Soon the rain stopped and Smiley woke up. First thing Smiley did was go down stairs in his half asleep stage just to find Ananke sitting on a table.
Smiley was shocked to see him there and stunned, wondering what to say but Ananke just smiled and lifted his cup inviting him to the table.
Smiley just smiled back and thought 'Sometimes it is better not to say anything' and went on to sit beside him.
Ananke gave him the cup with a drink in it and asked 'Did you make up your mind?'
Smiley just looked at Rhina lost in thought for a few seconds to which Ananke responded 'I will not force you, You have good folks here—' Smiley said 'Yea… but I guess I will go with you. I got more questions than ever.'
Ananke replied 'Very well. Have a drink' Smiley stared at the cup confused. Surely he is not one of those weird grown ups who buy alcohol for underaged youth?'
And with just a sip… he coughed it right out asking 'W-whats this?'
Smiley peeked into the Ananke cup to find it had Apple juice in it while his own cup had Malt Drink which has a bitter thick with a bad aftertaste and looked identical to apple juice.
Smiley sighed in disbelief. Ananke responded, 'Come on, do not look at me like that, It is good for your health.' If I were to give you alcohol, Miss Rhina broom would be the least of my worries.
Smiley with doubtful eyes looked at Ananke 'Then you shouldn`t have switched them?'
Ananke acted dumb 'I have no idea what you are talking about—'
Smiley cut in 'It is infamous within this tavern. Outsiders order this in curiosity to regret it. I have been in this village for years.' After all, many young people use it for punishment games and some elders drink it for health, you know.
Ananke smugged and nodded with pride 'Consider it an honor, this is my first lesson to never take drinks from stranger'
Smiley laid defeated on table as his sweet tooth could not recover from the bitter after taste which kept on growing like poison in his mouth, 'You know, I imagined you would be a strict adult but you are more childish than me'
Ananke asked 'Why? Do you prefer a stricter one?'
'Well not really' said Smiley sulking as he stared at Rhina. Ananke spoke out, 'Better say goodbyes while you still can'
Smiley kept on staring at her, 'Yea… I will tell her tonight.'
Later, night had fallen and the tavern closed up. Smiley thought as he approached Rhina 'After all, it is better to do it without anyone else since she might reject it or cry.' as he was lost in his own delusions.
Smiley approached Rhina and sat down to which she asked 'Is something wrong?' Smiley replied 'I am sorry'
Rhina asked without even looking back 'Sorry about what?'
'I am sorry for making you worry'
'Why would I be worried?'
'Oh… I thought you would have been worried about how I was acting lately. I guess I was just overthinking it'
Rhina's grip tightened on the bottle she was cleaning 'And what were you overthinking?'
Smiley replied smiling 'haha— I was afraid to look at you in the eyes thinking that you would had been disappointed at me and I was just a burden—'
A slap echoed in the room.
He still had a small curve on his face with a smile 'Huh…' as he turned his face towards Rhina.
But Smiley's smile faded the moment he saw tears in her eyes while her hand, still shaking. This was the first time she had hit him…?
At that moment, Smiley's eyes darkened as he felt something odd in his heart— like crushing pain. Something was binding his heart.
Smiley's mind was confused and felt like the whole room was spinning as everything darkened. He wondered 'What is this… Confusion? Disappointment? Burden? Did I do something wrong again? Fear? Empathy— What did I do…'
Smiley's mind went blank, his eyes went blurry and light left his eyes as he thought in complete silence… 'Nothing… Nothing is coming to my mind…'
His mind was forcefully emptied once again just like before. Not knowing what was happening himself.
Smiley felt at complete loss. He was not able to find anything to blame himself for or rather he was not even able to feel his own emotions.
Smiley tried to ask while smiling 'Why are you crying—' but was cut in.
Rhina cried 'Why do you always have to choose others over yourself? I-It hurts my heart everytime I see you like that…'
Smiley tried to play dumb 'Choosing others over myself? What do you mean'
Rhina said 'You are doing that even now. You just keep smiling instead of trying to talk how you really feel'
Smiley who had only "tried to not be a burden his entire life and smiled for all" could not figure out that his own smile could have become a misery for someone else. Misery for someone who really cared for him.
And yet the only words Smiley could find was 'I— am sorry' as his smile vanished. Smiley looked down, completely at a loss and felt disappointed in himself.
But this time Rhina's response was different from the first time. She just hugged the boy and patted him on the head saying 'Now that is much better'
'It hurts so bad' he thought and looked like he was about to puke out his heart and cry out from pain alone. His eyes were blank and shaking like a man staring at death, yet it was nothing compared to Rhina's arms shaking more from fear of losing the boy's humanity as he failed to show normal emotions.
