A/N: This is just a side story. It is not related to the main plot. The next chapter is the real Chapter 4.
"Nollll~ What are you doing?" a standing four-year-old Gene chirped to his younger brother.
Not even looking up through his ebony fringe, Noll turned the page of his Anthology of Ghost Stories with his pale small hands. "I'm reading. Isn't it obvious?"
Gene pouted at Noll, who was sitting under and against a ripening apple tree. "I can see that. But won't you come with me to play with the others? If we get to know them, they won't be pumpkins anymowe, right?"
"It's 'anymore.'" Noll narrowed his eyes and looked up finally. "Also, pumpkins are pumpkins, Gene. We're apples, so pumpkins would never understand apples!"
Gene made a moue. "Buuuuttt, pumpkins and wapples taste great when they're put together in a pwie."
"Whatever." Noll pursed his lips and resumed perusing. "Go and play with them all you want. I'm just going to read, so leave me alone."
Gene knobbed his hands and flushed in adorable anger. "Fine! That's why you're called a hwermit!"
He then stomped back to the sandy playground where other children slid on slides, hung on monkey bars, and swung on swings.
It's 'hermit,' Noll corrected in his mind.
Just shrugging, he turned the page of his book again. It was the first thing he'd accepted from the donations brought to the home. The binding was torn in places, and some pages were threatening to fall out. Scribbles and squiggles with pencils and crayons adorn most of it, but it was readable amidst the chaos.
A strong breeze passed by, and the tree leaves rustled with the swaying branches. The pages of Noll's book crisply flapped to the left as though turning its pages by itself. Then, the wind brought a whimpering and weeping sound. The branch above Noll shook, and an apple detached from its stem and fell on his head.
"Wha━!" Noll bent his head in pain, and he massaged the aching spot. Involuntarily, tears were in the corners of his eyes. Subsequently he scrunched his eyes shut and rubbed the eye drops away.
I should have sat under the fig tree!
The sobbing sounds became louder, and Noll realized that it actually came from overhead. Curious, he gazed at the branch above him and stared at a girl in her late teens.
"You're already big, yet you're still crying?" Noll remarked haughtily, and the crying stopped.
The girl took her face off her hands and blinked at him. She was wearing a white polo shirt and pink skirt. Her hair was black like his, but only longer. With teary emerald eyes, she regarded him with wonder and astonishment for a moment before sniffling and smiling.
"It's not only small ones who can cry," she answered sadly.
Noll scowled. "I don't cry, but most children of my age do."
The girl nictated and then chuckled.
"What is so funny?" Noll loured.
The girl shook her head. "Hmm, you're quite a strong child."
Noll smirked. "Naturally, of course."
The girl laughed again, and Noll inquired, "Why were you crying?"
He forgot his beloved book on his lap already.
The girl stopped snickering, peered at him for a while, and lifted a corner of her mouth desolately. "I...couldn't find my racket."
Noll raised an eyebrow. "Just because of that? How childish."
The girl blinked once more and chortled. "Haha! A child telling me I'm childish! Ahh, how refreshing!"
Is she wrong in the head? Noll pondered and glared. "I'm not a child. I'm a mature individual."
Noll proudly placed a knobbed hand to his chest.
The girl guffawed and clutched her stomach.
"What? Stop laughing!" Noll scolded.
"Sorry, sorry!" she said in between laughs. "It's just that it's the first time I'd talked to a child like you."
"I already told━"
"Yes, yes." She nodded and beamed. "You're not a child."
Noll blinked, paled, and looked away. "That's right."
He was pleased, but he's stubborn to admit it.
"It was very important to me," the girl explained.
"What is?"
"The missing racket. It's something precious to me."
Noll was silent before responding, "Buy a new one that's identical to it, then."
She shook her head. "There's nothing identical to it. It was custom made."
Noll squinted his eyes at her. "Forget about it then. Remembering the sentiment is enough."
The girl ogled at him with keen interest. "What's your name?"
Noll didn't reply.
"I'm Catherine. Nice to meet you," she persisted.
Noll furrowed his brows. "You shouldn't give your names to strangers."
She nictated and laughed again. "Indeed! How roles changed!"
Noll sighed. "You laugh a lot, yet you're crying because of a racket."
The girl curved the corners of her lips upward. "Everyone cries when they lose something very important to them."
"I doubt I'll cry."
The girl just smiled. "Won't you help me find it?"
"No," he said crossly. "It's troublesome. I'd rather read a book."
"Then, won't you come and read under this tree again tomorrow?" she suggested, and Noll frowned.
"I don't make promises to strangers," he quipped. "Don't speak now, and let me continue reading peacefully."
He resumed his perusal, but he somehow didn't dislike the hovering girl who's also poring over what he's reading.
XDXDXDXDXDXD~nya~
A/N: And that's how Noll met the "Wimbledon woman." Since I couldn't really think of anything to replace the teaser, I decided to write about what Naru and Gene were like when they're kids! Ahhh how adorable they can be!
