Darryl's face become pale as a cloud of unfathomable pain sipped thought his vein. He had never known fear until today, when Xhemin stood in front of him, pulling her arms from his grip and with a pack of bag ready to go.

Shaking, Darryl reduced himself into begging, "Xhemin Don't leave me… please I beg you…."

​​

"No Darryl!...." Xhemin panic when Darryl started his pleading. She was already having hard time putting up a strength to go and the view of the Lagdamoe heir setting away his pride to beg her was too much for her.

"Don't ask me that... how could ask me that…" Frustrated she cried more. Why was it so hard for her to leave Darryl behind?

Right then, as if too much words had been said, Darryl imprisoned Xhemin in his arms not willing to let her go. He whispered into his ears and shooed her tears to comfort her, " shhh….Xhemin please don't go… I can't let you go.."

"No Darryl no!" Xhemin charged all her strength to escape from Darryl's embrace. Perhaps because of Darryl's exhaustion or her constant protest, she was able to freed herself and succeeded in pushing the boy away, "Please just let me go…. I can't come with you… I'm sorry… Huzey…. the prince needs me…"

"I won't let that happen, come with me!" Darryl attempted to grab the girl again but she shove his hands away.

"No Darryl!" She shouted at him, upset on how things terribly went bad. "Stop. Stop right there!" She command, her cracking voice was loud and hard. "You can't always have your way…"

"…You cannot take my choice from me like you always does…" She masked up a furious state to shoo the boy away. "I have already decided, please respect that!"

"Why are you doing this for him? Don't you think this is too much for you to do? You are risking your future and your life for him!" Darryl clenched his fist, exasperated.

Xhemin answered looking up straight to Darryl's hard expression, "…I can risk everything for him…Even my life… I'll do everything I can just—

"Do you love him?" The boy dared to ask.

"Darryl!"

"Do you love him?" He repeated, questioning her sacrifice for the Montarini prince.

"I…I… I don't know!" More frustration clouded her thoughts. Too much of this and she will break lose. "I don't know okay… perhaps I do.. Perhaps I don't. The only thing I know is that I cannot go on with my life without him…"

There was a long silence after that, as both succumb to their own emotions. Xhemin continually cried while Darryl closed his eyes as his hand touch his forehead. His head hurt as some pain took over a portion of his brain, dealing with all that has been said. The pain aggravated some waves that were washing all hopes he had toward the ending he dreaded the most.

"So this is the end, isn't it?" Darryl whispered into the air, loud enough for both of them to hear.

Xhemin turned her back from the boy. She cannot bear seeing him hurt anymore. She had to go now and pray that perhaps someday he'll find another lover who can heal all the pain she had caused him. Her love for him was impossible now, and the best thing to do about it was to let the wind blew it all away.

"You told me at the camp to wait for you" Xhemin spoke again as she started clearing the tears from her face "I'm sorry Darryl but I cannot wait for you…"

"…Just forget about me.." She added in a contained cry. "I'm sorry"

***

Xhemin was already at the motorboat, sailing away from the duck into the sun-brightened horizon. As she drifted father into the ocean, she looked back to the cliff and saw Darryl standing on the same spot where she left him.

'Goodbye Young Master,

It was so nice meeting you,

In this life, I will never forget you

I hope you'll have a good life

Please remember me as a good memory,

She bid him farewell as his silhouette slowly and slowly disappeared. No more tears fell from her, but the pain lingering on and will forever be there.

***

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I know the scene is sad but, HURRAY!!!! were done with volume I- The Girl with a strange uniform. ( Volume 2 technically since I counted the 1-19 chapters as one full volume)

So let me just take time to thank you all for supporting me despite everything. I the author promised to never drop this novel and finish it as fast as I could and with the best of all my ability.

If you have any questions, you may also asked me, I'll spend time answering all your query too. Who knows I might be in the mood for some spoilers...(cough-cough-cough)

I want to know all you thoughts about volume 1 so please spare sometime to comment below. The volume 2- The Girl in a Strange Island will start tomorrow and I hope you still continue to support me.

I have one serious question to ask for volume 2. (The very point of this note)

Do you guys want a snu-snu part? I am having hard time deciding till now and volume 2 was the right time for it, so I'll leave the decision to all of you.

Also, I'm writing author's notes here because the one below has limited characters only. I cannot write this long in that part. =)