Everything was blurry. So hazy. I could barely make anything out of these blinds. It didn't have any colour nor a sound but... "It's going to be alright"This voice. "Everything is going to be alright." Why do I have to hear this voice again...and again? "Don't worry" Please stop. I covered my ears, trying to block this voice. Please stop. I closed my eyes tight, trying to avoid the voice but all it did was echo. Echoed like beast roaring inside a cave. "We will be fine" It's so familiar but still so peculiar. Warm drops started to fall from my eyes like an ocean. Why am I sobbing? "I want you to promise me that you will come back"

"Stop. Please stop!" I screamed, losing my resilience.

The voices finally stopped but I could see something. Someone. I could see the man with two long horns. Who was he? I opened my eyes again but this time, he was here. He was here, in front of me. He held a stick and approached towards me. His eyes were blood red but he had a smile. An innocent smile like a child. What was he going to do? I moved back from him. Was this the end for me? I moved further again.

"Wh..who are you?" I asked, my voice shivering. He paused and bewildered. What was he thinking? I didn't know. Was he going to kill me? I didn't knew. He tighten his fist and stumped his wooden stick on the ground. The ground crumbled, beneath me as it cracked open.

I could feel my body getting pulled by the gravity beneath me. I closed my eyes again but the same smile appeared before me. A smile that I can never get fatigued. A smile so bright as sun and cheerful as the waves of the ocean. A smile so peaceful that I could die in peace. Is this fantasy or is this just reality?I couldn't comprehend. I lifted my hand because I knew someone was there. Someone who will help me.

"Alf.."

Beep Beep

My eyes open wide, with my hand stood up as if it was trying to catch something. I glanced upon my hand as the time around me froze. I could feel my entire body being drenched by the hot sweat. I stretched my fingers, blocking the sunshine from my emerald eyes. Why is this dream occurring so often? What was behind those dreams? And who was...I realised that I had always woke up before I could call the name. What was the name and whom did it belong to? I didn't know but right now, I was glad.

It was just a fantasy. It was just a dream. It wasn't the reality.

"You what mate?" The peaceful birds fluttered into the warm air as the voice echoed through the pavement. He closed his emerald eyes in frustration and massaged his temple from the migraine that was building up, knitting his bushy every brow together in aggravation. "For the hundredth time, you know I am not interested nor believe in these 'love' and 'fate' thing you talk about all the time. It's all bollocks to me." He glared at the French men sulk piteously. "Just forget about me okay Francis?" He sighed as he bought back his patience to endure Francis's existence. "I am not interested"

"But Mon amour, Je t'aime." Francis queried as he held those fragile arms together. " I knew my fate was to be with you ever since I laid my eyes on you in our secondary school." He trembled. Francis had always admired those emerald eyes that shone brightly of nature, and those bushy eyebrows that stood out with those bedraggled blonde hair. Along with the skin so smooth, bringing cotton to shame. "Please Arthur, please give me a chance. Haven't I begged you enough?"

"We have only known each other for like what?"

"4 years" The Norwegian answered from the side.

Arthur sighed again. "Anyway, I have to go, that rich bastard is coming back from US after wimping back when his girlfriend died, leaving my old man to handle his business." Arthur hated him. Arthur hated that bastard a lot. He didn't know anything about that person, nor how the other looked but all he knew was he was a bastard and ruined his childhood. His mother had told him that he was born in a sunny day but his father wasn't there. He was looking after the business, which wasn't his. His father had missed important part of his life, from taking a first step to first day in university. He hated that man. He hated everything about that man when he didn't even know his name.

Alfred's POV

What is this sensation? The wind. The sun. The atmosphere. It feels different than it used to be. Has the wind changed? Has the sun changed? Has the atmosphere changed? No. It's the same but what is this strange sensation? I closed my eyes. If only you were here. I held the emerald ring that was threaded onto my chain that my mother had gave me.

'Alice'

"Are you alright Alfred?" I opened my eyes on Kiku's gentle voice. I could see his concerned reflection from the glass that I was leaning on. My eye focused dropped to the emerald. If only I could be with you again. If only I could move on.

"It's nothing." I smiled. "It has been so long since I have been to England and the jet lag isn't helping." Kiku was clever and an intellectual man. He could read his surrounding easily, especially mine.

