Whoosh!
A strong yet warm wind caressed his face. It was so gentle that it reminded him of someone's warmth. A smell of spring assaulted his nose, bringing him a sense of nostalgia.
Rustle!
Sounds of rustling grass surrounded him, making him imagine the grasses along with the flower swayed by the wind. He knew even without opening his eyes. He knew where he was.
"Flowerbed, huh?"
He knew he had died. No, he was sure he had died. This place could either be afterlife or just him reminiscing of old memory. Or worse, it could be an illusion that was casted by the seven people who had forced him to kill himself. However, he was pretty sure the latter wasn't the case. Because...
"Sil.. are you sleeping?"
A very familiar voice was heard beside him. He knew who this voice belonged to. Despite having heard the exact same voice which had stimulated his disgust earlier, he didn't feel any repulsion from the voice he was hearing just then.
"I'm just enjoying the scenery. Why don't you lie down too?"
A calm answer. He didn't even open his eyes. The words were casually spoken, yet he knew he had uttered those words before.
'So, I'm just reminiscing a memory then.'
A soft smile adorned his undoubtedly attractive face. However, inwardly he felt bitterness.
'Just how? Was this what happened when you died? Or maybe, this is hell? Is this how the so-called God punish me? If so, this Lord is disappointed. It doesn't even burden my mind in a little bit!'
Just as usual, Basil acted like Basil.
Overbearing!
He was about to continue his soliloquy on how meek the 'punishment' he got, when suddenly —
Poke!
"You are thinking about something unnecessary, aren't you?"
— a finger poked his cheek.
It belonged to a beautiful purple-haired woman whom Basil knew very well. The purple-haired woman squinted her eyes at Basil to get an answer out of him.
"No. You aren't even a Mentalist, how can you read my mind?"
"I know you. I can see it in your face."
Just like that, a very familiar conversation flowed too. But, Basil gently frowned his face. The reason?
'Ridiculous! What can she tell from my perfectly controlled facial expression? Oh, right. It should be the plot. It's just a memory after all.'
And that was how he accepted the reality he was facing.
'Then, at this point, she will be...'
Just as he was about to recall what would happen next. The purple-haired woman lied on her side, facing his direction.
"What were you thinking about, Sil?"
Whoosh!
The strong yet warm wind once again swept over them. This time, the rustle wasn't only heard from the grasses, but also from the above. It was highly likely a tree. Then, as if proving his thought was correct, something fell on his face.
"Ah, look! The Apple Blossom fell on your face! Fufufu..."
A melodious laugh resounded from her. It was a laugh that he had missed and yearned for long. Unconsciously, he bit his lower lip.
Just as the purple-haired woman was about to remove the Apple Blossom on his face, he lied on his side, facing his body toward her. Gently opening his eyes, myriads of emotions swirled in his eyes when they were fully opened.
His gaze was so intense that the purple-haired woman was momentarily taken aback.
"What... What happened? Did I somehow disturb you?"
A genuine concern could be felt from her tone. Unfortunately, she took it as something else. Basil wasn't bothered. It also happened in the past. Though, at that time what he had thought had been different than what he was thinking currently.
Deciding to get off of the 'script' for a bit, he said softly, "I was thinking about you."
"O-oh... I see."
The purple-haired woman was flustered, bringing a gentle smile on his face. Although she regained her composure in the next moment, it was enough for him. It wasn't a common occurrence to see her like that.
Overwhelmed with emotion, he didn't even register the fact that she had reacted differently from his memory. He asked instead, "How are you these days?"
"I.. am fine. Why do you ask?"
"Just wanted to make sure."
Basil was normally a very attentive man. However, at this moment he chose to dump it all. He didn't even register her flustered appearance and how different things happened from the past. He had died. It was all over after all. Or so he had thought.
He just stared at her silently. Gentle smile was forever etched on his face. The purple-haired woman was curiously staring at him. If anyone were to see the current him, they would be flabbergasted. Basil had never made that face in front of anyone.
After who knows how long had past, he sighed forlornly. Then, he lied on his back and gazed at the sky. The purple-haired woman, likewise, followed him. She quickly covered the distance between them.
"Huuh... Sorry about that."
"Fufufu.. it's okay since it was me. But, I believe another women would take that gaze differently."
The purple-haired woman sight wasn't on the sky. It was fully on him. She could see it from the side. His forlorn face was gently enveloped by the sunshine, giving him an otherworldly feeling.
The flowers surrounding them, countless of Purple Hyacinths gently swayed by the wind. It was a flowerbed, the place where they laid their body upon. A strange combination of Apple Blossom and Hyacinth was made. It was possible because the world wasn't normal.
"I think... it's not that bad dying on a flowerbed."
A gentle voice full of defeat unconsciously escaped his mouth.
"Do you think it's the end?"
"Yeah. Once you're dead, it's the end for you. I don't think you could do anything after death."
He reflexively answered her. It didn't happen in the past, nor did the conversation happen either. He was supposed to ask how she would like to die. That had been what happened in the past.
Of course, it was different now. Unfortunately, he didn't register the fact yet.
"Then.. let me ask you. Do YOU think it's the end?"
The purple-haired woman was no longer lying on his side. She was already on top of him, while looking at his eyes deeply. A strange feeling surged from his chest. A sense of incongruence was evoked ever so slightly.
The forlorn look instantly gone. It was replaced with a serious look. The melancholic gaze was wiped off clean. Instead, calculative and cautious glare took its place.
With utmost seriousness, he asked, "Is this afterlife? Where am I? Heaven?"
A disbelieving look was all he got. The purple-haired woman moved her body away from him and sat beside him while still facing his direction.
