08| I Did It for Him

I stared down at the Gracidea pendant in my hand, which glinted in the weak light that filtered through the window. It was the one thing of Kari's they'd saved—the only thing they could save. Now it was mine. My fingers tightened around it, the cut edges biting into my skin. I wasn't even able to say goodbye to him since he'd been buried while I was still bedridden. As much as it hurt to learn that, it made sense.

Days, possibly a week had passed since I found out Kari had died. Iga and Alan had said I could stay here because I was "still recovering," but I knew that as soon as I stopped coughing they'd throw me and Dew out into the snow.

That thought scared me more than anything. When we had to leave, where would we go? Literal weeks had passed beforehand, so any chance we had of finding the purple-eyed man was gone now. Because of me, I lost any opportunity of finding a connection to my past. More importantly, because of me, Kari had died.

It was all my fault.

The door opened. I refused to look since I knew who it was. Cyryl would bring me food twice every day, which was always some type of simple broth with water. It wasn't a good idea for me to eat too much food at once, Iga had said.

Iga was weirdly persistent about me eating, probably because I was so thin. After not touching the food the first time, she made sure I did the second time, and it was... great. It was Combusken broth with some kind of seasonings mixed in, always piping hot.

Because of the food I got, the hunger that had been dulled by sickness was reawakened with a vengeance. I ate now not because I wanted to, but because I couldn't stand being hungry. I was sick of the unrelenting stabs in my gut, reminding me that there'd never be a day where I couldn't see the outlines of my ribs.

Cyryl lingered in the room for a moment. "Um, Loto," they started. "Mother was wondering if you'd like to eat with us tonight. She thinks you could handle—"

"No," I cut them off. This was probably the third time Cyryl had asked me this. "Just leave me alone."

"A-all right, I'm sorry." They placed the usual bowl and cup down, the latter audibly scratching against the bandages that seemed to be permanently wrapped around their fingers. At first I'd been curious about what happened to them, though now I couldn't care less. Afterwards they left the room without another word, the door clicking closed.

I pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my face in them. It pained me to be so rude to Cyryl. They didn't know what I knew their parents would do, they were just obeying like a good kid. Even more heart-wrenchingly, I couldn't bring myself to look at them. Despite the differences, they kept reminding me of Kari.

"De..." I watched Dew rest her head on my foot. She was just as heartbroken as me, probably even more so. She'd known him longer than I had.

The scent of the broth gradually filled the air, making my stomach rumble. I couldn't stand to ignore it and ate. I used to not mind having the same thing for days on end, but now that I was consistently eating, I was beginning to find this bland. Fine by me, I didn't deserve anything good when Kari couldn't enjoy it alongside me.

After finishing the bowl I laid back down, squeezing my eyes shut and clutching the Gracidea pendant to my chest. I'd been so tired, remnants of my sickness or just general weakness. I hated feeling like this, I hated the pain in general.

"Kari..." My throat closed up, tears stinging the corners of my eyes. I knew Kari wouldn't have liked to see me like this. Find something positive. But what was there? I just couldn't see it.

The next morning I was awoken by the door opening. I rolled over onto my side so I wasn't facing the door, pulling the blanket over my head.

"Oh, did I wake you, Loto?"

That wasn't Cyryl. I sat up, looking at the door, and I was surprised to see that Iga was standing there.

"Good morning," she said.

"Mornin'," I replied dully, my gaze falling down to my lap. I expected her to just put down the food and go, but she didn't.

"Cyryl has been worried about you. We've all been." She sat down on the foot of the bed. I nervously pulled my legs up and sat criss-cross, reflexively not wanting anyone too close to me. Dew wasn't with me; she'd retreated to the windowsill where she warily watched Iga. "I'm so sorry this had to happen to you and your friend. We tried all we could to help Kari, we truly did," Iga said. "But there was no way we could bring him back. He was already too far gone when we brought you two here."

"I get that, and I'm glad you tried," I said quickly, nodding. Iga stayed silent, probably waiting for me to continue. Instead, I changed the subject. "I don't understand why you're lettin' me stay here. I'm just a drain on your food and other things."

