Chapter 26 — “To Live a Happy Life”

Chapter 26 — “To Live a Happy Life”

“Huh?”

The shock sends the siblings into a dreading silence. They can feel every hairs on their body tenses up. A chill, comes down from their spine.

“Bitter’s going to brief you more after this battle, but you get the gist of it. It’s all for —“

“Wait, wait, wait. I don’t understand,” Cham interrupted Noah, “I thought we only have to wait until Lime ascended?”

“That was the plan…” Noah took a deep breath, “Bitter got news. Yamamoto Katsuo is coming.”

“…So? I don’t see the problem. He can do what, against The Ark?”

“He will bring army, Cham. We can’t risk a war in the middle of our settlement — especially when Lime’s ascension is still not certain. Until she does, she’s a liability, not an asset.”

“I don’t care! — We have firepower. We aren’t outnumbered, especially here —“

“— People will die, Cham. Lots of them —”

“— Then they’ll die a honourable death!”

“Cham—!” Noah shouted at the red haired girl, startled by the sudden intensity of his tone, “…no more innocent blood shed, Cham.”

Cham fell silent. Her knees feel weak, but she tried to stand strong.

“…Is it because of me?” Shem’s eyes widen, realising a speck of truth.

“Shem, listened —“

“— If that bastard Katsuo’s here, then the ‘kill-at-sight’ will be the priority. Not some agency’s tactic to ‘capture-for-intel’ — that means you and me will be dead…” Shem stared at Noah, who now averted her glare as well, “…unless, a certain someone feeds the SCF’s your true nature — an Arkus. Then, the ‘kill-at-sight’ would be nullified, and you will be taken as an Arkus, not a Sera.”

Shem shoots her gaze at Bitter.

“It is your father request when I told him the situation… It is the least I can do, after what he has done for me.” Bitter said while keeps his gaze to the edge of the storm. Noah nods in reply, confirming the truth.

Shem shook her head, moving her steps back “No, I don’t accept it. I will NEVER agree to this. You can’t —“

“— Swap Shem’s face with mine, then! And you go hide —” Cham throws her arm to her side, “— that way you could live, right?”

“No—! I won’t agree to any of —!”

— The sisters’s felt warmth across their shoulder. Noah leaped to them, embracing them in his wings.

“You two must live.” Noah said softly, “It’s a curse for us parents to have their children dies for their sake, and it’s the greatest privilege to lay our life down for you.”

The sisters’s whimpers start to fill the void in the eye of the storm. The green lights gets brighter and brighter, as time passes, “Japheth death’s my fault —“

“— No, it never was,” Cham sobbed, “Stop cursing yourself with him —“

“— I had the chance to save him. To save everyone…But I didn’t…” The sister stood still in shock — never knowing the fact. But Noah recalled everything —

— That fateful night very well. The sound of air siren, the guns pointed at them, and the boy at his back, running and screaming toward him. He remembers, as if time moved slower when he heard the sound of the blasting gun. He remembers his knees were moving on his own, ready to pull his boy to be under his wings.

But fear stricken. And it struck hard to his mind. His instinct made his knees harder than a stone. His guts told him to duck on his own — to perhaps dodge the bullets. And within the same second, his eyes witness his own flesh and blood, torn into hundred of pieces. Thousand of strands.

His eyes recorded the scene down to its minute details, reminding him always the motive for his endeavours — cursing him. And the scream of rage of his daughters, abandoning her humanity for vengeance. He cursed himself, for letting a single act of cowardice to destroy his family.

“Cham. Shem. Please. Let me atone for my sins.”

“You’re not atoning anything, and you’re not doing anything stupid —! It’s not your fault… It’s the SCF! It’s always them —!” Cham’s tried to push Noah away, but he overpowered her overwhelming strength.

“The SCF has taken a lot, but we did as well. Eye for an eye — that was our way of living. But today, I’ve seen a man — a father from the other side. Giving all of him for the sake of his children, when I couldn’t do that in the first place. There’s good people in the SCF. And there’s evil people in The Ark.”

Noah steals a peek to Bitter, whom studied at a green curtain at a distance — trying his best to ignore the whole conversation, “Perhaps, it’s time for The Ark to reform itself. To actually build a sanctuary for the weak, and for the strong. And The Ark, I entrusted it to you. To the both of you”

“Father, I’m not ready…” Shem sobbed.

