One Miracle [✔️] | mlbb x bbb

Chapter 38 [Epilogue]

To Petir.

Cahaya.

Petir set the letter down to the table, drawing a tense breath from his lips. The hospital room was serene and his breaths were loud-deafening, even.

All this time, and it was only now he received the answer he long wanted to hear. But now, that desire, that dream was taken from him, yet the chance was only given to him now.

If you could come back to Celestium Academy, would you?

He'd smiled and answered, Of course.

He believed that he would have a chance. Perhaps, it wouldn't be then, but it would be in the future. But now's that future, and his answer changed.

I don't want to go back.

Under the light of the moon, the boy's features were only now displayed prominently. The black marks from his leg had extended to half his body, covering most of his left arm, and now making its way to his face.

The marks covered parts of his eye. The only thing they changed was their colour. It was blood red, and he could only see in the same colour.

Petir chuckled, broken and battered. He swept the letters into the dustbin by his bed. He stood on his feet, facing the window.

His fingers curled like it wasn't wounded in the first place, and there was no pain in his bandaged leg. Instead, the similar shade of black crept on his skin, small patches peeping beneath the bandage.

He pulled his affected arm back, hands balling into a fist. I don't want to go back.

The thought fuelled his rising anger, and he smashed through the glass with inhuman strength. The black ink on his face inched towards his forehead, but it stopped.

When the nurses came to check on him, they found only an empty bed.

* * *

Tanah looked up abruptly from his book, his hand sweating. Whether from paranoia or fear, it was unknown.

He looked around the park, but he saw no one, no root cause for his reaction. Suppose he was overworking himself? It wouldn't be the first.

There was a rustle behind him, which prompted him to turn and look. He followed his instincts, setting down his textbook to search for the noise. Who would be out? It was already ten at night; far too late for a regular stroll.

He saw a child, no older than 13, trying to climb a tree. It was a short tree, but the child was young and short.

Tanah stood and headed over, which the young boy tensed instantly.

"Do you need some help?" he asked kindly.

He studied the boy's face. It was unfamiliar, a complete stranger, but there was a connection between them. Tanah felt this only once, but he would rather wait than jump to conclusions.

The boy glanced at the tree's bark and shook his head sheepishly; his hands laced.

Tanah's eyes fell on the crystal blue necklace on the boy's neck, which he smiled in return.

"So, Ais is giving you trouble, huh?" he said, looking up into the tree. He looked closely, and he could see a small, dainty figure nestled up amongst the leaves. "Don't worry. All you have to do is coax her with something sweet."

Tanah dug into his pocket and handed a blueberry-flavoured gumdrop for the boy. It was smaller than his thumb, but the boy accepted it sceptically, staring at Tanah with wide eyes.

"You know about Ais?" he squeaked.

"Yep. She used to be my kwami." Tanah tapped his pocket, and Gempa popped her head out. "This is Gempa. So, you're Delphine?"

The boy stared at Gempa, eyes wide with fascination. He gently touched Gempa's head with a finger, before breaking into a bright smile.

"She's so cute!" The boy leaned closer to Gempa. "And yes! I'm Delphine. But my name's Air."

Gempa stared at the boy's face, then promptly disappeared back into the pocket. Air sulked, then called out to his kwami, holding the sweet up.

Ais practically dove into the gummy and swallowed it in one gulp. Satisfied, she curled back into Air's jacket and slept.

Tanah chuckled. "Don't worry. Kwamis like that," he reassured him. "I'm Tanah, otherwise known as Terre."

There was no mistaking it now.

The same aura, the same life force, and the same Miraculous.

"Air, I have something to tell you, but I don't think you'll believe me."

Air blinked at him. His tilted his head. "What?"

"I had a sister," Tanah said, kneeling down to Air's height. The boy was holding the hems of his jacket. "But a long time ago, we both died fighting to save Paris."

Air nodded. He seemed to be understanding.

"I was reborn first, which I met Gempa." Tanah bit his lip. "I waited for her to come back, but she never did. That is, until I met you."

Even to him, his story sounded beyond realistic. It was like a story in a romance novel, a cliché plot in movies.

But Air nodded, eyes changing to one of understanding.

"You believe me?" Tanah stared at him. It was his turn to be surprised.

"Of course!" Air beamed, throwing his arms around Tanah's neck. "Ais told me a lot; telling me how I was like her last master, but just a boy."

He pulled away from Tanah, expression conflicted.

"But I already have a big brother," he said, crestfallen. "And I love him. And I just met you. Well, now, anyway, but-I don't know how it works. It's so complicated!"

"It's alright." Tanah ruffled Air's hair. "We can just be friends."

"No!" Air held Tanah's hand, both his hands barely larger than Tanah's palm. "You waited a long time for me, right? You're also my brother! I have two big brothers now!"

Air's smile was contagious, almost like his past self. Tanah can't help but mirror his smile, tears springing to his eyes.

"If you want it," Tanah agreed. "Then I'm okay with that."

Air nodded, throwing arms around Tanah once more.

For the first time in decades, Tanah felt himself relax in someone's warmth, even if that someone was smaller than him.

His search had finally come to an end.

* * *

Somewhere, by another tree, stood a teen. His fists were balled together, his teeth gritted.

How dare he?

Api glared at the prefect's silhouette, as if burning a hole into his back.

How dare he?

* * *

Air, I don't want you as my brother.

Api's words burned in Air's mind, repeating and repeating. It didn't stop, not even as Air pressed his hands to his eyes, the tears never stopping either.