A schoolboy in his last year of high school. Hands in pockets as he took out a phone. Gazing at a short contact list and stops on a particular name. 

- Nalia (Bestie)

A girl not younger nor older than him. She has no features that make her stand out from the rest. If you put her in a flock of flowers, she by far would be the most plain. Similar to him. 

Though, the boy does not mind. The bond they shared counts. No need for appearance and wealth. The intention is the currency between them. 

"Stop gawking at your phone or I'll be late for my job, son. Hop in and you can meet your girlfriend later at school, " A man, his father, coughs afterwards before honking the horn a few times. 

"She's not my girlfriend- why would I bother to explain again anyway, " The schoolboy, the son, sighs and pockets his phone as he steps down from the stairs and sits behind his father. 

His father chuckles a few times and locks the seat belt, "Styril Sterling, your seat belt. "

"I know— you don't have to say my full name, it's embarrassing to see you trying to be strict, and I swear that our bicycle is the only one that has seat belts, " Styril wheezes before locking his seat belt with a firm push.

His father fakes a few coughs and starts to cycle before heading out into the main road, "At least I'm trying so, compliment me a bit. "

"If the father decides to buy his son a burger after school, then sure, I'll compliment. "

"You're suggesting me, to buy your compliment with food?" 

"Maybe. "

"Ungrateful child. Fine, I'll buy two later after school, together. " 

"Thanks, Father, for your consideration, " Styril sarcastically bows with stifled giggles, earning a frown from his father. 

"Consideration my ass, I'll buy it with your tomorrow lunch money!" 

Styril was about to retort his father's joke but a sudden reminder pops up in his mind. Glancing at the date on his phone as his eyes narrowed.

"Hmm, yeah, let's do that…, " He mutters, but audible enough. His tone meeks compared to the previous. His eyes wandering at the grass plain and beyond. 

His father felt the sudden change in his son's tone. Even though it is subtle, but, he knows his son's usual behaviour, "Something is bothering you, son? It's not usual for you to stop in the middle of a joke. " 

"Don't pretend that you don't know what day it is today, " Styril replied stoically.  

His father sighs while keeping his eyes straight ahead on the road, "I didn't forget, it's just that- it hurts remembering back about your deceased mother. "

"Like mother always said, either mental or physical pain, it reminds us that we're still living, " Styril quotes earning a few chuckles from his father. 

"It sounds cool when your mother says that, but not from her son, " His father gave a dork-ish smile before taking a turn at a junction. 

"Like father like son, " Styril counters while laughing, his voice slightly laced with melancholy. 

"Shut up. "

"Yeah, let's get a burger together with my lunch money for mother in our memories. " 

Several minutes later, both the father and the son arrived in front of a large gate. Where a large building could be seen behind it. 

The logo shines under the bright sun, showing the well-known symbol of prestige school called 'Truce High School'. Famous among all of the schools in the country of Triad because of the high requirements needed to register as a student, as well as staff members. Due to that, the education standard is high. 

At the parking area, only Styril and his father were using a bicycle among the expensive vehicles parked in the vicinity. 

"Smell you later son and here, " His father bids farewell with a wave after tossing a small marble to Styril. 

"A marble? It looks beautiful but, what's this for?" Styril spins the marble on his palm and some kind of grey gas follows after the momentum. "The gas looks dangerous. "

"It's something that I created once upon a time in the past, but I already quit the stuff so, I'm giving it to you as a lucky charm. It's a miracle that you even managed to get into this school and lasted until the final year. "

"I might be lucky, maybe. But, I'm not letting a golden chance pass by. " 

"Just to let you know— lucky or not, I would still be proud of you, " His father hugs Styril, patting his son's back a few times. 

"We're at school father, people might see us… and I can't- breathe. " 

"Oh right right. It's real this time, I'm going off to work so, until then, " The father reluctantly releases Styril before getting back on the bicycle and hurriedly goes back to the main road. 

Styril sighs and smiles at his goofy father from the distance. Stretching his arms before turning around to go to the school building. 

"Took you long enough, morning Styril!" A familiar voice called out to him. A gentle yet cheerful tone, vibrant with energy. 

He glanced up from his left and saw a familiar face. A girl with no noticeable features, the very definition of average. Though, in contrast, she is sitting on the school concrete wall, something which is difficult to do. Other than being plain, she is quite mysterious. On top of that, she has silver hair. 

Both of their gazes meet, as the invisible spark of bonds trickles in their minds, excited about their early encounter with each other. 

The stoic expression of the girl twisted to a small smile. The edges of her lips lifted to her warming and reddened cheeks. 

Absorbed into her gaze, there's no other pair of gems that could pull Styril in. Models nor aristocrats daughters, none of those. 

