Part 2

Above the High Sky

This story was set at the same time as Alpha Centauri (Chapter 1). Eli had just finished her practice and about to go home but she was offered a job. It was a job that meant she had to leave Umi, she tried her best to tell her about it but it got her heart broken instead. At the end, Eli eventually told Umi about the job.

...

Key to Her Hearth

Chapter 1: Key to Her Heart

...

I had just finished my dance practice over on the 5th floor, where most of the large practice rooms were. The class was not entirely about basic dance routines that I had to go through, but as well as physical training. Word around the production it was the most difficult physical class anyone had taken especially because we had it twice a week – Tuesdays and Fridays. It was never a challenge for me because I had the best personal trainer, because she was also my lover. Umi and I often jog at the park on the weekends when she stayed over and it made the classes at the production like walks in the park; we looked like twins because I made her tie her hair like mine that made the run lighter thus faster. However, there was always a step or two that bothered me. Those steps always tumbled me whenever I made a 360 turn.

Like how Umi preferred to keep the apartment neat, I liked to practice removing my Achilles' heel even if I had to bruise them. There was a common practice room on the 3rd floor, close to the longue, where it was mostly unused especially after those classes. The chances of people running into me in that room was always almost certain. I had a system: I wanted to keep my physical and mental condition at their peak. In that room I alternated between dancing or physical exercising for 3 minutes, and another 3 for book reading or lecture reviewing. In 30 minutes I would had done 5 sets and in 60 minutes I would had done 10. This made me pump more oxygen around while I study, thus it made me more focused at the same time practices my reflex and muscle coordination with a busy mind, aiming it would be more natural with less thoughts. Complexity sometimes paid off.

I was walking through the hall to head down to 3rd, I was thinking to stay an extra hour or so when the assistant producer greeted me by the lift. I was called into the executive director's office. I only headed to the office as soon as I was done showering and I went up instead. When I entered the room, there found Nico was already inside.

Since the beginning I worked with Nico on the same idol agency, she was drafted before I was, but my debut came before hers, and our schedule had been different since. A few classes, twice a month at least, we had classes together about singing, also about social projects. She was serious on being and idol back in high school, she was as serious then. Every opportunity she took, still minding the image that would bring out to her idol character. She was a true idol indeed.

She turned around to look me as I entered.

'Excuse me, Madam director, and Nico.'

'Come in, Eli,' the director waved her hand once to invite me in. 'I need you two here.'

'How's it going, Eli?'

'I'm kept busy, alright.'

'Tell me about it.'

'So, what is it, ma'am?'

'Yeah, are we being paired or something?'

'In fact, yes, Nico. There's a project I'd like you to take. You made the most success after your debuts, after all. Ticket purchases, album releases, popularity as well,' she continued on. 'So, of course you are the prime candidates for this overseas project.' She handed two similar files us, with the only difference was the name labelled on the side.

'Woah!' we both synchronised our exclamations. We were like Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

'A p-performance! On a festival too!' Nico tilted her file to show me the part she read.

'It's a ballet festival in Moscow?' I added as I zoomed on the section, word for word.

'Yes. So, please, take this under immense consideration. It would be a massive success for you and for this production. And it would escalate your popularities even higher. The agency had been collaborating with various artists, dancers, and performers – not just locally but a few international. Some of your colleagues were sent last year to Thailand and England. This year, we are going to Russia and Italy. So, if you think about it, these are very rare opportunities indeed. Especially when both of your names are on the top list. Eli, you have experience in ballet and you're from Moscow anyway. I understand you are still doing a project at the moment, but I think you'll do great in this.'

'Yes, but I haven't performed in a long time.'

'And me too? I have very little experience in ballet, only recently, they try to intense the training.'

'That was the reason behind it. Yes, you will be paired. It's not just ballet but a performance too. With your showmanship you'll do just fine, Nico. Besides, I will be sending you under a great trainer there. I'm sure you've heard of him. Two of our managers and a producer are traveling with you, and they will be handling most of the things for you. Anyway, please think about it. And it would be a great opportunity too.'

Nico and I stared at each other. It was not the first time that we were in sync, it was as if we had a conversation on in our silence while we looked at each other. She had keenness in her looks as much as enthusiasm on mine. Each of us knew what the other was thinking.

'Yes! We'll take the offer!'

