Secret Admirer; In The Land Of Fairies
08. My Dearest Sister

Since my return home, I can't stop thinking about what Zoe told me: fairy legends. I also still have a hard time believing that Zoe believes in the existence of fairies and fairy land legends in Fairille. All night I kept thinking about it until I fell asleep.

There was no dream like my first night in town, making me think it was just a coincidence.

The day after that, I spent my time at home preparing for my move to the dormitory. I just need to sort out the clothes from the suitcase and pick up the things I need in the cardboard, actually. However, feeling that my room in this new house still feels empty and boring, I took the initiative to decorate it as my room in McReych.

The flower garden painting I once made as an art assignment; an adorable array of wall hangings and tables; a collection of novels and comics; the rest of the clothes I would not have needed to bring to the dorm, he said, I managed to arrange it neatly in my room. Seeing it, I felt satisfied, replacing my tiredness which began to burden the body.

I went to the balcony outside the room to stretch my body. There, at the highest peak of the sky, the sun was shining brighter, not even a cloud dared to cover. Even so, I did not feel as hot as in McReych when the AC in our house was damaged. Here even we take advantage of natural airing, feels cool, even though it is through the summer. Along the eyes combing through the surrounding scenery there is a beautiful expanse of nature - trees and tiny squirrel-like animals that I have just seen in a tree - unlike McReych which will only be treated to the scenery a city with tall buildings, holographic lights, and motorized vehicles filling the streets.

Slowly, it seems that I am increasingly accepting of my existence in Fairille.

My stomach suddenly sounded. Apparently I'm hungry. I immediately went down to the kitchen to look for something I could eat. Because of how else, Mom still accompanies Dad to take care of his business, maybe they just came home later in the afternoon. As for Ezra-I heard today he started joining a popular kids' baseball club in Fairille. The field is near the house, so Mom and Dad are not worried. When I looked at the wall clock, I thought that maybe Ezra would come home soon.

Therefore, I intend to make something for Ezra. Maybe I'll try making pasta - one of Ezra's favorite foods.

So I immediately put on the apron and started cooking.

Time passed and I finished making the sauce with the mincemeat mixture as a cover as Ezra's voice rang out from outside the house. With a little tiptoe, I looked through the kitchen window, and found two children of Ezra's age biking away from our house.

Ezra's new friends, huh?

“Woah! Is that Bolognese paste?”

Apparently Ezra had entered the house. After washing his hands and successfully sitting at the top of the stool bar, the timid-looking Ezra swung his two feet that did not tread the ground, making the island table legs in front of him accidentally kicked. The man standing behind the table smiled at him.

“Accurate once. Special Bolognese paste made by Chef Kim.”

Ezra gulped as I poured the sauce over a plate full of pasta. Thin smoke that carries a tantalizing aroma also soars until it reaches the sense of smell. I know Ezra is tempted, besides he likes pasta, exercise must make his stomach so hungry.

“Kim…. Did you just make one plate of pasta?”

“Um, yeah.”

I was eager to tease her, but seeing Ezra unceasingly staring at the pasta plate that was now in my hand, I had no heart. I placed the plate of pasta on the table in front of him.

Seeing how Ezra rubbed the saliva coming out from the corner of his lips, my smile was engraved ignorantly.

“A plate of pasta for you,” I said as I pushed the plate on the table toward Ezra, then took a plate of pasta for myself, "and a plate of pasta for me."

Through the corner of my eye, I could see Ezra's eyes. He thanked me and told me that he was hungry after exercising. On his way home with his friends, he who was hungry imagined eating pasta. When I got home, I made pasta. Of course that makes Ezra very happy.

I sat down next to Ezra and started eating with him.

“Are you going to the dorm tomorrow?”

Since my mouth was full of pasta, I just nodded my head.

“I'll miss you, Kim.”

“Missing me or my homemade pasta?”

“Two!”

We laughed together too. It has been a long time since we last exchanged familiar voices like this. My busy life as a young metropolitan girl who likes to spend time with my friends after school, even weekends, makes me realize that Ezra is now higher than I last remembered.

“I can go home the weekend.”

“Really? But I heard from my friend, his brother who went to school there rarely come home.”

I frowned, then wiped my lips using a napkin. I thought, is school there as busy as that?