"You know you don't have to do this. I know you will do just fine in New York's branch. You don't have to start from here." He embraced me, covering my body with his arms. He knew coming back to England wasn't a good idea but he also knew how much I wanted to come back. "Can we go and eat somewhere? Someone inside me is starving." I chuckled.

Mother had always told me that it was good to have a companion. Someone whom you can lean on in hard times and someone to laugh with in good times. She had taught me many things since I was a child till her last breath. After looking at my father, alone, for 5 years, now I realise how empty and destitute he must had felt when mother left. Even with that, my father would rather avoid or overlook reality. I did the same. Even though we had each other, it wasn't the same as having your own companion.

Before my mother died, she had told me to find a companion of my own. Who? I asked her. She gave me an instant answer. Kiku. It was okay with father as well. As science had become so advanced that male could also get pregnant by having a fake womb inside. He had been there for my good and bad times but I was tormented, What if he says no? I would lose my best friend.

When I kneeled down. His face crumbled. I opened the box. His eyes smothered. I asked. He froze at first but answered. My ears rang with joy. His eyes teared with joy. After that, I had asked him if he would like to move to England with me and he happily did.

Kiku sat on his chair and started looking through the menu. It was an old menu, the ink had slightly fainted but it was still readable. Looking around the old pub, it hadn't changed much. The same old wooden interior with visible barrels of beer stacked back of the bar.

"Umm...Mac & Cheese I guess? It sounds eatable than any other thing in this menu." I chuckled. "So I guess Mac & Cheese with Water. What about you?" I didn't bother looking at the menu. I used come here often before...before I moved back.

"The usual I guess" My smiled but my lips froze. Usual?

I asked Kiku if he wanted anything specific. Salmon. He replied. I knew he would ask something like that. I chuckled again.

"Why were you taking so long to come outside?" I asked. I knew Kiku couldn't walk as fast as he could before but he was drastically slow. "Met someone on the way?"

"Not exactly" Kiku squirreled his spaghetti. He changed his course halfway through eating as his cravings kicked in. "As I was walking past the main reception, a man was there, screaming at the receptionist, demanding to call someone." He stopped as he gave a side smile. "As I looked at him, the only thing that was noticeable was his thick eyebrow knitted together. God Alfred, you should have looked at his eye brows, it looked like someone stuck two caterpillars."

"So you just looked at a man having a go with the receptionist?" I teased. His entire face blushed like cherry tomato. "So what ha-" My speech stopped as a familiar voice called my name. A man quickly took a sat next to me. Similar long wavy blonde hair, violet eyes covered with broad glasses.

"Alfred! Alfred when did you get here?" He asked. Without leaving any second, he stretched up, waved his hand and called upon someone half way through the pub. "Come here Dylan*, Alfred is here!"

"Matthew quiet down." Matthew lay back sharply. I looked upon Kiku, who was shocked and bewildered with a sudden engrossed of our territory. "He is Matthew, my cousin." I ensured Kiku. "He is never like this normally."

"What do you mean!" He fought from his microscopic voice. No matter how much he wanted to shout, his voice was still microscopic.

"Nothing." I smiled slyly.

"So you really are back huh?" I turned my head, just to see a familiar face. So negolistic, I thought. It had been so long since we were all like this...so long. "Dam you Alfred Fucking Johns."

"Nice to meet you again, Dylan." He quickly sat down on the chair next to me, opposite from Mathew. "So how have you been? Still whining? or have you moved on?" He glared sharply through me, as if he was looking through my naked soul. Maybe the rumours were right, I thought. The Kirkland family really do hate me after what taking over our business has done to their family. I could feel the aura changing, pushing from the warmth of the beaches of Australia to a frozen arctic zone.

"I-"

"Lets not talk about that right?" Matthew covered. "So…" He faced towards Kiku. "Who are you again?"

"He is m-" Kiku glared at me first before piercing his lips open.

"I am Kiku Honda, new employee of Mr Johns." He smiled. "Nice to meet you...Matthew?"

