A KINGDOM OF DEAD HEARTS [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 18: UNTIL NOW. UNTIL YOU.

 She glanced to her right, and she saw Xander, a few arm-lengths from her. He stood still, gazing straight at elegarii.

Then he turned his head toward her, and a faint smile broke on his face.

Xander looked handsome. There was a certain lightness in him now. His eyes were serene, strands of his jet black hair blown by the gentle wind look wavier than what Airin had seen before.

"How is this possible, Xander? Elegarii ... we were in my apartment!" Airin was not afraid actually. She quite enjoyed the calmness here. But she just had to know.

"I have not been able to come here for a long time ..." Xander walked closer, his faint smile stayed on his face.

"What do you mean? This is elegarii, isn't it?"

Xander now stood half an arm-length from her, and he looked up to the beautiful blue sky. "I let you roam into my mind, Airin."

Airin bit her lips. She was beyond confused, but strangely she still was not afraid.

The calmness filled her with more curiosity. That, or maybe she had given up on trying to make sense of what was happening to her. "How?" that was all she asked.

"My past has prevented me from having a beautiful thought about elegarii, about the world around me. The darkness seemed to follow me, instruct me, hold me in its embrace till I suffocate in it." Xander took a long, deep breath. "Until you come into my life. Or, I come into your life, your universe. I see how you love those young ones. I would sit for hours outside and listen to all the songs you sang with them, their laughter ... their playtime happiness ... their cries ..." Xander nodded. "I stopped trying to draw long time ago, but in your universe, I try again. And I can. Now here we are. I just want you to be happy, to see elegarii in its beauty. Your wish is fulfilled, Airin."

"And this is all in your mind?" she had to make sure.

Xander nodded. "Elegarii in all its beauty, something that I never thought I could still have in the depth of my mind, it is still here. It is always here. Being in your world, with you, and those children in the school, remind me of what is beautiful, the colors in life."

"What happened in your past, Xander? I always have this nagging feeling that you have a secret ... big secret that you have kept away from me. A burden that you don't let anyone know," Airin raised her hand, and in one movement, caressed Xander's cheek.

Maybe it was just the serenity of the moment, maybe it was the fragrant smell in the air, maybe it was something she had unconsciously wanted to do – caressing Xander's cheek and the fact that Xander did not mind it, helped Airin feel more relaxed.

"My past ... I ... cannot tell you, Airin. You will hate me. You will not want to see me again, you will stay away from me. You will ..."

Airin cocked her head to the side and blurted out to Xander, "How do you know what I will do? Isn't that something for me to decide? To stay or run away from you?"

Xander did not answer.

Airin looked at the river again, and her heart grew more and more in awe with how beautiful everything was here. The river especially.

Suddenly Xander let out a groan, and he fell kneeling on the ground. His two hands grabbed the side of his head, and his breath was laborious. It was clear he was in a great pain.

"Xander!" Airin kneeled the ground next to Xander, and from the corner of her eyes, she could see the bulbous dark clouds coming fast from all direction in the sky, swallowing the beautiful blue sky. Thunder roared, and lightning started shooting down from the sky.