Wheeeeeeee, I love this storyyyyyy. xD This is touching the plot, but it's chapter THREE that everything really begins to happen. I'm warning you guys, this story LEAPS into the plotline. Like, headfirst. :P
Chapter 2 - Locked
Near's gaze had followed Mello's abrupt departure as soon as the older teen's eyes were cast away. Linda let out a sigh behind him and laughed nervously.
"God, Near. He's such a grouch. I don't know ho-"
"Linda," he interrupted her coolly. He sensed her gaze on the back of his neck. "Be quiet."
He left without turning to see the look of shock and over-dramatic hurt etched into her eyes. He itched to go back to his dominos, still scattered, practically forgotten, on the common room floor. They didn't matter at the moment. He'd had enough.
A few of the children in the halls called to him as he headed toward Mello's room, though he was unsure where his rival would be, or of the logic in heading to his cave. A boy that Near knew Matt liked to challenge to Pokemon battles hailed him, and he turned his dark gaze to meet amber-brown eyes.
"Near, are you okay?"
"Fine, Gar. What is it?"
Gar was flushed, and he rubbed the back of his head, fingers running through short, black hair. Near didn't want to talk to him. He could analyze the boy easily, and the three words to best describe him were inarticulate, lazy, and...stupid, for lack of a better word.
Or maybe just inferior...
"Heard Mello flipped a shit. Wanted to know what was up."
"I never understood the phrase 'flipping a shit.' It's odd. But yes, I suppose it fits. Do you know where he is?"
"Storm inside a storm," Gar said vaguely, gesturing to a door leading to the rushing gale outside. Figured. Near thanked him quietly and directed his path to the exit, grabbing one of the dark red umbrellas hanging on the wall, as he was certain that, in his rage, Mello wouldn't have had the common sense to grab one himself. He opened the door, slowly, and entered the storm, dry under his umbrella though his socks were muddied immediately. When he was sure nobody was looking, he raised a finger to his eye and moved the lense, and a flash of light illuminated Mello's sullen form. Near allowed him a few moments of privacy...there was no need to rush. He stood, solemn, a dry patch of white in a world of soaking darkness.
Mello failed to notice him...something caught his attention, somewhere in the distance. A glimmer that vanished as soon as it had appeared. Mello trained his eyes further, trying to see.
"...the hell?"
There it was again. A reflection of...something. But what...?
Mello stood up and peered at it, his abrupt change in mood not unusual. The blonde definitely saw it again. Whatever it was, it was reflecting off the building. It was silver-colored...
Mello shook his head. He was distracting himself. It was probably nothing. He didn't wince as the hail easily carved his face, leaving red scratches in their wake. Mello sighed and leaned on the building finally noticing his rival from the corner of his eye but letting his rage slip away in the storm.
"What?"
The word had a hard edge to it, but it was dampened slightly. He had already blown up before and didn't feel like doing so again at this very moment. He didn't turn to meet Near's gaze, as he didn't feel inclined to see black pits yet again. Said black pits didn't betray the surprise Near felt at the failed rage that lingered in Mello's voice. He didn't hesitate much longer than a moment, and he approached the older boy slowly, extending his umbrella. The hail had already done its damage on Mello's skin, and the golden hair was soaked, but Near felt...perhaps the proper word was obligated?...to do this.
Near wanted to say several things, each concerning something entirely different; Linda, the scores, the tantrum...instead, his mind settled on the cold, hard facts, more specifically, the ones pelting him, inflicting red welts on flawless white skin. He felt the skin on his cheek open and winced slightly, but his gaze remained on Mello, and he spoke finally.
"You shouldn't be out here. It's dangerous."
"I don't need the umbrella."
He pushed the visual impairment away, eyes looking at that damn reflection. It continued to intrigue him...for it was the strangest shape. Like an insignia of sorts, flashing before his eyes. He needed to know. He couldn't have been seeing things.
A nasty hailstone slashed his cheek, but he ignored it, instead slowly walking out of the shadow of the building a few feet, turning around and looking up. Near sighed and shook his head, wet bangs plastered to his forehead. The bell tower loomed above them both, a strangely-shaped window gracing Mello's eyes. He wasn't going crazy, but...