“We will never ready for the bigger responsibility. But I pray that you will have the strength to face it.”

“No — ” Tears wets Noah’s back, “— I’m not ready to lose you…”

A solemn silence breaks the atmosphere. Noah’s trembling body was at its limit to withhold the dam.

“Trust me, Shem…” His embrace gets tighter, “I’m not ready as well.”

Now both of the sisters realises the tremendous shaking that’s been embracing them. Yet, with all of the fear — his back is straighten up. He had made his mind. Unchangeable decision, and all they did was dragging him down. The sisters watched each other’s eyes, finally understood their father. They both answered Noah’s resolution, embracing him with their own as well.

“You two be good, alright? Cham. Shem… I’m proud of you two.”

The sisters nodded, finally releasing her father without regret, “…We’re proud of you too, father. Always.”

Noah took a deep breath. He glanced at what Bitter has been staring at. The green light has stagnated in their movement, but very close to where they are.

“It’s time…” Noah said, “Wipe your tears, will you? You don’t want to look bad for your final act of illusion, do we?”

“To be honest, I don’t really care,” Shem chuckled, wiping the dripping line of waters. Taking the same deep breath, Shem called on her raccoon-dog, “Tanuki.”

The Tanuki jumped from Shem’s shoulder. It delivered them a gust of leaves. It started to engulf both Noah and Shem, hiding them as they started to transform as each other. Before the transformation completed, the sisters found their father’s smile — wider than ever. For return, they delivered the same — twice as wide.

. . .

“— And that’s all I from me… After your dramatic exchange here, Bitter told me to swap Lime’s and Shem’s faces, and to cast an illusion over the cafe itself so the SCF would only observes an empty cafe until I take it off…” Shem grabbed her handbag next to Lime. “…I hope that’s enough to convince you.”

“…Thank you for…sharing,” Lemon’s had his head down the entirety of her story.

“Thank you for listening as well. I overshared, to be honest.”

“Yeah…you kinda did…”

The both of them stares on each other for a good second. Unable to hold it any longer, a chuckle escapes Shem’s mouth. Hearing it made Lemon chuckled as well. It takes not long, before it ruptured into a full blown laughter. It’s the first time again since such a long time, for the both of them to let out a laughter that would hurt their belly. At that moment, they felt the same sensation. A liberating feeling.

“…You’re funny, big bro.” Shem wipes her a tear — as the result of her laughing — from her eyes.

“I told you not to call me that,” Lemon’s retorted despite the pain in his stomach.

“Why not?” Shem said, “Is it exclusive for your precious Lime, you damned siscon?”

“No, it’s just felt weird. You’re older than me anyway —”

“— Then, should I call you ‘lil bro’ instead?”

“If that would finally make you stop calling me ‘big bro’,”

Smiles keeps on painting the both of them, as they glanced toward their little sister. Despite all the noises they made, Lime still fast asleep. Bitter probably slipped too much in her food, which probably a good thing — for her.

“Well, it’s been fun, but it’s time for me to go. I still have to make several visits before fetching my sister.” Shem takes off from her chair, dangle her handbag on her fingers over her shoulder. Lemon nods, as he keeps watching the sleeping Lime.

“Ah right, before that.” Shem reaches out to her handbag, and gives two thick envelopes to Lemon. “Bitter said to give it to you.”

“What’s this?” Lemon takes a peek inside the envelope — an unimaginable number of cash, with two golden card in each of the envelopes

“ ‘15 years of your hard work, because I don’t trust neither you nor Lime’s financial management.’…that’s what he said,” Shem continues her walk, ready to open the wooden exit door when —

“ — What should I do, Shem-san?” Lemon’s hand shivers — holding the envelope tight. He can feels his eyes warming up again, “I didn’t even get the chance do, or say something to him…”

“Tough luck, lil bro. I’m still finding that answer myself,” Shem clutches the door handle, as tight as Lemon. She raises her head, glancing at the sibling. Before the bells on the door rings again, she gave him a serene smile and a final piece of her mind,

“But I think every father’s wish are all the same — To carry their will. To be grateful of all things. — “