I Need You
“Why are you screaming?” Vagamound felt that his ears might go deaf if he continued to listen to such an intense, high-pitched voice.
Seeing that the girl wasn't stopping sooner, he quickly said. “Stop screaming. I've already set up a noise-cancelling barrier in front of the door. So no matter how much you scream, I'm the only one who's going to hear it.”
“You… What are you doing in the girls' restroom? Are you here to hurt me?” My body trembled as I looked at Vagamound with a look of fear in my eyes.
“Calm down.” Vagamound strode over. “You might go into shock if your heart keeps pounding like that.”
Seeing him walking over, I immediately moved backward. “Stop! Don't come near me.”
Vagamound saw that the girl in front of him was very afraid of him, but that didn't stop him from approaching her.
“Please.” Seeing him continuing his steps forward, I immediately broke down into tears. “Please don't kill me. I'm innocent. I'm not the one who murdered the princess.”
“I know.” Vagamound finally stopped, looking at the trembling figure before him. “I need your help, Belia.”
“My help?” Still with tears in my eyes, I looked up at him, confused.
“I need you, Belia.”
Before I knew what was happening, I saw myself being pulled and held tightly into his embrace.
It was so tight that I felt that I might break into two.
Seeing that I was about to struggle, he said. “Don't move.” Then his hand wrapped around my back and waist became even tighter.
“What are you doing?” I suddenly forgot that I was crying. “What if someone comes in and sees us like this?”
A girl and a boy locked in a tight hug inside the ladies' restroom; surely this news would blow up across the whole school.
“Please don't push me. I'm afraid I might die soon.” He murmured.
Hearing the word die, my body instantly froze in his embrace.
Is he sick?
My mind flashed back to the scene when he hugged me in the dungeon.
Then, his hair was silvery white, and his right eye had turned bloodied red.
Could that be sickness?
“Are you ill?” My tone became worried.
“No,” Vagamound responded. “But I might die any time.” He added.
He soon let go of his hold on me and looked into my eyes. “I feel okay after hugging you.”
“Can what's happening to you be treated?” I don't understand why, but I found myself getting worried for him.
“Hmm.” He hummed. “But… It's impossible to find the cure. I should leave now. Thank you for your help.” He traced his footsteps back to the door and left.
Help? But I didn't do anything.
\===
His heart hurt so much as he moved along the school corridor. Thankfully, he had arrived at Belia's side in time; otherwise, he would have probably been dead by now.
“Vagamound.” Eason, who had just taken a leave from the class, saw Vagamound's uncomfortable expression. “Are you okay?”
“Find a place for me to rest.”
“Okay.” Eason put his arms around Vagamound's body and assisted him.
\===
Vagamound lay on the school hospital bed, listening to the advice of the doctor.
The doctor said that he was just stressed and needed some rest. But only he knew better what was happening to his body.
After the doctor excused himself, Sean, who had just heard the news, sat beside Vagamound with tears in his eyes. “Is big brother going to die?”
“You jinx.” Eason slapped Sean behind the head. “Can't you find anything good to say?”
“Sorry.” Sean knew that he had said wrong and immediately apologized. But while rubbing his head, he looked at Eason and complained. “Why did you have to hit me so hard?”
“Silly boy.” Eason slapped him on the head again.
Vagamound smiled, watching this scene.
“How are you feeling?” Gia, who was the calmest one among them, asked.
“Worse.” Vagamound didn't bother lying to them.
“If you hadn't kept the secret to yourself, maybe this wouldn't have happened. We would have joined hands and found a way to get the six remaining orbits from the fire realm. Now look at your state.” Tears suddenly appeared on Gia’s face.
Not only Vagamound, the others were shocked by this scenario.
This was the first time they would ever see the composed Gai cry.
“Hey, don't cry. You're making me feel guilty. Don't you see how everyone is shocked to see you cry like a baby?” Vagamound said with a tone of teasing.
“You…” Gia wiped off his tears. “You're on the brink of death, yet you still have the time to crack some jokes. You are dying, Vagamound.”
“I'm not dying.” Vagamound's tone was serious as he answered. “I won't, as long as she stays by my side.”
“Who? Belia?” Kris asked.
“Hmmm.” Vagamound nodded. “During the time I pulled her soul out of Zanillia's body at the palace, I felt the aura of the six orbits around her. Although I'm not sure if my guess is correct, my illness doesn't erupt when I'm around her.”
“Do you think she's related to the loss of the six orbits?” Frand, who had been silent all along, spoke out.
“I don't know.” Vagamound shook his head.
“That new girl. Don't you people feel something strange about her?” Eason switched the topic and asked what was bothering him. “She shouldn't be here at all.”
“Yes.” San nodded. “I wonder how she passed over the world boundary. There must be a mysterious backer behind her.”
“You're right. It's quite sudden that she framed Belia up for the murder of the princess, and now shows up here. We don't know what her mission here is.” Vagamound's expression became serious. “But, if she dares become a threat to us, you know what to do, Eason.”
“Don't worry. Leave it to me”. Eason patted his chest in assurance.
“Good.” Vagamound put his palm against his chest.
The sharp pains he felt were like thousands of needles piercing his heart.
He put down his hand and reached into his pocket.
Soon, he brought out a small, round-shaped object.
It was milky white in color. Inside it was a dim light, which kept flickering like it would go off any moment.
Vagamound sighed when he saw this. “I don't have much time left.”
“Leave everything to us. We will find the six orbits for you.” Frand said.
“Sean.” Vagamound looked over to the young boy. “You're supposed to have lunch with Belia this afternoon, right?”
“Yeah,” Sean answered, wondering why Vagamound was asking him this.
“Can you help me get some of her personal belongings? Anything that smells of her.”
“Ah.” Sean was stunned by this weird request. But since this was the first time his older brother would want his help, he immediately nodded. “Sure. I will try.”
“Try?” 'Pah' Eason hit Sean on the head again.
“Awww.” Sean turned and glared at Eason with dissatisfaction.
“That's an order, silly boy.” Eason didn't mind the young boy's glare.
“I know, but can you not hit me so hard?”
“I can hit you as many times as I feel like.”