'Really? Then that's great. We'll discuss the details another day. But as far as you need to know, you'll be leaving in two week and you'll be trained for another two, that includes the performance. You don't have to worry; we'll contact your university regarding this matter. If you need to think it over, I understand. So, in a month, the both of you will perform in Moscow, Russia.'

'T-two weeks?' Nico suddenly alerted, while I staggered I couldn't even respond.

Nico and I exited and hung around the lounge with gloom on our faces; we sat on opposite sides of the sofa. We're both down, the room was quiet as no one else was around. The air felt heavy.

'Nico, we'll be out for two weeks in two weeks. What should we do?'

'What are you talking about?' Nico asked without moving a muscle. As energetic as she usually was, that was the least.

'You know what I'm talking about, Nico. Won't she be worried?'

'I still don't know what you mean, Eli.'

'Nico,' I sighed. 'Well, I have to tell Umi about this too. I don't know how she's going to take this and I'm not even sure if she would like it. I don't even know how to tell her.'

'It's going to be heart-breaking…' she predicted after she paused, as if she were imagining it herself.

...

Not long after we talked I went home and waited for Umi. The road seemed empty but I was sure there were a lot of people, and the cold day seemed like it was raining but I was sure it was clear. I felt devastated as I imagined how heart breaking it would be for Umi to hear the news. I got myself changed as soon as I arrived. I was busy with my thoughts and my heartbeat was insanely fast as I wrote a script in my head for how I would tell my girlfriend about this job. I wondered if the rarity of opportunity was a good enough reason for her to let me go. So, I brewed a mug of tea to calm myself and turned on the TV. I sat on the sofa thinking.

It must had been awhile because there was suddenly a knock on the door, a unique knock that only Umi did – a knock, a pause, and a 3-knock roll. Her knocking made me shiver from the bottom of my spine to the top of my neck. Only then I realised I had been sitting on the sofa for 2 hours, the mug was cold, the TV was muted, and the door was still unlocked since I arrived.

'It's open, Umi. Come right in.'

During our chat I was distracted and my heart pounded because I was nervous to talk – this must what Umi felt before she confessed. I was thinking that in two weeks from that second, I would be on the plane to Russia and I wouldn't be with Umi for another two weeks. Then it hit me it would be the longest time for us to be separated because the last time we were was only for 3 days; that was because Umi had a council bonding trip for a long weekend and even then, I sent off and picked up Umi and got her home as fast as I could. I thought it was amazing for us to never had separated that long but it would not be if it meant that I couldn't touch her. Then followed by a horrid realisation that for two weeks: I wouldn't be able look at Umi directly in the eyes and tell her I loved her, I wouldn't be able to let Umi fall asleep on me, and I wouldn't be able to wake up to the most beautiful thing in the world.

I needed comfort and before I could break the news at least I would make her comfortable too.

So I went for it.

After I put my mug on the coffee table I kissed Umi. I didn't let her break the kiss while I removed the tie on her neck, followed by the unbuttoning of the blazer and the pulling of it out of her sleeves. Finally, our kiss ended when I lifted her arms, so I could pull her sweater off. When everything else was no longer in the way, I climbed on top of her. And I pinned her to the sofa.

It was not a surprise for me to be able to draw Umi blindly since I was not unfamiliar with my girlfriend's body. I already knew the spots where she enjoyed and found pleasure when I kissed them. She didn't say it nor she admitted nor she realised, but the slightest details in her reaction that I paid attention to – the moment right when she exhaled through her mouth, or when she whined, or when she gripped on my clothes or my hair, or those slight twitch of her body, or the clearest indication was from the rubbing of her knees on each other. Some of them, her clothes were in the way.

Just as how well I knew our school uniform, I started to unbutton her shirt in a way that I was taking my time, not at all showing a sign of rush to strip them off, from the top while I distracted her with a kiss on side of the neck; about an inch under her jaw and a quarter way around her neck when she stretched it. There it was, her exhalation.

I moved my hands down to her waist; I had to go through in between her breasts and to her stomach before I moved outwards to her waist. And slowly I untucked her shirt as well as I moved my lips down until I reached right above her collar bone at the bottom of her neck, 4 inches from the centre of her throat. There it was, her grip on my hair.

For change of sensation I then swapped; I liked to keep her on her toes, figuratively and literally. My hands were then slipped under her shirt as a distraction, so I could move my lips down the centre of her chest. My grip had to be light yet still firm on her skin so it wouldn't tickle her, it was from the side of her hip along the curve for 3 inches upwards before I started moving inwards. There it was, she whined my name.

