How Sweet Is To Be Loved By Her

Lavender Under The Sun

This tiny island located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean was known as the Education Hub of the World. Ten years back when it opened its gate to the international students, that was when this island, also known as Whale Island, got the global spotlight.
You could find students from every age group, from every race, from every corner of the globe here.

Nara stood alone at the airport terminal, looking over the glass windows, wearing a disgruntled expression.

It was late in the afternoon and still the bus which was supposed to take them over wasn't here yet.

The airport exit was packed with students wearing different kinds of uniforms, blazers of red, green, white, black, some checkered, some plain, it was like looking at a poppy field except the poppies were way too loud.

She looked over her watch, 3.48.

It must be midday over there, she thought.

As she searched for a familiar face among the unfamiliar crowd, a sudden startled exclamation came from afar.

Nara turned around to see the source of the commotion, when she felt the wind knocked out of her body.

With her trying to regain her balance while at the same time figuring to comprehend the situation, she suddenly felt a strong pair of hands supporting her back.

The pale afternoon sun was filtering through the glass case, she hadn't yet turned to see the identity of her savior when Nara met a pair of eyes, just right in front of her, just a breath away.

The color of the eyes reminded her of the lavender fields she used to visit with her brother. It wasn't one color of lavender, it was like looking at a pallet of every shade of purple.

It was mesmerizing to watch.

Then those eyes disappeared just as soon as they had appeared, leaving Nara, for the first time in her young life, stunned.

What followed the disappearance of that one was the thundering steps of the men and women in black suits.

Must be an important person, she mused.

She stood there, still, as still as a tiger in hiding when she suddenly noticed the lock of white hair on her shoulder.
Remembering, she quickly turned around to see a familiar face, 'Took you long enough,' he grinned, 'thought that gal woo'ed you away.'

It was a smile she knew very well, after all, they had known each other for many years.

This was Ben.

A boy who looked tall for his age yet at the same time too skinny for his peers.
He had shoulder length white hair, due to albinism, he had once revealed, though it never explained his blue eyes.
Weren't albinos supposed to have pink eyes?

His face looked sharp, his jawline looked as if it was carved. Though his cheeks still had some baby fat left.
Mother often told Ben's lips were the color of the raspberries they had grown in their garden. But Nara knew it was due to the lipstick he frequently applied on those flaps.

His teeth were never shown when he laughed but his smile was infectious, making others around him smile as well.

He had that one red spot, a single pimple on his chin that often made him restless.

He looked as if he was in the twilight of a boy and a man.

Aren't we all, she thought bitterly, at the twilight of adulthood?

Looking at him, Nara was once again reminded of the white horse she read in fairytales in her childhood.  Her brother would often read it to her, a white horse which a brave prince rides upon.
To go on a quest to save a princess or to go to a war.

She often meant it as a compliment but Ben never took it.

'Hello? Earth to Nara, you okay, bud?'

Nara shook her head, gave a frown and said, 'Where were you? Didn't Mother say to stick together?'

Ben laughed and turned his face towards the exit,'C'mon' he said, 'we're finally free for the first time, cut me some slack…let's go to the bus terminus, it's waiting for us.'

'Already?!' Nara exclaimed, finally distracted from her cloud of thought, picked up her luggage and jogged towards the end.

Ben kept with her pace, occasionally commenting on the people they passed by.

The appearance of Ben did turn some heads but Nara no longer cared, all she wanted was to reach the school as soon as possible.

There was already quite a crowd in front of the bus where a board written,'STUDENTS OF SILVERMORE ACADEMY ALIGHT HERE' stood clearly.

After confirming her name was indeed there on the roster, Nara stood there waiting in line to climb upon the bus. All around her, buses displaying different school names were all lined up. Here and there, students carrying heavy luggage walked everywhere.

Somehow it was even more chaotic than it was at the airport.

The sky had turned a lovely shade of pink and purple, reminding her, once again, of those pairs of eyes she had seen in the pale sunlight.

Nara climbed on her seat, with Ben sitting in the seat adjacent to her, her luggage well placed at the back.

With everything ready, the engine revved back to life and before they knew it, they had left the airport far behind. Far enough until that building looked like a lego block with its toy airplanes still arriving.

Nara's mind was empty, which was a bit unusual, but the whole journey had taken more of a toll than she had originally thought.

Her eyelids felt heavy as she looked down on her hands. Someone's fingers were tapping lightly on hers.

The last thing she saw was Ben's slender hands on her wrists, he was trying to say something to her,

…Fourth Princess…today…

But she couldn't hear anymore. Her eyelids closed and she drifted off to a slumber.