Ananke had told Rhina about Smiley's condition of how he lost some of his emotions due to his past. What Rhina thought of as him trying to act like an adult as "Cute" was nothing more than the boy's emotions slowly erasing themself.
It was even possible for her to live all her life without even knowing such a thing. Maybe that is why Fariz kept telling him to "be free"
Smiley thought to himself 'Has— this happened before?' as he rested his eyes in peace.
Rhina said quietly, 'Their death was not your fault. Nor were you a burden that we carry. You were… just you just like how we were just us. I am sorry for not noticing it any sooner. I am sorry I never realized Ked was not a name. I am sorry I was not enough—'
Smiley cuts in 'You fed me, bathed me, gave me a room to sleep in but now you saying that really is not fair'
Rhina said smiling 'So from now on. Never lie to me again' but her hands were still shaking more than the boy himself.
The moment the boy opened his eyes, the light had returned back to his eyes and the pain that bounded his heart vanished.
Smiley felt at ease upon hearing those words and a sudden rush of emotion returned back to him. Something he had forgotten that he himself could no longer describe as he felt at peace.
Smiley just nodded in response with half opened eyes that seemed like they could fall asleep in her arms while outside the tavern stood Ella against the wall in the moon light shined upon her to which she just smiled while whispering something to herself.
Smiley now stood back up and was ready to go upstairs back to the room but Rhina stopped him and said 'You still have not told me what you came here for'
Smiley paused and turned back 'Oh— umm you see…' but he paused. He was struggling to find any words to say after what happened.
'I-I wanted to'
Rhina just smiled 'I know, take care of yourself'
Smiley seemed puzzled, still stuck in his delusion of how she would reject it or cry about him not going but she simply smiled back… of course after slapping him.
Rhina thought 'I had already made up my mind long ago to let you do what you wanted to do… as long as it is not dangerous— Illegal or bad for you… or something that will hurt you…'
While Smiley was not his son, she treated him like one and she did not want to be the chains that held him back from doing what he really wished for as he was already old enough to decide for himself so she simply smiled as he continued to grow towards his goal.
'or if it is harmful… and if there are weirdos who will try to take advantage of you or—'
She just kept on talking to herself for a long time while Smiley had already fallen asleep waiting for her to finish.
She glanced at Smiley and then towards the wall behind the counter where a poorly made knife made of stick and stones was hanging on the wall in a frame like a prized possession.
She just smiled as she looked at it for a few passing moments recalling how Ked made it for her as a gift and showed it off like a legendary sword from a fairy tale.
—
Later, right at the near daybreak while it still was dark, Smiley was sleeping in his room. Rhina was behind the counter cleaning up bottles.
Ella entered and walked across the tavern smiling, unnoticed by Rhina. She headed upstairs, unnoticed by Ananke and walked through the hallway, unnoticed by all with her arms behind her back, even walking backwards. He paused near Smiley's door and turned her head towards it.
Ella opened the door, passing the wind set up by Ananke to protect Smiley from any incidents like Rabido. It felt more like the wind itself welcomed her and remained silent of her presence.
She just smiled seeing him Smiley sleeping as she walked over him, 'Having the same nightmare again?'
Smiley was groaning in his sleep, feeling uneasy like trying to escape as his body made erratic moments.
She gently put her palm against Smiley's chest as she smiled 'Smiley, I guess this is the end. You do not need me anymore so I hope to never see you again.'
Her body started glowing white like shining waves and she slowly started to disappear.
Her skin turned pale white, her hair turned sky blue and her eyes shined vivid blue like those of awakened but her rose had a pattern of rose permanently engraved onto it.
'Till the next time.' she tilted her head smiling yet her eyes were leaking tears.
She kissed him on his cheek whispering 'My dear brother~' as she
Smiley had no sister he remembered of yet the way she cared for him and embraced him just told another story.
Yet with that, Smiley calmed down but Ella's body also disappeared.
Smiley's chest started to shine white like the manifestation of originality itself yet something dark was dwelling with it— like a snake pit of two different colors crawling on top of one other.
Smiley woke up sweating and the moment he sat up, the night vanished as the sun bloomed, shining against his face from the window.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Extra Chapter:
Rhina And Cor talking about Smiley Future
Cor telling Rhina how she should let him go if he wants to
Rhina shows her concerns 'But what if that Ananke is a kidnapper and hurt the boy or kidnap him'
Cor looked fooled "… He is the national hero. I doubt even everyone of us together can even stop him if he wants to kidnap that boy"
Rhina smiled gently and brightly 'You think I will just sit back. If he dares to hurt him. I will make sure he never lives another day'
Cor was reminded of why she was called the "Broom Demon*" and thought 'Why do I think she really can… scary'
^* (Note: "Broom" is a wordplay of "Bloom" which is a sign of awakening.)