"You don't have anywhere to go or anyone to look out for you, right?" Iga gently asked. I nodded, my heart twisting. "Because of that, we're letting you stay here because me or my husband won't stand to see another child die. This world is just too dangerous for them to be out on their own. Especially for magicians."

Nausea churned within me. I tensed, my fingers digging into the sheets. They knew, didn't they? Iga's expression confirmed it.

"We saw the scars on your arms and neck as well as the bandages in your bag. It seems like they weren't meant for one-time injuries." She gave me a reassuring look. "You don't need to worry. I'm a Normal-type magician along with my husband and child. Nearly all of Waywyn is comprised of magicians, in fact. You're safe here."

That still didn't fully comfort me. "And I've been burned by magicians before," I said warily.

"But you should know that we aren't all like that," Iga said. "You can trust us, Loto. We won't hurt you, I promise." I could feel her stare on my four-fingered hand, and I clenched it into a fist.

I didn't say anything, watching numbly as she stood, heading for the door. She then looked back at me.

"We'd be happy if you joined us for dinner tonight," she offered. "If not, I'll have Cyryl bring you something. I'm sure you're sick of what you've been having, so it'll be different this time." She smiled, to which I shrugged, casting my gaze back down. "And it may not seem like it, but Cyryl has been happy that you're here. They really don't have anyone around their age to talk with."

"M-hm," I hummed. I already knew what she was hinting at, and I wished she'd just say it outright. She wanted me to talk to Cyryl. But I didn't think I could.

"It's not good to bottle up your feelings, and I've noticed you don't feel too comfortable speaking to adults. Consider it, okay?"

When she left, I leaned my head back against the bed's headboard, staring up at the ceiling. Along with everything else, guilt for my coldness towards Cyryl had been eating away at me. I really should say something and actually try to look them in the eye when I did. Just make it quick, I thought. A simple 'sorry,' and that's it.

The next time Cyryl came in, they didn't greet me, or speak at all for that matter. I almost didn't say anything. Only when the door began to close did I speak up, the guilt winning out.

"Cyryl, wait," I said. "I want to tell you something."

"Really? What is it?" Though they tried to hide it, I could still hear the excitement in their voice.

I suppressed a sigh before turning to face them. "I'm—" I met their gaze, only for my heart to wrench. For a moment I saw Kari in their place. It was the smile they wore. It was disgustingly similar to Kari's, their eyes glinting with the joy his once held. Tears sprung to my eyes, and I turned away. I couldn't do it. "Forget it, just go," I choked out.

"O-okay. I'm sorry!" Cyryl apologized before rushing out.

The door closed, and my tears began to spill over. Guilt and sadness twisted in me, building into frustration. I had no right to be so horrible to Cyryl, but I couldn't help it! The frustration became anger, and a familiar cold started knotting in my core. I forced it down along with the curses that struggled to leave me. But I still wanted to get rid of this anger; it had to come out somehow.

My hand blindly snatched the nearest thing to me, and with a small cry I threw it to the ground with all my might. The odd crack it made when it struck the floorboards staggered my anger, and it made me look to see what it had been.

The Gracidea pendant.

Two pieces sparkled in the light, one smaller than the other, clearly showing that the top half of one of the flower's petals had broken off.

Something started welling up in me, starting in the pit of my stomach and rapidly rising to my throat. What had I just done? Kari's greatest treasure... My breath hitched, and I barely had enough time to bury my face in the sheets before I let out a throat-shredding scream of anguish.

—~*~—

I didn't know how much time passed after that. I didn't speak to anybody, not even Dew, who hardly acknowledged my presence anyways. Really, I wanted to speak, but I just couldn't bring myself to. I started eating less and less, eventually resulting in me eating barely anything, if any at all. It was a waste to feed me. I just lay curled up under the blankets, trying to sleep as much as I could. If I had the strength to get up, then it would've been useless since I didn't even have the will to.

