The next day Free was training swordsmanship with Philip and Okoto while Hina and Lina were preparing breakfast, Lina had two letters in her pocket, she was wiping dust off the dining table.
"Lina are you done?" Hina called out from the kitchen.
"Almost" Lina answered, she finish wiping the table, Hina enters she place the breakfast in the table. "I'll call them" Lina said, she exited the dining room.
Outside Free was swinging his wooden sword, it had weights tied in its tip he was sweating like crazy his hand was trembling but his swing didn't stop. "922. 923. 92–"
"Breakfast is ready guys" Lina called all three of them. Philip, Okoto and Free stopped their training, Free fall flat on the ground. "I thought i was gonna die today too" Free muttered, he healed his muscles and went inside with the two.
Inside Everyone were eating breakfast Okoto was staying in Philip's house, Hina was glancing toward Free again and again.
"What, mom?" Free asked, Hina quickly looked at her breakfast.
"J-just thinking you work very hard today too" she said, Free looked at her then he continue eating his breakfast. "Also Free, You're helping me today. All day" Free quickly turn his head toward her.
"Why?" He said.
"I was thinking we should spend more time together. You're always outside flying and killing off slimes and goblin so i thought maybe we should spend more time" she said, Free stare at her then he look toward Lina, she nodded, then he turn to his sisters they too nodded.
"Okay" Free gave a sigh, he sat down and starts to eat his breakfast.
'Yes!' Hina thought, she giggled as she ate her food.
'He really said yes, i never thought i would see youngmaster spend more time with lady Hina' Lina thought she look at Free eating his breakfast.
After the breakfast, Philip and Okoto goes to their hunt, Free was in the house awkwardly cleaning the dishes. 'It really felt weird spending time with Hina today' he thought to himself, he cleaned the dishes and went outside in the garden, Hina was planting some flower in the garden with Hinata.
"Free come and help me plant this flowers" she said, Free walk to her and dig the ground with his hands and planted the flowers but it was wrong direction. "No that not how you plant them" she took the flower out and planted them in a line. "Like this"
Free didn't said anything he just started to plant the flower in a line. 'sometimes she treat the house like it's a noble's' he thought to himself. He look at his hands which were soft and beautiful 'i always heal myself after training, maybe this is affecting my body' he thought to himself 'i should stop but i don't like big muscles that much' he thought and nodded to himself.
"Brother!" Hinata called out, Free got startled.
"What?" he said.
"Tell me the truth" She said, Free stared at her in confusion while Hinata glance toward Hina and she gave a thumbs up.
"On what?" he asked again.
"Do you love big sis Sylvia!" she shouted, Free choked on his own breathe.
"W-WHAT I DON'T REALLY L..." he hesitated, His mind thought of Sylvia. Her smile, her face their frienship and memories. "I don't really know" he muttered.
"Free!" Hina yelled, she grab Free by the shoulder. "You like he-no you love her. if you don't then you wouldn't always hang out with her for the last 7 years" she said.
"But mom we're together since we were six so it feels kind of weird" he scratch his cheeks, face flushed. "Also if she like me too, she would've told m-"
"That not how it work!" Hinata hit Free in the head. "A girl always wait for the boy to make his first move" She lectured him like a mother.
'But i am way older than anyone here' he thought to himself, scratching his head to where Hinata hit him. "But-"
"You should confess now" Hina encourage him, Free closed his eyes deep in thought.
Free thought, eyes closed after a while he opens it "But will she say yes. I mean she have rejected almost all the boys in the villag-".
"She is waiting for you Free, she is waiting for you to confess!" Hina shook his shoukder agressively.
"O-okay i understand but i first how dad confessed to you" Free asked, Hina stopped shaking his shoulder, she blushed and Hinata blinked surprised.
"We always meet at a dungeon then slowly fall in love and also your dad was the first to confess" she said, covering her red face with her hands.
"That sounds quite like dad" Free whispered to Hinata and Hinata nodded.
"ALSO YOU SHOULD GO AND CONFESS ALREADY!" she yelled at Free and he just fall flat on the grass, he covered his face.
"But mom i'm scared what if she rejects me, i don't want our friendship to feel awkward" he saud, staring at the blue sky and clouds.
"She won't i guarantee it" Hina said, she made Free stands up. Just then Elina came with a letter in her hand, Lina was staring throught the window.
"Brother a letter came for you" she said, handing him the letter, Free reads it and his eyes went wide.
Hina grins and Lina gave her a signal with her fingers. "What in that?" she said, grinning like a child.
"Sylvia....called me to the lake" he slowly lowered the letter in his hand, Hina gave a slap in his back.
"You should confess to her at the lake then!" Hina beamed, Hinata gave a faint clap while Elina was looking away, she stared at her mother smiling fainty from the window.
"Plan succesful" Lina muttered to herself and walk away fron the window.