Everything I did was spot on, and I saw that Umi was enjoying it, so I continued on this pace, I even passed her ribs almost for 2 inches up and I had already chosen a side to plant and nibble on. On my cheeks I already felt the lining of her bra. As I peeked I noticed the white pair she had on, and I knew how to take the off the most convenient way, for me and for her; just that I had to keep in mind not to pull them off too hastily, or this would turn out a rather heated approach.

I was expecting to reach another two inches up and inside, the final destination before I had planned another move, when suddenly her hands were no longer grabbing me by the hair but on my arms. She pulled them out of her shirt and she backed away. Her legs slid under mine until she sat upright that made me too sit up on my knees.

It was the first time my beloved pulled back that way, usually she repeated my name twice and rubbed my head to indicate I went too far. It didn't matter how much heat there was when we did things alike, I would gladly stop if she demanded it. Accidents happened, and sometimes she touched me at places I had not dared to venture on her body, but I let her and continued – at least she knew what moves she could do to me. But the way she retracted so ferociously as if I pushed her away. It came to me quite a shock too, that I let myself got carried away and I felt awful about it. I knew we wouldn't get far at least today, but I trusted Umi to stop me, I could only imagine if she hadn't stopped me from carrying on. The mood was not right, the place was just awful, and the timing was sloppy. I couldn't imagine having our firsts under these conditions. A vexatious memory it would had been to gnaw on.

'E-Eli. It's still early.' My lover finally said with her heavy breathing. 'I'm still not… it's not even d-dinner time…'

'You're right.' I agreed. I knew what she meant. I knew Umi was not ready and yes, the timing wasn't right. 'I'm sorry, Umi, I didn't know what I was doing.' So I said before I exit to the kitchen to make dinner. My hairband apparently fell onto Umi that I didn't even realise until she handed it back.

I thought to myself, maybe tonight.

...

During our dinner I argued with myself, as if there were two of us. One argued to tell her the truth without any delay while Umi was still chewing so adorably, and the other argued to have a memorable night, that night, and now to take my mind off of things and she made some valid points. I went with my second self. I waited until she was about ready to sleep – usually around 10 during a school week.

I didn't know why I hastened, but I checked my room to see if Umi had finished her portion of the assignment every 10 minutes – I remembered she told me that there was a group assignment with Honoka and Kotori. Apparently, she didn't notice I opened the closed the door and peeped my head through the small gap. I hung out around the stairs on the upper floor, and waited for Umi to finish while I listened to my iPod; only after an hour I just noticed it wasn't on. I checked my phone every 5 minutes to see how many hours it had been. I went to the bathroom and looked at the mirror to make sure I looked appealing to Umi – I had the same yellow nightshirt that pretty much revealed my necklines, hung my robe, removed my warm socks, let go of my hair. I had showered and brushed, dabbing a little of perfume on me too. I wore a cute pair of underwear that would sit low on my hips, while I kept the matching bra for it unworn. I applied lotion on my body, carefully thorough on my legs to my thighs especially. A light lip balm too making my lips slightly more flushing, brush on my cheeks too for a hint of blush. Finally, I kept myself hydrated and kept in mind my breathing and stamina, for if she would like to have her way with me.

Then I peeped again, but she wasn't done.

Until finally, I checked on her after I heard she rustled through her bag, she had closed her books and was tidying up. "Umi might think to get lucky tonight after a long day," I encouraged myself. Finally, I got to enter the room and stood behind her. I slowly moved my hands on her hip from the back and around to her front, while I pressed my body against her back, tucking my head on her shoulder.

'Have you finished?' I asked with a warm voice while I noticed her slightly slanted shirt that made the strap of her bra easy to spot. Its strap was pink, and I knew which one it was on her pile in the drawer.

'Yeah, I've caught up for tomorrow,' Umi replied.

That was the only permission needed, so I proceeded to kiss her shoulder right on the spot to surprise her. I was correct as she overlapped my arm with her own on her stomach. I slowly worked my way along the top of her shoulder and even moved her strap away until it fell off the side so I could kiss the skin underneath.

'Eli…' she whined my name heavily along with her breath. But there was no second mention of my name and she hadn't brushed my hair. I saw no sign of red light.

