III

...ɪ...

The little girl's ghostly presence very much startled the other two girls, and with her shoulder-length silken hair brushed against her tiny shoulders, her short bangs framed her round physionogmi and big eyes, ergo the child would look unearthly compared to other people.

Not only due to the young child's look, but perhaps the over-worldiness of hers was also potently reckoned with her, atypical for a child of seven, sagacious demeanour and rather sophisticated choice of words.

However, the girl simply seemed to be promptly feigning ignorance towards the older blonde, and this somewhat incensed the reticent Lenore, who still remained a gracious smile on her countenance.

"You must be new." the girl meekly muttered. "You shouldn't dwell on such trifles."

"Would you kindly elaborate?"

"You should let go of the unbenefitting, or the snake will bite you. . ." the child continued, her intonation unchanging, but her gaze deeply glued to the small paper plane in her round, baby-like hand; as if she was self-edifying.

"I see. . ." Melan heaved a long sigh, her bosom slowly descended, and perhaps even trembling slightly. "You have a lovely paper plane."

"Ah, yes. . . this is my last gift, to the snake that has tamed me, and whom I have tamed. . .", her voice wistful and slowly became distant, but her angular and impenetrable lineaments, nonetheless, was painted with a striking patent and fragmentary vitality, and not least an effacing dejection.

"He must have been precious to you."

"Indeed, he was. . . "

...ɪɪ...

The child, taking her peer off Melan, suddenly turned her petite body towards Lenore, and spoke with a soft voice. "I believe we have met before." Lenore, indisputably bewildered by the child's sudden change in disposition; and her prior indignation has somewhat abated, replaced by a jolly ambience which patently affected her loquaciousness.

Nonetheless, there was a part of her filled with intangible confusion, and even astonishment. Brushing it off, Lenore continued with her story, but this time, within her sweet resonance was hint of happiness, excitement, and even dolour.

...*...

...｡...

.......

...ɪɪɪ...

Melan didn't know how long they stayed in the library, nor did she truly feel those emotions Lenore had displayed, or the strangeness of the child; however, she could feel the warm and fuzzy feeling building up in her stomach. Everything is weird. Everyone is different.

Leaving the ghostly library and its dull frieze, they sauntered towards the calmer riverbank and silently stared out at the red-painted water surface with glints of gold, as they took in the beauty of an autumn sunset in a shade of cerise, and the lights lightly traced their petite figures on the deteriorating xanadu grass.

Time passed, and, shamefully enough, their stomachs started to growl. Lenore blushed profusely, and she used her hand to cover it up, which of course failed, but it wouldn't take long for the girl to fix her previous posture and looking for vendors.

Left with the child, the reticent black-haired could but to stare at the little girl and her small paper fly, as the child was seemingly reminiscing. The child eventually propelled her paper fly vigorously, and even gave it a languid wave, sending it off in the fading horizon. Her face incomprehensible, but her eyes shone with sheer relief, as if boulders of burden were lifted off of her shoulders.

Perhaps Melan had been staring too long and intense, or she was just oblivious, that it was actually the child that had been calling out her name and was staring at her. "You seemed happy.", the child's sweet voice dispersed into the tepid air of August.

At that point, Melan's mind was devoid. I seemed happy? Am I happy? What is it like to be happy? Her thoughts were racing, for this is the first time someone had said to her how she was like. "I-I don't know."

"You... are quite interesting. You seem to be unable to understand emotions."

Those words struck the raven-haired. She could feel the warmth creeping up her cheeks and bosom, and her hands trembled slightly.

"Being happy, I guess,  it would be when you feel your body fills with gentle warmth, and you would become slight fuzzy, and then you would get lost in the moment. You would like to experience it every day, and it would be unimaginable for you if it suddenly disappeared.", the child finished her long lecture with a heaved sight, filling her lungs with the tranquil air.

"I understand," Melan mumbled, recovered from her previous internal paroxysm, was now dwelling on the child's words. "Then, I am sure that I'm happy."

The raven-haired gave a small sincere smile, her eyes soften as her ink lustred irises reflected the gracious shade of carmine.

Her smile stupefied both the child and the gullible Lenore who was jogging back with three crêpes in her hands, reached filled with white fluffy cream and topped with fruits.

Melan, looking at the somewhat disheveled Lenore, muttered a "welcome back", however, as soon as she looked at the crêpes, she asked rather naïvely "Ah, you forgot the Mister's again, Lenore."

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