Nicole slowly opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. This wasn’t the usually ceiling she was used to when waking up. Seeing that she was in an unfamiliar room, she raised her body and looked around. Looking at the window she could tell that it was already night time.

Suddenly she felt rustling from under her blanket. She lifted the blanket and saw a very familiar boy. It was Kan sleeping under the blanket. He looked fine and wasn’t in any pain. Nicole silently thought to herself how miraculous Jane was.

She then began inspecting her own body. She looked at her clothing and realized that she had been changed out of her tattered clothing. Lifting her shirt up, she was expecting to see the 2 gaping holes but they weren’t there. All she felt from that area was some slight discomfort. Her body was completely fine.

Nicole lied back down onto the bed thinking about Jane’s miraculous work. Both Kan and her had some serious injuries, and it had only taken Jane 1 day to heal both of them. It was the same as when Jane had healed her in the past.

Nicole tried to go back to sleep, but she couldn’t. She lied there staring at the ceiling hoping to fall asleep, but that didn’t happen. Being unable to sleep she slowly crept off the bed trying not to wake up Kan. She walked towards and opened it, making sure not to be too loud.

She stood in the hallway and saw many closed doors. None of them had lights on at the moment, but there was light coming from the end of the hallway. Nicole walked towards the light. Reaching the end of the hallway she saw a beautiful lady illuminated by a candle. She had dark brown hair that was glistening and still wet like she had just showered. Her hazel brown eyes were shifting from left to right as she read her book. She was beautiful, but Nicole could see the wrinkles that comes from the passage of time.

“Oh, you’re awake Nicole. How are your injuries?”

“I’m fine.”

Nicole didn’t know what to say or even how to act in front of Jane. They hadn’t met in 20 years so she didn’t know what to consider them as. Nicole didn’t know if they were friends, acquaintances, or family. It had been such a long time since they had seen each other. She could only stand there in silence.

“Take a seat Nicole.”

“Ok.”

“Do you want some tea?”

“I’m fine.”

“You’ve really grown up haven’t you Nicole.”

“Yeah.”

Silence once again reigned over the room. Nicole didn’t talk, Jane didn’t talk, and the little boy watching them didn’t talk.

Jane was starting to become irritated as the silence continued. Nicole hadn’t changed at all. No matter how gorgeous she became, she was still trying to avoid opening up to her. It was the same as 20 years ago when Nicole refused to sleep in the same bed as her. Since she was acting the same, Jane decided to use the same tactic.

“You little brat Nicole. All these years and you’re still trying to distance yourself from me. Come here.”

Without a second's notice, Jane got out of her chair and grabbed Nicole’s head and smothered her in her breasts. Jane’s actions were so abrupt that Nicole couldn’t react in time.

“Why are you acting so distant Nicole? Aren’t we family? Families don’t have to hold their feelings back when talking to each other. So just talk to me Nicole!”

Nicole felt tears dripping on her head. She hadn’t realized that her silence had hurt Jane emotionally. ‘I’m so stupid.’ Nicole finally realized how stupid she was acting, they weren’t acquaintances, they weren’t friends, they were family. A family was still family and nothing could change that.

“I’m sorry...Big Sister Jane.”

Jane was surprised at what Nicole just said, but she was incredibly happy. Her tears stopped and plastered on her face was an incredible grin.

“What did you say Nicole? I couldn’t hear you.”

“Big Sister Jane.”

“I think I misheard you. Can you say it again.”

“Big Sister Jane!”

“What?”

“I said. I’ve missed you so much Big Sister Jane!!!!”

Jane was truly happy teasing Nicole. What made it even better for Jane, was that she could feel Nicole’s face heat up. Jane knew that Nicole was utterly embarrassed to call her Big Sister Jane. They were both adults, so being forced to call Jane, Big Sister, was embarrassing for Nicole.

“Ok, good. Now what do you want from Big Sister, Nicole.”

“How have you been Jane?”

“Who’s that.”

Nicole had asked Jane a question, but Jane couldn’t help teasing her.

“How have you been Big Sister Jane?”

Nicole’s face was beet red from embarrassment after being forced to call Jane, Big Sister. Jane was just so happy at being able to tease Nicole. She began talking about what had happened to her over the past 20 years they haven’t. She talked about the good memories and even the bad memories. She didn’t hold anything back when talking to Nicole. When Jane was done talking about herself, Nicole also told her what had happened to her life after they had parted ways. They talked and talked and talked through the night without sleeping at all.

……

Kan watched as the two of them talked about each other’s life. Kan had been watching since the beginning and was happy that the two of them were able to open up to each other. It was getting late and Kan was getting tired so he went back to his shared room with Nicole and lied on the bed. He stared at the ceiling as he thought to himself.

‘I’m glad that I found Nicole. Aunty Jane will become happier with Nicole around. And I could take my time and eventually get her to help save the village. I have 1 year to figure out how to get Nicole to save the village, but how should I do it.’

Kan knew that Nicole was a key figure in saving Clear View. She knew his grandfather and she was the one who warned them about the disaster through the two letters. From all the clues that Kan had gathered up, he knew that Nicole held a major position in the attack of Clear View. From the way she acted in the eighth set of memories, Kan knew she was a leader in the attack of Clear View. But her actions in Kan’s world was contradictory to the eighth set of memories. In this world she had warned them about the attack, but in the eighth set of memories she was also in charge of the attack. Kan couldn’t figure out what Nicole was trying to do. She wanted to save them, but for some reason she is forced to attack the village.

Kan needed to convince Nicole into not attacking the village, but he didn’t know how to. Kan was thinking about various options, but eventually fell asleep.

……

‘Mmmgh. Did I fall asleep? What’s that commotion?’

“Is Doctor Frank here!! We have an emergency!!”

“I’m here, what’s wrong.”

“Jerry got his arm bitten off and is profusely bleeding.”

Kan’s face turned pale from what he just heard.