Free was staring at the letter in his hands, Sylvia never invited him like this his cheeks went pink, he took a deep breath. 'I can do this....i can't!' he grabbed his head shaking it.
"Do your best!" Hinata hugged Free from behind, he gave her a faint nod.
"Let's make you ready for it" Hina said, she quickly run inside the house.
At Sylvia's home she was with her mom, cleaning the house. 'Mom is acting weird' she thought, looking toward Sylphia who was happily cleaning her room, too happily.
Just then a knock came from the door. "I'll go loo-" Sylvia didn't finished her word and Sylphia quickly run to the door, after a while she came back with a letter in her hand.
"Another letter, mom you shouldn't accept those love letters for me" Sylvia said, while mopping the floor.
"Ohh my dear daughter, this isn't a normal letter" Sylphia said, giving the letter to her like a holy relic. "It's from Free~" she said, Sylvia panicked her hand trembled, she slowly open it.
Sylvia read the letter as she read her face went pink then red, she grabbed a nearby chair and sat down on it. "Is this really from Free!" she yelled.
"It is" Sylphia replied with a grin. "What's in it?"
"He write ' Come to the lake on sunset'" Sylvia muttered, she carefully place the letter in the table.
"Oooo what's gonna happen will he finally confessed" Sylphia playfully said, giggling.
"Mom!" Sylvia shouted. "It not like...that..."
"I'm just guessing, he called you to the lake during sunset, sooo romantic!" Sylphia dramatically placed her hand in her forehead, while Sylvia was covering her red face with both of her hands.
"Will he really" her pointed ears released smoke imagining Free confessing to her. "I can't".
"You can and you will!" Sylphia yelled, she placed a hand on Sylvia's head. "You're my daughter, you can do it" she softly said, giving Sylvia a warm smile.
"Y-you-you're right i can do it" she said, but the courage quickly vanish at the thought of Free's confessing in a romantic way. "I don't know anymore" she said.
"We'll see but first let's get you ready" Sylphia took Sylvia's hand and took her to her room. "Let's see the best dress for you!" she yelled.
"Yeah..." Sylvia voice was low.
As the sun started to set, the sky was painted in orange color. At Free's home he had his usual blue adventurer coat, which was the best between his clothes.
"It looks good" Hina said, Hinata was eating a cookie while Lina and Elina were setting Free's hair. "Never thought your adventurer clothes woukd look this good" Hina beamed with joy.
"Yes, young master looks really good" Lina said, fixing his collar. "perfection".
"Go brother!" Hinata and Elina shouted together.
"I feel very weird" Free mutters, Hina and Lina took out a white bloom flower.
"White blooms has a strong scent, Sylvia's favourite" Hina gave Free a pat on the shoulder. "You will confess today. No excuses" she gave him a thumbs up. "Good luck".
Free goes outside his hair perfectly fixed, smell of white blooms, he starts to walk toward the lake, everyone in the village stare at him. 'Why are they staring like i did something!' Free thought, he kept walking. He bump into Grok who was eating a bread.
Grok turn to him, he was tall but still chubby, he stare at Free's look. "Why are you like this, loser" he said, Free look up and gave Grok a glare, Grok quickly went sideway.
"Scaredy cat" Free quietly said, he kept walking but when he was about to go to the path that lead to the lake he saw Rael with a bouqet of flower. "Rael?" Free said, and Rael gave him a faint hit in his head.
"I always told you to call me aunt Rael" She said, puffing her chest.
"Sorry aunt Rael" Free said, Rael then laugh and handed him the bouqet of flower.
"Good luck!" She said and left the place, Free looked toward her, happily walking back to the village.
'Who told her' Free thought, he shrugged and walk to the lake, Sylvia still wasn't there. "She hasn't arrived?" Free sat in the rock beside the lake, he glance toward the stream. 'Nostalgic' he thought.
An hour passed Sylvia still hasn't arrived, the sun was now about almost gone. 'She didn't come' Free thought, he stare at the stars, his pastlive flashed in his mind. Him smoking mid-night, drinking beers on christmas alone, family asleep, when he was stressed, all time staring and talking to the stars. He chuckled and laid on the ground staring at the stars in the sky. Far away behind a bush everyone were hiding, Hina, Lina, Elina, Hinata, Philip and Okoto.
"Why she hasn't arrived!" Hina whispered in anger, Philip and Okoto were armwrestling bored from waiting.
"Did something happen. Elina did you deliver the letter to the right place" Lina said, turning to Elina and Elina nodded.
"I visited big sis Sylvia house many times, i can't make a mistake, not now" Elina whispered, Hinata was frustrated she kicked a rock to a tree.
"Where is big sis Sylvia!" she yelled, just then Rai and Sylphia arrived.
Philip and Okoto stopped their armwrestling, and turn to the two. "Why are you this late!" Hina whispered, her frustrated.
"Sorry it took more time than expected" Sylphia joined her palm and apologized.