I squeezed my eyes shut, gritting my teeth against the pain consuming me from the inside out. Why was I always in pain? Why couldn't I just be fine for once? Just let me sleep, I begged. It was my only respite from all of this, the only thing I felt I could do. And thankfully sleep took me once again.

Some time later I stirred back into awareness. I lay in a half-asleep twilight, my mind deciding whether or not I should sink back down. But the choice was quickly made for me.

"Loto, are you awake?" A hand grasped my shoulder.

Energy sprung to me in a second, and I jolted up, slapping the hand from me and trying to scramble away. Of course I banged into the headboard a split-second later, which further startled me. I hunched forwards, clutching my head as I breathed at a rate fitting a heart ready to burst.

"Oh no! Loto? Loto are you okay?" Cyryl gasped. "Do I need to get my parents? It's my fault, isn't it? I'm so sorry!"

I forced myself to take slower breaths, putting a hand to my chest. I shook my head. "No... you didn't do anything," I said, ashamed. "I-I just can't stand it when people touch me."

Cyryl nervously messed with the hem of their shirt. "A-all right." They fumbled for words for a minute, finally stammering out, "Um, how have you, you know, how have you been feeling?"

"What do you think?" I muttered.

"I, um, I shouldn't even answer that, since it's obvious." They turned away. "I-I'll be going now. Again, my apologies for doing that."

No, I couldn't let them leave, not after doing this. "Cyryl, hold on!" They looked back at me, hesitant and worried. "I'm sorry for how I've been acting," I finally said. "You're tryin' to be nice, but I'm being an ass and pushing you away."

A surge of relief seemed to hit Cyryl then, as it was clear on their face. "Thank you," they said with a sigh.

"I'm so sorry. It... It all just hurts," I said. "And lookin' at you makes it worse because you remind me of Kari. I should be the one repeating apologies here."

"I don't see the point. It makes sense why you're hurting." Cyryl tilted their head. "I wish I knew what you were going through. But I know my parents do."

"Why's that?" I dared to ask.

Cyryl pursed their lips. "Before I was born, well, my parents had two sons, who would have been my older brothers," they started. "But they were killed because they were caught while using their magic. The way you look at me, it's how my parents do sometimes. Grief, longing, I understand it in that manner."

So that was what Iga really meant. But I could tell it also affected Cyryl; their voice had become more strained when they'd said it, their shoulders more tense.

"Um, m-may I ask what Kari was like?" Cyryl asked. "It's clear that you cared about him."

I almost refused, but I felt like I owed Cyryl that much. "No, you're fine," I said. "Kari was... the complete and total opposite of me. Bright, cheerful, loved to smile and joke around. He was a bit skittish and naïve, but that didn't matter." I exhaled a weak laugh. "I have no clue how we got on like we did. As a Grass magician, he should've been scared of me. He'd even admitted that he was. But somehow things worked out."

"Well, people say that opposites attract," Cyryl said.

"Yeah," I agreed. "This kid was talented too. He was only thirteen but knew how to cook, and cook damn well!"

It was strange. I'd only known Kari for a month, maybe a bit less, but recalling all of these memories made it feel like I'd known him for years. It almost felt... good.

"He also knew a lot about medicine. He wanted to be a healer like his older sister, go all over Tranquelum and help others. One time he sorta got us into huge trouble by healing some kid's Stufful. I couldn't be mad at him though, I knew he was just tryin' to help.

"But what defined him the most was his attitude," I continued. "He always tried to find somethin' positive in every situation, no matter how bleak. I don't get how he did it. I always thought that you can't find positivity in everything, and he proved me wrong so many times with that damn smile on his face."

As quickly as the respite from my emotions came, it left. My despair returned, stronger and more bleak than before. Tears began misting my eyes, slowly blurring and blinding me.

"Before I met him, I never smiled, but because of him I could. He sometimes made me grin like a damn fool. A-and now... I don't think I can smile again..!" I stifled a sob with my hand. "H-how did he do it? How can anyone do it? I'll never know... because he's gone."

