Chapter 17

Stein saw an image of the past where a little boy was meeting a man who had once colonized their planet by accident. The little man was John, he was on earth when an adult man that Stein knew well gave him a necklace with a crystal gemstone that the adult man got from outer space.

"You will grow up to be a great man, in the future live well and don't think anything about your family that no longer exists. You can become a great man and forget about the current events. The destruction of the city happened because of human error not because of anyone's fault, live well and don't think about anything that doesn't benefit you."

I don't know what the meaning of the words of the mature man known to Stein was. But what could make him understand was that the atmosphere there was indeed quite depressing with several places destroyed. It seemed like the earth had experienced something like this, but he had no idea what caused it. This was the first time he had come to Earth and when he came it was safe, there was no destruction and everything looked normal. Had something happened in the past related to humans and extraterrestrials? What was the cause that he did not know even though he had been alive for the past few years.

"I've grown up and I have a desire to colonize the same planet that Uncle Sam did. He can be a great man and even have his name in a magazine, or I can be a great man too if I'm serious and earnest. No need to colonize planets, I can travel around outer space if I can become a great person and get a lot of advanced systems like Uncle Sam told me. Wild space is a very beautiful place and is said to be very modern so that place is my future life goal if I can become a great person."

Still holding the gemstone in his hand, Stein could hear the voice again and sighed softly. He was sure John had something to do with the loss of his family but there was no sign of his parents' captivity in this place.

I don't know how the man could do this, he couldn't find the whereabouts of his parents and how could it all connect him to the events several years ago when Professor John was a child. He was able to ask several people including Sicily about what happened to the past of the people on this earth.

"Sicily doesn't have parents either, right? Does it have anything to do with the past events? I have to ask her clearly and hopefully this won't bring up any old wounds that could have arisen because of my mistake."

Searching around the house and even some small rooms, Stein still did not find the whereabouts of her parents or even anything related to them. It seemed like she wouldn't be able to find anything if it was here, perhaps if there were signs of her parents' whereabouts elsewhere then she would have to look elsewhere which would most likely bring clearer clues.

***

Sicily went home feeling better today. Stein could see it so he smiled at the happiness radiating from the girl's face.

"Uh, are you here?"

Sicily stopped and decided to sit on the sofa in the front room. And she took out a few boxes, then gave them to Stein who had raised an eyebrow.

"I bought some food, you should try it."

Stein smiled softly and fell silent because he didn't intend to ask about what happened to this earth a few years ago. He didn't want to turn Sicily's happy face into a sad one if he asked about that life and event that caused several people to possibly die including Sicily's parents.

The girl's happy face naturally made him feel guilty if he had to disturb her, while Sicily was also very confused if she remembered about the assignment from Professor John that had not yet been completed.

"I'd better hold her hand and read all the destinies she has gone through. I'm sure I'll be able to accept and get the truth about the events in the past which of course I still have to find out until now to open the veil. I can't stay still because now time is also moving, if the longer I stay here the more time I will spend and it will not be optimal for the search that I have planned for just a few days." Stein said inwardly while staring at the food box in his hand.

"You don't want to try it? Why just stare at it, let's open it. The food is delicious and I'm sure it's also healthy so it won't make your condition worse. By the way, how long has it been since I've checked your wounds? Eat first so I can see how you're doing, and I can treat you if anything still hurts."

Stein smiled softly and nodded his head. He could only agree with what Sicily said because then he could possibly get closer to this girl and hold her hand later to read the destiny that had happened to Sicily before.

Opening the food box in his hand, Stein found that the food given by Sicily was a kind of bread that looked crispy on the outside and looked so delicious when looked at again.

Sometimes Stein almost forgot about his intention to find the whereabouts of his family and parents. Because he lived with Sicily too and was treated so warmly. But if he continued to do this and forgot his main goal, why could he be said to be a family traitor.

He can make sure he will get Sicily if his parents return, the important thing now is to find the whereabouts of his parents first and take care of the problem of him staying with Sicily longer. Both of which he could do and get if he continued his main goal without being tempted by anything. At the same time it could make everything more reasonable, because his parents were found and he would also get his wish.

