Chapter 200 Chapter 200- 11 Years Ago (Part 3)
Eventually, the darkness of the night finally loomed over the vast library, casting a heavy shadow over its high shelves and covering all of its nooks and crannies, all of its books that were possible to see were now shrouded in the dark mystery of the lightless atmosphere.
Looking up from his book, Kai noticed that Aria had dozed off during his story. Her cute face lay on the table as she breathed quietly. Her appearance was angelic, to say the least.
"You could"ve said you were tired." He murmured as he stood up and gently picked her up in his arms. Then, he looked around him and walked toward the exit of the library.
It was rare for him to leave this place unless he had to train or do something important. But, luckily, that day was a rare day off for him to do what he wanted or well, what he thought he wanted.
Walking through the dark corridors of the temple, he pa.s.sed beside many people wearing ceremonial uniforms as they went on with their nighttime duties. However, when they saw Kai, they immediately bowed in respect to him.
"Where is her father?" He asked.
"Lady Aria"s quarter is in the southern tower." One of the workers said.
Nodding his head, Kai continued walking through the corridors heading to the southern tower which was linked to the temple by an open bridge. Reaching that linking point, he was met with the beautiful scenery of the night. If there was one thing worth leaving that library for, it was this panoramic view of the night sky. Because of the lack of artificial light in the temple, the stars and cosmic clouds were apparent for the eye to see.
Taking a long look at the sky, Kai sighed and continued walking toward the other side of the bridge. When he reached there, he went down the stairs and stopped in front of one of the doors. Then, he knocked.
A second later, the door opened wide and a man appeared in front of Kai. He was rather tall with long hair and a well-trimmed beard. There were some similarities between him and Aria but they weren"t very p.r.o.nounced.
"Oh, young master Kai! It"s an honor to finally meet you! Oh my! Did my daughter do something reckless?!" Seeing his daughter in Kai"s hands, he visibly paled as he stretched his arms to carry her.
"My deepest apologies! She"s really energetic and reckless! I hope she didn"t cause you any trouble."
"No." Kai shook his head.
"I see. Did she talk to you?"
"Ask her," Kai said before he turned around and walked away, leaving the man behind.
"What did you do, Aria? To make that silent prince talk?" He murmured as he gently patted his daughter"s hair. The latter simply smiled and continued sleeping.
***
A few days pa.s.sed in quietude as Kai went on with his day. However, he would be lying if he said that the day he spent with that blind girl wasn"t etched into his mind. He would always think about it, even during his training.
Granted, it made him lose focus a few times but he didn"t feel bad about it at all. Not that he cared about training in the first place.
By the time a week pa.s.sed, Kai finally had some time to rest in his library. Or that was what he at least intended to do since the plan was ruined before it even started.
"Kai! I"m here!" A familiar voice called for him from the door.
Hearing it, the boy closed his book on its first page and stood up with a sigh.
"How long are you going to stay here?"
"Hmm? I don"t know. Maybe a few weeks, a few months, a few years, or a few decades. It really depends." Aria said as Kai guided her back to the table casually.
"Depends on what?" Kai asked.
"Depends on how much I enjoy staying here of course. Hehe~" Aria laughed as she sat down.
"That seems like so much freedom for a guest."
"You said it, I"m a guest. So, even if I stay here for hundreds of years, there will come a time when I will have to leave.
"So, are you going to read me or not?"
Looking at the girl for a moment, Kai replied. "And then end up sleeping like last time?"
"Hey! I-I didn"t mean to. I was tired from the trip here." She said. "Oh, right, father told me that you carried me back all the way to our quarter. Thank you~" Aria smiled as she hugged Kai out of nowhere.
"..." The latter looked at her with clear confusion as he didn"t know what to do at that moment.
"Let"s start!"
***
With that, a routine started between the two children. Every now and then Kai and Aria would sit down in the library. Kai would read all kinds of books for the blind girl and she would listen enthusiastically.
They read all kinds of fantasies that Kai could find in the library and Aria enjoyed each and every one of them.
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. The two grew to know each other more and more during that time. They learned about each other"s past, present, and even future. Kai found himself completely enamored by the girl to a degree that surprised him.
She became everything he could think about. Her face, her carefree smile, her silly and odd comments, and even her bizarre view on many things, small and big. In a monotonic world where he had nothing and never asked for anything, she became his everything.
However, Kai didn"t understand those emotions, not when he had never actually loved someone before. So, he simply worked on instinct and treated Aria in the nicest way he could. He didn"t know why he had to do that but his instinct told him that its the way and he agreed.
He started getting her snacks and drinks for their session, got her a comfy chair, and even made a pathway for her to move through the library without his help in case she needed to.
He found himself enjoying every single moment she was related to. Perhaps this was the happiness he was looking for? Or maybe it wasn"t. Either way, he didn"t care. It just gave him a refreshing feeling and it was amazing.
On the other hand, Aria also shared the same feelings for him if not more. She never thought that her curiosity would lead her to a person she would like this much. After her mother"s death, she closed her heart to anyone except for her father so when she found Kai, he kicked her heart open and walked in as if it was his place.
The two became each other"s friend, companion, and the solace they always looked for. Those months seemed long, but for them, it was like a breeze.
But, fun times are always short. They always pa.s.s quickly and are replaced by nostalgia, pain, or a mix of both. One must appreciate the times when they are having fun because they never last.
One day, when Aria was supposed to visit the library… She never did.