The subtle impermanence feeling of the spring breeze flows through the garden trees, making the leaves shiver. The flowers blossom beautifully with their petals gliding around the scene.
Near the fountain that has a sculpture of an angel with water flowing through her hand, a familiar white-haired boy sits on the bench, zoning out as he gazes deeply at the beautiful garden in front of him.
The short, wavy white hair and delicate pale skin emphasizes his heterochromia. The left eye being hazel while his right eye being white.
The white-haired boy slowly looks up at the sky, witnessing the white birds roaming through the bright, blue sky as the wisp of the thin white clouds continue to shadow the sun.
The young boy closes his eyes, putting his hands down on the bench as he relaxes under the warm sunlight. "Eight years have already passed..."
Ever since that day in the bedroom, no major incidents have happened in the mansion. The joyous days remained the same as I continued to receive the love of both my parents...
And sister...
I slowly opened my eyes, gazing into the blue sky once more
At first… I didn't think I was ready to have any new siblings.
I can't forget how I lied to them… I continue to grow afraid that the same mistake would commence all over again.
Though it's true that I can finally express profound emotions, I still can't truly control them. I only know how to be happy and smile, be angry and show a scorned face, or be sad and cry. But that's really it...
Can these emotions… truly be enough to avoid the same mistake as before?
But… those worries prove to be for naught. When Mother carried Seraphina in her arms and showed her to me for the first time. I could only see her bright smile shining in the room. The more I gazed at her, the more this subtle emotion called happiness grew stronger. A smile spread across my face as I continued to enjoy these happy moments with my family.
I do not consider this moment a second chance to redeem myself... I could only hope that with these new emotions that I will continue to learn and hope to express these new feelings to them…
Even if that wish seems impossible... I truly wish for a moment like that to appear, even if I don't deserve that chance...
"Lys!"
I looked to where the voice came from to see the eight-year-old Seraphina running and calling me by the nickname she gave me.
Long hair reaching her waist, ruby red eyes with pale white skin. Wearing a short, light-pink dress.
I smiled as I saw her running towards me.
Once she stood in front of me, she gazed into my eyes, grabbing my hands while looking excited. "Lys, Lys! I have something to tell you!"
I tilt my head, trying to guess what's making her so excited.
I have come to realize that the personality of Seraphina right now... has deviated from the original version in the novel.
As I recall… being neglected by the duke while Lysander continued to draw a line between them... She had no one to depend on. Because of that, she matured at an early age and developed a refined and independent personality.
But the Seraphina in front of me is just like any other children around her age. A child whose only worries are the things that make her happy.
I let out a small. "Calm down, Sera. What's making you excited?"
She sat in the seat next to me, looking at the sky before redirecting her excited gaze at me. "The Imperial Prince is coming to visit today!"
My whole body froze.
The Imperial Prince… one who is destined to end up with Seraphina, and the one who is supposed to end my life...
I saw Sera looking up at the sky once more, smiling endearingly as her hair continued to flow alongside the fall breeze. "I wonder what type of person the prince is... They say that he is beautiful! His midnight blue hair with his sharp sapphire looking eyes. Not to mention that he is skilled with the sword!"
She looked at me once again, a bright smile beautifully conveyed on her face.
"But no one is more beautiful than you, brother!"
I couldn't help but smile back at her compliment. No one has ever complimented my appearance before.
But already being drawn by the prince's beauty does that mean… "... Do you like the prince?"
She flinched before gently shaking her head in denial. "No. I heard the other children's talk about him when I went to that tea party awhile back, and thought that he was interesting, that's all."
Her response left me baffled.
Though the prince's arrival is a few months earlier than what the novel described... I still need to confirm whether the romance between these two people will arise. If not, I will have to at least ensure friendly relations between them.
Their relationship, lovers or friends, will inevitably help with the serious issues that will soon arise based on the novel. "Then… why are you excited that the prince is coming?"
She looks down on the ground, slowly closing her eyes before showing me a warm and caring smile. "I feel like the prince would make a good friend for you, brother."
Her eyes slowly opened, showing a hint of caring attention for my well-being.
"Of course, it'll be nice if we could all be friends. But I feel like brother needs someone his own age to be friends with."
She stands up in front of me, still conveying her warm smile. "You only know the people in this mansion, but what about those outside and around your age? Building connections is necessary, especially if you are to become the future grand duke."
