Xhemin watched the ocean at the cliff and stared at the horizon before her. This was the perfect place to breathe the ocean breeze, she thought. The pleasant wind was like a singing a song of old memories to her. With tears streaming down her face, she reminisced those beautiful summer days she spent with Ziggy and Huzey in this place—all those games, songs and mischiefs they did together. Who would ever thought that at some point in time it would end? Had she been always ungrateful for looking forward to next summers?

She was at the Loch cottage now, where Huzey's motorboat was kept and she thought of using it in her journey across the blue sea. The prince won't probably mind her stealing his favorite toy, he always gave her everything even those toys that were valuable to him. Now, it's time for her to give back something to him.

​​

She wiped her tears away and pack the last of her things before she went on her way. Huzey's motorboat was down below the duck and so, she had to climb down the steep stairway leading through it. She was only few steps down when somebody came running toward her.

"Xhemin!" Gasping for breath, the boy stopped just few inches from her.

"Darryl?" Xhemin's brain stuttered, shocked and confused to see the Lagdamoe heir in front of her "What are you doing here?

Smoldering underneath his stony expression, Darryl grabbed Xhemin's hand as he confronted her "Where do you think you are going?"

Darryl's beastly eyes dug into her, seeking for a valuable explanation for her unannounced escape.

"Let me go…." Xhemin winced at the pain brought by the firmness of Darryl's grip. Darryl did not heed her request but just stared at her as the guilt rose above the tears in her eyes. "Please Darryl, let me go…"

Darryl pulled the girl closer to him and with a vein almost popping in his temple he blurted out "The Manggan Island is a dangerous place. Anyone who reached the borders get killed. Are you seriously going to do this?"

Xhemin ignored Darryl's words. She knew the boy will resent her for this which exactly was the reason why she wanted to leave without saying goodbye. She wanted to leave right away, as fast as she could, afraid that her love for the Lagdameo heir would betray her will to find Huzey's cure.

"You're going to get killed!" Darryl steamed right in front of Xhemin's face, but instead of anger Xhemin saw the worry in his eyes—it hit something inside her.

"I won't get killed, I have a sunstone" She assured him, as she bit her lip. "Don't worry"

"A what?" Darryl asked in confusion, keeping his eyes steady at her face.

Xhemin replied as she swallowed her urge to cry "A sunstone. That's what you need so the tribesmen won't kill you when you reach the borders"

"This is a foolishness!" Darryl vented out. He couldn't believe the words her sister told him were true—that Xhemin is leaving. But right now, her own words confirmed it all and it triggered something in him, something like fear, fear of losing the woman he ever loved.

With pain in his eyes Darryl spoke "If you do this…."

"I won't be able to come back" Xhemin cut in, and gave the boy a bitter smile "I know. I already know that"

Darryl's face darkened as something inside him broke— the pieces becoming shards. He had never once felt so vulnerable and raw, not until today, when the woman who captured his heart would just leave it empty. Right then he doubted himself as felt every muscle of him giving into gravity.

"You are leaving me," he said, almost not believing it. His emotions flushed in his face miserably as he ran his fingers into his hair, frustrated. He swallowed hard before he confronted the girl once again, hoping he can at least change her mind, Darryl sounded more pained than anything " Why are you doing this?

Xhemin said as another set of tears fell from her eyes. She had never seen Darryl as miserable and it felt like a knife cut her open and she bleed continuously, "I'm going to do this for Huzey"

"Huzey's injury is permanent Xhemin for goddam sake!" Darryl shouted. The anger that rose through him was nothing but a shield for the pain that was killing him inside. "When are you going to accept the fact that your friend is no—

"No! Don't you ever say that?" Xhemin cut in with rage not wanting to hear the fact "Not to my face!"

Xhemin was hurting, and Darryl even more. They both saw in the soul of their eyes that in different ways, they both wanted to be together, but were lost on how to get there. Their path toward each other that they used to believe was there had already been clouded by too many doubts and frustration that they cannot anymore see it possible.

"Xhemin please stop this…"Darryl's tried to convince her once more trying to get a glimpse of where the girl's emotion really lie, hoping he can still patch things up " Come with me… come with me now.. I'll bring you home."

"No…." Xhemin said with an air of finality in her words and in a way that no matter how hard Darryl would railed against her will, nothing anymore will change her mind. She had already given up, she had already gave Darryl up.

"I'm sorry but I won't come with you" Her recent words broke more inside Darryl's heart.