"Hi," I reply. "I'm June."
My voice comes out raspy. My logic fades away. I'm introducing myself to the boy I've known, to the boy I've seen suffer so much, to the boy I let go, to the boy I've yearned for, even after these ten years.
Ten years. It was that long.
Day's eyes burn brighter. There's a shining gleam on it, a ripple on the blue. The imperfection. It's still there. A smile tugs at his face. I can't think.
"June," he says. There's a tone on his voice, a tinge of familiarity, a suggestion that he remembers the four-lettered word he has said. "June?"
"Iparis. June Iparis."
Day scrunches his eyebrows for a moment, as if confused. He stares at me. My heart beats twice as normal, cutting through the misery I've felt when visiting Metias's gravestone, giving way to something else.
He shakes his head and breaks away from his stare, embarrassed. He coughs to fill in the awkward pause. Finally, his stare flickers back to me.
"Shall we?" he asks, gesturing to Eden. I nod.
We walk to Eden. I notice now that his once-purplish eyes is now blue, but it still contain hints of a darker colour. He looks at me with a friendly smile, but there's something else in it.
He's saying sorry silently. Sorry for all these years without Day in your life. Sorry for what you've been through. Sorry that I did not intervene, sorry that I knew Day meant a whole lot to you, and that you meant a lot to my brother.
I smile at him.
"This is June," Day says. Eden nods as a greeting, though he already knows who I am. "She knows Tess too. Coincidence, yeah?"
Lake accent. It's still with him, after these ten years. That Lake Sector accent. Without it, I wouldn't have found Day. The night of me in Batalla, dressed in dark with aviator glasses, hearing Day's voice for the first time in the speakers, comes back to me in a rush.
"Eden."
"June," Day says. There's something in his voice when he says my name. It cracks. "You do know Tess, yeah? Uhm, any idea where she lives?"
I nod. I can't speak. My brain, able to survive a Colonies attack, can't even function in this situation.
I still can't believe where I am now, that after all this time, after a decade of nothingness, that I'm here, with Day, flesh and blood.
I realize that I had been staring at Day for too long. He looks at me questioningly, shyly.
"I can lead the way."
I start walking to the train station. The brothers follow me, their footsteps in tune. My epaulettes clink.
I can feel Day's eyes burning on my neck. They walk faster until they are walking right with me. I catch a glance of something twinkling. My paper clip ring.
After all these ten years, he still wears it. It bewilders me.
"Wow, there's a train here now," Day mutters. "Never been there when I was here."
"We had a subway," Eden answers. "I wanted to study it, actually. Mechanical. Complicated. I mean, the way the motors work on the tires. It's a complex thing, and-"
Day smiles at me, as if to say, he's always like that. The sight makes my heart skip.
"It sure has been long since I was here."
Ten years.
We walk quietly to the station. I concentrate on not letting Day's hand brush against mine. If it did, I would have stumbled. We are so near each other that I can barely breathe.
"-and then the tires have to revolve. I'm curious about the friction, though," Eden says. He catches a glance at chuckles and me. "I'm sorry. I'm bewildering your date, Daniel."
I feel my cheeks redden. Day glances at Eden for a split second, but I can't see his face. Eden laughs.
"It's already eight thirty," he says. "Think Tess won't mind if we're late?"
"She won't," Day says. "She'd wait until midnight if she has to, knowing her."
Of course she will.
"Oh-June is also going to Tess's?"
"Yeah," Day answers. He looks at me. His tone is soft. "Tess is a friend of yours too, right?"
I nod.
We board the train. Tess's is only three stops away. It would have been shorter if we walked, but I don't know if I can survive Day's nearness. Besides, we already are in here. I shouldn't ponder at other options.
I have known you. A long time ago.
You have.
"It's almost as fast as Antarctican trains, Daniel," Eden points out. "Not as smooth, though. I guess it's the tires. Antarctica's magnetical trains are better, but the way these tires are working, it's a close call. Pretty impressive."
Day smiles at that. He runs a hand through his short hair, making it ever messier. It seems like his habit now.
"By the way, are there any visitors other than June to Tess's?" Eden asks. "I mean, the legendary Daniel Altan Wing is back in Los Angeles. Think someone would go mooning over you all the way over dinner?"
"I'm not sure," Day answers. "I guess not. She did not say anything."
I smile quietly. A picture of a smiling Tess pops up in my head. My heart warms. I owe her so much.
Throughout the train ride, I see Day glance at me back at then. Flickering. I hope he doesn't see the faint, red gradient on my cheeks.
Finally, we get to the stop where Tess lives. I bet Pascao is already there. I wonder how Day will react if he sees him.
"We're here." I mutter.