She then looks away, her expression turning slightly contemptuous.
"Though... if he is someone who is going to take you away, then I won't let you become friends with him at all..."
Moments like this remind me of the original Seraphina that I read in the novel.
Her intelligent and stoic mindset for the future yet caring of the people she truly cherishes. I continued to smile while letting out a breath.
I stood up from my seat and patted her head, trying to ease her worries. But that only made her pout. "I'm no longer a kid, Lys!"
I smiled once again, still patting her head. "Thank you for worrying about me, Sera. I'll try and take your advice. Hopefully… the prince would want to be friends with us just like you said."
"Hopefully…"
She let out a bright smile as she heard my response. "Okay!"
We then began walking around the garden.
There were so many types of flowers growing around the garden. The grass and trees were also being taken care of, trimmed into wonderous forms and shapes.
I wonder how Qadir manages to do all of this while doing the task that father gives him and making time for Nilo...
That reminds me... It's been a while since I saw them.
I slowly remembered a time four years ago, when Qadir got severely injured doing a solo mission in the middle of a forest that is now banned from entry.
He was going to survey the area since it was newly acquired land received from the emperor in apologies from the incident eight years ago.
But when Qadir went to survey the land, he was suddenly ambushed by a swarm of monsters from this world.
I haven't inquired about the types of monsters that reside in these lands since I'm prohibited from learning about them, but they seem powerful if Qadir got severely injured because of them…
He tried to secretly sneak into the servant quarters, trying to hide his injuries.
He tried to go to his room and bandage himself up. I was fortunate enough to find him in the act and brought Priya with me to his room.
Priya began to scold him, saying that if he hesitated on treating his injuries, he would have become disabled or even died.
Shortly after, Priya notified my father about the situation. He also began to scold Qadir, saying how he should've retreated rather than to take care of the monster by himself.
Nilo heard of the situation, and quickly finished his own assignment to see him. Tears rolled in his eyes as he saw how bandaged Qadir looked. Qadir tried to lighten the mood as he sat injured in his bed, but Nilo wasn't having it. He stayed by his side and took care of him while the injuries that were too severe to heal with magic recovered naturally.
Nila teased him about how his actions could mistake them as a couple. Surprisingly, he didn't deny it. Furthermore, he responded contently in front of everyone about how his partner is injured and wants to abstain himself from any missions until Qadir is fully healed. Everyone was surprised since he always wanted to hide their relationship for some reason. But this time, he embraced it. Their relationship was finally known to everyone officially.
I wonder how they are doing... love towards a significant other is still a fleeting emotion that I have yet to encounter. The love towards my family is genuine, but romantic love...
How would that feel like?
I continued to chat with Sera as we began heading towards the mansion.
But… my attention continued to wander elsewhere. From the moment I sensed their presence, I began to think just how the situation would progress.
Quiet footsteps echoed through the same corridor we were in. I looked up to see two people.
A boy with midnight hair and sharp sapphire looking eyes with tanned skin.
He was… beautiful, just how Sera described him to be. Wearing formal attire for the visit while being accompanied by a brown haired guard.
We both stopped walking, gazing at each other uneasily.
As we continued to make eye contact, I couldn't help but think negatively about myself. Despite being the same age as him, if I were to remember, he is much taller with more fiber and muscle in his body than someone like me. I looked down at myself, seeing my small and thin frame that can easily mistake people for a girl.
I admit… I do feel somewhat insecure because of my appearance, but it is partially my fault for rarely eating and exercising as I just focus on my readings.
A long moment of silence continued to pass among us before he finally spoke in a rather cold voice.
"... I'm surprised. I thought that the duke only had one daughter. I didn't realize that he had another daughter."
I slightly flinched at the response. Though I'm used to the comments about my appearance, I couldn't help but point at myself.
"My apologies, but I must clarify that I, in fact, am a boy."
His whole body froze at my response. He quickly looked away, showing a small blush, while forcing out a cough. "Ah... My apologies. I have never seen such a beautiful person before…" He then looked back at me with a small smile. "Please, take it as a complement."
I let out a small chuckle before smiling back at him. "I see. Thank you for the compliment."
He smiles warmly once again before politely bowing down. "I forgot to introduce myself. I am the first Imperial Prince, Augustus Rutherford."
