[Nowo's POV]

Not so long ago, after the flower learned how to survive from the unpleasant happenings around her, even though the sunlight remained unseen, it didn't stop her from blooming slowly. The color of her petals is starting to fade in, and a small amount of hope is also beginning to sprout from her.

As I go back to reality, learning how to use this sword is never an easy task for me or for anybody else, except for Helios, who seemed to be an expert at wielding this heavy sword since the day he learned how to walk.

"Let's take a break," I suggested while catching my breath.

We have been training for a week now, with a maximum of eight hours a day, which seems like a working hour for me, but instead of holding papers, we're both gripping our sword handles.

He smiled and took a deep breath as well. "Okay then. I'll give you a minute to rest," he told me as he wiped his sweaty forehead.

Helios is such a great fighter. If there will be a match between the two of us, I can surely say that I wouldn't stand a chance against him. Maybe he inherited these skills from one of his parents? Or maybe both? It makes me wonder what kind of mother and father I have.

I let out a deep breath as I look around the room. The fact that I could feel my slumpy shoulders are about to fall anytime, and he, on the other hand, never showed any signs of tiredness even though we rarely take a rest during our training time. It makes me wonder if he's some kind of a rock or something.

I sat on the long wooden bench near the window and started leaning my back against the wall. I began to let out a short breath before I looked around the wide, gloomy room. My peripheral vision shows me that Helios is heading towards me. He sat beside me, with both of his hands tightly gripped on the golden handle of his weapon, which he pointed downwards.

He leaned his chin on top of his hands and asked, "Looking for Moha?"

His unexpected question caught my attention. I tilted my head and faced him with my forehead creased, "Of course not." I hardly responded.

"Come on. I'm just kidding," he winced.

I'm not annoyed about what he said, but I still chose to look away from him and stay quiet for the whole time we're having a break. Maybe, I just don't like the idea of getting caught.

Well, I am also half guilty because honestly, I'm literally looking for him. I've never seen my best friend for a week, nor the others using long-range weapons.

"I wish we could train somewhere else too," I uttered without even minding the words I just spilled.

"So, my guess is right. You are really looking for him," he urged, then stood up right after.

Is he some kind of a mind reader?

"Please, stop," I fretted.

He started flashing a wide smile and said, "Okay, break time is over. Let's continue our training. You still have lots to learn about, My lady."

I've decided not to give much attention to what he said. Maybe he's trying to test my patience, but my evil best friend already trained me for that. He's way more annoying than this man.

[Moha's POV]

My mission is preventing me from doing what my heart really wants. Seeing my best friend spending her time with another man makes me lose my focus on whatever I'm doing.

Luna clutched her hand on my right shoulder and began to ask, "Moha. Are you with me?"

"Sorry, what did you say, Luna?" I queried.

"Nothing. Nevermind." Her once bright face turned into a blank expression.

Based on my experiences with Nowo, I'm aware that I don't have that kind of ability to entertain a certain woman. I guess that's why she couldn't stand my presence and began to rely on someone else.

Luna and I started to walk through the dark forest to hunt and train our archery skills. We went out together with the others who are using slingshots. Arphen was the one who suggested that we must train in a much wider place, that's why we went here.

We have honestly been trying to hunt for a week now, but we couldn't find any wild animals, just a bunch of crows, bats, etc.

"Don't you feel something weird, Moha?" Luna asked me with a shaky voice. She was walking behind me at that time, so I decided to turn around, and then I saw her hugging herself as she lowered her gaze.

I walked towards her. I stretched my arms and held her right shoulder. "Yeah. I can feel it too."

A few minutes after that, we both heard the sound of crashing dry leaves, and then a sudden howling wind coming from the west part from where we were standing began to catch our attention.

I faced the direction from where the creepy sounds came from and aimed my arrow at it.

"1..2..3...shot." I knew at this moment that my arrow caught something a few meters away from us.

We both walked our way to its direction.

"A crow?" Luna urged, still with a shaky voice.

There's blood dripping from the hole in its wings. The crow continuously makes a slight caw sound like it's asking for help.

"Shall we take her to our base?" She asked me. I pulled her arms while she was about to touch it.

"Wait," I said with a straight face. Though I am not the one with a fondness for animals, I still do care for living things. It's just that I feel strange about this crow's sudden appearance.

I pulled my arrow from its wing and said, "Just leave this crow here."

"But..." She almost insisted.

"Let's go, Luna," I uttered right before I turned around and started to walk.

[Nowo's POV]

It's almost nighttime, so Helios and I have decided to end our training. Oh well, let me rephrase that; I almost forgot that there's no such day in this place. That thought made me chuckle.

