Not like Us

Chapter 8

" Gat Lamang, where are you going? "

Lamang was still in his room but he was dressed in his white linen covered in chiffon fabric tunic with silk silver sleeves and belt paired with a gray pants and gray leather boots. Lamang looked at his best friend. " To the human world, Timpi, " he honestly admitted.

Timpi stared at him intently. " Why was your cheek red and how long have you been going there? " His best friend, Timpi, asked. He held his cheek. He did not even know how it happened but what he knew was that they were prohibited to go there. He could endanger his life. Lamang shrugged, " Just for today, if you let me go, " he lied. He had been there for days. This would be one of those days if this best friend of his would not going to tell his parents.

His best friend held his shoulder. " You know how dangerous it is in the human world, don't you? "

" I am just going to take a look. To see how the trees are feeling now. They went through a horrible fire accident, don't you remember? " He threw another half-lie excuse. He wanted to see if the girl would come back to the forest after their encounter yesterday. He was drawn by her strong dangerous emotions. He knew he should avoid her but he was hoping he could try to help her despite of the opposite actions that he depicted on the girl during their last two meeting. But, he would check on the trees, too.

Timpi nodded. " But you could just asked someone from the knights who are already expert in the human world, " Timpi suggested. " You are the prince, we could not risk you going out there. "

" That is the point, I am the prince. I should be aware of the kingdom and the nature. The nature of the human world is part of our kingdom. We should not neglect it. "

" But forest is not part of your job, though, you are man, the bodies of water are your job, "

Lamang held his blue-stoned wooden staff. He tapped the end of the staff to the ground by two times.

A portal appeared on his wall. On the other side of the portal, it depicted a forest with burnt trees. " I am not going to passed through the healthy trees. "

Timpi sighed and facepalmed his self. Why does he have a very persistent best friend? He asked to himself.

Lamang smiled. Judging by his best friend's actions it looked like he won. He walked through the portal. " Be sure to not tell my parents and just make an excuse when they look for me. I would not take long! "

Timpi heaved another sigh and exited Lamang's room when the portal closed.

When Lamang already stepped his foot on the human world, he immediately check on the burnt trees. He still felt lives from each of it. It must had been just because of a wild fire due to a very hot weather. It was a good thing that the human had responded quickly and extinguished the fire before it spread to the whole forest. He activated his staff and face it to the trees. When he went here the other day, it was raining. He thought he could use the rain water in the future and stored it on his staff. He looked up in the sky and looked for the sun. It was still near above him. It looked like there was still a lot of time until it sets. He could water the trees later so it would not go through shock right now.

He walked towards the healthy tree and let his staff leaned on it. He was now sensing the girl. Her emotions were faint compared to the last two days. He looked up the sky. And she was early. He walked towards the direction of the forest's entrance. It was not that near to where he was now but he could meet her along the way. He was sighing as he walked. Was he doing the right thing? Should he just stop now while it was still early?

" You are here. "

He looked at the owner of the voice. He just felt a faint emotions coming from her. It was not extreme like yesterday so she went here in the forest earlier than him but he did not feel her because of her faint emotions? He asked to himself. It must had been she was okay now? He continued asking. So she did not need him anymore.

He stepped back and went back to the path to where he was coming from.

" Wait, " the girl called.

He stopped but he did not faced her.

" I- I tried to suppress all of my emotions so that I would not hurt you. I do not know if it is effective. May I know if it is? "

Oh, right. He told her that he was hurting because she was hurting. He faced her but he did not looked at her. " Yeah, a bit, " he admitted. He could see in his peripheral view that her long black hair was down like yesterday and she was still wearing an oversized t-shirt and jeans. Those clothing style was not familiar to him due to the fact that it was very rare for the people to come visit in the forest and he only saw mostly men wearing their long sleeves cotton shirt and loose pants paired with a black rubber boots.

He looked at her. " How come you are not afraid of me? " he curiously asked. Indeed, he saw her being afraid on the first night that she saw him but the next day, she let him rest on her lap. He did not even know whether she knew about his kind.

" I was, " she honestly admitted. " You look different and unrealistic, " she continued." The men from yesterday did not even see you so I was curious to know whether you are just a product of my imagination or maybe you are not like me? A human? "

He sighed. Should he tell her? He knew that his kind existence was not new to the humans. It was reported that a lot of the human already saw some of their guards.

Lamang closed his eyes and tried his best to feel her. Her kinaiya (nature) were not as bad as he thought. She had a very light kinaiya that contradicts to the extreme overwhelming emotions that she had yesterday.

" You are right. I am not like you. My kind is called Engkanto. "

The girl looked at him. She could not believe that he really admitted what he was. Was he not afraid? But she had heard, Engkantos were a powerful creature. Maybe that was the reason why. Was he going to hurt her? Was she making the bad decision of leaving the red pouch on her table?

" Are you going to hurt me? " She unconsciously asked and stepped back.

Lamang chuckled. " No, I am not. " This was the first time Bella saw him laughed. He was glowing even more.

" Humans emotions are so overwhelming. If I am overwhelmed with your pain, I could die, " Lamang continued. That was the reason why they were prohibited to the human world. Humans negative emotions could overwhelmed them which could possibly kill them.

Bella looked at him. Is that the reason why he was hurting yesterday because he was overwhelmed with my pain? I could kill him? She asked to herself. Her curiousity could actually kill someone. It was not him that was dangerous then. It was her that was dangerous to him. Even in the forest she did not bring any good. It looked like she did not fit in anywhere. not in the city and not even in the forest.

Bella took another step back. It was not right for her to set foot in the forest then. She turned her back.

" Where are you going? " Lamang asked. Did he say something wrong? He felt there was a faint pricked on his heart. Is she now hurting? He asked.

" You were right. I should stay away. I should not be here. " Bella said and ran back to her path.

Lamang blocked her. He moved more faster than her. " Could I atleast know your name? " He asked.

She looked at him. Maybe it was not bad to atleast know each others name. " Bella Rioflorido, what about yours? "

She contemplated whether to raise her hand or not but she did it anyway.

" A beautiful flower on a flowing river, Bella Rioflorido. " He said. He just looked at her hand. she pulled away her hand and place it at the back of the pocket of her ripped jeans.

Bella stared at him. Only few knew what her name really means. How did he know? " What a beautiful name. "

" Mine is Lamang, it means lone. Wish it was nice as yours, " He smiled bitterly. " Then this is good bye then?" He asked. Bella did not not want to because she still wants to ask more about his name but it was best for her to get away from him as soon as possible. She nodded. " Good bye. "

And, they walked on the opposite direction. Lamang felt another pricked on his heart as they walked apart.