Francis's POV

I was walking in a dark void. No light. No people. No sign of hope. Just me. I could not see anything. It was so cold and I do not know how I got in here. It was even arduous to say if I was walking forward, backward, or sideward.

"Hello? Is someone else in here?" I tried to call out, hoping someone would respond.

Although all I could hear was my voice, bouncing back into my ice-cold ears. Until I heard a soft, familiar voice.

"Francis."

"Who is there? Who are you?"

"Idiot, it is me."

Just then, a warm hand touched my shoulder. The dark void vanished and immediately turned into light. That was when I saw a woman gorgeously dressed in white.

"M-Minerva?" She smiled at me. I did not blanch because I knew it was the real her.

"Good thing you still remember me," She stretched out her arms in the air. "You were walking in the dark. You were alone in there."

"Am I-I... dead?"

"Come on, Francis! Do not stutter, you look like an idiot!" She burst into laughter and it was one of the best voices I have ever heard in my life.

I have missed her. I have missed her so much.

Without wasting any moment to pass, I locked her in my arms. She was so warm and I could stay in that position forever. I did not want to let her go. I just wanted to be with her.

"I see, she must be really bad to all of you." She pulled away and our fingers interlocked.

"Minerva, I do not understand what is happening. Everything is weird and our friends are dying one by one."

"I know and I rue for closing my eyes when I read that book. I never should have let myself get controlled by her."

"What do you mean?" I tilted her chin up to meet her eyes.

"When I read the book, I slowly felt like my mind was floating elsewhere. So, I closed my eyes because I thought I was being eccentric anew. But I was not," She continued. "That demon forbade me into coming back in my own body and to take control. She trapped me inside a dark void you were just in and I almost went crazy thinking of how to get out of there."

I blinked manifold times, trying to digest everything she has told me.

"Francis, listen," She cupped my face with her hands. "Do not let yourself get drowned inside that void again. I may not be able to pull you back up if you do. The first fall is not that bad, but the second is so much worst."

"Who is this demon and what is this void you are talking about, Min?"

"The demon I am talking about is Midas, Francis. Midas Turneo," She flashed her wistful eyes to me. "She is planning to trap anyone else who tries to stop her from using my body in that infinite void. If you get trapped in there twice, you will be trapped forever."

"Midas is controlling over your body?" My eyes widened in surprise. "I knew it! I have seen her ghost when I was talking to you─or should I say, to your possessed body."

I held her soft, warm hands that were still cupping my face.

"Is there any way to stop Midas and bring you back?"

"I am not certain if I can still go back but," She pulled her hands away from my face, though, she was still holding it. "The only way to stop Midas is to burn that red-leather book with her. The crimes she has committed are all written in there. It is her confession book."

She smiled at me feebly.

"I was fooled when I saw that book with my name on the cover as the author. Indeed, it was my handwriting. However, she was using some kind of a spell to imitate it and made me believe I was the one responsible for the killing." She took a deep breath. "She conned me into believing that the book belongs to me. She is a demon, after all."

I felt so sad just by looking at her. She is trapped here and alone. I did not know how much she has gone through and I blame myself.

"Do not blame yourself, Francis," I came back to my senses. "I know what happened in the past. About Midas and... between you and my sister."

So, she knew.

I was speechless. She chuckled, but I know it was a chuckle of agony.

"For two years, you came back to the same school year as mine. For two years, you never came back to school and just came back now just as I was studying at Magsville," She paused for a moment. "I am surprised you became close friends with Lia and the others."

She was smiling but I know she was in pain deep inside. Her face may be jolly, but her eyes are transparent, and it is telling me that she is dying inside.

"Min, please, tell me what you feel right now."

She looked into my eyes and I was mesmerized by it.

"I love you, Francis. I am in love with you and every time those brown eyes look into mine, I always come into a realization how my sister loved you so much." I was frozen because of what she said.

She stepped a little away from me.

"Frankly, I had amnesia when I was a kid. I ran away when I heard that my beloved sister died in a gunshot. I was in great despair and my vision was so blurry of tears that I did not realize an incoming car with so much speed in my direction. When I crossed the road, it hit me. The impact was immense that I bumped my head so hard on the ground."

