~~Which one's better: a story which gets a lot of criticism (not the constructive ones) or a story with no review?

Anyone's reading the story? Raise your hand! Also thank you (again) for Halios Mililios-san for reviewing! (Review reply: You read the bottom author note! Nice! But really? English is not my language and I'm not good at it...)

My story is always too easy to guess... But enjoy!

Chapter 6

"M-Miku-chan?" I ask, surprised with the fact that she's crying. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Without saying anything, she wipes her flowing tears using her palms. "I'm… Okay." She says silently. "But you already saw me crying anyway. Guess I can run away from you no more."

At that time, I am sure that it was not the loss of her parents, it was her friend who made her becomes like this.

"Then I have to tell you what happened to him." She says with a sad smile.

I widen my eyes. Is she seriously wants to tell me about what made her makes a distance with most of the human beings?

I have gained her trust to me.

Then, I have to be responsible for what she's going to tell. To keep it, to tell it to everyone, or to forget it.

"An accident… Happened when we visited my old house." She begins. "The place where I live, when I was still with my parents. When they passed away, I moved here with him." She inhales a deep breath. "We had been friends since we were in kindergarten, and became close until that time. He had a little, cute sister I always loved like my own sister. That's why I want to have a child soon."

She pauses to look at the heavy rain outside the house, "But he too, lost his parents and sister when their house got burned down. Somehow he survived."

"Ah…" I utter.

At this point, I feel really, really glad that I still have my family and is living in a comfortable house.

There are still many more people who are unluckier than me. Maybe I really should be glad of my 'near perfect' life. Though honestly, the most important thing I still have with me is my life.

It's good to be living, no matter in what circumstances.

"He then moved here all by himself, since at that time his health was much better… He lived alone until I moved here." She continues. "Then, back to that time when the accident occured. I went to my old house with my friend to retrieve some of my belongings I thought were still there. I never thought that the house would collapse when we were in."

I continue to stare at her face. Currently it is stern, filled with a determination to tell the story until the end, and to keep strong.

I know, we're humans. We can't act strong anytime—because that's what we are, humans. Mere humans. No human can stay 'strong' until the end of their life, they must have a point where they have a mental breakdown. Then after that, comfort from the others is needed.

The story goes to that end. That tragical end, I guess. But I don't go saying 'okay, okay, I know what happened next', instead, I wait for her to continue.

"Somehow, I was barely injured—just some minor wounds, but he…" She trails off, more tears flowing down from her turquoise eyes. Then she croaks out for the last time with a whispery voice, "He…"

The story ends, gets replaced by her sobbing voice that actually pierces my heart. Why? She sounds really desperate, having to tell her past she probably wishes that it never happens.

I do what I have to do, and I do what I can do. Comfort her.

I go closer to her side, and wrap her in a tight hug. With the now, shortened distance I can hear her sobbing even more clearly.

I continue to hug her, having my eyes closed shut while trying to hold my tears. If I cried too, who would comfort her?

Despite my tiredness from the previous event, I still manage to have a dream.

A bit surprised knowing that fact, because I went home when it still rained heavily (the umbrella gave no help, I still got soaked), plopped down on the bed straight after getting home, of course, earning a "Going sleep already, Rin?" from my mother because I don't usually sleep that early.

I meet him again in my dream. His first reaction when he sees me is to greet me, "Hello."

"Ah, hello." I reply him. "Nice to see you again… Len."

He stares at me for a moment before speaking, "I thought you didn't manage to know my name, you were waking up from your dream fast at that moment, Rin-ch—Rin." He says with a confused look on his face. "Never get used calling a girl without suffix, sorry."

"It's okay, people make mistakes anyway." I say lightly. Then I stare down at the well-polished floor.

Still can't stop thinking of Miku.

"What's wrong?" He asks with that concern in his kind, nice sounding voice. I never notice it before that his voice is nice to hear.

"Nothing, I have something in mind, that's all." I offer him a smile. "About my friend. I just found it lately that what made her become very unsocial was… She had lost her parents, then her best friend."

"Afraid of losing?"

I raise an eyebrow and eye him, "…what?"

"Probably she keeps herself away from the others so she won't get too attached to anyone." He says with a serious tone. "Then she wouldn't feel hurt at all if someone gone from her life. It's a fear."

"Oh…" I say. "You seem to know a lot about this thing. May I ask why?"

"Simply use your mind." He says. "Would you feel sad when someone you don't know dies?"

"No." I reply, a bit hesitating to give that answer.

"That's why I know." He says. "And I've lost my family as well."

I widen my eyes at him, "…you have?"

"I have." He says calmly. "If you ask me, of course I don't want that to happen. Of course in our life we will see many births of pure babies, but we too, will have to see someone dies."

"It's a circulation and no one can stop it." He continues. "But it's up to us to decide what we're going to do after we born, and before we die. All depends to us."

"Besides, it's not like I'm all alone after my family's death."

Right after he said that, an echoing sound of metal-clattering silenced us. Both of us turn our heads to the source of the sound immediately.

Indeed, it's a sound of metal chains falling to the floor. Though we still can't see where the chains connect to, but it's enough for us to see something else.

The other end is no more attached to his left hand.