15 With You

"Somethings wrong."

Timber stares at the trembling hands that Eugene was holding and says with a face painted with fear: "Just what on earth is happening to you Eugene? We didn't see each other for seven days and you changed so much...and your changes are just...I couldn't tell...I couldn't grasp it. I don't know what's on your mind making me feel that there is so much uncertainty in our relationships."

"I can feel gaps. I can discern the distance."

Eugene held his breath.

"Timber, do you remember what you told me when we became friends?"

Timber's eyebrows furrowed, "I would never forget, It's a promise I held into and wrote in my diary because meeting you means so much to me. I would never forget that time when I held your hands in the garden and cry while clinging to you. The time when I said that we will never separate even if the people who surround us disapproved. As I am an illegitimate child and you have full noble blood."

Eugene gritted his teeth, "Saying worst about yourself is just---"

"Eugene, we can't be blind about what and how people see us. I'm no longer an innocent kid who couldn't do things on my own. I can now think and decides. There's no need to cover up the ugly truth just to make me feel better."

"But I'm telling the truth, you have a beautiful soul."

"Not everyone can see like that, I'm surprised by your sweet words."

"Timber..."

"I'm fine Eugene. I'm trying to understand."

Eugene shut his eyes in pain, can't bear to look at Timber who he killed and couldn't help.

Just when did he become so powerless? How come he just notice the feeling in this life...that he couldn't manage to protect what he must protect in the past? Just why did he become so blind with hatred that he failed to live his life?

Timber...

You are really, the only person who can enlighten the type of person like him.

"Timber, y-you see...I---"

SFX: Whoshhh

Timber/Eugene: "!!!"

Eugene runs towards Timber after alertly turning his attention to the source of the sounds, pulling Timber behind him in a protective manner and shouting, "Who?!"

"Wow, I never expect such an expression from you."

Eugene's face turns ugly when he saw the person who suddenly appeared behind him and gave a faint attack towards Timber which is actually aimed at him.

Timber: "Eugene your face!"

Eugene touches his cheek and feels a liquid substance which is blood.

"No worries, It's just a scratch, your friend won't die."

Timber's face turn red and glares at the person with hatred, "How dare you!"

"Angry? Where is your right? It's you, how dare you make Eullian cry? He's my friend so I guess my friend's little brother who is your friend, you would probably understand my irritation. Right Timber Rozans?"

Eugene: "Clarence!"

Clarence gave Eugene a mocking look.

"So protective, you probably wouldn't do that to Eullian. Oh well, I guess you don't even recognize who is your little brother and spend your time with this oh-so-called pretend younger brother of yours."

Timber gripped Eugene's clothes tightly as his face turns pale.

"Enough Clarence!"

"I should be saying that Eugene."

"If Timber did something, I'll apologize on his behalf. Don't repeat what you did earlier because if there is a second time, I won't hold back myself too."

Clarence's face cools down, "I wonder when will you change."

Eugene's eyelashes tremble.

"I also wonder when will you move on."

Clarence gritted his teeth, "What I did is just a warning Eugene, If I saw Eullian cry again because of you or Timber, a scratch won't do."

Eugene sigh, "Don't worry, I'll make sure Timber won't bully Eullian again and I hope you won't touch Timber when I'm not around."

Timber pursed his lips when he heard what Eugene said.

Clarence who compromises just scoffs and teleports away.

"H-He actually got here just for that?!" with a voice full of irritation, Timber gritted his teeth in anger, "THAT EULLIAN IS ALWAYS---"

"Timber."

Eugene's soft voice, with a hint of tiredness, immediately tame Timber.

"Eugene, is your face alright? Does it hurt?"

Timber touches Eugene's cheek with worry while checking the small wound which could be healed by magic in an instant without leaving scars.

"I'm fine, how about you, are you frightened?"

Timber shook his head but Eugene knew when Timber is lying so he just pulls Timber and hugged him, to assure him that he'll never let anyone hurt him.

"It's fine, Clarence is just that kind of person because he cared for Eullian."

Clarence and he are former friends, as for how Clarence and Eullian become connected? Well, it's because when Clarence once visited Shradinza Household, he accidentally saw Eullian who could hardly take three steps without panting. So of course, Eugene who always spoke ill about his brother became too much for Clarence when he (Clarence) witness such a scene.

How could a weak person like Eullian hurt Eugene?

Clarence thinks that Eugene is being unreasonable.

But still, be friends with him while planning to get close to Eullian. In the end, Eugene who saw Clarence and Eullian get along got jealous. He drove Clarence out of the household and told him to never come back and that their friendship is over.

Clarence got angry.

For him, Eugene is really an unreasonable person.

He (Eugene) could hurt his weak little brother and a person like that should not be hanging around beside him so he also started to ignore Eugene and started to spend his time with Eullian who had no friends and is so lonely.

Such a nice person doesn't deserve cruelty, Eullian deserved to be loved.

Ever since the broken friendship, Clarence and Eugene once again became strangers to each other. This is also the reason why Timber means so much to him because, unlike Clarence, Timber never leaves him and never replaces him despite seeing his brother's situation which is a contrast to his description.

In his past life, Clarence who protected Eullian was killed by him.

Eullian lost such an important person and almost become crazy which made the former him happy whenever he remember that tragic scene so he started killing people who came across or building relationships with Eullian.

Because he wanted Eullian to be alone.

To make him understand his pain, to make him feel his loss.

"Let's go in the infirmary an--"

"No, I can do it."

"No, we need a healer so it won't leave scars."

"It's fine, I can heal a small wound like this."

