Chapter 306: Royals'' Funeral
After bathing, Lier and I went to the cemetery where the funeral is happening.
Thousands of people were present there.
It would be hard to find Elena in this crowd.
We walked further in.
The first familiar face I saw was Ricky and Rikka.
They nced at me and greeted me with a nod.
I nodded back.
We walked further to see Bianca.
Robena is not with her.
Is she really okay or not?
We walked further and spotted Joey. He was just standing there, looking down. As if he was paying his respects to the deads.
After walking for a while, I saw Serah, mother, and Lirole.
Serah was still wearing the clothes she worest night.
She didn''t go homest night?
I nced to my right to see Elena''s parents, and her grandfather.
Everyone was going to pay their respects, and to see my grandfather''s face for thest time.
Dau''s body was also there but no one was even looking there.
I could see smiles on some faces who were paying respects.
Most of them left the cemetery after paying their respects. They didn''t wait till the burial.
I don''t know if I should call it ''paying respects'' or not, because they were just doing the formalities.
Soon enough, only familiar faces were visible.
I nced around, but couldn''t see Elena anywhere.
Does she not know about the funeral?
I am sure Lirole has informed her.
But Lirole forgets many things. Maybe she forgot to inform Elena?
Though Elena''s parents are here.
I don''t see Selena either.
I nced around just to confirm, and I saw Elena standing near the gate.
Why is she standing there?
"Das" Lier called out to me.
"It''s our turn" Lier added.
"Yeah"
We both went near the coffins.
Grandpa''s skin was more pale than it wasst light.
He was covered in a white shroud.
His hair wasbed nicely.
There was cotton in his ears and nose.
The thumbs of his both legs were tied by the thread.
And aside from all that, there was a smile on his face. As if he was happy.
This might be the happiest I have seen so far.
I heard a sobbing sound.
I didn''t bother to look, because I knew who was crying. I walked to the coffin beside it.
This would be my third time seeing Dau''s dead body.
I really don''t feel anything by looking at her body anymore.
I grew up with this body. This body has taken care of me ever since I was born. The scars on this body are because of me.
You have done enough Dau.
I am not letting you risk your life for me or the pce anymore.
Even if she gets angry at me because of this decision, I don''t care.
Lier eyes were barely getting better but now they are swollen again.
I looked at grandpa''s body, and thanked him for everything.
Don''t worry, grandpa. You can leave everything to me now. You go enjoy your time with grandpa.
''Thank you, Arthur''
"Huh?!"
When I was kid, I used toe to the cemetery at least three times a week.
Well, not exactly ''used to'' but I was just being dragged by everyone.
Sometimes it was my mother, sometimes Lirole. Sometimes Lier. Sometimes Dau.
I don''t remembering here on my own.
There is an old tree in the cemetery.
Not exactly a real tree, but it''s not fake either.
That tree has been there ever since forever.
My grandpa once said that this tree was here even before his grandfathers'' grandfathers'' time.
The tree stopped growing a long time ago.
There are no leaves, or flowers on it. But it never withered.
It always stays hydrated for some reason.
My gaze automatically followed that after I heard that voice. Maybe it was just my imagination.
But that thought soon vanished when I looked at the tree.
I would never believe what I saw there.
Grandpa and grandma were standing under the tree. They weren''t old. They looked so young. Like they were in their teens.
"Wha...t?"
When they noticed I was looking at them, they waved and gestured at me to do something.
I couldn''t figure out what they were trying to tell me. My vision was going blurry for some reason.
When I rubbed my eyes and looked back, no one was there.
What was that?
My imagination?
A hallucination?
But I heard the voice.
Was it just my system messing with me?
If yes, then Lily wouldn''t have seen that.
"Lily. Did you see that?"
"Saw what?"
"Nevermind"
So it was just my system messing with me.
I grabbed Lier''s hand and said, "Let''s go, Lier"
She didn''t say anything. She just wiped her tears and followed my lead.
Once the burial ended, I tried to find Elena.
She was still standing where I saw herst time.
Why didn''t shee in?
Is she angry about yesterday?
Lier noticed I was looking at Elena.
She nudged me and gestured me to go.
"But..."
I don''t know if I should leave everyone alone. And if Elena is really angry with me, then...I don''t want to talk to her right now.
As I was thinking on what I should do, Elena nced at me and then turned around to leave.
"I will be right back" I said as I ran at Elena.
[Don''t run too fast. Your body is still being repaired]
"Okay"
I slowed down a little as I kept running.
