~~~~~~~~~{ [ Chapter 7 ] }~~~~~~~~~~

Akira consistently taking a peek outside, looking at the crowd of people jolting in the sidelines of the street.

He is currently sitting inside of the carriage and on his way towards the grand duchy.

He have no intention to remain in the Academy where he knew having a night there means staying together with other targets, and that is something he clearly needs to avoid at all costs.

A heavy sigh once again release for the umpteenth times.

He tilted his head to looked out of the window again, he became curious seeing that many people were loitering at night. There are even street lights with different colours attached in every corner of the street that are pleasant to the eyes.

"Mom, look! I want that candy!"

"How much is that? "

"We got our tickets already! Let's go!"

"Lily, don't get swayed! That is a scam!"

Akira almost laugh at the girl's words.

He was fascinated by the warm atmosphere that the buzzing street are releasing. He felt his heart being engulfed by warmth. He grabbed the fabric around his chest and squeezed it tightly, biting his lip in frustration.

Such warm and genuine smiles directed to others despite being a strangers? How can it be possible?

It's so different from earth.

The people on earth are too hooked on high technologies, greedy for money, attention, fame and sympathy.

They didn't even noticed how they became the lowly slaves for technologies.

Parents unconsciously letting go of their hold on their offspring for the sake of their own greed they disguise as overflowing love and care as a parents.

Friends who you can't even turned your backed on afraid they will stabbed you and caused you pain, acting as a victim when in fact, at the very start, it is their own fault that they got hurt, letting in such people in their life.

Unmatched eyes were narrowed slightly. He was about to averts his eyes when he caught a sight of a figure in a robe, standing in front of the antique stall.

The surrounding seems to be getting blurred purposely, While the broad back of the figure covered with in a brown robe remains clear and apparent. His brow furrowed in confusion.

Why is it that he suddenly feel happy when he got sight of the person on the robe?

Akira quickly fell into deep contemplation, staring at the stranger in a robe.

But then, the figure suddenly turned his head for a bit letting Akira saw the face hidden behind the robe.

Then a memory flashed before his eyes, "Aki, it is not your fault. Please, dont blame yourself. I will always beside you. If there is a next life for me, I will come and find you. dont forget me, got it?"

Akira eyes suddenly widen in horror. he felt like his blood got drained and his soul leaving his body.

".......N-No way.......... He--- Stop the carriage! NOW!", Akira shouted loudly causing the carriage to quickly stopped.

"W-What happened-------?!", The coachman asked in panic but was surprised when he saw Akira leaving the carriage and run off from somewhere hurriedly. "....Young master......?! YOUNG MASTER!!"

Akira heard the coachman called his name but he was too engrossed in catching up to the man in a robe to care about it.

'NO, NO, NO..... This can't be real! I need to see that man once again to make sure..... to make sure..... he isn't him!', He continued to search for the man, walking quickly through the jostling crowd.

He's fully aware that he might just getting paranoid, maybe he just mistook the man to have the same face of that particular boy he got entangled with from earth. He knows that but his heart is filled with anticipation.

What if? What if he really keep his promise?

"If there is a next life for me, I will come and find you."

He clenched his hands into fists, biting his lips. He was getting sentimental, maybe because he have been missing that boy very much. He really wasn't able to forget the boy even if he want to.

'Just, where is that man--!!'

"Ah!'

Akira suddenly bumped into someone, he was about to apologise but when he looked up, his eyes immediately dilated in suppressed manners. He slowly took a step back and covered his mouth using his hand to keep himself from screaming.

His eyes continued to stare at the person he just bumped into which coincidentally the man she had been looking for since forever.

"......Are you okay?", the man asked worriedly, looking at Akira with eyes full of concerns.

Akira seems to came back from his self. He immediately looked away, heart beating so fast. He felt the anxiousness seizing him completely. '...what to do?, what to do?'

"......are you perhaps hurt?"

"......No, no... I'm fine", Akira lowered his head, lost the courage to look at the man that resembled the boy.

'......looking at him closely, he really look like 'him' aside from this guy having a matured features....', Akira wanted to laugh at himself.

"...No!.. You're definitely hurt! allow me to compensate!"

In a flashed, Akira's hand were now held tightly by the robe man. He stared at their hands before looking up at the other, staring directly in those pair of navy blue eyes that held resemblance to a certain boy in the past.

How nostalgic. He remembered loving those navy blue eyes so much because those were owned by that 'boy' but now he is seeing it again from different person in a different world.

"...uh.... is it a no?"

The man asked dejectedly, Akira looks amused watching the man fidgeting in front of him, a total stranger like a dejected puppy. His eyes soften and smiled softly at the man.

"..No, i am really fine, you don't have to compensate me, really"

"...so, it is really a no?"

Akira saw the man getting more depressed, so he quickly shook his head and touch the hand holding him gently.

"If you really insist, then how can i really say no?...." Akira chuckled softly and watch as the man's face lighten up brightly.

"I-I'm D-D," The man seems flustered at first but tried to compose himself, sighing before stared directly at Akira's eyes.

"My name is Dion..."

"Akira... but you can call me Aki,"

Akira bit his lips, when he said this, he feel conflicted.

Is he being selfish? He just kind of hope for this guy to called him by the nickname that the boy from his past used to call him using. Maybe if this guy will say his name, he will exactly look like 'him'. But that thought left him conflicted.

'They are not the same! They're different people...........but what if'



"...Ah, when i think about it, just call me Akir-"



"Aki!"



'....Aki!'



"Hnn"



'They are definitely the same!'



"Aki, can I really call you that right?"



Dion moved closer to Akira, reaching out his hand to touch the other's cheeks gently and smiling softly. Akira stiffened slightly, surprised but didn't try to pushed the man away, maybe because the resemblance of this man to the boy he once loved was too strong. He can't bear to pushed this man away.

"..yeah."

"Then, Aki... can I invite you to be my partner tonight?... I was kind of new here so I dont know where to go...I hope you can help me?"

"...Haha, really?"

Akira can't help but laugh. he was about to misunderstood this man but after hearing his next words, he just can't. This guy is too funny.

"..Don't laugh at me!"

Dion blushed intensely at being laughed at. He immediately cover his face using his hand and looked away.

This is the first time he felt like this, he is amateur to knew this new emerging emotions but he can't ignore it either.

He seems to have the urge to not let go of this pretty man he just met for some unknown reason.