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Today would be the day her interviews end. Today would mark the start of Roman Alaric's new life. Calls had been made, documents had been signed, all that's left to do was to step in and out, making sure he was not stepped on.
Tag felt horrible. Her head felt like lead, her eyes swollen, and her voice raspy—the common cold, her friends told her. It's that time of the year. But despite all that, she did not stop herself from coming. She knew the actual reason for her condition, but too embarrassed to admit that she had been crying all night long.
Today would be the day his interviews end, today would mark the start of Roman Alaric's new life, today would be the day The Great Roman Alaric started to belong to everyone, starting from that day, he wouldn't have any reason to meet her. Today would be the day she said goodbye.
When she got there, it's past 15 minutes from their hour of agreement. Roman Alaric was already sitting on his usual spot, back straight, hands clasped, face emotionless.
" I apologize for my tardiness, Mister Roman." She said as she sat down in front of him. " I'm afraid that I'm not in a prime condition today."
" I thought you bailed on me."
She stared at him for a long time, " Do I look like that kind of person, Mister Roman?"
The other party only shrugged.
Tag got her equipment out of her bag, set them up as usual, and gave out a signal that they're going to start the recording.
" Good afternoon, Mister Roman. Shall we start?"
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" How does it feel, to once again be a free man?"
" I of course am, excited. I'm very grateful for this opportunity...click
...very grateful for these opportunities...click
...very...click
This opport—click-click"
—" How does it feel, to once again be a free man?"
Pathetic. That's how she felt about herself. She could hear it in her voice; she could hear it from miles away. That's the sound of someone burning themself in jealousy. What was she jealous of? The popularity that Roman Alaric would gain? It was her idea in the first place. The power and profit he would have once Tag published her writings? She was never one chasing after those kinds of things.
Who was she kidding? She knew the answer all along. She admitted it to herself; she confessed it to this very recorder, the one that held many facets of Roman Alaric, one that recorded his laughter, his distraught voice, his particular way of saying his name—full of pride. She's jealous to everyone else that would get to be by his side, she's jealous of Mielle Renner despite her being dead long time ago, she's jealous of the only names Roman Alaric ever mentioned during their interviews—for they knew the Roman Alaric that Amara Minerva Tag didn't.
She fiddled with the recorder on her hand before finally pressed the play button.
" Good afternoon, Mister Roman. Shall we start?"
" By any means."
Pages were being flipped over, Tag murmured to herself, reading her last notes, and engaged Roman Alaric in small talk. As per usual, she would slowly divert the topic, making the transition as smooth as possible. Later, these recordings would be made into a CD and copied as part of the book. Tag figured that not everyone was willing to read someone else's biography, even more so when they're not particularly fond of the book's subject. But they might be interested in an audiobook with some parts consisted of the actual interview between the interviewer and interviewee, they could listen to it on their way home, on their car, on the bus, and during breaks. When she mentioned this idea to her publisher, he was very into it.
" Let's talk about your plans after this. I heard you got all your assets back?"
" Yes, I asked my friend to keep a hold on it while I was away. However, I may not going to continue my father's business."
" What are you going to do then?"
" When I was a little boy, my dream was to be the king of a kingdom that I build on my own. How does that sound?" After saying that, she remembered that she could see a slight twinkle of mischief in his eyes, despite his whole face was as still as a statue.
" I have never been the kind of person that would laugh at other people's dreams, but I might give you slight advice on how unrealistic that was."
" I was just a kid."
" Alright then, what's your plan as a grown-up, Mister Roman?"
Sound of rustling clothes, Roman Alaric were leaning back to his chair. Tag remembered the way he tipped his head back to see the white ceiling above them. " I would like to build my own kingdom; I guess I never grow out of that. I want to make my corporation, building it from scratch. I was successful, but only because I inherited it from my father. I want to be who I was with my strength, then gradually becomes better, and finally the best."
Tag blinked back her tears. She did the same thing during the interview. No matter how many times she heard it, that would always be her favorite part. It showed his determination, his raw pain, and his stubborn will to fight. She believed in him, just like she did 10 years ago.
And when that time came, Amara Minerva Tag would be the very first person to congratulate him, just like tomorrow, when Roman Alaric would finally be free.
YOU ARE READING
Solitude
Short Story" And I would like to personally thank someone who pushed me out of my dark cell-quite literally and figuratively. If you had read their work, my biography that is, you would see how hard they worked, how beautiful they told the stories of my past...
