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Hαρριɳҽʂʂ ƈσɱҽʂ ιɳ ɯαʋҽʂ, ιƚ ɯιʅʅ ϝιɳԃ ყσυ αɠαιɳ

***

Rea was resting his chin on the palm of his hand with his elbow on the table when he heard the entrance door's bell of the doll shop ding. He stood where customers would ask him questions about things in the store or usually just about the whereabouts of Taurent.

He held the letter that Taurent had given him to put them away in the box with the others. Rea sighed as he watched the ladies outside giggling and waving to the master who was busy placing his dolls on the rack.

"What's with the sigh, Rea?" Taurent asked, looking worried. Rea silently replied by shaking his head and Taurent continued to fix the dolls' position. He then told Rea to sit up straight, as it would be bad for his posture if he stayed hunched over. Rea straightened his back and continued to watch the population walking, skipping, talking to each other. The doorbell rang again, this time a boy with freckles on his face came skipping into the store.

Lord Kral's son, Haemi, finally stopped by. Lord Kral and the master were very close. Sometimes when his father stopped by, Haemi would follow. Rea had heard during one of their conversations that Haemi looked up to Taurent. He wished to be a doll maker like him, or at least for Taurent to teach him how to sew.

In fact, Haemi loved to see his sister in nice dresses, talk about having a sister complex. It was not a bad thing; Rea found it endearing how instead of buying the people you love new clothes, they would want to give them things that they made themselves.

Rea wondered if Taurent ever adored him like a father did to their children. He wriggled his toes at the thought. Maybe he could think of Taurent as a father figure? Only if the master was not as strict as he was, maybe he would have the courage to start the conversation.

"Hey," a bright voice greeted, halting Rea's thoughts. He turned his face to the direction that it came from. He saw Haemi looking straight back at him. Rea looked around, searching for the owner of the doll shop, but Taurent was not in sight. As if Haemi knew what Rea was thinking of, he spoke again, "Sir Taurent went upstairs. He said he would give me a doll that he had made for Leah."

Rea raised an eyebrow and took a pen to scribble on a paper. Haemi looked over and let out a laugh.

"That is not how my name spelled."

Rea looked at the paper, thinking how Haemi spelled like. Hey-me? Hay-mi? What? Haemi took the pen and wrote 'Haemi' in neat letters, which contrasted Rea's horrible handwriting. It was the kind of handwriting that Rea expected of the son of a lord.

"What are you actually? Are you Sir Taurent's son or what?"

Rea frowned. This person really loves to talk. Rea ignored him. Haemi pouted and tried to be in Rea's line of sight while continuously calling him, "Hey. Hey!" Annoyed, Rea wrote his name and shoved it to the freckled boy's face.

"Rea. Is that your name? Now after a year I have seen you here, I finally know what to call you." The brown eyes of the boy glistened with excitement, but it was not noticed by the other. Rea hopped down the stool and walked to one of the mannequins, quickly pretending to fix their dress. Haemi, being persistent, tailed him.

Why is this boy trying to make a conversation with me?

"You know, you got a pretty face but you don't speak. Are you mute or are you just lazy?" Haemi blurted. This caused Rea to sharply turn to him and glare at him with as much malice as he could muster. However, Haemi did not seem to be afraid of Rea's attempt to scare him.

"Heh, you are cute. Even when you are angry, you are still a beauty, huh?" Haemi giggled. Rea was in disbelief and he walked away to another mannequin to hide it. Haemi was still behind him, beaming as if waiting for him to do something.

Just ignore him, just ignore him, Rea chanted to himself. Then, Rea felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. He looked back and saw a book in Haemi's hand. It was a medium-thick book in brown cover. Rea confusedly shifted his sight to Haemi.

"Take it. We sometimes see each other, well not really," the last sentence trailed off then he continued in his usual energetic manner, "But, I have always wanted to talk to you but you just don't talk. So, I want to lend you this book and if you like it maybe then we can talk about it? Or if you don't, let me talk!"

Having already given up, Rea took it in his hand. He walked to the counter and placed it there, near to the letterbox. Haemi was quick to remind him not to forget that it was there and to read it beforehand. Rea just nodded to the older boy. As if on cue, Taurent opened the back door with a doll in his arms.

Taurent walked to them and placed the doll on the counter. Haemi beamed widely. Rea was secretly amazed how this boy could be pleased with every minor thing. Rea knew that the doll looked like his sister. The color of the doll's hair was the same as Haemi's as well as the color of the eyes.

"It is so amazing! As expected of Sir Taurent!" Haemi exclaimed.

Taurent let out a laugh and replied to the praise, "Well, as one of the best doll makers."

Haemi agreed, after all Haemi thought of Taurent as his ideal man to be. "So, Sir! Please take me as your apprentice?" Haemi asked. Rea had heard this sentence countless times and as always Taurent would brush him off with, "We shall see."

The freckled boy's shoulders dropped, but then in an instant his spirit lifted up again. He promised that when Taurent took him in as his student, he would work hard to be the best in town just like him. Then, he rushed out after he had politely thanked Taurent for his efforts.

At the door, Haemi stopped and exclaimed, "See you next time, Rea!"

Rea flinched in his seat. How long has it been since someone called his name in a loud voice? This time was different though; instead of a shout of disgust and anger, it was cheerful and happy. A faint smile crept up Rea's face, which was noticed by Taurent immediately.

Taurent wiped the hand that shook with Haemi's small one with a plain white handkerchief. He looked around and saw the book that Haemi had given Rea. Rea pushed the book to Taurent for him to see and Taurent flipped it open and skimmed through it. He closed the book and proceeded to read the description at the back.

"This is a hard book. That boy must have a wide vocabulary."

Rea was not sure if that was a fact or an opinion when the freckled boy had used the word 'talk' four times when he tried to make a conversation. Taurent continued, "This can be a wonderful opportunity for you to learn."

He put the book down and softly tapped his fingers on the table in a rhythm that Taurent always did when he was thinking. It caught Rea's attention and so he turned to face Taurent.

"Do you want to have friends, Rea?" Taurent quietly asked, his fingers keeping up the syncopated pattern.

This surprised Rea. Taurent had never allowed him to be close to anyone. In his eyes, a relationship between a shopkeeper and a customer was close enough. Unsure, Rea looked down to his feet as he usually did when he didn't know an answer.

Taurent brushed his black hair gently, and then he placed his hand on his shoulder. He spoke, "Just for now, I will allow you to be friends with Haemi but if anything happens, report to me immediately."

Rea nodded in agreement. This was an additional step for Rea, but to interact with someone who was the polar opposite of him would be tough. Nevertheless, he could finally have a friend after quite some time.