24

For the first time since I've been here, I see snow pour down like rain. It's just the same as the one I've seen in my past life but...I can't help but be sad.

Isn't this time of the year when that happened...

[My eyes blurried as I watch the people throw me rocks. Their shouts are loud but I'm losing my hearing. It's as if my body itself didn't want to hear such humiliation.

I knelt down as the executioner harshly pushed me down the guillotine. It hurt my knees to the point that it bled.

I wanted to run but...it's too late now. I shouldn't have taken that hand... I shouldn't have agreed... I should have just stayed silent... I should...]

Just then, snow fall on the tip of my nose. One after another, they keep falling. I stretch out my hands to catch some.

At this moment, I thought how beautiful it would be...to sleep forever in this bed of white snow.

One hand suddenly rests upon my shoulder and I flinch before turning to look at my father. He looks emotionless but then he covers me with his coat. It's definitely a warm gesture coming from my father.

"Father..."

"What are you doing here? It's cold. You should have at least worn a jacket," he says.

"But it was nice watching the first snow fall..." Because of that, I forgot to wear warmer clothes and just ran to the balcony.

I watch the hem of his coat touch the ground. It's really big and long. I wonder when I'd grow old enough to be able to wear this.

Suddenly, he pulls me closer to his side. I bump onto his leg and I couldn't help but hold onto it.

"I told you. It's cold so just keep close if you want to stay here and watch the snow," he says firmly.

Ah... This feels so warm.

I don't know how many days or weeks have passed already but I sure am coping up with everything.

"Serra, what are you drawing?" Nana asks all of a sudden.

I blink and look down on my sketch pad to end up pouting in disappointment. Nana then steals away my pad.

"Ah! No!"

And of course, she bursts out laughing.

"Here I am feeling defeated because Seulgi kept on releasing her god-tier talent but...I guess my round dino can still defeat your four human sticks!" she mocks.

Oh how I wish to just bury my face. Art never liked me in the first place so I decided to leave that talent progress at zero. Art and me just doesn't go together. Meanwhile, Seulgi here is already able to make realistic portrays at her age.

This is just one of the days that they are able to visit me because it's the weekend. Sometimes, I am allowed to visit their homes, but most of the time, father prefers having them visit me instead.

He claims that the outside world is full of monsters. That's just his way of scaring me though because I already know for a fact that there are no monsters in this world.

I sigh.

"Seulgi, you're really good at this. What's your dream?" I ask.

Nana blinks and curiously stares at Seulgi. "Oh! That's right. For me, I want to be an idol. How about you? You're good at drawing so are you gonna take up some architectural course or is it more on animations?"

Architectural and animations... Those are two amazing courses! I already know about architecture but animation made me gawk in awe especially those that are shown on screen. The amount of effort that Seulgi would need to fit those two categories... We'll probably see less of each other if that happens.

Seulgi raises her hands in front of us.

"H—Hey... I don't really like...those two choices..."

"Eh?!" Nana and I both exclaims.

"But you're so talented in this field. It's such a waste to just make it a hobby," Nana says.

Seulgi frowns and shakes her head.

"That's not it. I...dream of becoming a doctor. A top neurosurgeon. It's true that I will not be focusing on drawing but I will still be sketching human anatomy and internal parts so I don't think that my talent will go to waste," she explains with a small smile.

A neurosurgeon?

"What?! Really?! You must be freaking smart to ace that career! I mean you'll be fixing brains and all!" Nana comments in amazement.

Fixing brains?! Is that even...possible?

I was in the midst of thinking when they suddenly turn both of their attention to me.

"What about you, Serra? What profession do you want to have when you grow up?" Seulgi asks wih expectant eyes.

That caught me off guard as I haven't really thought that far ahead yet...

"Uhmm...I'm not sure..." is my only answer.

That night, I started to do my research. I haven't fully mastered this gadget called laptop but I can figure things out slowly.

I gasped to find so many types of career. Some are even hard to understand as one career branches out to many divisions.

I suddenly remembered Seulgi's dream to be a... What was that again? A doctor that fixes brains? Ugh! I don't know. What am I even good at?

Come to think of it... What careers are my brother going to pursue? They are still young but I'm curious with what they'll be doing in the future.

A knock on the door disturb my thoughts and I immediately fix myself to be presentable.

"You may come in," I declare and the door opens to reveal Rizza with a glass of warm milk.

"Young miss, please drink your milk," she says and I do as she asked.

"Thank you," I say and she nods with a small smile.

She takes back the glass I finished and was about to turn around when I get hold of the hem of her skirt.

"Rizza what's your dream?" I ask, curious.

I'm not sure if I saw right but I swear her eyes moved as if she was taken back.

"Did I ask something personal? I'm sorry. Earlier, Seulgi and Nana shared their dreams but I couldn't say something as I haven't thought of that yet. I don't even know if I have one since living here with all of you is already a dream come true to me..."

She kneels in front of me, her hands engulping my right hand.

"Thank you for thinking that. But young miss, you don't have to hurry. You can think of your dream as you grow. As long as you are happy, all of us will support you as much as we can. I swear to you my infinite support, young miss," she says before kissing the back of my hand. "As for me, I have already achieved my dream..." she adds with a smile.

She's so cool...

Just like a knight swearing her loyalty to her master...

I didn't even realized that I was staring for too long.

I clear my throat before hugging her. She smiles.

The next day, I caught brother Yona walking in the hallway. There's a dark aura emitting around him and I can clearly tell that he's annoyed

"Brother!" I call out and he immediately turns around to find me.

"Serra," he says before embracing me in a hug. "Have you finished the assignment I gave you?"

"Eh..."

He doesn't expect me to finish reading twelve books about world history in only four days, does he?!

"Just kidding. It's been days since I last saw you. What have you been doing?" he asks while fixing my braid.

I smile before showing him the flower origami I made my Lily and Rizza earlier.

"A flower for you!" I say and he bows his head.

I fix the paper stem to stay on his curly hair. I swear, my brother is too handsome! All of them as a matter of fact.

He touches the flower before gently pinching my nose.

"Thank you."

He stares at me for more than a minute so I immediately notice that there's something wrong.

"What is it, brother Yona?" I ask.

He sighs before smirking. I pout. His eyes... They look kinda cold in my point of view.

He turns around, like he's making sure no one's near us. Afterwards, he bent a little and whispered to me, "See that building near the gate? Don't go there today. Okay?"

He says that with a carefree smile...which...gave me shivers. It's just...so weird. He doesn't do that.

He was about to leave but I hold onto his hand.

"Why?" I curiously ask.

To make me feel worst, he just shrugs.

That's it. He wants me to go. It's highly unlike him to stop me in that manner so I figured it's the opposite. Because if he really didn't want me there, he would lock me in my room himself.

So what's in that building anyway?

~*~