Aurelius Flores
The poor guy flinched when he opened his honey-brown eyes, startled by Crystal ogling him like an owl while standing barely ten inches away from him. She looked like she was about to cry, and that was the sole reason he did not push her away.
“Pardon me, but may I know what you are doing here?” the guy asked, breaking the silence. Crystal finally returned to reality and just now acknowledged that she was shedding tears. She immediately wiped them off, feeling embarrassed for getting emotional in front of a stranger without even realizing it.
“I-- I-- I am sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that,” Crystal said, stammering slightly. Making excuses was her specialty, and she quickly thought of a good one. “I have always been very invested in music and melodies, and your melody brought tears to my eyes. It felt like I was hearing someone’s story.”
And it wasn't even the full excuse; she was leading him on so she could get the answers she wanted. She had a feeling that this guy might have one of the answers she was looking for.
“Do you perceive the same way?” the male asked with a glint of happiness in his eyes, and Crystal almost felt bad for leading him on. She nodded, not wanting to reveal her true intentions just yet.
“Yes, I think you have conveyed your emotions in this melody very beautifully.” Crystal smiled, but the guy's smile vanished from his lips.
“Unfortunately, this melody is not mine,” said the guy very dejectedly, and Crystal furrowed her eyebrows. Was the answer also the beginning of another question?
“Does this melody have lyrics?” Crystal asked, and now it was the guy's turn to look at her in confusion. “Is it a proper song?” she asked again and sighed.
She did not want to reach that point just yet, but she did not seem to have any other choice.
“In the dreams, we lie
For the wild, is the sky;
You will see, one day
When the time, will be yours;
You will, you will,
You will be able to conquer”
The guy was in complete disbelief. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. How was the girl standing in front of him singing a song that he knew from memory but couldn't remember who sang it? No one, not a single fae he had met, knew that melody or the song, but she was singing the clear words from his head. It gave him goosebumps and sent shivers down his spine.
“In your heart, I see a light
A spark that burns both pure and bright;
Destined for great things, my dear
Just keep your head up and your path clear”
The guy sang, continuing the song and Crystal’s breath hitched. They indeed were singing the same song.
"Where did you learn this song?' Crystal asked, cutting to the chase. But the fae just smiled and took her hands into his.
"It appears that some kind of connection exists between us. Until now, I had begun to think that I might not have someone special in my life, but you just walked up to me by yourself," the guy said, suddenly enthusiastic. But Crystal instantly snatched her hands away from him, feeling creeped out.
"I think you are misunderstanding the situation. Just as you said you are the creator of this melody; I too have heard it from a woman. I do not remember her, but I am certain I have heard it from someone else, and you have heard it from that woman as well. That is why I want to know where you heard this melody,' Crystal said, taking a deep breath to calm herself down.
She knew she was messing up by disclosing something she was supposed to hide, but she could not figure out what else to do in the situation. Her heart had completely taken over her mind.
"Regrettably, I do not recall the identity of the person who introduced me to this melody. In fact, until you mentioned it, I was unaware that the melody's origin could be a lady. I simply recollect the melody and lyrics from my memories." the guy said, seeming to tell the truth.
This increased Crystal's frustration, and she sighed while rubbing her forehead.
"Listen, forget whatever happened just now. Don’t you dare say a word to anyone about it or else--" Crystal's voice trailed off as she looked at the guy, who was smiling at her simply.
Crystal realized she didn't have the upper hand in the situation. She couldn't force the guy to do anything, and she didn't know what he was capable of. So she stood there, unsure of what to do.
“Or else?” The guy asked with his radiant smile, and Crystal almost withdrew her warning.
He looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to say something. Crystal looked frustrated and couldn't come up with anything, but the fae smiled, understanding that she must have her reasons.
“Very well, I shall not say a word to anyone about this incident, but for that to happen, we will have to start anew, do we not??” the guy suggested. Crystal scratched her head, trying to decipher what he meant.
The guy intermingled his fingers and brought his hands to his forehead twice, doing the fae greeting.
“Greetings, my lady, my name is Aurelius Flores, and I am the faery of spring and a second-year student at this academy. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“You're a weirdo,” Crystal exclaimed, scrunching her nose, and Aurelius chuckled at her expression. “I’m not interested in getting to know you any better,” Crystal strictly uttered and turned away to walk out of the tea-pavilion, but Aurelius’s next words stopped her immediately.
“Would you not require my help in investigating the song? I already know that none of the faeries know about this song, none that I know. However, with two individuals working together towards a common goal, our chances of uncovering its origins may increase significantly. Would you not consider accepting my aid?" Aurelius threw the bait strategically.