I continued to kiss the south-west part of her neck, and moved up. I had to be careful with my breathing, too soft I lost my breath, too much I would tickle her, but a little much she liked it. I finally got an inch close to the position where she would start to rub her knees together, the back of her ears. But I got shot down before I could.

'I'm going to shower…' Umi pushed my hands down while she turned to face me. It was for just a second she looked at me. I saw her eyes, they said they were sorry. No, they were not the eyes of I'm ready, but they were no, I don't want this. Then she slid pass me and headed towards the wardrobe and into bathroom in a hurry.

Was I pushing her away?

...

I waited until she returned, I tapped on the bed next to me trying to invite her. She smiled and turned down the lights. As she climbed in, and I turned to my side.

Suddenly the first Eli from my figment of imagination returned. She forced me to tell her the truth right then. Eli number two returned too, her argument was what if Umi didn't like what she heard and what would Umi's response be if I were pushing her away. I was in the middle of a heated debate. My mind went back and forth, switched one to the other, it was deafening. I was maddening inconsistent. But I had made my mind, the truest conclusion would be: I was pushing Umi away as suggested by her rough rejections, I better get her closer to me again before I piled another saddening news that might push her away even further until I couldn't reach.

I reached out to my lover by my side and hugged her while she was still on her back. I intended to say sorry and talk to her as I tried to playfully tug on her shirt.

'Eli!' She voiced aloud and threw her back at me. She rested on her side facing the door, as if she would leave me if I made another mistake, while I quickly retracted my arm and faced her back. 'I'm serious. I… I have to wake up early tomorrow.'

I didn't know how it actually felt because I never heard anyone survived to tell the tale, but it felt like I was hit by a truck of 300 tonnes of gasoline. The pain was overwhelming. My mind completely went absurd; I'd rather choose to feel nothing at all rather than this pain. It hurt so much. It was an absolute certainty that I had pushed my own girlfriend away, I could barely touch her. How could I possibly get her back to my arms if she rejected me in that manner. I didn't even have a chance to apologise. For the first time in my life, I was lost and I didn't know what to do.

Nothing was probably the best solution for me.

I started to drown in my own tears, attacked by asthma that I never had, I hugged Umi from behind. I didn't want to give myself away; I close my mouth with my other hand as I spooned her as usual, and I shut my eyes as hard as I possibly could so the tears would just stop flowing.

'I'm,' I noticed my breathing was improper so I took a pause. 'I'm sorry, Umi.' I finally apologised for everything I had done wrong that made her slipped away from my hand.

'I'm sorry too. Good night, Eli.'

I couldn't reply or else I would give my cry away. I never remembered how that night went, I tried so hard to forget how I felt. It was a vile thing to keep recalling it.

...

I knew I barely slept that night. But I cried my sorrow away and I had to get Umi fall for me again. There were no other Eli's any more, just myself. The stupid and clumsy.

I woke up earlier than usual because Umi had to wake up early, and I climbed out of my bed very carefully so I wouldn't wake the sleeping beauty. I opened the blinds but it was still dawn so I wasn't worry on suddenly alerting her up. Then I steamed her uniform and hung them on the bedroom for her convenience, but the tie was missing because it got slipped under the sofa because of my stunt I pulled the day before. So I washed them quickly and dried them on the balcony before Umi had to use it. I made breakfast and I made meal for Umi's lunch – I made them with pure love even if I had to cut my veins and bleed my heart out to do it I would. Luckily it wasn't a cut, but I was distracted with the preparation I burnt my palm on the pan. It hurt. It hurt a lot more when I tried to tie the lunch pack together.

Soon enough my beloved came down with the uniform I had prepared for her. She looked gorgeous yet hot with the rebel look on her – blazer undone, and shirt slightly untucked, without the bowtie. With a smile I served her breakfast and kissed her cheek as I put the plate in front of her then I brushed her hair so her ears could be seen. I fetched the tie as soon she was done with her breakfast – I had trouble trying it with my aching hand.

'Listen. About yesterday,' I revised the knot because it didn't look great. 'I'm sorry I…'

'It's alright,' Umi interrupted. 'I'm sorry too. There's someone I'm wanting to see.'

