"Hello"
A girl with a golden eye spoke, her faint smiles greet Nanming who engrossed himself in a book.
Nanming simply nods, not knowing who she is, which the girl seems to have noticed, given that she pouts and frowns her brows.
"Do you not know me?"
She asked, Nanming almost answered bluntly, but he decided not to. Mulling over his choice of words, he determined this was the best one.
"I have yet to know you, perchance might you enlighten me?"
Nanming words were stiff at best, it's his best attempt at being respectful and adhering to propriety.
"Fufu… You sound like Chen"
But the girl found his attempt amusing, lightly chuckling as she covered her arching lips with her hands.
"I am Wu Yuen; we might've not met before"
"It's a great pleasure to come and know you…"
Wu Nanming responds, once again, speaking formally in a lengthy and unconcise way.
"You know, you can speak to me informally"
"My apology, but I must deny the luxury"
Wu Nanming didn't want to hurt more people by speaking bluntly, it's tiring to speak like this but it's probably for the best.
"Alright then, suit yourself"
Wu Nanming nods and continues reading his book.
Wu Yuen pouts, but she quickly regains her composure as she tilts her head to peek at what Nanming really reads.
"It seems that you like reading book…"
Wu Yuen asks, shifting her glance towards Nanming soft face. Most of his features were hidden by his long hair.
"I am…deeply engrossing myself in the activity of reading literature from time to time"
"I see, which means you know a lot, aren't you?"
Wu Nanming didn't nod, he instead put his hand to rub on his chin. Thinking of the best response.
"I do not consider myself well versed in… academic, but I do hold my fair share of knowledge"
Wu Yuen claps both of her hands before tilting her head and exposing her nape.
"Great! Can I ask you something?"
Wu Nanming nods and closed the book he was reading, mindful in putting a wooden chopstick as a bookmark to quickly get back on reading sooner or later.
"What is 'Nyuwek'?"
When she said that, Nanming began to scour his head. In its own right, his brain has become a library, storing about 1/3 of the Academy Library content inside, fully remembered words by words.
And the explanation for Nyuwek is there, come to think of it, today's rain shares a lot of characteristics with Nyuwek.
"Nyuwek is a word that comes from Nusantara Ancient Script, literally means Rip or Ripping"
He recites the words etched into the book and explains it in his own words.
"It's an extreme phenomenon, sharing the same classification as Moon Charge phenomenon where Paranormal Activity is tripled"
Wu Yuen listens to his explanation with great focus and interest, remembering what she can.
"Nyuwek itself is a storm in a form of massive grey clouds that behaves more like a wave than a cloud should, in fact, the term 'grey clouds is rolling' is theorized to have been originated by how Nyuwek clouds move"
He threw in some random trivia here and there, not knowing which information is important or not.
"During Nyuwek, anyone that is showered in its water will be affected by either having their sensitivity increased…
"What sensitivity?"
Wu Yuen cuts him off, yet Nanming didn't seem to mind as he elaborates.
"All sort of sensitivity depending on their mental power. Some will become more impulsive; others can literally see Spirits… It depends on the individual"
"But I do not get affected, is there a reason for it?"
Wu Yuen asks, Nanming tilts his head in confusion. He thought that Wu Yuen didn't get drenched in the rain considering how dry she was.
"My apology for the assumption, but I failed to see you in a state of being drenched by the rain"
"Yes, I did"
Yet Wu Yuen refuses to acknowledge his words, only after when she tried to show him how drenched she was doing she realized. The water didn't hit her at all.
"Woah, am I some kind of supernatural?"
She said in awe, twirling her body as she tried her hardest to see her body.
"…Are you satisfied by the given answer?"
"Yes, thank you!"
Nanming nods and opening his book back, continuing where he left. Wu Yuen smiled and patted his back before she went out of the Academy Library, and sure enough, the rain didn't hit her.
Rather than that, it looks like the rain failed to hit her, hovering merely inches away from her skin and even robe as it falls to the ground.
Like she was covered head to toe with invisible shield. Wu Yuen finds this fact amusing, smiling brightly as she marvels at her own miracle.
She silently thanks Nanming, if he didn't tell her about the useless trivia, she might not have known about her own ability.