I saw Lane crossing her arms, giving me a lazy look. "What's with the good mood, my dear?" She fretted. "Did you perhaps start to enjoy the company of that strong-looking man?" She added.

I'm not really sure why she was acting far away from her usual self since the day we met Helios. I even remember asking her why she's acting like that, but then I received no response from her.

I started stretching my right arm and trapped her body inside my hand. She consistently crossed her arms and pouted her lips at the same time. Then I began to face her, but she was avoiding my gaze.

"Are you mad at me, Lane?" I asked her and my forehead began to crease.

"No!" She fretted.

Though I wanted to figure out why she's acting so differently, the exhaustion I am feeling right now made me give up my questioning. I sighed right before I let go of her.

We were both surrounded by nothing but silence, but the sound of footsteps heading in our direction broke the silence between me and my guardian. We are now facing a set of people with long-range weapons. Luna and Moha were beside each other behind them, and the two other orphans followed. The guy's name, from what I clearly remember, was Raiden. He's the one I saw back then having fun with the other girls the first day we went on the training ground. I'm not sure about the girl's name, but it seems like she doesn't like the idea of bumping into people. The way she locks her red eyes on us made me feel uncomfortable. If only staring could kill, then I'm definitely dead by now.

"I'm heading first," she coldly said, walking away from us. I can't help but admire her strong aura and her neatly braided long gray hair.

Raiden smiled at us and waved us goodbye. I envy him for being such a lively person, I uttered in my mind. Luna also left after flashing a weak smile on her face. I responded with a smile to both of them after they completely looked away from my direction. I was waiting for my best friend's approach, but he wasn't paying much attention to us.

Before I even started to lift my feet towards my room, the little fairy flew near my best friend.

"Moha!" Lane greeted him in a high tone. "Where's Talaa?" She asked him.

He shrugged and said, "I don't know… Maybe he---"

"I'm here." The male fairy suddenly came out from Moha's pocket, yawning. He started stretching his arms and feet.

"I didn't know you were there, buddy." I thought Moha would either be surprised or mad, but then he was just wearing an unusual blank expression. His shoulders are also slumped.

"Hey buddy," Talaa greeted him and then yawned.

Their conversation was lame, and I feel like they both wanted to take a rest. Talaa's eyes suddenly went to both of us and started to give us a warm wide smile while scratching the back of his head.

"Waking up with two wonderful ladies in front of me? Not bad."

I guess I have to get used to this little male fairy's personality.

"Hey Talaa. How's life inside Moha's pocket?" I joked.

He let out a short laugh. I thought I could get my best friend's attention with that silly joke, because I knew he loves hearing things like that, but then,

"Sorry. I'm going now. Have a good sleep, Nowo and Lane." He seriously said while rubbing his eyes.

We were the only ones left in a gloomy hallway. I raised my head to check on my fairy, but she wasn't there anymore. I guess she already went back to our room, which is not too far away from where I am standing.

Due to exhaustion, I quickly put my sword down on a long wooden table and threw myself onto my bed.

"Ouchiee~" I heard a little voice coming somewhere near my nape. I rolled, and now I'm lying on my face. "That really hurts." She complained.

"Sorry, Lane." I apologize with a lazy tone. So, this is what it feels like to respond without putting too much emotion. Now I know that Moha was just tired back then, that's why he couldn't speak to me in a lively way.

But I'm his best friend, though.

I can feel her lying on my back. "Now, I'm fine, Nowo dear. Sorry for acting really weird these past few days. I just feel so down, and I feel like I needed to see someone to make me feel okay."

Based on her explanation, I have realized that the reason why she's acting so indifferent is that she misses Talaa.

Well, the moment I saw Moha, it felt like my heart was going to pop out of my chest. Though he didn't pay attention to me earlier, I can still feel the happiness building inside me, which made me feel calm as well.

"I know you miss him too." She murmured. She was flashing her sweetest smile the moment I stared at her.

"W-what?" I asked her while widening my eyes a bit.

She started giggling and responded, "I said I know you miss your best friend like how I miss mine. I can feel it."

Maybe the reason why she has that strong instinct is that we share the same fate and life. Maybe she knows what I really feel but much more than I do.

I didn't give her a response and started burying my face on my bed.

"Anyway, I promise I will never act weirdly again, my dear Nowo." She told me.

"It's okay, I understand. Let's get some rest for now." I responded. "Goodnight, Lane."

"Goodnight, Nowo."

-----"The art of falling in love is really dangerous. Especially when it suddenly happens at the wrong time. Though you want to admire and explore its beauty, the unusual feeling of heaviness will pull you away from it."-----