It was getting darker and the risk of her being unsafe was rising. If something bad happened to her…
I do nott think I could face her. I do not think I could face father and brothers. And I do not think if…
I could ever forgive myself…
I know my mind was on a mess but I was eager to look for her. My cowardness do have no room right now.
I was about to run again to find my sister when someone screamed that made me froze on the spot.
“BROTHER MAXLEIN!” that voice.
My eyes widened and my hands balled into fists while slowly turning around behind me where I heard someone called me
My heart was thumping inside my chest like crazy because of mixed excitement, regret and nervous.
I felt as if the world around me moved in a slow motion and the time has stopped around us.
The light suspended as if watching us beneath their light.
“M-Maxine…” I called as I felt my eyes tearing up seeing her relieved face from afar.
Oh. She was not crying? She was not crouching in a dirty street, waiting for me to arrive? She was not acting like a useless dumb like I did.
She was so refined. She was even braver than me. She looks weak and fragile and yet, she was so strong.
She was just standing there, looking at me, waiting for me -while smiling- to come to her.
I could not move my trembling knees and so, I let my knees succumb by weakness and for the first time in my life, I faced and accepted the truth that…
I am weak, an idiot and a coward.
I fell on my toes on the side road.
I unconsciously smiled at Maxine and spread my arms. I was trying hard to stop my tears from falling, my face was crumpled and I did not know how ugly my face was making right now.
Suddenly, gentle white snow slowly fell from the sky. It was so slow as if this moment were given only for us.
“Come here.” I said smiling with my arms ready to take her.
Come at me Maxine. Come to your brother and I would make sure that none of this would ever happen again. I would swear to protect you with all my life in line.
The strong facade I was seeing from her broke down as if she could hear my promise in my heart. She started crying aloud while running towards me.
“B-Brother!” she called after reaching me.
She cried on my chest as I locked her in my arms,caressing her head while my other hand was tapping her back.
I could not help it when my tears finally rolled down in my cheeks, silently crying behind her back.
Oh Frite, forgive for the sins I had done.
“I-I am sorry, Maxine. I know how scared you are when you are lost. I am really sorry.” I apologized. She scurried a little and looked up to me.
“I was not scared of being lost. I am more scared that I lost you, Brother. I was afraid that something bad might have happened to you.” She was crying while saying those words before burying her head back to my chest and felt her hug tightened.
I was dumbfounded on what she had said. She was not scared when she was lost but rather scared that something bad might have happened to me.
I felt the heavy thing weighing in my chest lifted on those words coming out from her mouth.
My kind sister, how could you think like that after what I did to you? Would you hate me if you knew I lost you intentionally?
At the Estate…
We came back past 8 in the evening. Just after we got out of the carriage, the maids looked at us through the open gate.
“Young Master!”
“Milady!”
They ran towards us and quickly covered us with a thick and warm coat.
“Oh my Graces! Where did Young Master and Young Mistress have gone to?!” my maid asked nervously as she wrapped me in a coat she took from one of the Knights. I ignored her and looked at my sister who was holding my hand the whole ride.
“Milady! Are you akay?” Maxine’s personal maid asked as she thoroughly searched her mistress’ body for any injuries.
She was Kath if I remembered her correctly.
“We almost turn the whole Estate upside down just to find you!” the old Butler said.
I glanced at my maid and looked at her grumpily.
“Pay the coach man first.” I pointed at the carriage we rode -that was still here- and we have not paid yet. She panicked and took out a wallet to pay the coachman.
“Send a word to the Duke and Young Master Maximill-“ before the Butler could ever finish his words, Brother Amo, Maxillary and Maxwell were dashing from the main house towards us.
“Maxine!” they shouted in unison. When they arrived infront of us, they did something to Maxinw that made me frown. I poker faced when they did not bothered to greet me.
“Goodness! Where did you go?!” Maximo asked worriedly and cupped the youngest’s face.
“Hey! I am also-!” my words hanged up when they looked at me in chorus with their glaring cold eyes.
“Dad was fuming mad.” Maxillary said grinning evily at me that made me step backward.
Ah. Shit. It was Dad. It was no doubt that he would be mad right now. . I did not informed him about my walk, adding to that, I dragged Maxine outside the Estate with me.
I assume, the house became a turmoil for searching for us. If it wass just me that left, they would not be this excited but it was Maxine who disappeared without a trace.
We headed inside when I thought they did not have any plans to do because they were chatting outside in the freezing cold weather.
Both I and Maxine were sitting alone in the drawing room infront of the fireplace covered in a thick comforter while sipping warm milk.
“Sorry.” I murmured out of nowhere. It should be just a whisper but she heard it pretty clearly because the crackling of maple woods being burned was the only noise inside the room.
“Why do you keep on apologizing, Brother Lein?” she asked as she looked at me with that face innocently.
How could she do this? Smiling despite of what happened this afternoon. Sometimes, I only see her this innocent but there were times, I see her as if she was more matured than Brother Millian.
The way she decides and handle such situations, it was as if she already have lived through out her life. I could see a composed lady to her child like appearance.
“I-I…” I was speechless. I want to confess my crime but could not. I am afraid she would avoid me if she ever knows the charades I had been playing with my mind about her these past few years.
I tried to open my mouth for the third time to say something but in the end, I chose to stay silent. Looks like Maxine felt it.
“When I was lost back there…” she started. I gave her a side glance and found her looking blankly in the blazing fire infront of her.
“Truthfully, I was scared. I was left alone and found out that it really was not a nice feeling.” She paused as if she was reminiscing something. Was she thinking about those time that we never cared for her?
It quite gave me a feeling of guilt. I never intended to avoid her all this time but I had done it without knowing.
Everytime I see her, I want to approach her but whenever she looked at me, I thought she was belittling me with her sharp eyes and warning me not to go close to her.
She always made me take a step back unconsciously and the next thing I know was I am already walking away from her and that became a bit of habit whenever I see her.
“I thought Brother Lein intentionally left me alone.” I froze from my seat and immediately throw her a surprised look on instincts.