'You do?' I reacted as I paused tying her tie. Since the day before Umi had been acting differently. I never wanted to admit because I trusted Umi and there couldn't be someone else. Would it be Kotori? But she and I knew, very well, that wouldn't likely to happen at least not this – how could I suspect Kotori, I loved her as much and I should never doubt. It must had been someone else. The puzzles fit perfectly but I didn't want to approve it to be real. 'I see. There. Kashikoi kawaii.' I continued my routine, I brushed her shoulder and I had given her a reason why I loved her.

Then, as written on the schedule, I was supposed to kiss her. I leaned in and tried to press my lips on hers. But she moved her face away.

I was off with my head, a perfectly coordinated mishap schemed by the Queen of Hearts herself. How could she. Never in our relationship she ever avoided my kiss, and I had never pulled away from hers. "How could she do this to me, to see someone else. Was my love for her not enough she found it from elsewhere? Has Umi been avoiding me, that's why she had been rejecting me since?". I felt repulsed suddenly.

'Eli… s-sorry.' Umi reacted and went for the door after I gave her lunch. 'I'll see you later, Eli. Oh, lock your door!' She exited after I gave a smile, although it was false, although I promised to be truthful.

The burn on my had no longer hurt. My walk was stumbling towards the sofa as if I were a zombie. I had abandoned my breakfast, since I barely touch them anyway – I had lost my appetite, I felt sick. I clenched on my knees and put my head down. I hummed the tune to Storm in Lover. I barely made it through the first verse when I already broke down. Umi wasn't in the house so I could cry out loud. I was in an emotional wreck. I finally realised what Nico was talking about, it was not Umi's heart that would be broken, but mine.

I picked up my phone from my robe, there were three messages.

Nozomi: How did it go?

I replied to her text: I couldn't tell her yet. I'll do it after my class.

Nico: Have you told Umi yet?

I replied to her text: No. have you told yours?

...

After my class I waited in front of the school to pick up Umi – we supposed to have a date that day, wondering if it was still on. On my arms were her change of clothes and our red scarf that we had a history on, I hoped it would help me get her back. I met with Alisa in front and she talked about Umi in school. From her stories, Umi was the cheerful and loving girl. I wondered what might had happened that turned Umi to be so cold when she was with me. Then I turned my head, I saw Umi and Maki walked out. They had smiles on their faces. She looked different from the day before, even that morning too. "What happened?" I murmured.

I held in my pocket that I had been meaning to give to Umi a long time but never had the right time. Our date was not far but we had to walk to the city. Before we went I tied the scarf around her neck that looked like I tied a bow on a Christmas present. She smiled. A beautiful and worry-free one at it. She was beautiful. But it made me paranoid; why only after she left school she felt so cheerful.

'Eli,' Umi held my arm with both of her hands while I had my hand in my pocket, when we walked towards our café. 'How was your day?'

'It was… fine. I came late today.'

'But you never came late, Eli,' she grasped on my arm tightly. 'Next time you have to come early, okay? Who knows how much you've missed if every day you keep on doing it.' She had tugged on my arm and gave me a worried look. I couldn't resist.

'Sure.' I finally smiled. As much as I was unstable, too much in my mind, that it went completely empty and the only remains were the thoughts of how much I loved Umi. She was the sole reason for why I smiled every day.

'You know, I missed your smile.'

'What?'

'You haven't been smiling since yesterday, Eli.' Umi deduced and I was shocked. 'Yeah. I've noticed. Eli, you've been giving me a reason why you loved me every day. I loved you for the same reasons too. But you know another thing that I love about you?'

'What is it?'

'Your smile is easy to read, and they were saying it's not true. As if you took off your mask. You didn't even react much when I kissed you, Eli. Now, can you tell me, what's been bothering you?' She was right, I barely responded when she kissed my cheek after I tied her scarf.

I suddenly paused and stopped on my feet. It made Umi to stop on hers but it was delayed so she was three steps ahead of me. Her other hand slipped and only one was still latched on my arm. I was still paranoid because suddenly Umi returned to herself, the adorable and loving Umi I always loved.

'Have I been enough to you?' I asked.

'What do you mean?' She rubbed my arm.

'Is there a part of me that is not enough, or something I don't have? Some things that you would find in someone else?'

'Eli, it's not like you to ask these kind of questions.'

I looked at the girl in front of me, as I tried to confess how I felt. I could see my breath filled the air in front of me. As much as I liked to tell Umi how much I loved her, I had never been good at telling what bothered me.

'Umi, I vowed to always tell you the truth. And so I will.' My heart beat started to pumped fluid so viscous.