"Be silent she has arrived" Rai said, everyone quickly turn to where Free was.
At the lake Free was staring at the stars, he smiled, just then footsteps approached, he got up and sat, he turn and his eyes went wide, Sylvia was in a white dress, earrings in star shape, light make up, her face was red, she hesitate to look at Free in the eye.
Free blushed he looked away, Sylvia slowly walked to him and sat down on the grass, They didn't say anything, the silence was louder than words, both look away.
"Shy as always" Lina muttered, everyone were getting more frustrated, Lina picked up a rock and gave it to Philip. "Can you throw it to the lake" she asked.
"Left hand easy" Philip took the rock in his left hand and he throw the rock to the sky.
"That quite high" Hina muttered, as the rock shadow was shining because of the moon.
At Free side both he and Sylvia were silent, suddenly something drop in the water. Splash!. Both got startled. "What was that!" Sylvia shouted.
"N-no idea!" Free said, both look at eachother then blushed. "Yo-you look very beautiful tonight..." Free muttered.
"You too" Sylvia's cheeks were red, the full moons light made her blush visible. "It's quite late, we sh-should return" She said standing up slowly.
"W-wait!" Free reaches out and grab her hand, she flinch. "I didn't mean too" Free quickly pulled back his hand.
"No...worries" her voice was low. "A-anyway what were you gonna say" she asked sitting back.
"I-i was thinking that it has been many almost eight years since we met" he said, turning to the stars.
"In this very place" Sylvia added, she laugh faintly and Free chuckles.
"Should we visit the tree we first met if you don't mind" Free stands up and extended his hand toward her, Sylvia shyly took it.
"It been so long i wonder how the tree is" Sylvia said, she noticed the bouquet of flowers in the ground. "Who gave you that?" she asked, staring at the bouquet.
"Aunt Rael gave it" he said, giving it to her. "If you don't mind" Sylvia took the bouquet.
"Thanks" she said, both starts to walk together. "If you don't mind...can we hold hands" she asked scratching her cheeks shyly, Free nodded and they hold eachother hand. Free's hand was hard, while Sylvia hand was warm and soft.
"Yo-your hands are very soft" Free complimented, Sylvia face went redder.
"They are holding hands and walking together!" Hina whispered, shaking Sylphia agressively.
"Okay i see th-that but fi-first let's follow them" Sylphia said, while Hina was shaking her agressively, everyone quietly followed the two.
Free and Sylvia walk together down the streams, they didn't said much but they were smiling. After a while they reached the tree, it was way bigger than it was.
"It's bigger than when we first met" Free said, looking at the tree, Sylvia nodded she tightly gripped the boiquet.
"It is" she quietly said, she glance at Free hoping for him to say something.
"Let's make it more romantic!" Hina whispered, everyone turn to her, she was already chanting a spell.
Free stare at the tree remembering their first meeting, suddenly a gust of wind came Sylvia hair blew with the wind beautifully, Free eyes went wide, as Sylvia hair was shining with the bright moonlights.
He squeeze her hand, Sylvia look toward him. "Sylvia....i wanted to tell you something tonight" Free said, Sylvia look at him, but didn't made eye contact. "I always liked you, no i love you for a long time" Free said, he look away.
Sylvia face went blank, she didn't said anything, Free's didn't dare look at her in the eye fearing the rejection and their long time friendship, but something warm drop in his hand, he look up and tears were continuously dropping from Sylvia's eye.
"H-hey why're you crying!" Free panicks but he didn't pull his hand back.
"I-it's just that i always wanted to-" she hugged Free, Sobbing silently, Free's hand at her and slowly he embrace her.
"You always wanted to hear it" he asked and Sylvia nodded, they hugged eachother deeply. meanwhile Hina and the others were cheering and crying happily.
"He finally did it!" Hina beamed withjoy she hugged Philip and Philip hugged both Lina and Hina, Okoto was silelntly watching the two with a grin, Rai and Sylphia were holding eachothers hand tightly while Hinata and Elina jumped with joy.
Free and Sylvia slowly look at eachother and Hina and Lina covered Hinata and Elina's eyes. "They're gonna kiss" Sylphia said, everyone went quiet, eyes set on the two.
"Free...." Sylvia said as she slowly move her head close to Free, she close her eyes.
"Sylvia" Free mutters, and under the moonlights they kissed, their first kiss the crowd at the hiding cheered more.
On that night, it was the best night. Yes, my mind is way older than my body was, but as someone once said, age is just a number, it was true. I confessed to the girl i first help on on that very same place, admiration turn into love, our friendship evolved into a relationship. But happiness was a one time because after 3 months my birthday will come and it will be the most memorable but not of joy and happiness, but of pain.
To be contimued...
Next chapter preview:
In the next chapter!. Relationship life, celebration, approaching birthday and the dungeon threat.
Thank you for reading