"Hurryuporyou'llbelate!!"
Staring at the white, ceiling wall; I could not help but sigh.
As you all may have heard... Today was the last day of my school and our teachers were hosting us a farewell party.
To be very honest? I did not want to go there.
My name is Noah D. Romero and I was a noble of the Romero Clan.
My only remaining family was my Grandmother, Sylvie.
I tilted my head to the side when my door creaked open, and in came Ma; a word I had grown accustomed to calling my grandma.
She was barely as tall as my shoulders, her petite frame filed with an energy that opposed her age.
Her pink hair was tied up in a messy bun, which always reminded me of the delicate cherry blossoms I used to watch with her as a child.
Her black eyes sparkled with mischief and warmth, as if the world had never once managed to dim her light.
Ma wore her usual attire—a simple but elegant, soft wool gown dyed in a cheerful yellow, the kind that always seemed a little too big for her small frame.
The dress had splashes of flour and smudges of what I could only guess was chocolate, probably from the sweet pastries or warm bread—as if her treats could fix anything life threw at us.
...And for her, maybe they did.
"Noah," she said, hands on her hips, her voice dripping with exasperation. "Are you planning to spend your last day at school staring at the ceiling?
Or is there some secret mission you're that involves sulking in your room?"
I couldn't help but smile at her bad jokes, even though I clearly understood the intent behind her words. I turned my gaze back to the plain, white ceiling.
"I don't really wanna go, Ma. It's just...what's the point? Saying goodbye to people who barely noticed me in the first place? Celebrating the end of something I barely enjoyed?"
She walked over to my bed, her small feet padding softly against the wooden floor. Sitting down beside me, she reached out and brushed a strand of my hair from my face.
"Noah," she said, her tone calm but carrying a gentle firmness that made me listen, "you're right, life doesn't always make sense.
And people... they're not always as kind or as attentive as we'd like them to be.
But hiding up here, shutting yourself away from the world, that's no way to live."
I turned my head to look at her, my chest tightening. "Ma, it's not just about today. You know that. It's everything.
The way people look at me like I don't belong. The whispers about being an orphan, even though I'm a noble. It's exhausting..."
Her black eyes softened, and she sighed, reaching out to take my hand in hers; she locked her gaze with mine.
"I know it's been hard, my boy. You've carried so much on those young shoulders of yours. Your clan, our family... they refuse to treat you as they should.
Everyone knows that you were born with a...weak constitution. That it will be increasingly harder to assimilate the hollow inside your body since—"
Grandma continued speaking to me, but honestly? I had stopped listening. It was the same thing over and over again.
'I was born in one of the leading clans of the Empire, yet..my so-called 'household,' did not have a single dime to spend on me.
They refused to grant me a single hollow from their treasury!'
My attention turned to grandma as she asked, "But do you know what I see when I look at you?"
I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak.
"I see a strong, kind, and handsome young man who has so much to offer this world. You've been dealt a tough hand, yes, but you've survived. And not just survived—you've grown.
That's something to be proud of, Noah."
Even though her words struck a chord deep within my heart, I couldn't help the bitterness overflowing from my mouth.
"What if I don't want to grow, Ma? What if I'm tired of trying?"
She didn't flinch or pull away. Instead, she tightened her grip on my hand and smiled, her eyes glistening with tears.
"Then you let me carry you for a little while longer. That's what family is for, right? But you have to promise me one thing."
"What?" I asked, my voice hoarse.
"Promise me you'll give life another chance. Just one more. Go to that farewell party.
Meet those people, even if it's just to say goodbye. Who knows? Maybe you'll find something... or someone... worth staying for."
I stared at her, unable to refute her words.
She always had a way of making the impossible seem just a little more manageable.
With a reluctant sigh, I nodded. "Okay, Ma. I'll go. But only because you asked me to."
Her face lit up like the morning sun, and she clapped her hands together.
"That's my boy! Now, hurry up and get ready. I've laid out your best suit, and don't you dare argue with me about wearing it.
Oh, and don't forget to smile. You've got the Romero charm, after all."
I couldn't help but chuckle as she hopped off the bed and headed towards the door, her energy infectious.
As the door clicked shut behind her, I sat up, her words echoing in my mind. Give life another chance. Maybe, just maybe, she was right.
With a deep breath, I swung my legs off the bed and stood up.
Time to face the world—Yes.
I was going to hit all my classmates with a wide smile on my face, hehehe.
Right then, my eyes were drawn to an ancient book kept beside my bed.
Feeling the usual creepiness draw me in, I completely ignored it.
Now was not the time for this—
A/N: A change in POV will be denoted by,