Taking a packet of mint out, Styril shook his head to the opposite and popped a candy into his mouth with red-tinted cheeks, "Morning Nalia, you like sitting on that wall very much huh?" 

"I can't help it, the wind is always nice early in the morning. Besides, I get to see a nice view of the grass plains from here too. "

"Isn't the city more beautiful to look at instead of some grass patches?" He asks while other students passing by give them both weird glances before murmuring some stuff.

Though, they both do not care. 

"The city feels too suffocating to admire, the grass plains are refreshing to the eye and soothes the soul. It reminds me of my hometown too. "

"Suits you, different people different strokes. Oh and, do you mind getting down from there? My head hurts from looking up for too long. " 

"Nope, " Nalia replied while radiating a smile. A combo which is rare to be seen. 

"Fine, I guess I have these candies all for myself, " Styril waves the wrapped candies in his hand and stores it back into his chest pocket. 

Nalia's eyes slightly widened at the candies. Gulping in the process before trying to turn her attention but fails. She cusses at her sweet tooth tendency. 

It only took her a moment to jump down and landed beside Styril. Slipping her hands into his chest pocket like a chipmunk with lightning-fast hands before walking alongside him. 

"Do you know that you're cute sometimes?" Styril compliment while looking at Nalia who seem to be popping in a bunch of candy into her mouth, regardless of flavour. 

"Eh? No, why would I be cute?" She asked, her face averting away from his gaze. 

"Nothing, the words slipped out of my mouth somehow. "

"'Somehow', hmmm? That means it was intentional all along?" Holding back her blushing cheeks, she grins while arching her body forward. 

This time, it is Styril's turn to avoid her gaze by turning his head away in a different direction. 

"What time is it now?" He whistles while slightly scratches his neck. 

"It's 6:30 a.m. right now, so we have an hour before classes start— Don't try to change the topic-, "

Styril lifted both of his arms and grabbed Nalia's shoulder with a gentle grip before taking a deep breath, "I have been wanting to tell you about something. " 

The weight in his words and tone differentiates from the usual casual jokester him, which she had come accustomed to. The child-like voice turned into that of a determined man. Deep and solemn. 

Nalia blinks her eyes a few times before finding herself slightly in awe with the sudden change. She shook her head and fiddled with a thread of her hair. 

"What is it?" She asks with a small voice, holding back her smile from spreading wider while facing the serious him. 

"How long have we known each other? Ever since we met in the garden?" 

"Around 4 years. "

"Close but not exactly. It's 5 years, on January 4, 2010, Monday, " He released his hands and took a small step forward.

Nalia could still feel the warmth left behind by his palms on her shoulder. As she reaches out to it but none could be felt. Or maybe it's a matter of feeling?

The fact that he remembers the exact date of the day and location where they first met. A dedication which causes her heart to beat louder than before. 

People can remember their first coupling and marriage anniversary, but only a few remember the time when they first met as a friend or some sort. 

"How could you remember that?" She lifts her head and met Styril's piercing gaze as if looking into her soul. 

"When I want to be a clown, I could be one, if I want to be serious, I could do so too. This is the latter, " With a palm on his chest, above his heart. He took a deep breath. 

"I do know that, but it's not so often for you to show this side… it feels quite surreal-. "

"Let's go on a date, what do you say? Hold my hand, yes, otherwise no, " Styril extends and opens his palm to Nalia. Ignoring the heat he felt in his cheeks and determined to make this end good. Squashing the nervousness in his heart into mush. 

Nalia slightly gasps though, she quickly hides it by looking down at the ground before gazing back to Styril's eyes. 

Their heartbeats becoming more audible as each second passed felt long to them. As if waiting for eternity while their hearts race from observing each other for too long. 

There were more students at the school by then, so the majority of the attention is on them. Styril and Nalia care none of that as this became a large turning point in their life. 

To be victims of romance, with joy or broken hearts.

To unite their bond or thorn apart with melancholy. 

To challenge their endearment with persevering in the face of cruelty. 

Until then, may their memory vivid till dawn and dusk, through the hardships which await them. 

Nalia reaches out her hand towards his palm. Bits of tears slipping from the edges of her eyes. Blurring the redness of her cheeks. The other hand clenching the top of her chest. 

Styril smiles, though it was not enough to express the joy in his heart. A thousand words might not be enough to describe his euphoria. 

Until their eyes widened. 

A large crack had formed between without them noticing. Silent but deadly. 

Separating the ground into two parts. Splitting the school building into rubble.

The ground shakes and tremors as Styril could only see Nalia from a distance before the ground flips, turning upside down causing him to fall into a dark cavity with his hands reaching out somewhere, to the sky, but his eyes still searching for the woman of his life. 

"NALIAA!!!" He screams from the bottom of his lungs while falling. As a bolt of lightning struck him in the middle of the fall.