He looked back at the trees, ignoring yet again the ice on his skin. The reflection was silver. The window was pitch black. It didn't make sense. Mello stared at it until a fine hailstone smacked him square in the head. The blonde winced and shook it off, retreating back to his bench.
"Do you see it?"
He pointed to the reflection dancing along the trees. His tone was edgy, as if he was slightly nervous of the answer. He didn't exactly want to know if he was hallucinating.
Near examined the confusion in Mello's eyes and followed his finger and gaze, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Despite its prior rejection, he approached Mello and held the umbrella over his head again; the storm was picking up speed, and the hailstones were falling harder and faster now. They pelted Near's body, agonizing to his sensitive skin, but he had other matters to be concerned with at the moment.
"Where...are you looking, Mello? I do not see anything unusual."
White clothes were stuck to his body, and he shivered, cursing the illogical actions of coming into the storm in his normal attire. Mello...was frightening him somewhat. Near's apathy faded from his eyes, instead replaced with a gentle concern.
"Are you alright? What do you see?"
"It's a reflection, an insignia. Look. It's flickering among the tree bark. You see it, right?!" He sounded strangled, as if desperate to prove his own sanity. He wasn't insane. He wasn't seeing things. It was really THERE. He saw it. "It's... reflecting off something. It really is there!"
He shook his head and blinked, but it was still there. It was in the shape of a four-pointed star, shimmering in silver upon brown bark. Near gazed up at him through eternally blank eyes.
"Mello, my vision is really bad in...the current conditions." He doubted he could elaborate. He let the pounding storm speak for him. "What is it that you see?"
His eyes remained locked exactly where Mello was looking, and he may have seen something flash there, or perhaps it was only wishful thinking. Still, he tried. He really did. He focused every bit of his attention on the tree, drowning out the loud storm and the pain on his skin, the discomfort of his clothes clinging to his body. His hair was an absolute mess against his face, but his eyes were intent. Then...there. A flicker.
"What is it that you see?" Near repeated quietly, bowing his head slightly and flicking his gaze toward Mello.
"A four-pointed star. A reflection off of the lightning, like light hitting a mirror. It's coming from the window in the bell tower..."
The tower was off-limits to the children of Wammy's. None had been there, not even Mello, for all the doors were locked leading to the tower, and no one had been in there for decades. But...
"It's...intentional. I am sure of it. Where else in Wammy's have you seen a four-pointed star?" Mello shook his head. "Nowhere. What is that? Why is it there...?"
Mello seemed to have forgotten his initial rage, as well as the fact that ice was turning his face into a mass of raw scratches. He turned to his smaller rival and his expression then was quite unusual. His eyes were widened, but the rage was gone from them, replaced with a confusion for his own sanity. He stared into the dark eyes for a moment, taking in the fact that the younger one was being ravaged by the weather.
"Go inside..."
"Inside," Near echoed. Did he mean in the tower, or back into Wammy's? "Mello, we're not even supposed to be out on the grounds, let alone inside the bell tower..."
He definitely needed to read more about emotions. Right now, Near barely knew what HE felt, let alone his rival...the guarded confusion in Mello's eyes made Near catch a breath in his throat, and he shivered, though not from the cold.
"The stars remain in the sky, Mello," he whispered. "Take care of the little things. Let the big things take care of themselves. Let's go back inside the House...please, Mello."
"I need to find out..."
A low growl found its way to Mello's throat and he narrowed his eyes at Near. God-damned brat would get him in trouble if someone noticed that both of them bore the nasty marks of hail. They'd blame it on him for 'hurting' Near. The thought reignited his anger and he roughly grabbed Near's wrist, marching off, dragging the little one behind him as he opened the door. Near tensed at the touch and his gaze froze, cold and distant. He didn't resist Mello, but his mind screamed for him to run.
Mello entered the orphanage with a flurry of wind and rain behind him. He dropped Near's frail arm and snorted, and the latter relaxed, his eyes fixated on Mello's face. Only the dimmest samples of curiosity and confusion lingered in his eyes. Mello's were still unreadable.
"Happy now? I'm going to go find out about that tower, don't try to stop me, or squeal, or I will lock you outside. Understand?"
Typical Mello, always with one mood swinging to another at the blink of an eye. And it was always Near who caused it. Near knew he wasn't kidding with the threat, either...Roger had already caught him outside after hours earlier in the week.