“I don't promise, but I'll work on it.”

Ezra cheered cheerfully. His hand holding the fork raised him to head height. She continued eating, and so did I.

“To this day is always fun!”

I pondered a little, thinking back to what Ezra said yesterday. “I'm glad to hear it. But may I ask?”

“Of course, Kim! What is it?”

“It... was it true when we were still living in McReych there was a child bothering you?” tanyaku.

“Uhm? Says who?”

“Ezra himself said yesterday when he just came home from school.”

“Oh, really? I don't remember.”

I looked at her face, but Ezra did not look back at me and busied herself with her food. I grabbed a new napkin at the corner of the table and cleaned up the rest of the sausage that was on Ezra's lips.

“It's real? Why didn't you tell me?”

This time Ezra returned my gaze by displaying a sweet smile. “Sorry, Kim, for worrying you. But don't worry, I've no problem kok.”

Hearing that answer, I looked at Ezra sadly, then stroked his head gently.

“You're a good boy, Ez. Really, I'm sorry for not taking good care of you.”

Ezra's heartfelt curvy smile reminded me of a day in McReych, a few months ago.

I just got back from the cafe with my friends. Late at night, I got out of the taxi and found Mom's panicked face when I just walked into the house. Mom seemed to be calling someone, and I realized Ezra wasn't around. When Mom hangs up, Mom tells me that Ezra hasn't come home since she went to school that morning.

I searched inside the house. But as Mom said, Ezra hasn't come home. There was no sign of his return. In his empty room, in the library as his favorite place in the house was empty, in any room, I could not find. Until I decided to look for him outside the house.

On the street in front of my house was completely deserted. The night had gone down and the area where I was staying was not in the entertainment area. Then I realized in the distance, a car came to my house. I don't care about the dazzling lights, because all I care about is the figure in the car. That car belongs to Dad. I wish Dad had found Ezra. However, when I found out that only Dad came out of the car, I felt disappointment.

“I haven't found it yet, Honey,” Dad told Mom.

Mom who was next to me immediately cried. Dad tried to calm Mom down by giving her a hug. While I could not bear to see Mom's situation, turned my face in the other direction. I bit my lips, trying so hard not to cry.

“I will try to find him.. in his favorite place," I said at the end. "Maybe Ezra was just asleep there. If we don't see you, I think we should call the police.”

After getting approval from Dad, I ran down the street to Ezra's favorite park. The park has a fairly complete and unique children's outdoor game, where Ezra used to like to take me to the park. One of them is a slide connected to a tree house. My feeling is that Ezra is inside that tree house.

Sure enough, after climbing the stairs to the tree house, I found Ezra who was shivering and coiled hugging his own body. When I called out her name, Ezra opened her eyes and smiled weakly at me. At that moment, I felt relieved. However, seeing Ezra's alarming state, as well as the finding of bruises on his legs and hands, I immediately carried Ezra behind my back and carried him home.

When he recovered, then Ezra told the demands and the cause why he did not come home quickly. Apparently he fell asleep in a tree house because he was exhausted after playing with his school friends, then spent some story books alone. While bruises arising in his body occurred due to playing throwing ball during sports lessons at school.

I did believe Ezra's story back then, but now, when Ezra reveals some of the facts about the abuse he received, I'm sure Ezra was lying.

Maybe the move to Fairille was a blessing for Ezra, as well as for me. The change in Ezra's contrasting nature, from shy to cheerful, certainly makes me grateful. As for me, maybe it was despite the daily routine that kept me busy with my friends at McReych, instead of my family. My regret for not being able to take good care of Ezra. I can't even remember the last time I accompanied him to play on the playground or take him for a walk to the mall.

So in this new life in Fairille I want to fix it. Improving my relationship with my brother, as well as with myself.

"After eating, how about we go see a movie together? The latest children's film collection this month seems to be on Mcflix, ", I offer.

"Of course I want to, Kim!" ezra replied enthusiastically. Ezra then sniffed the folds of his armpits so that his nose and forehead shriveled. "But I think I should take a shower first. I don't want you to be so excited about my sweat."

Seeing Ezra's behavior, I laughed.

"Then, while you're taking a shower. I'll make tons of corn for our binge-watching."

"Horay! You're the best, Kim!"

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