"I can't believe that you have so much confidence in yourself going to Heaven." A helpless smile adorned her face while she shook her head. She looked at him deeply and said, "As for your question, no, it isn't Heaven."
"Then, it must be somewhere else."
"Why don't you think it's Hell?"
A genuine curiosity took over her. She looked at him with wondering look.
In response to that, he merely snorted and said, "Hmph! Someone like you can't be found in hell. God knows what happens if someone like you go to hell."
Admirable certainty!
His confidence in her was truly incredible. Basil was by no means unreasonable. However, for some things, he was unreasonably stubborn.
Seemingly understood his meaning, the purple-haired woman merely shook her head with a helpless smile.
"I thank you for your confidence in me. But I am not who you think I am."
"Hm. I know that already."
Instant acceptance!
The purple-haired woman was dumbfounded. For someone who had acted reasonably, he was pretty unreasonable. Just then, he had looked at her as if he was looking at a long lost lover. But then, he looked at her as if someone treating the elder.
"I guess you have already figured out who I am?"
"No, I don't know who you are."
"Then how do you know I am not someone you know?"
"The gaze."
"Hm?"
The purple-haired woman looked at him curiously. He didn't answer her immediately. He raised his body and sat himself straight.
He looked at her eyes and said firmly, "That gaze doesn't belong to someone who lived for merely thirty years. That gaze doesn't belong to human." A bitter smile unconsciously formed on his face.
"I knew it by the time you looked at me like that. I can see the vastness and immeasurable depth inside. Believe me, when it comes to people, I can measure how shallow they are. You are by no means shallow."
"I see."
A short answer. That was enough. She didn't need to react anymore than that.
"This place called Dreamland. It's an independent domain that isn't bound by the law of the world. A realm between life and death. Normally, you can't enter this place freely. You have to fulfill a certain condition to be able to enter Dreamland. Such as—"
"External interference."
She didn't have to finish her words since Basil completed them for her. She was speechless once again.
"Yes... that's right. However, if your soul is too strong, you can forcefully make your way inside. A strong soul can maintain its conscience until the end. That is how one could end up in Dreamland."
"Then, I belonged to the former?"
"Yes and no. Your soul is strong enough to enter Dreamland."
"What happens to people who enter Dreamland?"
"They are reincarnated."
A sigh of disappointment escaped his mouth. The purple-haired woman who saw that, had her lips twitching.
"Reincarnation is not a bad thing, since you can choose what you want to be reincarnated to."
"Doesn't sound appealing to me. Rather than reincarnating, better spending my life in eternal rest. It's wiser than repeating the things I have done."
"Don't worry about that. You won't remember a thing about your last life."
"That's exactly my concern. Doing something you have done and not knowing it."
"You aren't repeating the same thing, though. Your life will be different. You will be met with people you haven't met."
Basil shook his head as if the purple-haired woman didn't get what he meant. He sighed and said, "Supposed I died and then reincarnated. I do live once again. However, haven't I lived the same life before ? The outcome might be different, but I will still do the same thing again. That thing is living."
He gazed at the purple-haired woman with a neutral expression and said, "Correct me if I'm wrong."
The purple-haired woman stayed silent. Contrary to what he had expected, she had a faint smile on her face.
"Look around you!" She gestured at the flowers surrounding them. Lastly, she put her hand on her chest. "Look at me! What do you see?"
A simple question, yet he didn't answer it immediately. He knew the answer, yet he was reluctant. He looked at his surrounding. Purple Hyacinths covered most of the ground.
Behind him was an Apple Blossom tree. The fallen flowers decorated the ground around it, giving a sense of incongruence yet harmonious sight. Lastly, his gaze fell on her. Deeply looking at her in the eyes, he muttered emotionally.
"Regrets."
A short answer. Just a word, yet it conveyed his feelings. He had felt myriads of emotions when he had seen her. But, the strongest feeling he got was regret. It was something he couldn't admit easily.
He had no face to face her. He was ashamed. He had promised her one thing, to live without regrets. However, she became the very reason of his regret.
"Hm. Don't you think you want to undo your regret?" The purple haired woman nodded her head and smiled at him.
"No, I don't."
"What are you..." She was bewildered by his blunt answer. Unfortunately, Basil didn't give her a chance to speak.
"I don't want to undo it. It is just an act to repeat the inevitable. I want to erase it!" The more he spoke, the more passionate he became. In the end, he was overtaken by emotion, and his heated gaze was directed at her.
Both side became silent. After who knows how long, the purple-haired woman finally opened her mouth.
However!
"What is the offer?"
She was beaten once again by him. She was dumbfounded. She was annoyed and pissed. He had ruined the mood she had built after all! Although she felt that way, she didn't show it on her face.
Sigh.
"Huuh... Come!"
She said nothing else, and merely gestured him to come. Basil wordlessly approached her. He stood in front of her while looking at her eyes. It was quite a comical sight, since it looked like a staredown.
It couldn't be helped, she was merely as tall as his chest after all. Annoyed once again, she just extended her hand and touched his forehead... or that what she meant to do.
"You! Give me your forehead!"
An embarrassed voice was heard. Basil had purposefully leaned his head backward, and due to the height difference, she couldn't reach his forehead.
He smirked and lowered his head. Finally, he could feel the hand touching his forehead. He could feel it clearly.
'Ah, it is different. It's not her.'
A sigh of disappointment leaked unconsciously. Then, as if reading his thought, the purple-haired woman snorted.
"Hmph! Enjoy your trip!"
That was the last thing he heard before a blinding light encapsulated him and once again, he felt weightlessness.