He slowly stands back up. "I came here to have an audience with the duke."
I quickly bowed down, Sera following along. "Greetings, your highness. Allow us to properly introduce ourselves."
I placed my right hand on my chest before expressing a gentle smile. "My name is Lysander Blakesty."
I shifted my gaze towards Sera as she began to formally introduce herself. "I am pleased to make your acquaintances, your highness. My name is Seraphina Blakesty."
After we finished introducing ourselves, the prince closed the distance between us and gently held both my hands with a bright smile.
"It is a pleasure to meet you both. I hope that you are willing to be–"
But unable to finish his sentence, Sera shook the prince's hand away from me. She forwards herself while gently pushing me back, creating distance between me and the prince, as if protecting me.
We both looked confused at her while Sera continued to look wary of him.
The prince slowly looked down at the that was smacked away before clenching it before putting it down in silence. After a few seconds, the prince suddenly laughs before wiping off a subtle tear from his eyes.
"I see that you genuinely care about your brother, Lady Seraphina. My apologies for not considering your feelings. But..." He stopped, looking coldly at Sera with an eerie smile. "You should've used words rather than resorting to such measures..."
Sera quickly flinched before whispering warily at me. "Lys… I think that the prince is a dangerous person…"
I looked at Sera's anxious expression before shifting my gaze back at the prince.
He let out a simple chuckle before a sudden thought emerged in his head. "That reminds me..."
He smiled once again, but it was more superficial… More eerie… "I do recall that you are an exceptional mage who has reached the third ring. Considering that you have the Blessing of the Mana, you must be exceptionally strong..."
I fixed my posture while sharpening my gaze. Is it inevitable for us to be on bad terms…?
As he gazes at my wary face, he let out a bitter sigh before.
He starts unbuttoning his right sleeve, exposing his right forearm. He flexed it in front of me, and soon a shining mark resembling a long sword appeared and covered his forearm.
"I wish to show you both something..."
My eyes widened as I gaze deeply at the mark in his arm.
That symbol... so they have finally confirmed it. I took a step forward and straightened my posture, putting up a stoic expression that can't be read.
"That mark... it symbolizes the Blessing of the Sword..."
His whole body flinched before letting out a smile, buttoning up his long sleeve. "Impressive, you figured it out in just a glance. Though it is still unofficially announced, I was born with the Blessing of the Sword..."
He closes his eyes and soon opens them sorrowfully, yet still having a gentle smile. "... I get that you feel somewhat skeptical about me."
He looks back at Sera. "Especially you, Lady Seraphina. But I hope that we can continue to get along."
I gently placed my hand on Sera's shoulder. She looked back at me before letting out a deep sigh. "... My apologies, your highness. I acted out of line."
He let out another chuckle, shaking head to ease her worry. "It's fine! Let's not make the mood so sour."
I quietly comforted Sera as quickly hid behind me.
Their first encounter is filled with animosity… I looked towards the prince, who kept on looking at me without blinking.
I hesitated for a bit, before finally speaking to him. "... For what reason did you tell us this, if it's meant to be a secret...?"
He contemplates for a bit before answering. "I feel like... I can trust you." He let out a small chuckle. "I know we just met, but I can see a resounding aura coming from you..."
He smiles gently once again.
I try to think about the meaning of those words. Just like the five gods that reside in this world, there are five blessings that are given into the world when a time of crisis will soon engulf the world.
The Blessing of the Mana, The Blessing of the Sword, The Blessing of Light, The Blessing of Darkness, and The Blessing of the Spirits.
I recall that each blessing bestows each bearer a certain gift. Just like how the Blessing of the Mana allows me to see the flow of mana with my eyes, the Blessing of the Sword allows one to see one's aura and true nature.
I already knew that he had the Blessing of the Sword. The blessing lay dormant within him all these years before the mark he just showed me appeared.
If I calculate the time frame… the mark should've appeared around two years ago as he reached the third ring and became one of the rare magic swordsmen who can use both aura and magic. It is impossible to learn magic and aura since both properties can't coexist in the human body, but a magic swordsman could achieve such a feat.
I look back at the prince, feeling slightly touched. "Trust... Can you really trust me?"
He slowly began walking towards me, placing his hands on my shoulder before smiling warmly at me. Seraphina continued staring at him with disbelief, but he seems to have gotten used to her antics.
