/ Tada.! New chapter story. This one's short, though. Enjoy.! :) /

CHAPTER ONE

Old Women's Instincts

Arthur didn't know what to feel about his current predicament, but perhaps calling it that was an understatement. Maybe he should just think about it as it is, his "predicament" being seated in a plane that was destined to crash. He was most likely facing certain death, but he didn't feel panicked, nor did he feel even the least bit terrified.

He figured there was no reason to feel threatened by death. After all, he was on the plane exactly because no one wanted him from where he came from. He had been kicked out of his own house by his jealous brothers, he had found out that his girlfriend of three years had been cheating on him since the beginning, and he had been wrongly accused of treason and had been fired from his job.

He wasn't afraid of death simply because he had nothing more to lose.

Perhaps his life was a sob story, but he didn't really dwell much on it. He was on the plane because he planned to start anew, but perhaps death was also a new beginning.

"Aren't you scared?"

Arthur looked at his seatmate, an old woman who was similarly not panicking. She even still had her knitting needles out, her fingers still dexterously working the yarn with a knit, two, three, and a purl.

"No, I suppose not."

"That's not quite a reaction suitable for such a young man."

Arthur shrugged. Perhaps so.

"Aren't you worried about people who'll miss you?"

"I'm on this plane exactly because no one would miss me," he huffed.

She gave him a loud chuckle, momentarily pausing in her knitting. "But maybe you just haven't found the person who'll miss you."

At that, Arthur found himself giving her a small smile. "Perhaps. But now it's too late."

"Naw," she said, shaking her head and a knitting needle tangled in purple yarn at him. "It's never too late. And coincidences come right when you need them." She arranged her needlework but her fingers stayed still.

"Maybe you can try dialing a random number right now and the person on the other end will turn out to be the person who'll miss you."

Arthur scoffed at the idea. It was true that coincidences work very mysteriously, but he seriously doubted that things will turn out like the old woman said. Still, she looked expectantly at him, not even resuming her needlework yet, and he knew he wouldn't shake her gaze unless he actually did what she wanted him to do.

"Oh, alright," he sighed, giving the old woman an exasperated but fond smile. He couldn't stay mad at old people, after all. "I'll mash my keypad until I get nine numbers and call it. Will you leave me alone if no one answers?"

She gave him a toothy grin. "Someone will, I'm sure. Call it an old woman's instinct, if you will."

And so with another sigh, Arthur did mash his keypad and pushed the call button once he had "typed" in nine numbers. But while he was expecting an operator's voice saying that the number is out of service, he instead got rings.

Rings. Someone was going to answer his call.

The old woman, seemingly aware that her instincts were right, resumed her knitting.

~.;*;.~

"Lovino, when are you going to get a girlfriend?" The Italian put the plates he was holding down on the table with a loud huff.

"Never, nonna. Now can we please stop talking about this?"

His grandmother chuckled. "Why? Little Feli was able to catch a handsome blond guy. Why not you? And we all know that you're smoother with your pick-up lines, of course."

Lovino's face turned red at the accusation. He gave one last huff before picking up the plates he had set down earlier and retreating into the kitchen. But of course, his grandmother wasn't one to be discouraged.

"Maybe you could get your own blond too if you went out more often," she called from the dining room and he rolled his eyes.

"Nonna, I don't need a girlfriend nor a boyfriend. I'm perfectly fine with my life right now, thank you very much."

"But I want great grandchildren," his grandmother whined.

"If I get a boyfriend, you still won't."

"Ah, but I least I'd know you won't be lonely when I'm gone."

"Nonna..." He sighed and made his way back to the dining room, sitting down in front of his smiling grandmother.

"Please don't say things like that."

She reached across the table and held his hand, still smiling. "You know I'll leave at one point, right? It's no use going around the subject."

"But it doesn't have to be soon..."

His grandmother sighed. "Lovino, letting go is also a form of loving. You'll understand, I'm sure."

It was his turn to sigh. "Still..."

She shook her head and sighed. "Alright, fine. I'll keep the 'when I'm gone' talk until I'm sure my time is near." Lovino's face scrunched up at this remark, but he relented nonetheless.

It was in the middle on his somber moment that the phone rang. The two people at the table sighed. Lovino's grandmother patted his hand before letting go and letting him stand to get the call.

"You know," she said when he was almost out the door. "I have a feeling this is going to be your blond."

Lovino looked back at his grandmother, shaking his head at her grin. "It's probably another prank call. I've been getting a lot of those lately."

"No, it's going to be your blond. My gut tells me so."

At this, he rolled his eyes and continued on his way to the phone.

/**

* This is pre-written. I will update on MWF next week. And yes, that means this fic only has four chapters. uwu

* Also, clarification for those waiting for the Can't Be Gone update: it's not happening. I realized it would be pushing it if I even make an epilogue, so I suppose that's going to stay like that. I've also marked the fic as Complete for all the new guys, so please ignore the last chapter's AN. Sorry.!

* Please review.! :)

*/