It seemed like the blonde could have cared less that he was bleeding from a small scratch on his cheek, or the fact that his clothes were wet, as he turned to leave.
On instinct, Near reached out to grasp Mello's sleeve, tugging in a half-hearted attempt to turn him around. Arrogant bastard...whatever was going on, he was going to get hurt somehow. It was inevitable. Predictable? No, not today. Something was wrong.
Near hated it when things went wrong.
"You wound me," he said softly. "I am not Linda. I don't 'squeal' when things stray from the path of the ordinary. However, I don't intend to stand by and let yourself do anything stupid. You're smarter than that, but you...aren't yourself, are you?"
A crack in his voice? That hadn't happened in awhile. Near gazed up at his rival intently, his eyes dark and insistent beneath dripping bangs. The water running down his cheeks washed the blood from his skin and onto his clothing, but he could have cared less. Mello was especially in-tune with Near's tone, and he heard the break in that usually level voice. His eyes flickered and he crossed his arms. Near could be useful. But...it was Near, for gods' sake!
"So what if I'm not myself?"
"I am going with you."
That settled it, then. Mello scowled.
"...fine. You can come along, but change your clothes first so it doesn't look like I did anything to you. I don't feel like dealing with that shit today. Come to the library when you are done, and don't piss me off."
He pulled away without a second thought, feeling utterly drained. Did he just say 'yes' to that? What the hell?! He really wasn't himself. Mello mentally slapped his emotions and stalked down the hallway, ignoring the fact he was still wet. No one would dare to ask him what the hell happened for fear of getting smacked in the face, but the children sure as hell stared. In a few short minutes, Mello had comfortably set himself in a secluded corner, hidden by shelves and occasionally illuminated by the flickers of lightning from a window.
He said yes to purely take advantage of Near's massive brain. Right. Yeah.
Mello leaned against the back of the chair, thankful a computer was set up in the corner, right next to the table. He loved this spot. He was grateful for it.
(NS)
Near changed at a faster pace than usual. He didn't bother with socks this time; he knew it'd be a bad idea in the long run, but for this exploration they had planned (what was this, a video game?), he wanted his feet sensitive to the vibrations, as his eyes...his eyes. Hmph.
He grabbed a cartridge from his nightstand and shoved it in his pocket. If worse came to worse, he'd be grateful later.
He used his already-stained shirt to clean the blood and water from his face. It was only the gash in his left cheek he was really concerned about, but that didn't matter. Despite what Mello was concerned about, the logical explanation for their injuries was the rain; while most students would naturally assume (assuming, always assuming) that Mello had inflicted the wounds upon Near, Near couldn't have possibly damaged Mello as he was.
He padded to the library, his footsteps silent, and sought out Mello. Mello...something was wrong with him. Near felt it. Even an indifferent ghost had some empathy. Near reached out and touched Mello's shoulder lightly for attention, saying nothing. Mello whipped around, on a natural impulse, and grabbed Near's wrist with one hand. Cerulean eyes flickered slight irritation and he dropped Near's arm, turning back to the computer and scrolling down the search results for four pointed star insignias.
"It's not a smart idea to do that. I almost snapped your wrist."
He wouldn't have been sorry, either. He continued to scroll, casting a glance over to the papers across the room, as if they were taunting him. Oh, what he wouldn't give for a lovely pack of darts to chuck at the blazing white sheets...
"Go find anything you can on the history of Wammy's. There should be something here..."
His tone was one of contained irritation, but not infernal rage.
"Mello, the access to information about the bell tower is restricted," Near said quietly, drawing his wrist to his chest briefly before moving it upwards to play with his hair. "If Matt were here, he could get it, but he's not. It's abandoned for a reason." He dropped his voice. "It's off-limits for a reason."
He thought back to what he'd seen. Mello's eyesight was better than the average person's, and as such, far better than Near's...but though there had definitely been a refraction of light gleaming from the tower, Near wasn't sure it had been a four-pointed star, and even if it had been, so what?
"Why is this so important to you?" he murmured, gazing down at Mello with nothing less than the truest form of concern glimmering in his dark eyes.
Mello sighed deeply, as if the question brought something up that was enough to dim the rage and replace it with solemn silence. The blonde turned around, facing Near with cold eyes, the look one gets before something overwhelming is revealed.
