CH 29

A boy with blonde hair was dangling his feet as he sat on a swing attached to a tree. This was an old swing, clearly seen from the small amounts of rust on the steel supports connected with the seat he is on. He wore a white t-shirt and brown shorts while wearing a pair of new flip flops.

He looked towards the sky to look at the birds that flew in a formation, seemingly headed nowhere. He wondered about it as he chewed on a gum that's been in his mouth for tens of minutes now, losing all its flavor.

'I wonder how long this has been here?' He looked at the tree that holds the swing under one of its many large branches. The trunk was very thick, thick enough for his hands not to reach each other if he hugged the tree.

Though he thought that doing that would ruin his shirt, so he didn't try it out. He did wonder about removing his shirt, so it won't get dirty but ultimately decided against it. He scanned the tree, wanting to find out how something so big can stand so tall without falling. It was then that something caught his attention. There was something etched on the tree, something that seemed to be written by someone his height because he could imagine himself writing it right now.

(-EH + ZH-)

'Is this math?'

Charles has been learning about basic education like math, science and social things like etiquette. His language skills are still not well developed, but since Cina and Kanada have the same language, It's not a big deal for him yet. He has time to learn that from now on.

'A symbol of plus? so we add those letters? You can add letters too?'

Charles was feeling confused and frustrated that math seemed to have a whole other level of difficulty. If he had trouble with just using numbers now, what about when he has to learn this in the future?

After all, Mrs. Lane had already done her best to get him to understand how to count to ten which was five numbers more than what he previously could. But that took him all day yesterday, how many days would he need to count all the letters? Is there more than ten letters?

"Charles! Tina! Come and eat some cake!"

"Cake! Cake! Cake!" A lively Tina who was playing with paper planes rushed over when she heard the word 'cake'. After all, the best food she ever had was the cake she ate when they were waiting for the airplane to pick them up when they left the orphanage. While Tina thought that the cake would be the best part of the day, Mrs. Lane went on to give her better news.

"Tina, look who brought the cake?"

""Who is it?"

It's already been three days since Charles and Tina moved into the Halsey family. If anything was to be said, then it was that everything was too different. Mr. and Mrs. Halsey had been so kind to them that they couldn't help but feel wary of their kindness. They always asked them if they were full when eating, if they were having fun when playing and if they were comfortable as they sent them to bed. It seems strange but they seem to care too much.

'They must be planning something.'

Charles' life had hardened his heart to people who weren't Zel, Emilia and Tina. The former two were his heroes! The two who not only saved him but also brought back his sister to him. But Mr. and Mrs. Halsey on the other hand, they were strangers.

'I don't know what to think of them!'

He is used to acting nice and polite, even if he was being discriminated and bullied. Why? It was just easier that way. If you fight back then you get hit. If you talk back then you get hit. If you don't follow then you get hit.

'I don't get hit, not even a slap.'

Since he was doing what he was told with no complaints, no lagging behind, no talking back, he was left alone. He was doing that, taking it without a fight, because his sister needed his help. If he couldn't provide for the both of them, they won't live.

'But this... It's different.'

If that life in the orphanage was hell, big brother and big sister were the angels that sent them here after killing the devils that haunted him. But he didn't really understand this new place, was it another hell or finally heaven?

The good news was that Tina seemed to really like this place. In the past, her smile was always hiding something, a pain that she didn't want to show. But he knew, he felt it too. But here, where they were free to do what they want and people take care of them, she has no pain left behind. Every day is a good day, no missed meals, no punishments, no training. Well, there are some trainings, but it's more tedious than difficult.

"Brush your teeth, from left to right, circle, circle, circle. Good job, Tina!"

"Chew properly! You'll get indigestion if you eat to fast! We got plenty more so don't hurry yourself"

"You can watch TV tomorrow little one, you have to sleep early to get big and strong!"

As he recalled their reminders, a little smile appeared on his face. If he was going to push them away after wishing to have them for a long time, why did he wish for this in the first place?

'They are good people, I'll do it!'

Trying is always the first step to happiness. Since they adopted them, then they wanted them. Now the only thing to do is to push forward their relationship, maybe along the way, they could be a real family.

"Big brother! Big Sister!"

"Tina!"

"You came back!"

Zel and Emilia finally arrived at Emilia's parents house. The ever joyful Tina was able to meet them with a smile as Emilia lifted her up from the ground and gave her a tender hug. Still carrying her in her arms, Emilia pinched Tina's little nose and looked towards the standing Charles who was still holding on to the cable of the swing.

"Have you guys been good?"

"Yeah yeah, we ate a lot too! Right big brother?"

"Yes, It's been a good time for me and Tina big sister"

"That's great! Mom and dad have given me quite a lecture when they saw me bring these in, but I want you two to try them"

Emilia pointed at Zel who was carrying a pair of cups with a semi-sphere lid. Inside of them were some sort of brown liquid at the bottom with a white something on the top. Zel gave one to the curious Tina while the still shy Charles was unable to hold himself back and went closer to get one too.