"Where did she go?"
She was just here...
I nced around to see Elena going to the side exit of the pce.
I quickly ran and grabbed her hand from behind, saying, "Wait, Elena! Why are you...you are not Elena"
"Yeah, I am Selena"
How could I mistake Selena for Elena?
Not only did Selena have a bandage on her cheek, but her hair was also a little cut from the side.
"I am sorry to grab you so suddenly"
What should I do?
I can''t think of anything.
I almost killed themst night. And even if I didn''t, the bullet would have killed her.
And I just mistook her for Elena.
What should I do?!
"Hey, are you okay? You are sweating" asked Selena.
"I am..." I took a deep breath and said, "Fine" I nced around and asked, "Where is Elena?"
"She is..."
"Where is she? She is here, right? She must have gone in the ce or, maybe she just went to drink water, right?!"
"She is not here"
"Oh! So she is outside?"
"No"
"She must be in the car, right?"
"She is not here!"
"Then where is she?"
"She didn''te"
"She....didn''t?"
She nodded.
"Why? Is she that angry?"
"She is sick"
"What?"
"You know about her illness, right?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You don''t know she gets sick after a month of her birthday every year"
"Oh!"
"Yeah, that. She is sick"
"I will go meet her"
"She is not at the hotel"
"Where is she? Hospital?!"
"We shifted her to our house"
"I will get there!"
I started running at the gate.
"Wait!"
I looked back and asked, "What is it?"
She moved her hand to the pocket and said, "The house is locked. How will you go in without the key?"
"Oh! I have the key"
"You do?"
"Yes!"
"Don''t lie. Why would you have our house key?"
"Elena gave me"
"She never told me about this!"
"Okay, thanks. I am going now" I ran at the gate but stopped and said, "Selena"
"What?"
"Let''s go together"
"Why?"
"You will be going home after this, right? Come with me"
"I am not going there. I will go to grandpas'' ce directly"
"Tch!"
And here I thought if she will be with me then I will be able to handle Elena.
"Take out my car, Lily"
[On it]
I ran to the main gate and sat in the car.
"Let''s stop by somewhere and grab some stuff for Elena"
[okay. There is a ce near Elena''s house]
"I know that ce"
[Judging by the traffic, it will take about 68 minutes to reach her ce]
"That''s too long"
[I am showing you the fastest way to her ce]
"I know"
Dammit!
[so...]
"Hmm?"
[Will you tell me what happened to Elena?]
"It''s nothing serious. Don''t worry"
[You should be saying that to yourself. I can feel how worried you are. Even your hands are trembling]
"I can''t help it Lily"
[What type of illness does she have?]
"It''s not an illness. Selena was just making it sound serious"
[Then why is she sick?]
"She gets sick once her birthday passes"
[Why?]
"I don''t know. It''s prettymon though"
Dammit!
Who am I fooling!
I can''t stop thinking if she is alright or not!
I drove as fast as I could. Ignoring all of Lily''s warnings.
After 40 minutes, I reached the convenience store.
I grabbed as many snacks as I could. Whatever I saw, I bought.
"She likes this, and she likes this too"
"She wanted to eat this. And she always eats this"
"She said she recently bought this. I will get some extra"
"What else does she eat? Oh, right. Let me get some milk too"
"What else? What else? I will buy some drinks too"
"Should I get some beers? Sick people should drink very little. And Elena barely mentions drinking beer"
"Argh. Whatever!"
As I was buying whatever I wanted to, I nced around to see all the customers and staff staring at me.
What is it?!
Dammit!
I went to the counter.
The girl at the counter was dumbfounded.
"Please make the bill! I don''t have much time"
She started scanning everything one by one.
Dammit!
It will take hours if she does this one by one.
"Lily. Do it please"
[The bill would be 1800]
I moved my hand to my pocket.
"Ah!"
I forgot my wallet and my phone.
"Lily"
[Already done]
I grabbed everything and put them in the bags.
"Hey! What are you doing! I am still--"
"I already paid for this. So they are mine now. Please shut the fuck up!"
After putting everything in the bags, I ran to my car.
[You have bought too much]
"I know"
I threw all the bags in the back of the car.
"It''s full!"
I still have about 12 bags in my hand.
I threw some in the front and closed the door.
[One is still left]
I nced around and found a garbage truck at some distance from me.
I swung my hand and threw the bag in the truck.
"Let''s go now"
[Why did you throw it?]
"The car is full"
[You could have given it to someone]
"I don''t have time for that"