章節 24: Home

The sky had turn dark, the stars shining above forming different constellations, but this beautiful scenery couldn't take the two man's attention. They bolted their way on Cross' mecha and used the fastest speed to get to his house. Maddox look at the invitation again and again, familiarizing every detail to it. The mini concert would start at 6:30 and they still have 30 minutes to reach their on time.

As soon as Maddox and Cross reach the house, what welcome them was a well dim pathway, floating light align on the sides, making the black house look even more mysterious and enchanted. They were surprised to see how much effort Seven had spent just to decorate the porch. Cross front yard was simply and elegant but it did lack flowers and some plants to make it less detach and more welcoming.

Crystal like flowers in the color silver, white and gold were clustered above their head acting as a roof that goes towards the door. They are glistening like jewels, similarly to how the stars in the galaxy glimmers.

This flowers have never existed in this world and only existed inside the black hole, when Seven was accessing his ability some memories of this place became clearer, he channeled those flowers outside and successfully created this roof of flowers, since Cross house didn't have much flowers to decorate the whole place.

Colorful butterflies that glows beautifully in the dark surrounded them, they flutter their tiny wings as if saying to the two to follow them. The same with the flowers, Seven also had this butterflies help him. He didn't have much time to prepare a more luxurious venue and could only use the things inside the space. He didn't have much experience and could only whip out a last minute preparation.

They followed the butterflies, as they got closer to the living room, they heard the sound of the piano, it was a beautiful tune, the sound was clear and soft like a river flowing slowly inviting everyone who heard to come and listen.

Maddox came to an abrupt stop when he heard a delicate voice singing. The voice was familiar, he had listened to this voice for the pass 5 years, he could never mistaken this voice for someone else.

The melodies change into a more mellow rhythm, it has a vibrant and warm tune but somehow emotional.

Seven was in the middle of the room sitting in front of the piano as his soft and small but reliable hands rest on the keyboard. The butterflies were fluttering around him, their lights cause the center to lit up highlighting Seven and the grand piano.

He look at the approaching image of the two, he continued to press the keys and he smile sincerely, the words he wanted to say where in the songs and he hopes for then to listen.

"Couldn't wait 'til I got outside, Wondering, what the world be like, I knew I had to change my mind. Didn't realize it would happen, oh..so soon, oh, so soon. But I see the world so different now. "

Seven's sweet voice echoed the whole room and the moment he uttered those words Maddox can't help but tear up. Cross held out his hands and they slowly walked towards Seven.

He indeed look at the world more different, if it was before he would only think negatively about everything, not trusting anyone around him. But that change when they met.

"Independence comes with a price. When questioning your own advice. But I know I'll be alright. With an open door, no matter what

I do"

He had wanted to be independent, to not rely on people, because he was afraid of being attached to other who would eventually live because they couldn't accept and understand who he truly was, but the two prove to him that they were willing to welcome him with open arms.

That's why he didn't want to lose the people who considered him a family and gave him a place called home.

"But there's a place by the sea and that's my town. When I don't know what to say. When I don't know what to do. "

But he couldn't just accept them without to telling them the truth, he didn't want to continue lying. That's why he was going to be honest, whether they accept him or not, he wouldn't now without trying.

" There's a room I need to sit in. Surrounded by my favorite view. And I need a hand to hold. Someone to tell the truth. Would it be okay if I came home to you? "

When he sang those last words, Maddox had completely break down, if it weren't for Cross holding him, he might have fallen on the floor.

The song ended and the place become silent, only the sob of Maddox can be heard. He stands up and slowly approach where they were at...

"Teacher.... I'm sorry for disregarding your feelings, I know you only mean well but it was me who couldn't understand. I really like being with you guys but I just couldn't make myself to fully let my guard down" he said as he stand in front of the two, eyes staring at them apologetically.

Maddox remove the hands covering his face and stared back at him. "Seven you don't have to apologize" he said as he hug him tight, he didn't want to make him feel this way. Seven hug him, clinging his little hands on his suit.

"when you told me you think of me as a family I was really happy, but at the same time I felt scared, I'm unrelated to you guys and I have so many secret that I couldn't voice out that why I couldn't accept your offer" Maddox hug tightened, he knew it was to early to talk about adoption.

"but..... If after you listen to my story and is still willing to accept me for who I am then I would be happy to be with you guys."

The future is full of uncertainties but he was willing to bet that everything would be fine.

"you don't have to tell it to us if you're not ready" the two didn't want to force Seven to remember all the heartache he had experienced.

"don't worry I'm not forcing myself... I want to be honest with you guys and so..... are willing to learn of my past."

Two looked at each other and nodded. "OK will listen to you but if you really can't do it, don't do it" they sat in the living room and waited for Seven to share his story.

"I know you two had wondered how I was able to learn to many things despite being so young, even having abiliies that people in this Era have trouble learning, well its not because I'm a genius who only need to try once to do it, but it's because Im someone who somehow for some reason was able to remember my past life...."

The two had a surprise look on their faces, they couldn't believe such occurrence, but they can't deny the fact that Seven does seem different from children his age.

" it's quite difficult to believe but it did happen to me. In my old life, my name was Seven, an abandoned child who grew up in the syndicate and was train to be a killer. The place where I was born was called earth, this might be unfamiliar to you guys after all it has been millennium since it was abandoned..... I was only 5 when they had thought as how to hold a gun"

Seven look back to that time like it was just yesterday. He along with other children were taken inside a shooting range, one by one men holding a gun handed them each of their own. Telling innocent kids to hit the target in front of them, what they were ask to shoot was monster like animals that had their own names written on it, those who couldn't hit at least once out of all the ten bullets will be punished immediately.

But can children at the age of 5 could do such an impossible thing. All of them failed and was punished for 2 days inside a dark room, a loud speaker rang in their ears, it was the sound of gun shot and children crying. It was repeated for over and over again as if they wanted to embed this memory in our hearts. The message was clear to Seven, if they failed to do the task they had ask, those voices would be theirs.

Everyday with no break, they practice all day till they drop, the numbers of children that once started diminished by half. There was even one who was talented in combat could no longer take it tried to commit suicide but failed when the warden found out, he was lashed a hundred times, his back latter with scars, blood and torn skin. The kid cried, begging them to just kill him, that was the first time he saw someone who was desperate to die, he was then put inside the reflection room, where kid's are tortured mentally. Sadly he survived that hellish punishment, since then there was barely any emotion in his eyes.

Seven had also experienced this room and he could only say that he didn't want to go back in there. That place was full of screen, playing on it was people being torture, rape and killed. The people that did the deed were even laughing as blood soaked their clothes. At the same time they would use hallucinogens to stimulate your brain, confusing yourself of what reality is. When he got out of this he was on a point of killing everyone in the room, he was then injected with antidote. This made him realize that he didn't kill people and it was merely an illusion.