"You have a gentle and soft aura coming out from you... I have seen countless people with auras that expose their facades, but… your aura seems to flow freely... it feels so warm..."
I widened my eyes at his words.
Those are quite... comforting words for someone like me...
I couldn't help but smile back. The prince continued to wear his warm smile while still having his hands on my shoulder.
The young Seraphina, who stood behind the white-haired boy, continued to witness the warm atmosphere around the two people as they smiled affectionately at each other.
'I thought that the prince would be a good friend for Lys considering the rumors I hear about his kindness but isn't he just trying to win him over?!'
Just as Seraphina was about to separate them once again, the guard behind the prince let out a cough, grabbing the children's attention.
"Your Highness. I believe we should move now."
The prince lets out a deep sigh before gently removing his hands from my shoulders. He looks at me once again with the same warm smile. "I'm sorry, but I should really meet with the duke. Do you mind if you can show us the way?"
I nod. "I don't mind, your highness."
I looked at Sera, who was still hiding behind me. "Sera, do you mind notifying father about the arrival of his highness while I show them the way?"
"Why can't you ask one of the maids or butlers to show them the way?!"
I flinched at her response. She has never acted quite immature like this before… I guess the appearance of the prince has something to do with it.
"Sera... there's no need to feel anxious. Didn't you say you wanted to be friends with his highness?"
She quickly shook her head. "No! He's no friend if he's trying to take you away from me!"
"... Huh?"
Before I could respond to what she said, I heard the subtle footsteps of two people walking towards us.
I looked up and saw mother and father. Sera heard the footsteps and ran towards mother, hugging and burying herself in her dress.
"Mom!"
Mother loomed startled as she gently patted Sera's hair. "Oh my… What's wrong, Seraphina?"
Sera looked up at her with some tears on her face. "Mom! I don't like the prince! He's trying to take Lys!"
The prince flinched at her words. Father slowly walked towards him. Now standing in front of him, he looks down at the prince with slight annoyance.
"Your Highness... Is there some sort of problem going on?"
He scratched his hair, trying to avoid total confrontation with him. As he tried looking away from him, our gaze interlocked, his eyes then showing a sign of help.
I quickly chimed in, trying to help the prince out. "... Father, there's no need to worry. We were just discussing something, that's all."
He continued to stare at the prince before letting out a sigh. "Your highness. I guess you came all the way here for your personal request you mentioned in your letters, am I right?"
The prince straightened his posture, looking even more nervous at him. "Y-Yes! If the duke is willing to–"
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline your personal request."
The prince flinched at his words, his mouth quivering at the rejection before quickly responding. "I know I may not seem special in front of someone of your caliber, but at least give me a chance to prove myself!"
Father contemplates, looking up and down at the prince. "... I have no intentions of taking in a student, that's all."
Father turned around and began walking to where mother and Sera were at. He briefly stops, looking back at the prince. "I believe that concludes today's scheduled meeting. I'm sure you can show yourself out, right?"
The prince continued to look down while not responding. After a few seconds, he looked up with a determined face. "Please! At least have a spar with me so I can show you my capabilities!"
Father stopped walking once again before slowly turning his head, looking at the prince with slight confusion. Mother slightly covered her mouth with one of her hands while Seraphina continued to look at the prince with disdain.
I slowly walked over to father and gently tugged at his clothes. "Father... Can you give him a chance at least...?"
Even without the context, I can conclude what is going on. The prince wishes to be personally taught by father.
Just like how mages can finally cast magic when they reach the third ring, sword users can use aura when they reach the third ring.
Aura can be used similarly like magic. In exchange for mana, they can freely alter its shape, allow them to enhance their body during battle, or be physically manipulated to restrain or protect.
Seeing how the prince has reached the third ring, he wants to be taught how to properly use aura by father, the strongest swordsman in the Empire, who reached the eighth ring at twenty-two, a year before I was born.
Even after ten years have passed, at the age of thirty-three, he is still the most powerful swordsman in the Empire.
Trying to attain the rings beyond the sixth rank becomes increasingly difficult, requiring perseverance, and being put into a situation near death. That is why father, who was able to achieve the eight rings, became an important asset to the empire.
It makes sense that the prince wants to be taught by the most powerful swordsman in the Empire.
