Whispers Under The Moonlight

Chapter 4

It's been a week since I arrived here in Clair de Lune. And for the past few days, I became really close to Feya. She is always there with me, wherever and whenever I need something or if I am confuse over different things. Surprisingly, I also became close with a lot of people here in the village.

Currently, I am at Hiraya Blends together with Feya, we are just talking about random things and any topic that we came up with. Hiraya is busy because some of the tourist that they are expecting to arrive were already here. While Feya is here with me, sitting in our usual spot. 

 And yes, we already have our usual spot here at Hiraya Blends, the seat that we occupied during my first visit here.

Compared to my first time here, this time I am the one who paid our order. Feya offered again to pay for our orders but I insisted that I should be the one who would pay now and she could not do anything but to agree.

“You know, you are fun to be with, but I noticed that you are alone when you arrived here?” Feya said.

I lost count on how many topics we already talked about, but I don't give a d*mn, because whenever I'm with her, I feel like the time is so fast. I also didn't give any attention on our surroundings, aside from her.

Maybe because I found her attractive? Or is it more than that? Well either way, I enjoyed her presence and attention and I also like to spend my time here with her. And for me, it is better. Everything that is happening here is better. Because I am comfortable with her and I wanted this feeling of being comfortable with someone last.

“Well yes, I am alone. My parents are both busy and I do not have any close friends so I am just alone whenever I am travelling,” I said with a small smile on my face while looking at the coffee that I am currently drinking.

“I see,” she said while looking at me intently. “Isn’t it sad? To travel and discover things alone?” she asked me with her soft voice while looking at me.

I sat properly while looking at her directly on her enchanting eyes. “No. I enjoy it, actually. It makes me forget my past and at the same time all my worries just disappear whenever I travel alone.” She nodded her head because of what I said.

“What about you Feya? I haven't seen your parents or relatives ever since I came here, if I may ask, where are they? Did you just transfer here? Are you not originally from Clair de Lune?”

She stilled for a minute because of what I asked. I quietly observed her while she tilted her head, as if thinking about my question. She even hummed while contemplating if she would answer me or not.

“You don’t have to answer if you do not like,” I told her. I even gave her a warm smile so she would know what I just said is genuine.

“It’s not like I don’t want to answer your question, but...” she said while looking at me before she looked above like the answer on my question is in the ceiling. “It’s just that no one asked me those kind of questions before, so I don't know what to say.”

I looked at her curiously, ready to ask her questions about what she said, but she beat me to it and started to tell the story behind.

“I arrived here five years ago. I got separated from my family and I didn’t have any choice but to live here at Clair de Lune. No matter what I do, I couldn’t seem to find a way to go back home.” she said, and she smiled sadly before she looked down at the coffee mug she's holding. “I am happy that the villagers gave me a place to stay and they gave me a chance to call this place my home. And I am so thankful that there is a place like Clair de Lune,” she said. She has this genuine smile on her face that is why I also smiled at her.

She invited me to tour around the village again, to visit the place that we haven’t gone yet. We were about to enter the majestic library of Clair de Lune when someone called Feya, catching her attention.

“Sorry Austin, you can go first. I will follow you later,” she said before she went to the one who called her a while ago.

I was left alone in the middle of the street not knowing what to do because first, I really don’t know where is the village’s library and second, I noticed that some of the villagers are bluntly staring at me.

I feel awkward and was about to find where the h*ck the library is but someone stopped me from walking. I looked at the hands that grabbed me. It was a woman, I think the same age as mine and Feya. She is pretty too, but if you would ask me, she is not as pretty as Feya.

I awkwardly cleared my throat and that was the time that she noticed I was looking at her hands that is still holding my arms. She mumbled a soft ‘sorry’ before she completely let go of me.

“Do you need anything?” I asked her.

She immediately looked up at me because I am taller than her. “Why are you spending your time here with Feya?” she asked, clearly confused and somewhat bothered that I always spend my time here at Clair de Lune with Feya.

My brows furrowed because of that. “Why? Is there something wrong with that?”

Am I not allowed to socialize with the people here? Is there some kind of rule? But the villagers welcomed me with open arms the moment I step foot here, so what's her deal with me spending my time with Feya?

She shook her head no. She got near me and whispered something. “Did you know that Feya is weird?” she said.

My forehead crumpled because of that. “She just appear out of nowhere, five years ago. She even claims that she's---” She was not able to continue her statement when a woman I think she’s in her late 50's came to us, interrupting our conversation.

“I’m sorry. Did my daughter disturbed you by any chance? My apologies because of her attitude, she is so tactless and always notices everything around her.” the woman explained.

So she is the mother huh?

I waved her off and smiled at both of them. “It’s fine,” I said. “Though I think your daughter needs some lecture,” I said while I looked straight at her daughter. “It is not good to judge other people. And not knowing what really is in their past. Especially if the person you are talking about is not here to defend herself.”