Timber widen his eyes when he saw a light particle appear in Eugene's hand.

"Eugene y-you can use m-magic?!"

Eugene smiles and flicks Timber's forehead.

"Why look so stupid again?"

"N-No it's just..."Timber closed his open mouth, "This is the first time I saw you use magic so I thought you aren't dual. I-I just couldn't believe you have enough mana in your body to be able to do magic."

Euegene scratched his head, "Just keep this a secret, I also didn't expect it since it's not in our blood to have a huge mana to control magic such as this."

"Amazing~"

Timber clapped his hand and his round cat-like eyes stare at Eugene admiringly. Both look at each other and Eugene whose both cheeks turn red lowered his head in embarrassment.

How could Timber react in exaggeration?

Ah so embarrassing.

——What happened earlier is a surprise.

After Eugene healed the small wound on his face, he dragged Timber back to his dorm and coaxed his friend to forget all the unhappy memories while also not forgetting to remind him [Timber] not to offend Eullian anymore.

He doesn't fear danger but putting Timber into one is another story.

If Clarence really attack Timber earlier he would probably push Clarence back and attack him severely as a punishment.

At least Clarence still considers him as the root cause so he's the one who was really meant to be attacked. That's fine for him as long as Timber is out of their sight.

"Eugene, are you sure you won't change your mind? Can I really take it?"

"If that's what you really want, I'll just do my best to protect you."

Timber's eyes glow in happiness.

"I knew it! Eugene is the best!"

It's really fine, as long as Timber won't join in the real war he can protect Timber when the selection comes. After all, the danger in Warfare Selection is controlled and once a student encounters a situation where he/she could possibly lose his/her life then an automatic emergency teleportation would activate to save the student from further harm and avoid death.

If he can, he would also try to invent jewelry that Timber can wear and carry anytime containing a load of mana enough to do automatic teleportation five times whenever it senses that the owner is in a dangerous situation.

"I want strawberry."

Eugene picks a strawberry and puts it in Timber's mouth.

He is reading books earnestly, at the same time paying attention to Timber beside him who is laying down and playing with something.

"Put some chocolates."

Eugene took his eyes off the book and pick the strawberry, dip half of it into the chocolate syrup, and put it in Timber's mouth once again.

Timber: "It's so delicious."

Eugene: "Favorite?"

Timber: "Can I have it every day?"

Eugene sigh, "The baby can't take too many sweets every day, it's bad for health."

Timber pouted, "I'm not a baby, I'm already big!"

"But your my baby."

"Eugene you're so annoying!"

"Yes. I love you too."

Timber's face turn red as he rolled around, facing his back to Eugene to hide his embarrassment. It's because of his brother that he was used to being served like a child. If it weren't for his brother also treating him like a baby then Eugene won't see him as one too.

Ah, Brother and Eugene are so annoying!

Timber: The baby is wronged (⋟﹏⋞)

Eugene just chuckled when he saw Timber's cute expression.

He put down his book and climbed on the sofa, topping on Timber and leaning his face on Timber's ear, whispering..."Does baby need coaxing again?"

Timber cover his ear and turn his body around, facing Eugene above him, and said with a red face, "You are bullying me again!"

"Come, let brother hug the baby, the baby can't be wrong."

Eugene drops his body to hug, overshadowing Timber's figure.

"You're so heavy! Get off!"

"Hmm."

Eugene refuses to listen and just puts his face on Timber's neck with his eyes close while saying, "I'm sleepy, stay for a night in my dorm."

"No, I'll go back."

Eugene tightens his hug, "I miss you so much Timber."

In this life, In his past life...and in those worlds.

"You're being weird again, get off, you're so heavy, you are suffocating me."

Timber's voice sounds annoyed but his red face says otherwise. After all, he always like Eugene's dependence on him, and he is always happy whenever Eugene appreciates him.

What to do, his friend would also show his cute side too.

Timber: Baby can coax too, hmp. ε٩(๑> ₃ <)۶з

Giggling, he raise his arms and hugged Eugene back.

"You are being a baby too!"

Sounding so helpless, Eugene opened his eyes and smile when he heard Timber's cute helpless voice.

"Yes. Yes. Let's sleep okay?"

Timber's eyes widen.

"In this position? No way! Eugene get off! You're so heavy! My body hurts!"

Eugene sigh and lift his body, putting his hand on Timber's waist before turning around, changing the position of both of them.

Timber who is suddenly laying on top of Eugene became dumbfounded.

"Here, you won't feel my weight. Let's sleep."

Timber's face turn red once again and shouted, "Eugene!" while raising his hand aiming to hit Eugene's face but Eugene catches Timber's hand and shove it aside, continuing to hug Timber above him.

"It's getting late, let's sleep."

Timber whose chubby cheeks rest on Eugene's chest pouted and close his eyes.

"Forget it, don't blame me tomorrow if you wake up with a sore body."

Eugene raises his hand and covers Timber's eyes.

"Sleep. No Talk."

Timber hummed.

The room that is once dull and cold to describe is now full of warmth and happiness. With the curtains lifted, the moonlight illuminates both figures on the couch, looking so peaceful and contented.

The strawberry on the table fell on the carpet...

It's the sweet-sweet one half-covered with chocolate.

Timber who thought he wouldn't be able to sleep comfortably fell asleep securely within Eugene's embrace. And Eugene who always suffered from a nightmare got a peaceful sleep with a smile forming on his lips.

So many things happen but it always ended with with one of them...being each other's happy pill.

If only, every day is like this.

But with a world full of uncertainties, there are only what-ifs.