In the novel, the prince didn't have such opportunities after the duke closed himself from the death of the duchess.
But if the prince can get stronger under father's guidance, would he have the power to deal with the changes that might occur even after the original storyline is destroyed?
Yes… he needs to get stronger in the off-chance of Sera not being by his side when he's in trouble later, since a personal relationship doesn't seem to be an option seeing their interactions just now.
I look up at father once more, his expressions showing a sign of confusion as to why I would ask him that. "... It doesn't hurt trying to see if he truly is capable. From the looks of it, he already achieved the third ring."
Both father and the prince looked at me surprised.
It is not easy to gauge someone's power since mana is not visible to the naked eye, especially knowing how much ring they have. But it is quite possible with The Blessing of the Mana.
The prince looked at me, confused as to how I knew that. I just pointed at my white eyes, and surely enough he understood the meaning before slowly nodding.
Father closed his eyes while scratching his hair. "... As I said, I don't have any intentions of taking in a student..."
He then looked back at the prince, making him flinch as their eyes connected. "But… I guess I can teach you some techniques in response to my son's request."
He walked towards the prince once again. Standing in front of him with his arms crossed, staring down on him coldly despite being a member of the Imperial Family. "Still, I would've accepted automatically if it was by the order of the empress... Why didn't you ask her?"
The prince continued to look directly into his eyes, trying to hide his nervousness. "What's the point of getting stronger if I continue to stay behind my mother's shadow?"
Father let out a small hum, slightly interested by his reason. "... Maybe I did misjudged you. Very well then, let's head out to the sparring ground."
The prince tilted his head as he questioned the intentions behind those words. "What for?"
Father let out a sinister looking smile. "You said you wanted to spar with me, didn't you? I'll see for myself just how skilled you are."
A shiver ran down the prince's spine. Soon, a cold sweat ran down his face, feeling the danger that he's going to face.
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ .
I sat on the bench near the training ground while mother decided to take Sera inside since it was time for her afternoon class. The guard who came with the prince also stood near the bench.
As I gazed at the training ground in front of me, I could see the stack of wooden swords aligned in a handle. Training dummies dispersed into different areas for individual training, and in the middle, there is a large circular paved stone used for sparring.
On one side near the edge of the paved stone, the prince wields a wooden sword while looking directly at the father who is at the center.
Father stood quietly, placing both his hands on top of the hilt while the tip of the wooden sword stabbed right through the ground. His eyes that were once closed slowly opened as he gazed at the prince.
"... I will stand here and only deflect your attacks. If any of your attacks touch me or move me from my position, then consider that a win for you. But, if I can withstand your attacks for ten minutes, then it is considered my win. Is that alright for you?"
The prince holds the wooden sword in front of him, ready to attack. "Yes, I am fine with that."
"... You can begin whenever you are ready." Father then looks at me. "Lysander, can you keep track of the time?"
I nodded my head. "Okay."
The prince slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. A golden aura begins to cover him and the wooden sword. He quickly opened his eyes, and before I knew it, he immediately appeared in front of father.
That speed... in terms of short distance travel, it can beat my teleportation...
He strikes horizontally, but father immediately deflected it and pushed the prince away. Once the prince landed on the ground, he immediately dashed again towards father's side and tried to strike him. But once again, father continued to counter the attack.
The prince continued to disappear instantaneously and reappeared while trying to strike father down. Despite the continuous onslaught, father was able to easily deflect and predict where the prince was going to appear while not even using aura.
Seven minutes have already passed.
Father looked at the prince in front of him as their swords clashed against one another. "Not bad. It seems that I have severely underestimated you."
The prince grinned at his response. "You haven't seen anything yet!"
The prince backed away from him and placed the sword in front of him, slowly closing his eyes before taking a deep breath. His aura grew stronger and fiercer as it began to manifest in a solidified form, blowing away the air around him.
Leaves began to deorbit from their natural gliding path as I could feel my hair brushing up against the unstable wind. Father continued to look at him with a subtle smile across his face, preparing to take the attack head on.
Soon enough, a trickle of golden lightning also began to surround him. He soon dashed towards father once more, much faster than before.
Once their swords clashed, a cloud of dust began to cover the surroundings. I immediately put forward a mana shield to protect me from the dust and tried to see what happened.
