The Book Of Fate

Bonus Chapter: His Feelings

KAI

As the crew walked through the muddy streets of Ibis Island toward their destination, Kai felt his little sister come up to him. She didn't say a word at first, she only stared up at him quizzically. Walking ahead of them were Theo, Lizzy and Gillian; Theo said something to Lizzy along the lines of "I heard that you made quite the striking man," to which she slapped his shoulder while Theo and Gillian laughed.

Kai had the strangest urge to see her laugh again.

"What's' up with you, brother?" Mina finally asked in Hannel, their native language.

"Whatever do you mean?" He played dumb in exchange. However, he could already see the small smirk tugging at his sister's mouth.

"Don't play coy with me." She warned.

He cleared his throat and his eyes involuntarily wandered to Gillian's back, she was submerged in a seemingly fun conversation with Lizzy and Theo. "I don't know what you're talking about, Mina."

"You're a terrible liar and you know that. So cut to the chase and spit it out... please."

He sighed. "I... don't know..."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Mina raised her eyebrows. "You've been acting weird since we met with the Reeves, don't you know why?"

Kai swallowed and looked up, shielding the sun with his hand. In truth, he knew already what it was, he had caught himself a couple of times just staring at that very pretty freckled girl. But he didn't want to admit it, he didn't want to face it, he... he just couldn't. He was trying to ignore his crush, but it kept creeping up on him. He always took pride in his rationality, but he had underestimated the power of attraction. He knew it wasn't love, but he sure as hell wasn't indifferent.

"Whatever... What's important is getting on the ship in time." He said flatly. They were making their way to the southeast port of the island through various muddy and sandy passages. Palm trees loomed above them, some as tall as a building, swaying on the warm breeze of the evening, others about Mina's height, sturdy and unmovable.

"I think she likes you too, you know?" Mina pressed on with a smirk. She sneakily glanced back where Alan seemed to be lost in thought and then whispered on her brother's ear. "Gillian, I mean."

A slight blush crept over the northerner's ears and he wished, if not for the first time, that his hair was longer so nobody would notice. Mina beamed before a mischievous look took her eyes.

"I've known you for fifteen years, brother, and I never thought I'd see the day when you blushed upon a girl's name," she sighed, relieved. "Honestly, I thought I was never going to be an aunt, you know?"

Kai felt his eyes widen as his eyebrows shot up to the skies. He knew his sister could sometimes have some odd thoughts, but to think that she had even worried about being an aunt at fifteen years of age... Then, as if a cold bucket of ice water had been emptied over him, he remembered something, and shock was replaced with sadness. He couldn't tell Mina that last night he had coughed up blood, he couldn't really tell her that her wish would never become true. "Don't speak nonsense."

"I know we're on a mission," Mina rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't let you stay here right now after we've finally gotten this far. But... I'm not ruling out the option of a romantic reunion somewhat in the future, you know? After all of this is done and over with. After we save Mom."

Kai smiled sadly. "Perhaps," he said and he knew he was lying, but a small part of him wanted to believe in that perhaps, in the possibility that, when all was said and done, he might still be alive.

His eyes wandered back to Gillian, and he was surprised to find her peeking back at him. She whirled around, a blush creeping up her ears, and he couldn't hide the smile that crept up his features. It would be nice, he thought, to be alive for just a little more.