The sound of insects like those of crickets was buzzing the surrounding while the stars seem have to brighten with intensity.

“… I’m sorry. That was presumptuous of me.”

“… No, it’s not too much but it does put me in a deep thought.”

I did delve deeply in my thought on her past trauma. How a simple fear could turned traumatic one.

Fear comes in every kind of form. Some fear looked and sounded ridiculous for some people but for the one who has them, it is a stuff of nightmare.

“I have something to say if you are willing to lend an ear, a pointy ear that is.”

“Of course.”

I tried to lighten the mood and it was successful, as she chuckled after she gave her affirmation.

“When I was fifteen, there was a new kid transferred in my place of education. He was quite a confident, arrogant and boastful kid, in short, he was an asshole but he was a smart, good-looking and a smooth talker. He got his fair share of people who despised him and friends who flocks to his popularity. Everyone is the class was divided although there a third group that don’t really give a shit about. I was in that group.”

Thankfully, I had this memory because it was one of my memories that had become the first step in my path to maturity.

“Then one day; a butterfly flew into our class. Some people were offhandedly looking at it while others were focusing on what the teacher was lecturing about. Then, we heard a distressful shriek. From the window side on the third row seat, that Kid was shivering incessantly as terror fills his eyes, his sight glued towards the harmless, flying butterfly. He fell from his seat and quickly got up and scurried away and as though fate was playing around him, the butterfly was gracefully flying towards him. He shrieked again, flailing his arms in a panic as though he was warding himself from the butterfly. After few seconds, the butterfly flew away outside through the window but it had left one tear-drenched, sobbing-whimpering, trembling boy slumping at the back of the class. Every eye in the class was staring at him. And then someone laughed. Another did and then another. After that, the whole class was filled with roaring laughter’s. Some people in the class sympathized towards him but kept silent. As for me, I had laughed. It was because it was hilarious for me at that time. Then, that Kid became the ‘Buttercry Kid’.”

I paused and exhaled my breath.

“‘Hey I heard that all the windows ‘Buttercry Kid’s house was sealed shut so butterflies wouldn’t invade,’ Said a guy who knew nothing about that Kid.”

“‘I nearly smuggled a butterfly into the class but remembering my past friendship with him, I let go of the innocent butterfly back into the wild. If I did smuggle it inside, I’ll be a terrorist,’ joked a guy who used to proclaim that he was one of that Kid’s best friends.”

“‘I used to have a crush on him but after finding that out, I raised my standard of men that they won’t run away in terror when faced against a moth,’ Smirked a girl who erroneously thought of another species and the fact that she used to write love letter for him every day.”

“‘I thought I was gonna compete with him in terms of popularity with the girls but he got a severe disadvantage of being cockblock by butterflies.’ -Bragged a guy who looked like a cross between a beaver and an orangutan.”

Vefal was listening intensely as she stared at my face. It seems that my story was going off the tangent though. Better get back to the main point.

“The point is, after that incident, that kid became the laughingstock of the school. Because of his fear, he was pushed down from the top into the lowest bottom. For someone like me, it was justifiable. He reaped what he sows because of his attitudes. But how this relate to you is that, one... year after that incident, in the early morning, I had come earlier about an hour before sunset and it was dark. As I walked to my class, I noticed that the light was on. I silently got to the door and peeked from there.”

I looked up at the stars.

“It was that Kid. He was sitting on his table and he was reading a book. At first, I didn’t know what book it was but I saw that sweat beads was flowing off his face and his trembling was visible. I realized it was a picture book of butterflies. He was trying to overcome his fear… You had been looking at that pill several these days right?”

She nodded.

“You see, at some point, everyone has to face their fear to move on. Only thing is, when would you try to face it? That Kid took a year when he started to try to face his fear but it doesn’t really matter because only you know when you are ready. So, when you are ready, just remember that I’ll be right behind you to support you to the best of my ability.”

“… What happened to that person in the story?”

I thought I should stopped there because in truth, I actually suck at giving advice but ending a story abruptly without a satisfy conclusion is something to be frowned upon.

“Sometimes when I arrived earlier just like before, I always stumbled upon him doing the same thing. At some point, I just entered the class and he would notice me. As soon he did, he hastily hid the book from my side. After doing that several times, one day, without looking at me, he asked- ‘Do you want to laugh at me?’ I answered back-‘Does it matter now, I saw you been doing this for quite some times.’ He hid his face in shame but after a while, we conversed and actually became friends. Turns out, the only reason he was an asshole in the first place was because he wanted to grow a personality that could overcome his fear. One thing led to another and before he realized it, he became the laughingstock of the school. I can imagine what that did to his self-confidence. After some time progress, we became best friends of a sort. The real him was a perverted, smart-ass nerd but at least that personality had substances.”

I got up and stretched myself. It was not because I was tired of stargazing but it was because I thought we could go on a walk for a while.

“Did he overcome his fear?”

Vefal was looking at me with uncertainties in her auburn pupil eyes.

“… After we graduated from that place of education, he decided to go work as a gardener at the local park thinking of trying to overcome his fear. That place was a death trap for him. It was fine for most of the time but he had some close call. One day, as he was suddenly besieged by several butterflies, out of nowhere, as he told me, a girl had saved him as she shielded him from the menace. From that moment, he had fallen in love like a maiden. The girl was an eccentric but she was okay I supposed. They went out several times and they were perfect with each other. I’m not sure if this is considered as overcoming his fear but that girl existence became a light of hope to him that, even if he remained fearful over something so petty, he can always find strength on that reliable existence.”

I extended my right hand at the sitting Vefal. I wanted to become that existence to her but I don’t want get ahead of myself and think that I am important to warrant that.

Everything takes time.

She took it with a smile and we got up.

--

“Why are we standing at the entrance to Akujin and August Fhagec?”

“… I made up my mind. I want to take it with others.”

After walking a few rounds, we had stopped here. She must have been thinking a lot along the way. If this is her decision, then as I promised, I stand by her side.

We knocked on the entrance and after a few seconds, the entrance opened. What were in front of us were one man, one elf, one dwarf and one Orka currently staring at the pills on their hand. When we entered inside, they all looked at us.

“Vefal.”

Kiefy stared at her with a worried expression.

“I… I want to go through with this.”

Vefal’s voice was firm and resolute. To this, Kiefy nodded solemnly.

Vefal took out her Weapon Pill and turned her face towards me.

Ah.

“I forgot mine in the Fhagec. I’ll be right back!”

I quickly ran out as fast as I can.

After reaching my Fhagec, I opened the table drawer where I had stored the Weapon Pill and quickly dashed back.

Several more minutes, when I got back, everyone was discussing with each other and stopped when I had taken my seat on the floor next to Vefal.

“We had been waiting, you know!”

“Sorry, sorry.”

“Never mind that, let’s start.”

August jokingly said that to me and I apologized. Kiefy, promptly started our pill-taking ceremony.

Why does the mood here felt like it’s a suicide pact?

The first to swallow was Akujin. After that, it was Erganisu and August respectively. Then, before he swallowed his, Kiefy looked at Vefal and gave an encouraging nod.

Both of us were staring at her Pill. I can’t truly empathized on she is feeling right now but at this point, I can only give her a push, a sense of my reassuring existence.

We both looked at each other in the eyes. I see her determination to go through this and in my eyes, she see herself, the reflection of what I see.

Without fear, she swallowed it. There’s no sexual innuendo intended.