"Are you okay, Bokie?"
A worried look appeared on Rin's face. Bokie was pale - deadly pale and was staggering towards the house.
"I'm fine. Just a little tired", Bokie snorted trying to act like his normal self. It was no doubt that he was a perfect actor but his acting could not surpass Rin's.
Dejectedly, Rin sighed." Let's go eat then. The side dishes are pastries. Our favorites".
Lunch was eerily quiet. Usually , it was noisy due to Rin and Bokie's constant bickering. Heron felt something was missing. Instead of him to feel glad and happy that both Rin and Bokie have decided to learn to shut up for once, he felt empty.
After lunch, Rin packed the dishes to wash them and once again, Bokie stepped out without telling her anything. This made Rin even more worried. 'What's going on with him? Is everything okay?' these questions were popping in her head like crazy. She tried to divert her mind to think about other things but it was futile.
"We'll continue training tomorrow. Same time , same place. Don't be late", a voice in a neutral tone rang. It was Heron.
Rin didn't know whether to laugh or cry or to be shocked. Heron was talking to her with no cold tone.
"Why looking at me like that?" Heron asked confused. Rin's face was a mixture of confusion , happiness and sadness all at the same time.
"It's just weird . The way you're talking to me like you've me for a long time" , Rin shrugged her shoulders.
Heron turned his back towards her with a snort and walked away. He intended to go hunt for some meat and so he did. He took his bow and some arrows and went straight to the forest.He met Bokie sulking under a huge tree alone. This was the chance for Heron to tell Bokie what was on his mind. Heron had been wanting to ask Bokie a question for some time and he felt this was his only opportunity.
Heron cleared his throat right in front of Bokie but it seemed Bokie did not hear. He was lost in thoughts.
"Bokie , Bokie", Heron gave him a light tap on his head. He flinched and just looked at heron without saying anything. Seconds flew, time passed and no one spoke. Just silence between them.
"I know what you want to say, just say it. You are wasting my life", Bokie grumbled. Even though he knew what was going on with himself , he was still annoying.
"You're not a good liar and you know it" ,Heron sat down beside him.
"That is the only thing Rin is good at . The rest is trash. At least she has something that surpasses mine", Bokie gave a thin smile.
"It's better to tell her the truth now before it becomes too late", Heron took out an arrow and began sharpening it.
"It is not like I don't want to tell her. I want to but she'll feel sad. I'm her only family left", Bokie sighed.
This was the first time Heron seeing Bokie in a desperate way. Usually, he was always annoying and rude.
"The earlier the better. Make time and tell her everything because you are even making her more worried.", with that Heron tucked the arrow in the bow and left Bokie alone to make his decision.
Meanwhile Rin was making sure the house was sparkling clean. Cleaning the house was no task for her. She had done these even in worse case scenarios.Bokie had vanished again and she tried hard not to think about him but she couldn't.
"You look like you're lost in the world", a voice cut through her thoughts. It was Sybel. She was back from the back yard. She grew a lot of plants over there.
"It's nothing. I was just thinking about something" , Rin chuckled.
"The house looks pretty neat or is it my eyes?" Sybel said in a playful tune. She walked to the kitchen and came out with two cups filled with water.
"Have one" , Sybel offered one of the cups to Rin .
"Thanks a lot Miss Sybel", Rin appreciated her. She was also one of the few people who have been kind to her.
"Your cultivation seems to be low", Sybel took a sip of the water.
Rin scratched the back of her hair and smiled sheepishly. "Hehehe, I've stopped cultivating for a long because I realized I wasn't a genius in that journey. It took me five years to move from the first stage of Qi Refining stage to the next".
"You have no shame saying it proudly and loud", another voice was heard. It was Heron. He came empty handed well except for his bow and arrows.
"Stop being rude to her. She's our visitor", Sybel said in a stern voice.
"You know, I can't stress myself in this world. Life is short and I can't waste it on cultivation that would bring me nothing", Rin hissed.
"Cultivation does bring something like money, fame, power mention it", Heron grunted.
"It takes a lifetime to become rich using cultivation but it takes 10 minutes for a thief to do so. Why should I stress myself?" Rin rolled her eyes.
"Enough of it you two. I have had enough of your constant bickering but this time I would side with Heron. You would need cultivation to protect yourself in perilous times", Sybel said.
"The reason why your cultivation is low despite your efforts is due to the closure of your dantian" Sybel added.
"Someone closed my dantian?" Rin was confused. No one had approached her to do it if she remembers correctly.
"Don't worry, I'll help you but....", Sybel 's voice cut off softly.
"Lemme finish for you mom. What she is trying to say is that it will be a painful process", Heron said it in a non chalant voice.
Shivers run through her spine. Pain ,no way. She wasn't ready for that. But this could be her only chance.
"I'll think about it", Rin gave a wry smile and turned to see the other figure that entered the room. It was Bokie and was standing by the doorway. He looked so pale.
"I need to tell you something in private", he had thought about it and decide to tell her since it was inevitable.
Rin nodded and followed."What is it?You look pale"
"I am dying Rin", that was all he managed to say without looking in her eyes.
"Huh , tell me you're joking. Tell me it is a prank. YOu have to stop joking about this Bokie else I will be pissed at you", Rin laughed but her face changed immediately she saw that Bokie's expression was serious.
"So, you're not joking", reality dawned on her. Bokie was dying. Her only family was dying. She processed everything in with a deep breath.
"How long do you have left?" that was all she managed to say.
"At most three weeks", Bokie replied quietly then everything became quiet.