"I-I think I can," Cyryl said softly. "To find something positive, Kari isn't suffering, and he won't ever suffer again. If he's left such a positive impact on you, then wherever he is now is surely wonderful. Karma favors the kind and bold, no?"

"Yeah, but I want him to still be here, dammit!" I choked, shaking my head. "I-I know he isn't mad at me, but I don't get how he can't be. It was my fault he died! I promised I'd watch out for him, I told him I'd keep fighting even if I was sick."

Cyryl didn't say anything, likely because they couldn't think of anything to say. That didn't stop me from continuing.

"But I couldn't watch out for him!" I exclaimed. "I just laid there and let him go out there and freeze to death! What kind of person am I that I let a thirteen year-old die? What kind of monster am I?"

Monster. That word hadn't affected me for a while. But it was all it took for me to finally break down. I doubled over, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Why did it have to be him?" I cried. "He actually had aspirations, hopes and dreams, a plan for the future! I have nothing! I'm empty! So why do I get to live? It's not fair! What had he done that I didn't? What had I done that he didn't? It doesn't make sense, nothing does!" I started coughing, hacking so hard and violently that I was almost sick.

I then felt Cyryl grab my hand with both of theirs. The shock of it made me freeze and look up at them, tears still streaming down my face. They tightened their grip so I wouldn't pull away. The look on their face was a mixture of worry, sadness, and even fear. I stifled yet another sob, the pitiful sound leaking out through my clenched teeth. Cyryl had no idea what the hell they were doing, but they still wanted to help.

"Listen, it is not your fault," they said slowly but firmly. "You couldn't help that you fell ill, and you couldn't help that you were weakened. If Kari wanted to be a healer like you said, then I'm certain he's happy that what he could do kept you alive, and he would be saddened if you gave up."

I looked up at Cyryl, blinking back tears. They tried smiling, the expression trembling but not fading.

"Live on for Kari," they said, squeezing my hand tightly. "I-I can't speak for him, but I know he would want you to."

—~*~—

While the Noseks had dinner that evening, I was in the bathroom, enjoying the bath that Iga had been kind enough to draw for me. I'd bathed one other time since I'd come here, though I made it as quick as possible, desperate to get back to the room I'd been holing myself up in. I hadn't taken the time to appreciate it like I was now.

I sank beneath the water, submerging myself to just below my nose. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it was amazing. Hot water that wasn't enough to burn, steam curling through the air, thick and humid but calming. All my attempts to get clean outside had been with cold, often muddied water. I didn't think I would ever get to experience something like this.

As I sat there, my thoughts wandered to what Cyryl had said. Live on for Kari... I inhaled deeply through my nose before exhaling out of my mouth, watching the bubbles rise to the water's surface. He would want you to... I closed my eyes and sank down completely. The water enveloped me, muting all sounds into a blur.

The thing was... Cyryl was right. I knew that was what Kari would want. While I didn't have any hopes, Kari had them for me. He'd want me to go on, find the purple-eyed man, find out who I was, and be happy. Smile.

While I couldn't do all of those things right now, I could try to do one: smile. But could I really? There was so much to hate, so much terror, so much pain, so much unhappiness. I would have to struggle to strain any positivity from all of that.

   Then again, nothing hadn't been a struggle for me so far. Even just staying alive had been hard. Yet I'd somehow managed to do that.

There wasn't any reason why I couldn't do it with this.

Letting out the rest of my breath, I sat back up out of the water, pushing my hair out of my face as I breathed in. Wherever Kari was now, I'd make sure he would see me smile. But there was one other thing I knew he would want me to do first.

I got out of the bath, drying quickly and dressing in the clothes Cyryl had let me borrow. It was kinda embarrassing that I could fit in a thirteen year-old's clothes. But I didn't put the shirt on, not yet. I didn't want to ruin it.

Approaching the mirror, I wiped the steam away from it and almost flinched at what stared back. This person looked nothing like what I had seen reflected in that shop window. Once-dark skin that had paled from time spent away from the sun or any light, cheekbones that displayed themselves gauntly, dull purple eyes slightly sunken into their sockets, hair far past the shoulders, ribs clearly visible after self-induced starvation.

