Song 30

After her emotional realization that Lucan hadn’t experienced a real childhood, Meloria sat in the corner of the dining area, deciding to distract herself by writing a letter home. She wrote about the high-end hotel they stayed in, the food market with a jazz band, and the theme park that helped organize a grand second opening. Meloria reached over, grabbing a photo of herself, Lucan, and Tenma in front of the theme park. She felt her heart sore and cheeks heat up as she looked at Tenma’s face, still feeling the faint touch of Tenma’s lips on her lips.

While they were there, Lucan never seemed thrilled to be around Tenma. Looking back at their time there, perhaps it was a little bit of jealousy on Lucan’s part. Seeing Tenma working so hard to fulfill his dream, while Lucan possibly felt like he was always the one helping other people’s dreams come true, never his own.

“What a handsome young man,” Kendra commented, walking from the kitchen with a pot of tea, turning the radio on as she passed it. With a heavy groan, she placed the teapot in the middle of the table, taking a seat opposite Meloria.

“He is,” Meloria giggled, her fingers brushing the corner of her lips. “We met him in Umculo. He runs a theme park called Uki Uki Theme Park. It’s so beautiful, and at night, the stars shine so bright.”

“Umculo, you say?” Kendra hummed while pouring the tea. “And now our little town, you’re on quite the journey.” Meloria nodded, folding the letter with the photo and putting it in the envelope. “Who did you write to?”

“Our family,” Meloria smiled, sealing the envelope tightly. “I promised to write at least once every two weeks, and I try to add photos where I can as well. To show that we’re doing okay.”

“With three younger siblings, you and Lucan must be enjoying the freedom,” Kendra commented, playing with the rim of her teacup.

Meloria feels silent, looking at the envelope. Freedom? The right to choose what you want and to live how you wish to live. In this new life, Meloria had the freedom to fight for her place as an idol, but Lucan, if he continued to stay by her side, was he truly free? Was he doing it because he wanted to, or because he felt responsible?

The door to the inn was kicked open, and Lucan and Fischer strode in with their equipment and a net full of fish. “That’s the haul today,” Kendra complimented as Fischer came over, kissing her on the forehead.

“Two sets of hands have certainly been better than just one,” Fischer spoke with pride, squeezing Lucan’s shoulder.

Meloria smiled softly, her expression awkward, as she picked up the faint scent of saltwater while Lucan sat beside her. “It was great, sis,” his voice filled with happiness. “Fischer is going to show me how to prepare the lionfish next.”

“Perhaps you boys should have a shower first,” Kendra gagged, the smell of the saltwater making her feel nauseous. Laughing, the pair ran off to shower, dragging along the netful of fish with them. “They seem like they’ve had a good time.”

“Yeah,” Meloria mumbled, biting the inside of her gum, trying to hold in the sadness she felt. In the pit of her stomach, it felt like a sharp sting seeing how happy a simple boat trip made him. “Sorry,” she laughed nervously, wiping her eyes to hide any escaping tears.

“I understand,” Kendra assured, putting a hand on top of Meloria’s. “It’s a big thing, when you realise-”

“It’s time to part ways,” Meloria sighed, finishing off the sentence. Her ears pricked up as the radio continued to play, a radio presenter coming on air to present the next song. “He seems to really like it here.”

“We’d look out for him,” Kendra assured, giving Meloria’s hand a gentle squeeze. “If you wanted to stay with us, that is. And I'm sure Fischer would love to teach Lucan everything he knows about, well, everything.”

“I–I,” for the first time in her life, Meloria was out of words. Could she really say goodbye to Lucan, to the sibling who has been her most considerable support? Selfishly, she wanted Lucan to stay with her, to keep him with her throughout her journey, but that wouldn’t make him happy. It wouldn’t make him smile.

“Let me speak to him,” Kendra insisted as Lucan and Fischer came back, dressed and ready for the kitchen, ignoring the girls as they ran off to start Lucan’s first lesson. “Perhaps after they finish cooking.”