"I'll call this… hmmm"
As she contemplates the name for this miracle, she stumbled upon Wu Lixian. She shielded her form with a red parasol, though her form still appears drenched.
"I greet my sister"
She bowed.
"Wu Yuen, right? Have you met Wu Nanming?"
Wu Lixian said, her voice straining a bit, as if she just screamed on top of her lungs and now her voice just fleets away.
"He's in the library, third floor section 5-A"
"So specific, thank you"
Wu Lixian reached out her hands towards Wu Yuen head only withdrawn it, she then walked pass her.
Wu Yuen herself spares her a glance before she is back minding her own business, naming her miracle.
"Let's call it, Phantom Cloak…"
She chuckles, finding the notion of naming her technique like this quite cringy. But she becomes fond of it, nonetheless.
.
.
.
"…"
Nanming continues to read the book about Psychology, here, it said that every human has their own personality and difference in acting.
Some are brash, others timid. Others are brave, and there are those who are cowardly.
All of this happens because of a reason in their childhood when they are developing. Several factors may have an impact on One's psychology.
Be it Household situations or the lack of it, how the parents treat them and how others interact with them all goes hand in hand on determining someone's personality.
Which begs the question for Nanming, what did he experienced in the past to act like this?
He is incapable of perceiving emotions, but when he is faced with choices or a situation his heart moves according to what he perceives is 'correct'.
But how can he determine if something is correct when he lacks any experience of the past? His childhood is a blur, he barely remembers anything, so how can he choose when the act of 'choosing' is absent within him.
All these questions and yet there is no answer, the only 'constant' in his life is his mother whose face he cannot even remember. But everything else remains intact like her voice, her touch, her smell, things that should've been easily forgotten.
As if something in his memory prevents him from perceiving her face.
His rumination was then interrupted by the sound of footsteps, when Nanming glances towards the corner, he saw his big sis approaching.
Startled, he was about to leave, fearing that his sister might still be angry at him.
"Stop"
But she commands him not to, her face is wet as locks of black hair clings into its skin.
"…Is there anything I can help?"
Nanming ask, putting the books back into the table where he is just a second ago.
"…"
But his sister kept quiet, drawing in breath she speaks.
"I-I know I was rash back then… I act before I think and ended up hurting you"
Her voice wavers, unlike her usual self.
"It's just that, how should I say this…"
She then walked closer to Nanming, Nanming flinched a bit but decided to let her approach him.
The scent of petrichor clinging onto her form, the dirt-like smell tickles Nanming nose.
"I am envious of you"
She admits, drawing confusions from Nanming. Is there anyone out there who is envious about his life?
"You have incredible blessings, power and beautiful face"
His sister, Wu Lixian, one of the strongest people Nanming has ever met, and the one he admires slightly, speaks as if she was the lowest of low.
Holding her own left hand as she averted her gaze, her eyes shaking as if it was on a verge of tears. Is this an effect of being drenched in Nyuwek?
"I can't help but to envy you, because on the contrary I have to struggle to get this far. Clawing my hands on the ground to avoid being swallowed whole by this world"
She said, before tears drop from her closed eyes, her voice trembling increasingly more as she speaks.
"I-I… I'm so sorry I did that to you… I'm so sorry, I'm sorry…"
Before she covered both her eyes with her hands, trying to stop the tears from coming down but she couldn't.
Nanming was speechless, he didn't know how to act, he didn't know what words to say, stunned in place.
Wu Lixian smiled bitterly at his silence, before she turned away.
"It seems you are still mad, its alright… Being yelled at like that, I understand"
"No"
Nanming voice echoed, it was louder than his normal voice. But it was stifled by the countless books and the sound of Heavy Rain outside.
Nanming, in Wu Lixian eyes, trembling.
"N-No, I'm not mad, I'm not angry at you…"
His fist clenched so hard it bleeds, his face muscle tightens so vigorously that it stretches his beautiful face.
"I am so lonely, no one wants to be with me… Everyone is afraid of me, and no one is willing to be with me…"
Before a scene she thoughts to be impossible happened, Nanming shed tears, a real tears.