I put a hand to my chest, feeling the skin pulled taut over my bones before trying to run a hand through my hair. This really was me. I lightly cupped what I could of my cheek. Maybe I could... No, there was no 'maybe.' I had to change this.

Ice encased me as I transformed. However, the remaining warmth from the bath and steam kept most of the cold at bay. With one hand I gathered up my hair, forming an ice knife with the other. I could've asked one of the Noseks if they had a pair of scissors, but Kari had been the one to suggest the idea of the ice knife in the first place. It was more fitting.

With a bit of sawing, my damp hair came away in my fist, leaving me with a mop that hung just below my chin. I'd probably keep it between there and a bit above my shoulders. Short didn't suit me.

   My lips stretched into a smile, and so did the me in the mirror. But it didn't look right. After a moment, I realized what it was. It just looked like I was smiling. You could tell when Kari was smiling, not because of his mouth, but because of his eyes. The happiness was in his eyes, and that was what I had to do as well.

    I'll do it for you, Kari. You gave me another chance, and I'll take it. I'll do it for you. I was able to muster a small spark of joy, and there it was, a real smile, even in spite of the unhappiness threatening to snuff it out. I wasn't truly happy, but I was alive. I had a chance to be happy. I could keep going.

I'd do it for him.

After cleaning up the mess I'd made, I made my way back to the bedroom, quietly greeting Dew as I entered. She seemed a bit surprised to see how I looked now, and it made sense. I'd probably cut off about five inches of hair. But my attention was on her, mainly for the lack of attention I'd been giving her.

"Dew, are you feeling okay?" I asked.

She shrugged before looking away. "De," she squeaked dismissively.

I took a deep breath. "I know I've been ignoring you, and... I'm sorry for that. You knew Kari for so much longer than me, and I've been just focusing on myself and never asked how you were feeling. I was selfish for doing that, and I'm sorry, Dew. I'm so, so sorry."

She took her time to acknowledge me, which I understood. But I was relieved to see her turn back around. Her eyes were sorrowful, her mouth twisted into the frown she'd been wearing for weeks.

"Like it or not, we're partners now. Kari would want us to be. And I want us to as well," I admitted, tensing up. "But that'll only happen when I start caring, and I want to start now." I sighed. "I get that you wouldn't want to be my partner. We still aren't that close, and that's fine. I just wanted to let you know so things aren't stuck like this forever. So again, I'm sorry."

Dew didn't move or react for a minute, still staring at me. "Ne," she sighed. Then to my surprise, she leapt from the windowsill to my shoulder. She made sure she had my attention, looking me right in the eyes.

"So you're forgiving me?" I asked.

She nodded firmly. "De," she stated. Her eyes narrowed, and her whiskers began to spark. "Deden!" She smacked my cheek hard with her paw. I couldn't believe this, it was like she was reprimanding me! But I couldn't blame her. I gently stroked the side of her face with my finger.

"So are we partners then?" I asked. She nodded again, and yet another weight was lifted from my shoulders. "All right. Thanks, Dew," I said. Now there was one last piece to pick up here.

I turned my attention to the Gracidea pendant, which had been resting on the nightstand. Ever since I broke it, I'd felt too guilty to touch it, but I couldn't leave it there. I picked it up, admiring the remainder of the gemstone, and hung it around my neck. I held the carved flower firmly with one hand. I wouldn't allow it to be broken anymore, whether it was by mine or someone else's hand.

"We have someone to thank," I said quietly, prompting Dew's interest. I could've said the names of any of the Noseks then, but one stood out far more. "Cyryl," I said. I had them to thank for this. Without them, I probably still would've been curled up in that bed, acting like I was dead to the world. And though a part of me still wanted to do that, the rest of me refused. There was no point in trying to smile when others couldn't see it, right?

Like usual, Cyryl brought me food the next morning. I was waiting for them with a sense of nervous excitement that was definitely more the former than the latter. Of course, Cyryl instantly noticed my new look.

"You cut your hair? When did you do that?" they asked.