She looked at her hands and played with it like a little child. She was cute in that state, looking so pure.

"It was so painful, both in my mind and in my heart. My sister was the only family I had since our parents died in a plane crash. That is why when I heard that she left me, too, I was so despondent that I just wanted to kill myself," She showed me her wrists and acted like she was cutting it with a blade. "The one who drove that car who hit me was Sophia Yoshida, the mother that you knew and I grew up with. Now that I remember everything, that painful memory just haunted me again."

"Minerva, I will make things right. I swear to you," I walked closer to her again. There were probably only half a meter away from us. "I will never repeat the same mistake I did ever again."

I hugged her tightly once more. I felt a warm liquid on my shoulder—she was crying, but she tried not to utter a yelp.

"I am so sorry, Minerva. I am so, so, so, sorry. I know my apology will not change anything but I regret it in every single breath I take. That is why this time, I will repent for everything that I have done."

"I know, Francis. I know. Your words are genuine and I am so happy that you are telling me this. But," We were still hugging so I felt her wiping her tears. "Just tell me one more truth."

I pulled away.

"What is it?"

"Do you... still love Shinerva?" I never expected her question. It was so out of the blue and it made my heart pound so fast. "I remember reading my sister's letters while she was away about how much you mean to him. She may not say it directly, but I know she loves you very much, Francis."

She clasped her hands like she was praying.

"I was so happy for her. However, I never thought I would fall in love with the man she truly loved. I tried to extinguish my feelings for you, but it refuses to go away." Even if she will not look at me, her tears were visible. "I can not love you, Francis. I can not steal away my sister's happiness."

"Minerva, listen. About Shinerva and I, two years have passed. She may still be in my heart even if she is gone, but I—"

"Shinerva is alive. She is not dead."

Those statements stuck in my head like it was on repeat that will never be undone. It echoed, and echoed, and echoed like a voice that I can never remove from my head.

"Francis," Once again, she cupped my face using her hands. "Time is up. You have to go. Please, Francis, when this all stops, be with the person you love. Also, if I die—"

"Do not say things like that, Minerva! I will save you, okay?! I will not leave you here!" I held her hands, but it was strange because I could not feel anything anymore.

Then something was pulling me away from her. I screamed for her name but the more I do, the more I became further away from her.

I did not want to leave her. Never.

"Francis, remember this, once you successfully destroy the book, free your ghost from the past, and take care of my sister."

I was still struggling even if I knew it was impossible. The last thing I saw was a tear seeping down from Minerva's left eye and her smile that symbolized both happiness and pain.

"I love you, Francis. I will always do."

*****

I slowly opened my eyes as I realized a familiar scent coming into my nose. Coffee. The smell of it triggered my senses, enabling me to adjust immediately to the situation.

"Good thing you are awake. You have been asleep for two whole days." I looked at the girl sitting at my side.

"Lia, you are fine."

"Of course, I am, you idiot."

I was lying down on the bed. I gradually tried to sit up. Lia was about to come to my aid, but I was able to handle my own before she could help.

"Did you brew that coffee?" I pointed at the coffee on the bedside table.

We were in a different room. I do not know where we are but I am sure we are still at Davengull since I can hear the sound of the waves and the people at the beach from outside.

"No, she—Oh, I almost forgot! She wanted to talk to you."

"She? Who?"

She probably never heard me asking because she just went out of the door. Technically, I do not feel anything weird nor suspicious. Likely, it is because the conversation the real Minerva and I just had.

I swear I will get her out of that place and save her. I will make sure that we will be together again.

I looked outside the opening window. A bird landed on the window sill. It was a lovely and wonderful bird. It looked at me and started chirping. I smiled.

In was not for long for the bird flew away when the door swung open.

"Lia, I think you scared the b—" I could not finish what I was about to say when I saw the person who just came in.

I even pinched myself in secret just to see if I was not dreaming. She was real, very real.

"I see that you have awakened. I am assuming you are done talking with my cute little sister Minerva," She smiled at me and that smile was the very reason why I fell in love with her. "Hello, Francis. It is been a long time."