"It feels like I'm alone in this world, like I am the only one who exist… Its so painful and cold"
He remembers, remembering every isolation and warmthless night he had to endure, every time he had to watch the loud festivity from outside, seeing the warmth of village he cannot enter, seeing the laughter and smiles of those he cannot be with.
"I just… I just want to be normal…"
He cried so much that a puddle of tears formed below him.
"I want to play mud, skip stones, all of it… And when… and when you approach me, I was so happy that someone is finally willing to befriend me…"
Wu Lixian can only watch in silence; her tears stop falling as all her opinions about him were subverted and twisted. He is not arrogant or unfeeling; he is simply so lonely that he didn't know that his words could hurt or that his actions alienated others.
His isolation ended up isolating him even more.
"That's why I said those words to you, I just didn't know… I didn't know anything, I didn't…"
Nanming was then embraced by Wu Lixian, her tall form crouching down to encircling him with her arms.
"That's alright, let me teach you everything…"
She said, before tears once again falls from her eyes and into Nanming shoulders.
It was warm, the tears of someone else were warm. This is the first time he ever felt like this, Nanming is melting under the embrace of someone else.
'…'
Even the voice plaguing his head ceased to speak, as if it enjoys the warmth of someone else.
.
.
.
Both finished reconciling, so they instead chose to stay beneath a Plum tree, its purple leaf sheltered them from the Nyuwek rain that pours down endlessly.
Yet in this cold weather, they enjoy each other warmth.
"Normally you didn't go out during the Dim Hours, it's like the most dangerous of the Dual Realm Hours"
Wu Lixian explained to Nanming everything he didn't know, well he knew about the information but the 'why' is different from the 'what'.
"Its because the Nether Spirit is allowed to venture into the Mortal Realm to seek human and imprison them in the Nether"
She explained the story that was so notorious during her childhood, now becomes a sort of warning to those who dare venture during the time where both moon and sun wane and shines.
"I see, but why did the Nether Spirit want to seek human? They didn't do anything right?"
Nanming ask, though his face remained neutral, every gesture he made express curiosity. He learnt that this is the best way for him to 'show' emotions.
Wu Lixian chuckles as he reminded her of her past self, so foolish and naïve.
"I once asked that question too, fa— I mean, the Demon King then enlighten me on why"
She memorizes the words he said in the past, where he is still warm, where he is still kind.
"The work of the Spirit is implausible indeed, but hear this young Lixian…"
She said in a voice that imitates the Demon King wizened and somber tone.
"The Nether Spirit is the loneliest spirit besides the Torturer of Avicci, unlike those malleable flagellants however, the Nether Spirit can feel emotions. So, they kidnap human in hopes of being friend with them"
She said, but her hearts sunk when she realized just how similar those tales are to Nanming situations, but Nanming, said something she didn't expect coming.
"Just like me, I also want to be friend… But not in the way the Nether Spirit does it"
He said, the way he said that words with innocent tone despite his lack of response is, to put it lightly, saddening.
Wu Lixian realized just how harsh his situation and life is prior to his adoption, the fact that he already thinks it is normal for him to be isolated, much like how she considers it normal to regard her as lowly.
"I know, that's why…"
Wu Lixian hugs him once more, how dare she regards him as a subordinate yesterday? He is her precious little brother, a flower that must be kept pristine so that it may not be drenched in blood.
It's her duty as a big sis, and perhaps she might regain her purpose, to be useful.
"…I will be your first friend, and sister"
She smiles brightly while continues to embrace Nanming.
Nanming, reciprocates by awkwardly encircling his own arm around her back, occasionally twitching as if he didn't want to hurt her.
And when his hand touches her back, what she felt is an endless cold. It's different from Wu Yincang coldness, Nanming touch is as if he is completely absent of any heat.
But she didn't care, no matter how weird he is, Nanming is still Nanming.
"…Thank you"
Nanming said, with shaky voice, he could finally feel someone else's warmth for the first time since a long time ago.
Of course, he was hugged by Lady Hwang alongside Chen, but it was brief and it's more like she is choking him.
But Wu Lixian is warm, he wonders if it's the same for Chen, Lady Hwang if she isn't angry and maybe Wu Yinkuan when he is alive.
He didn't know real hug would be so…
…Warm.