"It is important, and I don't need to tell you why, so don't ask me." Mello gritted his teeth, throwing the idea aside. "I guess we'll have to figure it out without Matt. We have to get in there."
His mind was working now; anyone could see the gears turning in his head. He was a plotter, and a planner, and this sort of thing was his forte. He had noticed the 'we' in the sentence, and that word made him queasy.
"I'll follow you."
Near was aware of the words only after they'd left his lips, and the shock was enough to make his eyes widen slightly. Why? Why was Mello acting like this? Why did Near even care? He blinked rapidly, lowering his gaze, his eyes still wide. His well-developed logic told him nothing, NOTHING, about what was going on, but...that didn't matter, did it?
Near bit his lip. Screw logic. It was all about instinct. All about emotion. All about...Mello.
Near's eyes traveled up to the older boy's face.
Mello rolled his eyes. It was kind of funny seeing Near like this. Withholding information apparently unnerved him. It was amusing to see the slight widening of apathetic eyes, and the obvious discomfort for his irregular attitude. Mello stared back as if it was a game, a smirk peeling across his lips. What was Near thinking that made him so uncomfortable...?
"I know I am sexy, but stop the fucking staring, thank you. You want to follow, fine, but if you get scared don't cry to me."
The word 'scared' was stressed, and it was obvious Mello knew something Near didn't, and the feeling made him quite pleased.
"I am not afraid," Near replied simply, and it was true. Fear wasn't the right word to describe it...what the word was, he had no idea, but fear wasn't it.
Still, obedient to Mello's command, Near averted his gaze, thinking.
The bell tower...what was there? What could possibly be in the tower that had Mello like this, that...had HIM like this? Lightning flashed outside, lighting up the room, and Near's eyes opened fully, burning from the agony of the brightness, registering the jolt in his mind.
The Lightning-Struck Tower...Near inhaled deeply to regain himself. His hand had ceased its movements in his hair, and he dropped it, unaware of his own wide eyes, the way he shivered...and of course it was in front of Mello.
As if he read Near's mind, the blonde observed quietly for once. He was definitely affecting his counterpart, and that alone pleased him. A cocky half-smirk onto his face.
"I am still watching you, if you were wondering."
He observed Near's shivering and the boy's actions as if the albino were a specimen under a microscope. Temporarily, the four-pointed star was forgotten. Mello watched Near silently, attempting to understand the boy's actions, and what caused them. The eyes was a given. Near was albino, and his eyes were particularly sensitive to light, but the shivering could have been for a few reasons.
"If you don't mind, put on your little mask so we can begin to work."
He turned around at last and gazed at the title, bringing an idle hand to his shoulder subconsciously and rubbing it.
Near glanced back at Mello listlessly, his eyes glazing over with well-practiced blankness, his emotions hidden behind steel walls. He stared at Mello as he worked and remained silent, his mind swimming in an ocean, dark eyes gazing up at a crumbling tower as lightning cracked it down the middle...a man and a woman fell to join Near in the ocean. He exhaled silently, wondering if the star had some sort of supernatu-
No. He wasn't going to delve into illogical thinking patterns yet.
He gazed over Mello's shoulder calmly and watched, his shivering ceasing and his breathing pattern evening out. Mello sure as hell wasn't the voice of reason here...it was Near's job to be logical. Logical.
...why did the word mock him?
Mello's presence had never before allowed him to think without interruption. A fist slamming onto the table jolted Near from his thoughts.
"Fucking useless..."
Mello clenched his shoulder and closed the internet window, a stab of irritation gracing his mood yet again.
Honestly he knew Roger didn't have the key. From all the other things he had broken into, it was never there. A lock pick wouldn't work on the old rusted lock, and they couldn't break it...or could they? A maniacal grin worked upon the boy's face and he stood up, a sure sign that he had an idea.
"We have to get in there. I guess we can just go in there tonight if we get all the materials together in time..."
Mello lowered his hand from his shoulder and turned to Near, who stared back, patient. Mello bowed his head slightly, his own gaze serious.
"Grab some paints and some crafts supplies. whatever you can get your hands on and meet me back here in about ten minutes, I have an idea..."
And without a further word, Mello walked off, leaving Near alone. It seemed like the tower was far more important than their rivalry at the moment, and to be honest, to Mello, it was. Near watched him go, his eyes foggy, his mind working fast.