"Last night. I was sick of how long it was," I said. "But that's not important." I made sure I kept eye-contact, even if it still hurt my heart to look at them. "Thanks for talkin' to me yesterday. You're right, Kari would want me to keep goin', so that's what I'll do."

Cyryl seemed surprised. "Oh, you're welcome. I didn't think I would have been able to help. It seems that I was wrong." They let out a small sigh, closing their eyes. "That's a relief to know."

"And there's somethin' else I wanna say," I said. "I think I'd like to join you and your parents for dinner tonight, if that's okay?" I asked with a half-smile.

Cyryl's eyes lit up. "Of course it is! I'll go tell my mother right now." They left in a hurry, badly hiding their smile. I almost laughed at that. They might've looked alike, but Cyryl was definitely different from Kari in every other way, and I was glad for that.

That evening, Cyryl came to retrieve me for dinner. It was clear that they were excited, and it was pretty funny to watch them try and act calm in spite of the spring their step held. The dining room was small, with only a table and four chairs to occupy its floor space. Cyryl's father Alan was already seated at the table, giving me a small wave and smile when he saw me.

"Dew will have to eat on the floor with Pidge and Bard, if that's okay," Cyryl said.

"It has to be okay," Alan said. "Remember, Cyryl, no Pokémon at the table."

I didn't want to break any rules (here at least), but by now I knew how Dew was. "You good with that?" I asked her. She scrunched up her nose but nodded, leaping off my shoulder and joining the two other Pokémon in the room's corner.

"And you can sit here, Loto," Cyryl said. They gestured to a chair kitty-corner to the one they stood by.

"Now Cyryl, I think that's for your mother to decide," Alan said with a chuckle.

Cyryl flinched a little, their shoulders tensing. "Y-yes, Father," they said.

"He can sit wherever he would like," Iga called from another room, likely the kitchen. Cyryl relaxed and sat down, and I took the seat they'd pointed out.

"I'm glad to see that you're joining us tonight," Alan said to me. "Getting out of that room probably feels great, even if it's merely for a short time."

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so," I said, smiling awkwardly. A feeling of apprehension fluttered in my gut, making me fidget about a bit. I was actually... nervous. It wasn't because I was afraid something bad was going to happen, the opposite really. After making such a horrible first impression, I wanted to try and make up for it.

"Cyryl told me what you did with your hair, and it looks nice, if a bit rough," Alan joked. "But what did you cut it with? We don't keep the scissors in the bathroom."

"Really? Because that's where I found them," I lied. I didn't exactly want to admit that I'd refused using scissors for my own reasons, so it was better that I try to cover it up. Still, I made sure both my arms were covered by my sleeves.

"How curious..." Alan mused. "Well, they weren't missing today, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about. You won't have to worry about any interrogations today."

I exhaled a laugh. "That's good to know," I said.

It could probably go without saying that the smells coming from the kitchen were amazing. There was definitely bread alongside some kind of meat, both intermingling with spices and an even richer scent. Whatever Iga was making somehow smelled even better than the food I'd been getting before. It was horrible having to wait. My stomach then growled noisily, and my face flushed hot when Cyryl and Alan looked at me.

"And I thought your stomach was loud, Cyryl," Alan said with a chuckle. Cyryl's face turned redder than I was sure mine was.

"I-I'm going to go help Mother," they said, standing up and rushing out of the room. I couldn't help but laugh, though I did my best to stifle it with the back of my hand. The embarrassment was gone as quickly as it had come, and with that my nervousness left. I really didn't have to worry so much, did I?

I was shocked at the sheer amount of food that Iga and Cyryl brought to the table. Well, there were only three things, but there was so much of each, more than I'd ever seen. There was some kind of meat in a creamy-looking sauce, probably not Miltank meat from its lighter color. The main side dish was some type of cooked vegetable, carrots by the look of them, likely canned since I'd seen them in Erinne's market back during summer. And were those rolls with shredded cheese baked onto them? I didn't even know that was possible!