"The bread is really good, I've probably never had bread like this before. Is bread like this expensive?"

Sicily smiled and watched Stein who was chewing his food. Meanwhile, she opened one of the paper bags and took out several cups of coffee. She handed one to Stein and smiled as he looked at her with his silvery eyes.

No matter how you looked at it, Stein was a handsome man. But she did not dare to expect much because she and this man were of course different. Stein was a rich man and also seemed to be the son of a respectable family, hence he had not said much and did not dare to be too presumptuous.

"It might make you sleep for a long time but if you drink coffee while eating bread, it's the right combination. So paper with satisfaction, later tonight if you are not sleepy we will watch together."

Stein smiled softly and nodded in agreement. He knew that human life was like this, relaxing just like they usually did, it was just that he could not do this on his planet because he had a mission to save his parents.

"Why?"

Stein raised his eyebrows at Sicily's words.

"Why look at me?"

Stein smiled softly, then ate some more food and looked at Sicily's face who was still staring at him in surprise.

"Do I have a wrong face or something? You've been looking at me while eating, watch out for choking."

Stein could understand Sicily's words from earlier even though this girl said words that were a little foreign to his ears. His ability as an alien was still functioning properly and he had not forgotten it at all even though he had been here for a few days and his energy was probably a bit low.

He had asked Fregest to replenish his energy but it didn't seem to be there yet as he hadn't gotten any. He did not know what Fregest was busy with, but he knew that the man was quite busy and it was natural that he could not do this directly.

"Nothing, I just realized that you're a good and beautiful girl. You're someone who is willing to help me without demanding anything when others might not be willing to do this. Do you have absolutely no intention of asking anything from me for helping me all this time?"

Sicily smiled at his question. "Not for now because for me, I don't lack anything so I don't lack anything to ask you. I can still afford what I want to buy even if I have to work hard first. Helping someone doesn't have to mean asking them for money, right? I know that sometimes humans do need to live a life of a lot of money to become stronger, but I don't need that as long as I can get comfortable without anyone intending to bring me down," she said making Stein smile softly.

"You... have no intention of getting married?"

"I don't know." Sicily sighed softly. "For now, I don't think so because who would want a girl who is still in college and will only be a burden in life? The standard of living and the standard of marriage in this city is quite high. I can't have a marriage that's just a formality because there are so many like that here. I decided to focus on myself, I've also been living alone for a long time so I don't think there's any problem in continuing it until later.

"Humans are bound to die and I intend to register myself with one of the organizations for the care of the elderly. They'll come every two or three days when I get old and start getting sick. I think it's better that way than having to leave my children and family behind, because it hurts and I'm really not prepared to see them cry. It feels like life is collapsing and I have no intention of getting married if I'm just going to leave my children and partner behind."

Stein fell silent at this, and ate his food without saying much more. He knew this was a sensitive subject to talk to Sicily about so he didn't want to talk too much about something that would likely make her cry.

Stein's silence made Sicily silent too, she knew she shouldn't talk much to people who couldn't necessarily try to understand her. Only herself understood her desires and no one else would be able to. So instead of her lying about her energy it was better for her to keep quiet and decide not to say much.

Her life was already difficult and she didn't want it to get even more difficult in the future just because of talking like this to other people who didn't necessarily like it.

"I'm going to the room first, I want to wash my feet and prepare some medicine to see how your wound is. Just stay here first, don't enter the room, if I've treated it later it's up to you whether you want to come in or not. I intend to watch tonight, tomorrow I have to enter the University and there is no time to play around like this." Sicily said as she got up from her seat.

To which Stein nodded, letting her go. While he stayed there and finished the bread and coffee that Sicily had given him earlier while thinking about how to ask about the events that had happened to the city or earth a few years ago.

"Looking at her sad face I can't bear it, like I have to find another way to find the truth about past events that I don't know what caused them."

Stein sighed, it was complicated, but he was sure he would be able to get the truth about this.