Joseph rationalised to himself that this feeling that was growing within him, was temporary.

He had just lost his mother and Kay was the first person to fill in the void with warmth.

Thus, it was only natural that he began to have feelings for her.

It was not real.

The feelings that he was developing for Kay, was simply his coping mechanism in dealing with the loss of his mother.

He was confused, that was all.

All he needed to do was distance himself and in time, everything would be all right.

Distance … and time.

These feelings will be his secret.

He glanced at the picture again and closed his eyes, his finger hovering over the delete button.

He just couldn't do it.

He'll delete the picture another time.

For now, it still gave him comfort whenever he looked at it, so … he removed the picture from the phone background. It was too dangerous if someone else was to see it.

Before putting down the phone, he took one last look at the picture.

Damn.

Why did she have to be so perfect??

✿ Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ✿

Lianne stood inside Kyle's bedroom, touching everything that she could see - and reach. It looked like any ordinary bedroom, really.

An L shaped desk with a computer and some books, a closet, a bookshelf. Some weights in one corner. A picture of him and his sister on the table.

All normal.

Her mind was churning with thoughts of the fact that this was where her mother, upon being reincarnated, had grown up in.

To her, the grief at losing her mother had been severe. When she had been told that her mother had passed on, she felt like her whole world was gone.

She may not show her emotions that well, but she felt deeply.

At first, when she noted how Kyle seemed to do everything her mother used to do, she grasped at it like a drowning man grasped at a lifebuoy. She didn't think much about it then, only taking it as mere coincidences.

But she appreciated it, nonetheless.

The titbits he had gotten when they were standing vigilance at the funeral parlour made her feel warm.

The familiar set-up in her bedroom tugged at her heartstrings.

The bed was almost identical to the one she had at home. It was actually like a sofa - or could be used as one. The top part was the bed with a mattress while the bottom part were drawers.

Her desk was simple and it had a glass top which protected the table - which was also convenient when she did her artwork as it didn't stain the table and she could use her blade and cut paper directly on it without a cutting board.

The set up was too similar to her own bedroom that an idea started forming in her head.

Even the clothes were her style.

Though one could put it down to being just 'normal' clothes like jeans and T-shirts … but the jeans … though it wasn't her normal brand, the features were exactly what she liked.

She only bought that one brand, and it wasn't the normal, popular one like Livi. She had tried many brands, but only that one brand suited her taste very much. She was very particular about the location of the jeans button (it could not be on her belly button) and the pockets (deep enough to store her phone).

The jeans had all of that.

And the T-shirts? It had those images and/or play of words that she liked so much.

For example, 'Sea you later', 'Deerly beloved' (with a picture of a deer) and so forth.

One may be a coincidence.

But everything?

The more she thought about it, the more the ridiculous idea grew in her mind.

Then Kay started cooking their favourite foods.

She said that Papa was the one that told her what they liked.

Lianne found that hard to believe.

It wasn't because she thought Papa didn't care or that he didn't love them but rather … he was rather obtuse to the type of food that Mama cooked that they liked.

He knew what they would eat and enjoy, but he didn't know which of the dishes were the ones that had more 'oomph' than others, so to speak.

Like, he didn't know that Joey's most favourite was the chicken stew. He could eat that for days without getting tired of it. He didn't know the two dishes that she could always have an appetite for, no matter what.

Kay knew.

How was that possible?

Those were only the external things.

She also noted how Kyle sometimes did, or say, things that reminded her so much about Mama.

It wasn't the words itself, but the way he talked that was so similar. He was patient, he was understanding, and he didn't judge.

If you looked at everything separately, it seemed pretty normal.

But if you looked at it holistically … the conclusion was inevitable.

Still, Lianne was rational enough not to dare to think that it was possible.

Until Ren appeared.

Ren AND Sam.

Lianne sighed, and smiled to herself as she sat on the bed and looked around Kyle's bedroom.

Luckily, Mama hadn't tried to hide it. She would have probably gone insane with these thoughts if Mama had denied it. After all, weren't her thoughts those of crazy people?

Lianne then went to the closet. She looked at the bedroom door, and confirmed that it was locked. Opening the closet, she pushed aside the clothes that were at the bottom and saw a tiny slit - something akin to what one would see on a remote control (or whatever) battery compartment.

Taking out a coin, she inserted it and flipped it, opening the panel.

Seeing the number pad there, she punched in her birthday and at the same time, inserted a card into the slot beside it.

It opened, revealing an album.