"Go on and help yourself, Loto," Iga said. I almost didn't want to touch any of it since it looked so good how it was, but my hunger won out and I started serving myself. A nagging instinct at the back of my mind told me not to take too much for politeness' sake, and I begrudgingly obeyed. But when it came to actually eating, I was halted by something. The utensils. There was a knife, but there was also something else that had prongs at the end.

"Um, what is this?" I asked, holding up the pronged thing.

"A fork," Iga said, giving me a questioning look. She and the rest of the family knew about my amnesia by now, but there was a difference between forgetting memories and objects. "You don't know what a fork is?" she asked next. Hearing her say that out loud made me feel like a total dumbass, though it was the truth.

"I know what a spoon is, and I've used a knife before, but not for eating. I've only used one to... stab... things." Okay, I was making things worse by saying that. "But I feel like I've used utensils besides my fingers to eat," I tried to salvage things, "just not these utensils."

"That's fine," Iga said understandingly. "Cyryl, could you cut up Loto's food for him?"

I quickly waved my hands, shaking my head. "Nah, you don't have to! I'll just watch how you guys do it and figure it out for myself." I then proceeded to study and awkwardly imitate how the Noseks used their utensils, though I still found it easier and more logical to hold the fork in my fist than use only use a few fingers to grasp it.

"You're left-handed?" Cyryl asked, curious.

I raised an eyebrow. "Am I not supposed to be?" I switched hands, holding the fork in my right. "Is this better?" This display somehow floored Cyryl.

"How can you do that?" they asked, flabbergasted.

"It's called being ambidextrous, Cyryl," Alan said. "You're good with both your hands instead of just your left like me or your right like your mother." This didn't dampen the amazement on Cyryl's face. It seemed to strengthen it, actually. To be fair, I didn't know this either.

Once I'd finally cut up my food to a manageable size, I wasted no time in taking my first bite. Instantly I was in love. The meat had been lightly salted, and the sauce added a rich flavor of its own. I unintentionally slumped a little in my chair, in absolute bliss. I quickly straightened up before anyone could notice, more than happy to try what else was on my plate. The carrots had an odd and sharp but intriguing taste, and words couldn't describe the rolls. It was heavenly.

In no time at all I'd cleaned my plate, and I was a little sad that I'd finished it all so quickly. But it was just so good that I couldn't eat slow.

"Are you finished already, Loto?" Alan asked. "You can have more if you want."

My mouth literally dropped open at that. I could have more? There was enough that I could do that? Looking at the serving plates, sure enough, there was still a fair amount left over. My chest tightened, and I felt tears pricking the corners of my eyes. I never thought this would be possible. For the first time that I could remember, I'd be able to eat as much as I wanted. I happily took more, indulging to my heart's content.

More conversation ensued, though I was too busy eating to really listen or contribute. I had a feeling that Iga and Alan minded this, but they didn't say anything. Maybe they actually understood that a starving boy would care more about food than talking. The meal eventually drew to a close, every plate having been completely cleaned of everything.

"Amazing as always, darling. Thank you," Alan said, giving his wife a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Yes, thank you, Mother," Cyryl said happily. "That was great, wasn't it... Loto?" They frowned, looking at me.

I wasn't exactly in the best position then. I was hunched over slightly, an arm wrapped around my midsection. I'd felt fine a couple minutes ago, but now my stomach was hurting horribly, and I felt like I was going to be sick. I wouldn't let that happen though. If I did, all of that amazing food would go to waste!

"Did you eat too much?" Cyryl asked.

"I-is that even possible?" I asked with a weak laugh. Clearly it was, since I couldn't even think about eating another bite. Still, this was a pain I gladly welcomed.

Iga gave me a sympathetic look. "You should go lay down," she suggested. "And there will be more where this came from if you eat out here with us from now on."

I never thought that the idea of more food would made me gag. Still, the idea sounded amazing, and it was one that I wouldn't have been able to think of if it hadn't been for what happened earlier. "I will now. And thanks so much for everything," I said. I smiled then, and it was definitely one that Kari would've been proud of.

Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top