Their swords clashed against one another. In the end, father was able to block the attack while the prince's face was filled with a hint of surprise and admiration of the person hailed as the strongest swordsmen in the empire.
Father quickly parried the sword, causing the prince to back down, getting ready to attack once again before his knees shook, losing his balance and keeling on the floor.
"Your Highness!"
The worried guard ran towards where the prince was.
Father stabs his sword down on the ground. He looks towards the worried guard who tried to help the prince stand up."... Can you head inside and notify the maids to bring The Head Priest named Priya to come and heal the prince?"
The guard looked warily at the duke before slowly nodding and looking back at the prince. "I'll quickly return with aid, your highness."
The prince nodded as he continued to try and balance himself with the sword. The guard ran towards the estate.
As the guard was out of view, father let out a deep sigh. "... Quite reckless of you to try and use magic when you still can't control aura."
The prince chuckled at his response. I began heading to where they were, notifying them about the time. "Ten minutes have passed, father."
He nodded before looking at the prince again. "You have truly exceeded my expectations... I'll notify the empress about this and acquire her approval to teach you personally."
He chuckles before raising his head, grining."Does that mean you accept me as your student...?"
The duke avoided his gaze. "... You'll have to prove yourself if you truly want to be my student. For now, I will just teach you the way of the sword."
"I see..."
The prince almost fell to the floor once again, but I quickly grabbed him and placed his arms around my shoulder.
"Thank you... I owe you one."
I smiled at his response. "No need to thank me. Just doing what any other person would do."
He lightly chuckles at my response. "I wish... everyone were as kind as you..."
The duke sighed before walking towards us.
"Lysander, can you stay with the prince until the guard returns with Priya? I wish I could stay since I am the cause of the injury, but I have to immediately take care of some affairs, alongside the letter to the empress."
I nodded.
He smiles before patting me on the head. "Thank you, Lysander."
I smiled. "You can count on me."
He nodded before leaving me with the prince. The prince soon took a deep breath before standing up properly, gently stretching his back.
I slowly reached out to him with worry. "... Be careful, you are still injured."
He looked at me and smiled. "Thank you for your worries. I'm still able to stand properly at least, so you don't have to carry me and tire yourself up. "
"I see... Just don't overexert yourself."
He smiled brightly. "You are truly a kind person, aren't you."
I flinched at his words.
A kind person... I truly wish to become a kind person...
I look down at the floor, feeling slightly sad. After a few moments, the prince squatted in front of me, our gazes connecting once more. "Your warm aura… It changed. Are you feeling sad?"
He patted my arm. "Don't be sad..."
As he said those words, he let out a bright smile. So endearing that makes anyone who sees it gasp with awe.
"I'm not confident when it comes to comforting people... But there's no reason to feel sad for being a kind person. I may not know what happened, but I prefer your smile alongside your warm aura..."
He closed his eyes and smiled once again. But this time, his smile was as calm as the tranquil water in a stream. "You truly are a kind person. You cared about my wellbeing even though we just met."
His words lingered in my head. I squatted down and looked at him with a smile on my face.
"... It was my first time being called a kind person by someone else... I always thought that my kindness seemed superficial in the eyes of others..."
"There's no need to think like that. If the kindness you wish to show comes from the bottom of your heart. Even if others call it superficial, in your heart, it is undeniably true."
He smiled warmly at me once again. The orange hue of the sky goes on to contrast his midnight hair. His sharp-sapphire eyes continue to look at me warmly and gently. His smile towards me isn't forced. He isn't trying to pity me, but to comfort me…
Finally knowing that… I couldn't help but let out a warm smile, just like his. "Thank you..."
In the eyes of the prince, the young boy smiling in front of him mesmerized him. His white hair and pale skin resembles the snow in the winter season, yet his eyes go on to express the lingering warmness and kindness around him. The golden hue of the setting sun goes on to embrace the boy named Lysander, just showing how he is the embodiment of warmness and kindness…
The prince smiles once again, feeling so affectionate. "... If you're thankful, then do you want to become friends with me, Lys?"
The white-haired boy flinched, but slowly… his face conveyed a warm smile at the thought of finally making a friend. "I'm happy to be your friend, August."
In the moments when the boys decided to call each other by a set of new and meaningful nicknames, the young and lonely boy finally made his first friend.