Meloria nodded, watching from her table through the window to the kitchen as Lucan and Fischer began to prepare the fish. She watched as Fischer was gentle and informative with Lucan, a mirror image of Jonny mentoring her. “You don’t need to,” Meloria smiled, letting the tear she was holding back fall. “I can already see it, he doesn’t need me.”

The meal Lucan cooked with Fischer was the best thing Lucan had ever cooked. With the first bite of the lionfish, Meloria couldn’t deny it. This was where Lucan belonged. This place was what was best for Lucan; all Meloria asked was that Fischer teach Lucan to swim. Safety first.

As the sun set, Lucan prepared for an early night, as Fischer had offered to take him to the local fish market in the morning to give him the experience of selling and buying ingredients, as well as how to identify the best and freshest fish. With a heavy sigh, Meloria stood outside his door as she tapped on it with her knuckles. “Come in,” Lucan called out from inside.

Meloria opened the door, letting herself into the room, seeing Lucan already in his shorts and shirt, ready for bed. “Early night again?” She teased, closing the door behind her. “How was today?”

Lucan’s face lit up as he remembered every detail of the day. “It was amazing,” he sighed happily, falling back onto the bed. “Fischer is amazing, he knows so much about the ocean and about where you can find all different kinds of fish. When we were in the kitchen, his knife skills were unick anything I had seen. Sis, I think he could teach me so much.”

Her bottom lip trembling, Meloria had to fight back to speak up about what she really wanted to say. How she had hoped Lucan hated his experience on the ocean, maybe had fallen off the boat? Yet, he loved everything about it. “I’m so glad you had a good time,” she spoke happily through the sadness.

“I want to stay,” Lucan spoke softly, looking up at Meloria.

“I guessed,” Meloria nodded, sniffling. She turned to head back to the door, her hand resting on the handle. “Just make sure you write home to mom and dad and let them know you’re okay.” With that final word, Meloria pushed through the door, closing it quickly to break into silent tears. Lucan chuckled, sitting up on the bed with crossed legs, a few tears of his own falling. “Thanks, sis.”

The following morning, after returning from the fish market, Lucan expected to find Meloria sitting in the dining area, having breakfast with Kendra; however, Kendra was alone, sitting in the corner, knitting baby booties. “Where’s Meloria?” He asked to put the freezer box of fish on the window in the kitchen.

“She left a while ago,” Kendra explained, continuing to knit.

“Oh,” Lucan frowned, sitting on a nearby stool. No goodbye, she just up and left.

“Lucan, sweetheart, can you turn the radio on for me, dear?” Kendra asked politely, smiling softly.

“And now on Kuste Radio, we have a special guest,” the presenter introduced. “Can you tell us your name and why you’re here this morning?”

“Hello, everyone.” Lucan’s eyes widened. He knew that voice. “My name is Meloria, and I wanted to come on today to leave a special message for my little brother, Lucan. Who is about to embark on his own journey.”

“I see,” the presenter spoke up, his voice filled with curiosity. “And what kind of gift is that? A message of sorts?”

“Kind of,” Meloria giggled. “I understand some people of Kuste won’t necessarily like this, but I wanted to leave my little brother a song.”

“A song?” Lucan whispered, hearing the keys of a piano begin to play on the radio, followed by Meloria’s voice.

Like the ways of the ocean,

My dreams will take me anyway

At night, as I lay under the stars,

I can say I tried my best today

Like the waves that crash against the sand

I push away the little things that bother me

But without you,

I cannot even make a space

Don’t believe me?

But the shell up against your ear,

Not only will you hear the waves, but you’ll hear me called

I’m calling out to you even if we’re seas apart

All aboard

Set out on the new waves

A new adventure is on the horizon

I’ll send you a message in a bottle

Let it float along the ways

So that it may meet you wherever you will go

I’ll send you all my hopes and dreams

Until the waves bring us back together again

As the song came to an end, Lucan felt his heart overflow, and the tears fell freely. Fischer wrapped a shoulder around him, bringing him close. Lucan took deep breaths, trying to steady himself. I promise you, sis, he swore to himself. I’ll become a man that you can be proud of.