Ha.. ha...
'I have to get out of here.'
Adrien thought desperately, but his eyes were getting dimmer. Deep down, he knew it was his end, but he didn't want to accept this harsh reality.
The company was covered in flames, smoke was filling the room, making it harder for Adrien to breathe properly.
"Help! Is—is there someone... help me!" He screamed for help but nothing... no one was there to help him.
Crack.
Suddenly, he heard a cracking sound from above and when he looked up instinctively, it was the ceiling collapsing!
Adrien's pupils shrank.
"NO—!"
Adrien jolted awake. His face was covered in sweat, pupils still shaking due to fear.
He looked around with wary eyes.
'This... room.'
He was in his room, or his used-to-be room. The same familiar bed in this big space with nothing more than a table and an old wardrobe.
The curtains were tightly shut, keeping the cold air from coming inside. The lamp's dim light was the only source of light and warmth in this dark and lonely room.
'Why am I here?'
It had been years since he left this house. At that time, he had cut all ties with that cheap father of his.
'There's no way my cheap father would bring me here after that fire—'
'Yes!' Adrien's through drifted
'I was trapped in fire, how am I here?'
His heartbeat quickened. He checked his body up and down. But:
'There's no sign of burning...'
Adrien fell silent. Something was wrong—he realised. His mind raced. He looked here and there as if it will give him an answer.
Suddenly, Adrien's eyes paused and looked at his hand with a thoughtful look.
He quickly got up from his bed and ran toward bathroom.
'Impossible... why do I look younger?'
Adrien looked at his reflection on the mirror, his eyes were filled with disbelief.
Adrien's face was smooth and delicate, not rough like usual, or with scars from the flames. His eyes were round, with no sign of fatigue in them.
He stumbled toward the drawer and picked his phone to check today's date: 21-March, 2019.
All of a sudden, the world seemed to quiet down. Adrien stood where he was before, eyes filled with visibly shocked expression.
He clearly remembered, today should be
3-August, 2024.
'D—did I travel back in time?'
Adrien's vision blurred. He felt his head spinning around, but still thought rationally.
'But... why?'
'Did I d-died...?'
A lot of questions appeared on his mind. But there was no one to answer him.
Knock. Knock.
Suddenly, a knock came from the outside, making Adrien froze. He put down the phone from his trembling hand and walked toward the door.
'Who would come so early?'
Adrien's opened the door, still in a daze. He looked up, meeting the eyes of the person standing outside.
'Louis!'
Adrien's breath got caught in his throat.
'Why is he here?!'
Louis was standing outside. His expression was cold and emotionless as always. Making people think of a cold unattainable flower in the high mountain.
They were brothers in name but had never talked to each other before, not even once! Adrien hated him and Louis treated him as nothing more than air.
Even though they lived in the same house, they were like a complete stranger.
Adrien stared at him, eyes to eyes. Not lowering his head like he always used to. His expression was not that of fear, but of hesitation.
With a raised eyebrow, Adrien looked at the tall figure. His eyebrow raised as if asking why he was here?
5 second... 10 second...
Louis didn't speak, he just stared at Adrien.
Seeing Louis not speaking, Adrien stiffly started the conversation, "Why are you knocking on my door so early?" His expression visibly confused with a hint of irritation in them.
Adrien had more important things than standing at the door, waiting for this cold king Louis to speak.
Louis saw his expression but still stayed quiet.
Adrien felt like a fool for even trying to start a conversation with this robotic man! He pulled the door, trying to close it, but a pale, big hand grabbed the door, stopping it from closing.
"Noisy."
Louis finally spoke.
"What?" Adrien couldn't understand what Louis was trying to say. He was not the worm in Louis stomach to understand his meaning by just one word!
Louis looked at Adrien one last time, "You are noisy." After saying so, he walked away.
Adrien had a strange look on his face. He repeated Louis's word in his head, 'noisy?' And an unnamed angry flared up in his chest. 'Noisy your dog!'
Bang!
The door slammed, creating a loud sound.
'Calm down, Adrien...' he sucked in deep breaths, trying to calm his mind.
After doing so, Adrien sat back in his bed and picked up his phone, trying to remember his old days at home.
'In this year... I'm still in high school.'
Adrien lowered his eyes, his jaw clenched.
The memories flooded in his head—people's mocking laughter, their disgust filled gaze.
If this house was hell to him, the school was the nightmare.
'No!' Adrien shook his head, trying to shake away those negative memories. 'I should think about my future plans, not those bad one...'
He didn't want to remember the past, but everything in this room took him back to those old days. His gaze drifted at the painting on the wall with an attachment filled eyes.
It was a painting of a woman in her early twenties. She had a bright, big smile on her face, one hand holding her hat while her long black hair dancing in the wind.
The woman's cat-like eyes were curved to the laughter. The painting was so vivid, making Adrien feel as if she is still alive...
Staring at the painting, Adrien's eyes turned red, he bit his lips to control his unstable emotions. He looked at the painting of the women, hand clutching together.
"Mom... I'm sorry." Adrien's soft, trembling voice echoed in the silent room.
"I was a coward." The biggest regret in Adrien's life was his mother's death. He was young, only six years old at the time of his mother's death. At that time, he didn't even know what death meant.
He thought his mother's death was natural only to find out thirteen years late that it was man-made...
'I won't let things continue as in the past.'
'This time... it will be different.'
Adrien's teary eyes were filled with unbreakable determination. He thought of the person who caused all the misery and a burning anger flared up.
'My dear cheap father, wait for me.'