And then he smirked. No hesitation, no twitching of the pale lips; plain and simple, his lips curved into a smirk, and he made a beeline for the best art-supply room in the House...not the supply closet, no...
He knocked on the door, and a voice called for a moment. Near waited patiently, and when Linda yanked open the door, her eyes absolutely lit up.
"Near-kun!" The smile faltered. "What happened to your cheek? ...did...Mello...?"
"No," Near said, touching the cut vaguely. "The storm outside is fairly intense."
"Storm," she sighed. "Near, you're not allowed-"
"Will you please help me, Linda?"
She was jolted from her lecture. Her smile was back, larger than before, and as if they reacted to her emotions, her pigtails seemed to grow puffy. Near made his request quietly, and she retrieved her art supplies from her closet. Near had always admired her art skills...then again, everyone had at least one redeeming quality. Linda was an artist, Matt was a hacker, and Mello...
Well, Mello was Mello. That was enough.
"Paints, brushes, markers, glue, paper, scissors, exact-o-knife, molding clay..." She handed the box to him. "Anything you need should be in there. Anything else?"
Near smiled slightly. "Yeah. But you have to promise you won't tell anyone, and that you'll go back to your room after I achieve it. Alright?"
"O-of course, Near," she said, blushing.
"Good. Follow me."
It was probably the stupidest idea he'd ever had, but Linda had her uses. Near wasn't about to abandon her. He felt...dirty. Oh well. She was just one of his toys anyway. Near kept slightly ahead of her as he headed toward the meeting place. Linda's heels clicked behind him.
(NS)
Oh, if Roger saw this, he'd probably behead him on the spot. Mello was grinning like a madman, two separate locks before him, one broken and rusted beyond belief, the other a shimmering new lock, identical to the old one save for the rust and damage. The key to the lock sat contently in his pocket. He laced his fingers together, tracing a finger over both locks. They didn't have all day. Someone was bound to notice the lock missing from the trap door. He didn't open the door, for that too was rusted shut...he'd get supplies for it later. But this was the first step.
"Mello."
Near's voice was soft, and he nudged Linda gently to stop her mid-shriek.
"What are you doing?!" she hissed at Mello angrily, and Near shot her a glare.
"Linda. I told you to stay calm. Thank you for the supplies. I owe you. Here's how I'm paying you back. Just wait."
He looked back towards Mello and his eyes softened slightly. He called his name again, patiently, and Linda squirmed beside him.
Stupid girl.
Mello glared upwards and stared at Linda a minute and then Near.
"We were assigned a project Linda, the details of which we can not discuss. I have to work with albino brat on this so if you don't mind, we have work to do. I appreciate your help, but please, just go away. I'm not exactly thrilled about this, and I'm not in the mood for any annoying speculation."
He snarled at Linda, glancing at Near and motioning for him to sit with a movement of his eyes.
"Near, we have a deadline..."
Near didn't move.
"Deadline. Of...course. I have one request, Mello, and then I'm at your disposal. Please."
He glanced at Linda, who matched his gaze, her face flushed with anxiety.
"Linda did nothing to deserve your earlier lecture. Please apologize to her for screaming and threatening. Then, she will go back to her room, and I will assist you." He paused. "And...I mean an apology. Meet her eyes, and do not snarl."
Mello fought the urge to snarl. That was going too far...but this was important. More important than Linda. And Near's manipulation was fair enough...so he shadowed his eyes, mimicking Near's apathy almost to perfection.
"Fine. I am sorry I yelled at you earlier."
It was a bit flat, but he attempted to force sincerity, and the attempt itself should have been good enough. In all honesty, he wanted to hurry. It was even affecting his pulse; not healthy. He grimaced and turned away. Linda opened her mouth to reply, but Near nodded curtly. "Good enough."
He gave Linda a blank look that plainly read "Go away," and she did. Near put the box of supplies next to Mello and sat beside him, watching him work.
"So...what are we doing?"
His insides ached with unfamiliar emotions that echoed as a tiny flicker behind dark eyes. He hid it.
Mello sighed and motioned to the locks as if it was obvious. The older boy pressed a finger against the rusted lock and eyed it silently. The worn engraving on it was buried under rust, but it was there.
"We are replicating it...and leaving no evidence. Understand?"
"Yes."