"Wow, so Alfred Fucking Johns is being so sympathetic that he is now treating his new employee?" He signed sarcastically. " Should have felt sympathetic towards my dad who had his own business to run and…" His voice faded lower into a mumble, which I could barely hear. I squint my eyes, trying to ignore the bitter truth.

"You said you wouldn't bring that up when we ever get the chance to meet Alfred, Dylan!" Matthew protested.

"Well not after I see this face again. She was not his only friend, she was our friend as well." I could hear the ticking noise of the bomb to explode any second from the piercing and nostalgic memories. I did not want to endure this pain again. My hand covered my face itself, covering my squished eyes full of pain and sorrow underneath the glasses.

"Can we not talk about that when someone is here?" Matthew looked at his side. "eh? Where is Kiku?" My eyes widen. What was I doing? Where is Kiku? Maybe he is in the toilet? He did say his morning sickness had not gone away. I quickly stood up and rushed inside the toilet.

Arthur's P.O.V

I had to meet this Johns guy. I had to teach him some lessons. How dare he whine like a son of a bitch and run away in USA, leaving my dad to handle everything. How dare he! I slammed the door open. I could see eyes staring at me but I didn't care. All I could think was: to meet this Johns guy, teach him some lesson and make him apologise for his deeds. I paused in front of the two familiar faces that I was looking for.

"What are you doing here Dylan?" I glanced, just to find my own reflection from the glass that belonged to the Canadian.

"I could ask the same little brother."

"Nothing. Was just looking for something."

"Something or someone?" The Canadian laughed. I knew my brother had a bad test but I never thought it would be this bad. On top of that, he was related to that Jones. Just because they were friends from school does not mean you have to love them. I was not even sure if Dylan was even serious of getting married to this rascal bastard.

"You do know Alistair still does not approve of you being with my brother." With a simple gulp, the Canadian face changed from healthy peach to pale white. "Anyway, I am coming with you guys to the camp. Leaving my brother with you alone would be prohibition." I glared at Mathew, who went paler. I knew it was not his fault for being a relative of that Jones but I just liked mocking with him. Married or not, Dylan was still my brother and protecting or being a wall from the rascal was a must.

"You are not coming with us! I'm older than you so you can't tell me what I can or can't do."

"Please" I begged. I knew I was not going to do anything if I stayed home. Mom and brothers would be at work and dad... I stopped. That man gives more priority to his friends business than his family or his own business. " I'm coming and I don't care. Like it or not, that's final." I stumped as I swirled out of the door.

No POV

"Why does your family hate me?" The Canadian asked in some serious doubt. "Is it because I'm related to him?" The smile and the light air bubble that covered him disappeared.

"I don't want to talk about it." Came the reply. Dylan knew greatly how his family despite the Jones family but then dragged Mathew with them. Just for ounce of seconds, both men stayed in silent. The bubble bursting. "Shall I invite Alfred as well? It's not like he will be doing anything for the first few weeks."

"Hmm..." the Canadian thought. Since Arthur is going to be stubborn on tagging along with us, we could leave Arthur with Alfred so he and Dylan could be together. "Yah..." the voice disappeared. "But he will never want someone who is the main reason for the current situation of your family to tag along with us."

"We won't say his surname." Dylan laid back. "We will only introduce him as Alfred only. " The purple eyes glared into ember green.

"I love you so much."

"Huh? I never knew you two were together." Both men sitting on the table tilt their head to see the same two men, but one looking slightly taunted and drained.

"Oh" Mathew crackled to hide his nervousness but he knew he was found red handed by his cousin. "Umm…" He hesitated. "Well, we kind of got married." Alfred and Kiku sat by their rightful tables. Mathew looked up straight towards his partner, face red from the boiling anger inside him. "Well this is awkward." The four men stayed in silence as the chatter in the background started to grow within them.

"Hmm" Kiku broke the silence. "You look like a nice couple." Again, a long silence grew. The time ticked slowly.

"You should have told me…" Alfred whispered but no one heard. It was lower than the sound of the wind.

"Ah! Alfred." Alfred glanced towards his cousin. "We are going for camping, would you mind joining us?"

Dylan = He is supposed to be personification of Wales

Alistair = He is supposed to be personification of Scotland.

Anyways what do you think of the story so far? Please leave some comments and feedbacks for improvements: D