Sebastian took one step closer before he gave the bouquet to Halora.
(Background music played)
"One step closer
One step closer"
They looked intently into each other's hand, held the flowers and let their hearts dictate the next thing.
"R– red tulips?" she murmured as her eyes widened in awe.
"It means admiration to someone special like you, Halora. I admired you for who really you are and that what makes you beautiful in and out."
Sebastian didn't let go of her hands at the moment. He sighed, tucked away some strands of her hair as he stared at her thin, angelic lips.
"Halora...," he said in a hollow voice but didn't look away.
Halora was not a numb girl. She knew what will happen next as she had the chance to witness same scene in the movies.
She gulped, swallowed greedily as she couldn't utter even a single word. "Hmm?"
"I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid I have loved you"
"I am sorry for not telling you about my grandfather's condition. I... I don't want to stress you anymore that's why I hid it from you that night."
Sincerity showed on his eyes and she felt it too. There way no way of doubting him anymore as she heard the truths and reasons from him.
But Halora hesitated to tell him who wrote the letter on behalf of him. Until...
"I know Sandra wrote the letter and put in your bag that day but you chose to be silent and ignore her childish actions. But, it doesn't matter how I discovered the truth...,"
"I know how famous and rich you are, Sebastian. You can even buy anything you want, am I right?" Halora raised her brows while Sebastian giggled until his cheeks turned scarlet.
At that moment, she did nothing but stared at his bright, smiling face. As the time goes by, she ended up deeply, madly in love with him.
"For a thousand years
I love you for a thousand more"
(End of the background music)
"Halora?"
"Hmm?"
He rubbed his nape as he doubted what to do next. He knew his charisma was something powerful to other girls but in front of Halora, he would always acted like an old-school bachelor.
"I've been in the same moment as before but I chose to be a coward young man." he thought as he reminisced those rare, beautiful memories of his one that got away, Cassia.
Sebastian cupped her cheeks, caressed it gently as he changed his plans and obeyed his ill grandfather, Lord Solomon.
"Halora, since the first day I met you, my life suddenly changed and how hard I tried to get rid of thought of you, everyone around me always uttered your name until I used to it until this moment...," he paused. "But now, I am wiling to choose between love and death."
Halora shook her head back and forth in disbelief and amusement. She could feel the sound of her heart, the soothing music that created by her own melody.
Her lips shivered as well as her knees while she glanced up at the young, fine man who was about to ask her one, specialal question.
He breathed heavily, took one step closer to her that electrified his entire system and he said, "Will you be my..."
~
~
(Flashback)
White ceiling, familiar scent that came from the wide, class A room awakened the old, ill man. He slowly loved his index finger, looked around until his gaze stuck on the young man who slept peacefully beside him.
His face looked exhausted, his bow-shaped lips turned pale and he couldn't move his body with ease.
"S– Sebastian...," he murmured and droplets of tears fell into the hospital bed. He didn't know what will happen to his one and only grandson but before he vanish on Earth, he wanted to see him in the church marrying the girl he love. "W– wa– wake up now!"
His voice became shallow, his entire body turned weak and vulnerable after how many years.
"I... If I'll convince him to marry as soon as possible, the Queen Witch will reverse the curse she did for me. Before she possess the powerful ring, I... I m–must succeed in this last mission." he murmured.
Everything that had happened thousands of years ago suddenly flashed back into his mind. The exact place surrounded by dead bodies, burning wagons and loud weep of children, elders and innocent people.
Everytime he recalled about it, his heart twitched hardly until he felt a sudden blow in his chest.
"And when he agrees, I have still time to defeat the Queen Witch, Damara while she is vulnerable and powerless." Lord Solomon turned his head and smiled bitterly cold.
He never wanted to show weaknesses to other people but this time around, he needed Sebastian's help to regain his strength and abilities.
He sighed, leaned back to the pillows behind him as the sounds of the machine inside bothered him.
"G– grandpa? A– are... are y– you r– really okay, huh? T– te– tell me, what part of your body hurts the most?"
Lord Solomon chuckled mischievously, reached for the alligator pear on the top of the table in the right side and opened it by himself.
Despite his serious condition, he pretended that everything was fine, and the truth about his illness. He knew even the science couldn't explain it.
"Grandpa, why are you even smiling after rushed to the hospital because of a severe condition!" he told him.
But the old, wise man slightly shook his head and burst into laughter. He sighed, caressed his nape as he slowly stretched his back.
He replied, "You didn't go to the school today? You looked tired and sleepless."
Lord Solomon set aside the empty sheath with a smile on his lips. He gasped, glanced up at his son who looked devastated and hopeless.
"Marry the girl you love before I die, Sebastian. That's my only sweetest dream as your grandfather." Sincerity flastered on his aged face as the effect of thr witch's curse.
He couldn't move his body according to his will as the spell was too strong than anyone expected.
Sebastian widened his eyes, shook his head back and forth surprisingly. "All out of a sudden? I thought I have still time before this year ends–"
"I have no time left, and that's the difference." said Lord Solomon with a bitterness in his voice that confused Sebastian even more.