A sound of the water running from the faucet could be heard, Lyn was cleaning her dirty face while standing on a small chair to reach the bathroom sink. When her face was completely spotless from any soil, she looked at what was in her hand. Despite the bit of mud on it, you can see that it was a silver chain bracelet with an emerald jewel as its significant design. She cleaned the jewelry before deciding to hide it in her pocket. As she does, a memory came to her mind. "Oh..." Lyn had made a promise to an unknown being... rather, it was more of a bet, and her auntie was one of the center pieces.

Who was that?  While she was lost in her thoughts, her auntie came to get her since her mother wanted to discuss something.

"Lyn!" Her auntie called. She looked at her with shock and confusion, bewildering Lyris. "What's wrong?" Her auntie asked.

Her surroundings, why are there floating lights? Different shades of blue and red... some orange, pink and more. It was so colorful.

"Lyn?" She called once again. Ah, she's calling me. Auntie is... no, she's my...

"It's nothing, let's go!" Lyn answered ignoring the recollection from earlier.

They walked to where Mira is and both sat across from Mira's seat, facing her, waiting for a conversation to break the silence.

"So," Mira started, "I'm going to give violin lessons again. This is also the reason I couldn't give you the other empty room, Lyris, I'm sorry about that. You do know that we need-"

"I know," she cut her off, "We need money and you used to be a music genius. Our parents was the reason you stopped. Also, you don't need to apologize, I like to sleep with Lyn and I use one of the rooms for my other selfish reasons. Anyways, when are you starting?"

"Tomorrow. My first student and his name is Cade. He's coming at around 5 pm, which is after their school's class hours," She added, "Be nice to him. Oh, he's around your age Lyris."

"I didn't need the extra information." Lyris said nonchalantly, "Besides, school starts tomorrow for me as well. I might not meet him if I get preoccupied with my friends."

"Alright, alright. Now you guys will help me in prepping the room for tomorrow." Mira stated.

While the three were cleaning and preparing the room for tomorrow, Mira asked Lyris about the painting that she drew and that it looked so surreal, she stated that she didn't mean to pry. Lyn didn't seem to hear this as she was preoccupied painting on a piece of wood that will be used as a signboard. Lyris stated that is was just a painting from a faint memory of a dream she had. Mira have an insight that Lyris didn't want to continue the conversation despite feeling that there was more to it and that her little sister is just hiding.

~~~

The next day was an unpleasant one for Lyris, it was raining heavily.

"I hate this." Lyris muttered while a memory flashed in her mind. She used to be the one who loves the rain more than any weather, the humid and cold damp feeling as the rain droplets fell on her skin while running in the middle of it was one of the things she loved. She grabbed her umbrella and bid her sister and niece farewell before going on her way to school.

Suddenly, as she was walking, she felt a pat on her right shoulder which made her look at that direction. It was Emilia, her childhood friend, along with Julius, who she became friends with on their middle school days.

"Lyris! I've missed you so much, I wanna hug you but I'm wearing a raincoat right now. I can't get your uniform soaked," Emilia said. Then, Lyris initiated with a smile, "Come here under the umbrella with me."

"Aww, no fair, what about me?" Julius butted in and asked.

"Well, it's your fault that you didn't bring your umbrella!" Emilia teased.

"You didn't bring yours as well, dummy!" Julius teased back.

"Stop it you two!" Lyris said as she laughed.

~~~

The three arrived at their school, all soaked in the rain while trying to fight for the umbrella, well, Lyris wasn't so, just her two friends.

They all sat on seats of their choosing since tomorrow will be the draw lots to decide their seating arrangement. Julius, whom she calls Jul, sat in front of her, while Emilia, whom she calls by the nickname of Mimi, sat by her left side. Introductions were made by their homeroom teacher and all the students inside the classroom. But her attention was somehow drawn on a particular person named, Tristan. It was a name that sounded so familiar, it felt like she knew him, but it's so far from her reach—the memories that tries their best to hide deep inside of her.

"Tristan, huh." She didn't know that she said it out loud until Jul asked, "Tristan?"

"Tristan? Oh! Isn't he the famous guy from the other section when we were first years? He is good-looking but so not my type," Mimi stated.

Then, Mimi started giggling and she playfully asked, "Do you like him?"

"Huh?" Lyris was flabbergasted, "No! That's not why-"

"Oh~ Lyris has a crushie-crush!" Mimi was annoying Lyris and it was definitely going to continue until they get home from school. Jul was only staring at the two as Mimi made jokes.

"Ugh, Mimi." She couldn't hold a candle to her and just let her be. Then she suggested something to changed the topic, "Are you hungry? Let's go to the cafeteria, I wanna buy some snacks."

"Oh, yes please!" Mimi couldn't say no in the presence of foods, she loves them.

"Jul, you coming?" Lyris asked.

"Of course!" He answered. "His eyes are very gentle," Lyris thought to herself. Despite being a common shade of brown, it was different from the others, it was truly kind.

The three of them were on their way to the cafeteria when on the spur of the moment, a recollection resurfaced its way back to her thoughts. It was like no other, terrifying and excruciating. There was a commotion and a scream of a single person, transiently, blood was everywhere and there was void of nothingness that followed.

~~~

She fainted.

"Why did I fainted?" Lyris was so full of wonder right now. She was confused and curious at the same time.

"If you're going to ask who carried you here, it was Jul." Mimi was who greeted her when she had awoken but she could her murmurs behind the clinic bed's curtains.

Mimi slid the curtains a bit, it was Julius talking with the school nurse, perhaps he was explaining that the accident that occured to her before could be the reason. Well, it indeed could be.

Her sister abruptly came running inside the room and asked while still trying to catch her breath, "Where is she?"

"She's resting right now." The school nurse reassured.

"I see, I'm glad. I thought something bad happened when Jul and Mimi contacted me." She let out a deep sigh of relief.

"We'll let her get home early today. I'll go and see if she is awake."

The nurse insisted for Lyris to go home early. She stated that she will handle the rest well and that there was no need to worry. Mimi and Jul bid farewell to Lyris as she got up to go home with her older sister. Hopefully tomorrow, she'll be all better.

~~~

While Lyris was walking home with her sister, she remembered that Mira was supposed to have violin lessons later this afternoon.

"What about the violin lesson for later?" Lyris asked.

"I'll take care of it." Mira answered firmly.

"You won't do it for today? That's not good." Lyris uttered.

"No, your health comes first." Mira looked at her with worry in her eyes. They had arrived at the front door when Lyn opened it.

"Mommy, why are you home early with auntie?" Lyn asked.

"Oh sweetie, auntie wasn't feeling so well." Mira clarified, "But she's doing a bit better now."

"Does that mean that mommy won't be doing lessons for today?" Lyn asked. But before Mira could answer, Lyn said, "I already let big brother Cade here inside."

"Huh? He's here too early and I already told..." She looked at her phone's messages, it was on draft, it was probably because she panicked on the heat of the situation that she forgot to send it.

"Cade," she called while making her way inside the house to the living room, where Cade was, "I'm so sorry but I don't think today will be-"

"Sister, it's alright. Please do teach him, Lyn will be with me." Lyris smiled and went to her room with Lyn holding her hand.

Lyris glanced back to catch slight seconds of Cade looking at her. He's pretty. She pondered silently. His blue eyes matches his blond hair well. Perhaps, a foreigner? I wonder how he met with my older sister and decided for her to be his tutor.

Those eyes-

That's his blue.

~To be continued...

(Will be continued as a webtoon)