The mother frowned and looked angrily at her daughter. “Did you bad mouthed Feya again?” she asked, in return, her daughter bowed down her head and her eyes were fixed on the road, looking so guilty, or not?

“How many times do I have to tell that Feya did not do something bad to you for you to back stab and bad mouth her like that? You should not do things like that, you understand?” she said to her daughter, clearly lecturing her.

“But mom,” she was about to protest but her mother interrupted her.

“No buts. You know, you should apologize to Feya when you see her,” her mother said with finality in her voice. She then looked at me with an apologetic look on her face.

“I’m sorry if she said something wrong. There are many times that she cannot stop herself and told people bad things about Feya, like what she did a while ago.”

I just nodded my head at her not really knowing what to do next so I just coolly said, “It’s fine. As long as she will learn that saying things like that in a person is wrong.”

She smiled warmly at me. Her daughter was about to say something but her mother quickly bid their goodbye and hastily pulled her daughter. I just watch them walk away.

“I thought all the people living here is incredibly kind and courteous, but I think because of what happened earlier, that is partly false,” I muttered to myself.

I thought no one heard what I just said but someone stand right beside me.

“Did you know that someone told me that a society will not run if people like her doesn’t exist?” he said out of nowhere. I just stared at him and waiting for him to continue what he is saying. “She also said that envy will always be associated with the word society. And no one. Not even the fairies, nor you, could erase that,” he said and then he smiled mysteriously at me.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked him. He just shook his head at me before he changed our topic.

“I saw that you were with Feya this past few days,” he said and I straightened up because of that.

Why does everyone that approached me here were always curious about me hanging out with Feya? Was there really something wrong with that? He saw my change of expression because of what he just said and he let out a laugh.

“I am not going to lecture you. I mean, I am really happy that Feya learns how to talk to other people aside from the villagers.”

My head snapped towards him and looked at him in shock. “What are you talking about?” I asked him.

Feya is so friendly. A lot of people also greeted her whenever we walk passed them. She also made sure to help them even if they were not asking for help. So his statement really confused me.

He let out a small laugh. “Based on your expression, you are not expecting this. Well, not everyone expected this. They know Feya as a silent but friendly type of person. She just be-friended the people here inside the village and no one else,” he said to me.

So that is the reason why she is always running away when someone is asking for her to help them in their shops huh?

He noticed that I am curious about Feya so he continued on talking. “You are the first person who talked and be-friended Feya without asking her a very personal question.”

I remembered our talk in the cafe earlier. Is that counted as a very personal question? With that in thought I just smiled at him.

He looked at my side and smiled genuinely at me. “Thank you,” he said, softness and tenderness is evident in his voice.

I looked at him confused. “Can I ask why you are saying thank you to me?” I asked.

This was the first time that we met so I'm genuinely confused on why in the world he's thanking me for? Because of Feya? But I am the one who should thank her though. Actually, I want to thank them all because for the first time since that horrible accident happen to me, I want to change. For the better. I want to feel the feeling of having someone in my side again.

“Thank you, because Feya might find her way home again,” he said, adding to my confusion. 

Then I remembered what she said earlier. That five years ago, she was separated with her family. Does this man know something about it?

“I hope you will believe in her when the right time comes,” he also added.

My head is about to explode because of too much riddle he's throwing to me. I can't seem to read between the lines. What does he mean when the right time come? And more than anything, why does it seems that he really knows Feya deeply? Who is he really?

There are a lot of questions running through my head because of him. And when finally I gathered my courage to ask him, I saw him walking away from where I am standing. I tried to stop him because I really want to know what he means by those words.

“Wait,” I said. That is the only thing I said, but the moment he looked at me again, his eyes are telling me that he will not say or answer anything anymore.

And just like the people living at Clair de Lune whenever you asked them about something, or you want to confirm anything about the village, he just smiled mysteriously at me and said, “Someday.”

“Someday you will know what I mean and if that someday comes, I want you to stay by Feya's side until the end.”

After that, he continue to walk away and I remained standing in the middle of the street while thinking, alone. I was just snapped out of my thought when someone tapped me again on my shoulder.

I looked at my side and saw Feya smiling brightly at me. She noticed the confused look on my face so she frowned at me.

“Are you okay?” she asked me. Worry is evident on her voice. I tried to shake off the thought of that man and smiled at her.

I patted her head and gave her a reassuring smile. “I am fine just a little bit tired.”

She nodded her head before she dragged me out of nowhere. “If that is the case then you should go to your cabin. We’ve done a lot of things today. You must be tired because of it, let’s just tour around tomorrow, there will always be tomorrow,” she said to me.

We arrived at the corner street where my cabin is located when Feya bid her goodbye to me. I waved my hand at her and watched her going home until she disappear on my sight.

I immediately went to my cabin after that and let all the thoughts flood my mind.

“This village is more mysterious than I thought.”