"You take the straw out of the wrapper then put it on the tiny hole right here." Zel gave them the straws while showing them his cup.

The two watched Zel who showed the two how to drink the thing and then took a sip afterwards. He gave the two an encouraging smile while shaking his drink.

"I wanna try!" Tina announced her actions as she followed Zel's instructions while Charles just silently followed.

"Ummm…"

"Ahhh, tastes great!" The moment the two had taken a sip, their tiny eyes shook wide open while they looked at each other in surprise.

"Delicious!"

"So yummy!"

Even the shy Charles had no power to resist the temptation of the frappe as he continued to drink it. The tiny Tina seemed to be savoring the taste as she took little sips while closing her eyes and smiling cutely.

"I almost forgot to introduce you guys, this is my friend. Tina." The other visitor was now looking at the adorable tiny Tina and couldn't help but wave her hand when she saw her looking over.

"Yes, big sister?" Little Tina looked at her big sister Emilia, wondering why she was being called.

"No. I mean her name is Tina, too!" Emilia couldn't help but feel that their names being the same was quite funny. Pointing at her best friend, she watched as the two Tina's look at each other's eyes.

"Really, big sister?"

"Hi Tina, I'm Tina!" The silent Tina watched as the tiny Tina looked at her eyes with excitement written all over her adorable face.

"But I'm Tina! "

"We're both Tina, but you're little Tina!" She finally couldn't help herself and used her hands to squeeze those cheeks.

"Hmmm…" Little Tina's wondering face was not hidden behind any screen. She wondered about a solution to the problem and her face looked at her big sister Emilia and she had a shocked look that immediately changed to a serious nod right after.

"Big sister!"

"Umm, yes?"

"Which one is the bestest Tina?"

"..."

"It's me right?"

"Of course! Of course, little Tina's the best Tina, right Tina?"

"Yeah, little Tina is the cutest!"

The two women decided to let the matter go because fighting with a child seems to be something beneath them. This, combined with the proud little smile that it produced caused the two to give a light laugh at the situation. They went inside to have a taste of the cake that Emilia's parents had prepared.

"Charles, come with me for a second."

"Ok, big brother."

The two boys left the girls alone as they went inside and went towards the tree for shade instead. Zel's eyes wandered around and finally landed on the tree's swing and he gave a laugh.

"I remember before how I used to play here with Emilia and Tina. Big sister Jane was also there but we weren't really that close. I was a kid after all, and she was an adult, so I was a little scared to even talk to her before."

"So, you and big sister were friends since you were little, big brother?" Excited at the thought that his heroes were childhood friends, Charles asked gleefully.

"We were classmates back when we were kids, right about your age." Zel who was recalling the memories from what seemed like hundreds of years ago smiled. She was so cute back then as well, though a little sickly. Well, very sickly.

"Then you grew up together then?"

"No, not really. She left school the year after." Zel's face seemed to be agonizing over something and Charles thought that he said something wrong. The look was something he had never seen on big brother Zel, the person he thought was the bestest.

"Why?"

Charles saw a nostalgic look on Zel's eyes like there was something he wanted to hide but couldn't. But Charles saw it, and he wants to help his big brother.

"That's a secret Charles, there's some things you have to earn and that's one of them. Even I haven't earned that yet." Just as he was about to apologize and ask him if he could use some help, Zel returned to his usual self.

"Earn it?"

"It's complicated. Anyway, I didn't call you here to ask that. I've something to show you." Zel's eyes seemed to look different from normal to Charles. It gave off a confidence that made him feel like he was not afraid, like he knew everything.

"It's something you need to see so you'll understand."

Zel's many dreams made him know Charles more than he knew himself. The smart boy was not someone he could push without him knowing he was hiding something. The best way to get him on his side was to show him what he needs to see.

A feeling of having no balance came over Charles, who staggered and fell on his butt. But before he could hit the ground, a gentle wave of force pushed him back to a standing position. He tried to stand but felt nothing below so he looked down.

"Ahhh!" Charles was so surprised that it caused him to involuntarily shout. His feet were now stepping on the air, no, he was flying. Still, he could feel his feet stepping on something, so he moved his feet to see what's below him.

"Relax."

"Whoa!" When he did so though, his body lost balance and he almost fell again if not for a feeling of someone poking his back forwards.

"Easy! Your stepping on mana, not floating."

"Mana?"

Charles was not familiar with the word 'mana'. His face was showing amazement and confusion while he saw Zel's ever gentle smile that seemed to replace his previously confident look. The man seemed to be waiting for something because he didn't reply so Charles had to tell him directly, ask him firmly to leave no room for discussions.

"What's that?"