! He's here now! Also, we wanted to go explore the outside more, so we came back for water guns! And we kinda found you like that..." AUBREY rambled on about their adventures and plan, so similarly to MARI...

"MARI was just a little tired, and I was...Uh- Taking her to bed. Tucking her in, you know?" I nodded, panicking and thinking of an excuse, when I didn't need to, there was an already clear excuse, just not that fantastic for some gullible children. 

"No, yeah! Exactly! Yeah! I was just suddenly very tired. Just tired from today." She smiled, also panicking, giving a quick nod to them "Also, please don't tell 父 (Father), he'll murder me, and HERO.

SUNNY looked at MARI, narrowing his eyes before mouthing "Okay."

Well...What happened after that catastrophe? Ah...Nothing I'd like to remember...Word got around that I slept with MARI. Jesus, right? I wonder who spread that rumor! Must be my brother! God! I got scolded by my parents, and kind of a glare from MARI's DAD, and an apology from her MOM. 

Before I experienced the pain, confusion and scolding of everything, I stood in front of a door. It was night. The girl of my dreams, MARI, stood in front of me, outside. She apologized, held my hand gently. The moonlight shining brightly and reflecting onto her. Her beauty unmatched with the beauty of the moon, shining bright, but she shined brighter. The sun and the moon both shine bright on you, MARI.





THANKS FOR READING, IF A TOPIC EVER MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE, PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT IT, OR IF YOU HAVE A SUGGESTION YOU'D LIKE ME TO WRITE OR INTERPRET, TALK TO ME ABOUT IT AND WE CAN DISCUSS IT. LOVE YOU ALL, THANK YOU FOR 900+ VIEWS. ALSO THIS CHAPTER WAS LOOSELY(?) BASED ON CHAPTER 16!