Mello sounded distant, and his hand yet again trailed to his shoulder, gripping it tightly.
"Near, I'm going to ask you to turn away for a moment..."
Mello averted his eyes and something flickered upon his expression. Near's body went rigid, his own eyes shining to mimic the emotion that gleamed briefly in Mello's. That...was one he knew. Fear.
Still, he turned away loyally.
"Mello," he said quietly. "What is this deadline?"
Mello didn't answer. Actually, the only noise was a ruffle of clothing and the identifiable sound of ripping bandages. Thank the gods that they were in a secluded place. His fear was confirmed as he ran a rough finger over vermillion.
"...Damn it..."
Near shifted. Mello's attention returned to the albino in front of him and he pulled the shirt sleeve over his shoulder, grabbing the bandages and shoving them in his pant pocket before answering Near.
"Uh...tonight. Yeah..."
The words were drawn out and lethargic, drowned in a sea of thoughts. Near bowed his head, fists clenched side-by-side between his knees, staring at the ground though his vision was clouded by still-damp bangs.
"What exactly is the plan? Whatever's going on...it is...important to you. I feel it. I...hear it in your voice. Please, Mello. I just want to help."
Why, he didn't know, but then again, it didn't matter. His gaze remained stoic, and he counted the scratches on his pale hands.
"You can turn around Near. This is the plan. I stole a padlock identical to that of the old lock blocking us from the bell tower. We are going to disguise this lock at the old one and that way, no one will get suspicious of anyone in the tower. We will go up there tonight after I loosen the door."
Mello wished for chocolate at that moment, to drown his mind in something else. He picked up the paint set and hovered over the lock, picking up a paint brush and a clay molding tool, using the old lock for a reference.
"Let's get started, it will come together in the end. Help me with this. We can get it done faster that way."
"Y-yes, Mello."
Near's gaze traveled back to Mello's eyes, and whatever was lingering within the cerulean irises scared him. Yes, it was fear now. He took a calming breath of air that helped to steady the hands that had begun to tremble with his unease.
Near handed Mello the tools as he asked for them. It...was a puzzle, right? He fought the overwhelming urge to laugh nervously. This had to be a game. A puzzle. Some cruel bet or prank that Mello was playing, trying to get under his skin.
...or not.
Mello's gaze was utterly blank as he looked at the twin locks before him. It would need to dry, but that was fine. The blonde took a shaky breath and reclaimed his cocky air.
"Hah, not too bad..."
He glanced at Near, noting his unease. It made him feel almost guilty. Near seemed afraid.
Wait, FOCUS. Near was his rival, just a tool. Why would he feel guilty for using a...tch. Well, that was why, because Near was human, and he proved it...Mello stared, a foreign light in his eyes, guilt shimmering on the surface, but irritation behind it. He didn't want Near's pity in the long run. Near looked up then, and his gaze locked with Mello's. He caught the jumble of emotions, and thought he could recognize most of them; he didn't mention them, thinking better of it.
"Are we almost done with this, Mello?"
The sooner they were, the better off they'd be. Near's fear scared him more, and that would only continue to build until his feet touched a ground he could be confident on...he hated being clueless. Like Matt without a computer, he was useless to himself, and he knew it.
What was worse was, his uses were for Mello only...and he was going along with it.
The thought made his heart ache. He didn't recognize the emotion. As such, he ignored it.
"Let's go about our day. I'll place the lock. I'll come get you at your room tonight, and we'll go to the tower."
Mello seemed extraordinarily tired all of a sudden, getting up out of his chair and snagging the drying lock without much mess.
"Return the things to Linda if you can."
He paused beside Near's chair, facing away from the younger boy for a second, whispering something audible only to Near.
"Thanks..."
And he left without a further word to walk the halls.
"You're welcome," Near whispered. He gathered the items and put them back in the box, sighing softly and listening to the pounding tempest outside; he wondered when it would end...when all this would end.
He headed back to his room, his only detour being to Linda's room. He didn't stay; he left the box outside, knocked once, and left, turning the corner just as she opened the door. He didn't have time for her.
Time...
He retreated to his room and flopped onto his bed gracelessly, curling up and facing the window. The ice shattered into fragments as it pounded the hard glass. The sound reminded him of his abandoned dominos. He didn't care. He simply stared at the hail...
Waiting for the storm to end.