Umi was silent, she let go of my arm. She held together her hands on her chest almost trembling, she looked terrified.

'What?' She finally said a word. 'Tell me, Eli. Please.'

'I… I really love you, Umi. I really do. I… I don't… I don't want to lose you, to anyone.' I began shedding tears, the pain from the last night reappeared. I never remembered that I ever startled while speaking but I clearly was when I cried. I clenched my pocket even harder and with my other hand I held on the locket around my neck. 'Tell me what you'd like, Umi. Tell me how you want me to be, just to be with you as long as I could. I beg of you…I'll do anything! E-even… Even if I'm to be second…'

It was the first time I ever cried out like so, and it was the first time the two of us had cried so openly.

'Eli…' Umi released her hands from her chest and started to breath properly, I noticed from the movement of her chest, and the fogging of her breath through her nose. She took a step forward towards me.

'I made this for you.' I quickly pulled out my hand from my pocked and gave it to her, a key with personal keychain that I decorated. I had my hand held straight at Umi. She was less than a foot away from my hand. 'It's a key to m-my apartment…I want you to have …everything I have…and everything that I am…' My hands were still trembling.

I still noticed the unphased pace of her breathing, while I still looked at her blurry face.

'I'm sorry that it is all I could offer.' I retracted my arm and held the key close to me when she hadn't responded for a while.

Umi stepped two and she had her arms extended to reach my face, and this was the first time I had ever been afraid of her. She placed her hands on both sides of my cheeks so gently. They were warm, they were comfortable, and there was where I belong. If I could I would rest on them. I let go of my locked and placed my hand on the back of one of hers. She wiped the tears off my eyes and gave me a smile.

Not long, without saying a word, she removed them from my face and took my other hand. She picked up the key out of it and looked at it, especially on the keychain.

'A warm hearth, anear to the heart.' Umi paused for a second with her other hand still holding mine. 'Just like the writing, its warm – quite cheesy if you asked me. You've been holding this for quite some time in your pocket, haven't you?'

It made me giggle and wiped the final tears off my eyes.

'Eli, I also vowed to tell you the truth on our first day as a couple. And I'm happy. And I love you too, Eli.' She pulled on my hand down, so I would bend down while she tiptoed. 'This one is for this morning.'

She placed her lips on mine. They were also warm. I missed her kiss so much. Then she finally let go of me. But before I could straighten my back, she slipped her arms through the gaps of my ribs to hug me. I replied it by wrapping my arm around her neck. I let out the rest of my cry.

'You are everything I could ever hope for, and you are second to none.' She forced to speak as her head was on my collar and her voice was not clear because my arms still wrapped her.

'You are too, Umi. But I haven't said I love you first, why did you say too?'

'Because I always knew you say it all the time.'

'Umi…' I giggled again. 'I love you.'

'Now, can you stop crying? You're ruining giving-present-to-your-girlfriend day.'

We both removed each other and spread smiles across our faces. I saw her as bright as the first day I saw her – it was always the same, it was just my foolishness that caused me to see her dimmed.

'So, a key to your apartment, huh?'

'Yeah, so you don't have to knock anymore - you're always welcome, Umi. You already have your spot on the bed anyway.'

'Then I'll keep it close to my heart.' She placed the key on her breast pocket. 'I didn't expect this from you, Eli. I was supposed to be the one whining and you are the one comforting me.'

'Yeah. I'm sorry. I was a wreck.'

'Eli…' She called. 'I had some troubles earlier this week too and it was wrong of me to not seek you for help. I knew it already that you are my mentor in life but I didn't listen to it. It's all my fault.' She held both of my hands. 'Eli, from now on, not only that I will tell you the truth, but also to tell you the troubles I face.'

'Umi…'

'I'm going to copy what you said to me on our first day as a couple: Would you promise the same?'

I took a moment to pause, before I cited mine.

'Yes. I promise, from this point forward, I will always tell you whatever troubles I have.'

'Thanks, Eli. You know, Maki had been really treating me well, if you hadn't given me this key, she might have a key to one of her beach houses for me.' She thanked while she let go one of my hands, teasing me with a giggle for. She started to walk but it was halted once more because I haven't moved. It made my arm tugged hers until she stopped and turned around. 'Eli, you know I'm joking, right? What's wrong?'

'I… should let you know. I have to go to Russia.'