The Seed of Hope

Chapter 36: The Blessing

Kate has never attempted to learn how to drive, she never had to, and considering her island was relatively small and she could just walk everywhere. Regardless, she was learning pretty fast with Naoko and Rai's lessons. While her friends rested, she drove. Logan also learned to get behind the wheel and to their surprise, he learned a lot faster than both Ivee and Kate. It was common sense, he told them.

Rai, Ivee, and Kate were asleep in the back seat and Naoko stayed up with Logan as he drove.

-"We're almost out of gas again..."- Naoko sighed. Logan only hummed.

She turned to see Logan's stoic face, beams of light from other passing cars illuminated his face and features. He is more human than many people out there, how can someone like that come from a place like The Fallen Kingdom?

-"Kate mentioned that you are part of the Great Seven...and that you originally were sent to kill her...is this true?"- Naoko asked. She knew the answer because she trusted Kate with her life. But she wanted Logan to confess, she wanted to hear it from his own mouth.

Logan took a long pause and sighed -"Yes, I am and was trained to...for many, many years."- He answered after a few seconds of silence.

-"Why didn't you say anything?"- Naoko lowered her voice to not disturb the snoring passengers in the back.

-"Kate asked me the same question...and in all honesty, I was concerned about how all of you will react. I mean, think about it...besides, It did take me a little while to confess to her after I started regaining my memory. There are so many things that I still need to tell her and I don't know where to start."-

Naoko pushed her eyebrows together, slightly concerned. -"How many things have you been keeping from us? From her, Logan?"- Naoko looked back at Kate, looking how she had a calm look on her sleeping face despite Ivee's foot shoved on the side of it.

-"I don't want to keep anything from her, Nao...I want her to know everything...I—"- Logan trailed off.

Naoko knew what he was about to say. She advised Kate to step away from them before anything else got out of hand and everyone involved ends up heartbroken.

-"You love her...?"- Naoko whispered to him, knowing the answer already.

Logan remained quiet, one hand on the wheel and the other formed into a relaxed fist pressed against his lips. Naoko sighed and chuckled.

-"Ever since I met her, I've always been the one running after men...always putting myself out there, desperate for their attention. Stupid."- Naoko leaned against the window. -"Kate has always been closed off, an introvert, and then we all came along and opened her up like a blooming lotus flower. She never had any interest in men or relationships and yet, so many people loved her, she got all the boys. How ironic..."- She remained quiet for a few seconds.

-"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for her...I'm not envious or anything..."-

-"I wasn't thinking that."- Logan said.

-"Good, I just wonder when will it be my time...that's all..."-

Traffic signs came to view, signaling an approaching town named Keya, twenty miles west.

-"That's our next stop, you think we'll make it?"- Naoko slouched getting into a comfortable position.

-"Just barely, but we'll be fine."-

Kate steadily breathed as her consciousness dove deeper into the subconsciousness. The passing car lights on the other side of her eyelids faded into a pinky hue.