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"YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU wanted to be a painter. Is there a reason behind that?" Teo asks while the two of us are cuddled up on the couch, staring out of the starry sky just outside the window of our inn. 

     Teo and I never talked about our conversation at the park. He didn't question my reason and my decision to return to Claudio either, which was something that relieved and pained me at the same time. I wanted to tell him everything, but we both knew that for now, we only needed silence, silence that spoke more words compared to when we spoke.

     "When I was a kid, I was in love with the idea of colors. I lived in a world of black and white, and colors were the only thing that reminded me of the beauty the world holds. They were all different, almost like people. Some were wild, some were calm, and some were strong," I reply, pressing my back further into Teo as he tightly hugs my waist.

     "What's your favorite color then?" He then asked.

     I continued to stare out of the window and told him, "I'm starting to like the color yellow."

     "Starting? Then you had a color you liked before that?"

     A small smile appeared on my face as I answered, "Crimson."

     "Crimson?"

     "Yes."

     "What a strong color to like," Teo says before giving me a soft kiss on the back of my head. "I hope you can become a painter one day and create a masterpiece that's filled with different colors. And maybe one day, I'll be able to see your works with my own eyes."

     "You want to see them now?" I ask him, making Teo look at me with furrowed brows. "Shall I draw for you?" I ask further.

     "If you wish to, then I'd be delighted," he says, and so I removed his hands from me and stood from the couch.

     "Do you have any kind of pen and paper?"

     "I don't have paint with me, but I have a couple of pens from our meeting earlier," Teo answers, rushing to his suitcase to pull out a black and red pen, as well as a piece of paper that had writings on them. Teo handed the materials to me, and then I turned the couch to face the bed.

     "You can take a seat on the bed and make a pose," I tell him, and Teo excitedly smiles and does what he is told.

     "Will I be posing the entire time?"

     "No, just make a pose for a minute or two, and then I'll remember," I reveal to him, and Teo couldn't help but be impressed.

     I stared at the black and red pen before tearing the writing from the paper so I could have a clean surface to draw with. I looked back at Teo, and I could tell that he was a bit embarrassed to make a pose because his body looked unnatural.

     "Amore, tilt your head down a little and then look straight back at me," I instructed, and Teo did just that. As soon as he did his pose, the hair on my skin immediately stood as soon as I saw his intense stare. He looked at me like he had no fear. Almost as if he was ready to take me on with no ounce of hesitation.

     "Please stay put for at least a minute," I say, staring at him while my hand starts making lines on the paper with the red pen. It took a while, but when I finished my first sketch, I asked Teo to relax as I spent the rest of the time drawing him.

     Teo insisted on watching me draw, but I never really liked the idea of anyone looking at my work while it was in progress, so Teo nodded his head in understanding and grabbed a book from his back so he could start reading instead.

     The room was silent, but we could constantly hear distant noises from outside our window, which was relaxing in itself. I paused for a while to take a deep breath and continued drawing Teo as accurately as I could. I reminded myself of his image, his scent, and his touch. When the image became clearer and clearer, I ended up finishing the piece without saying a single thing.

     It took forever, but as soon as the image was finished, I took a deep breath and touched the paper.

     "I'm done," I announce. "Come here and judge it for me."

     Teo yawns and puts his book down before walking towards me.

     "Are you tired?" I then ask, and Teo smiles and nods his head before taking a seat beside me. I showed him the picture, and Teo and I stared at the picture together in complete silence. I thought maybe Teo wouldn't like it, but when I looked back at him, Teo had the sweetest smile on his face.

     "Did I always look this handsome in your eyes?" He asks me.

     "Believe me, my hands couldn't even draw 50 percent of you," I say, and Teo leans close and gives me a kiss on the lips.

     "It's amazing. Thank you."

     "You're welcome."

     "May I keep it?"

     "Hold it dear for me."

     Teo kissed me again, and the two of us went to bed so we could finally rest. While lying in bed, Teo continued to stare at the image that I made for him while I, on the other hand, stared at the subject whose beauty I couldn't seem to fully draw.

...

"He is a demon child, and he must be killed!" I could hear a voice say, immediately making me run behind a colossal statue to hide myself. I looked around the area and realized that I was in a large mansion wearing a suit that had dirt on its sleeves. My heart was pounding, and my hands were shaking as I continued to hide behind the statue.

     "It's okay. We'll be okay Mathilda. We just have to stay quiet," I whisper, closing my eyes as I touch my rapidly beating chest.

     Everything was silent for a while, and all I could hear were footsteps getting closer. I try my best not to make a single sound, but then a strong hand suddenly grabs my arm and pulls me towards them.

    I was about to scream, but then a familiar woman appeared in front of me and kneeled down so she could level me. She then covers my mouth with her hand and whispers to me, "Do not make a sound. You will be coming with me. Do you understand?"

    The woman lets go of my mouth and stare at me with watery eyes. "Your name is Bishop," she says, making me furrow my brows in confusion.

     "N-No, I am Winter. My name is—"

     "Listen to me child," she says with a much more serious tone, grabbing both my arms and holding onto them tight, making me realize that her hands were trembling too. "Bishop. Your name is Bishop. Bishop Lancaster. Remember this, do you understand?"

     "I...I understand."

     "Now what is your name?"

     "B-Bishop..."

     "Your name?"

     "Bishop?"

     I gasp for air and open my eyes, Teo directly staring at me while his hand holds onto my arms. "Bishop, are you okay?"

    I swallow the lump in my throat and look around the area. When I realized that we were on the train, I touched my chest and took a deep breath of relief. "I'm fine," I answer, and Teo nods his hand and stands from his seat.

     "Well, we're back. Let's go?"

     My heart continues to beat fast at the unpleasant dream. I look out of the window to calm my nerves. When I saw the unfamiliar people walking at the station, I took another deep breath and finally stood up, grabbing Teo's hand and squeezing it tight.

     "Let's go."

     We got off the train at Sorrento, and then Teo's friend picked us up and drove us back to Capo di Monte. The entire time, both of us were silent. We didn't say a thing, but our hands were intertwined with each other the whole time as if both of us didn't want to let go of the other.

     The drive back was as difficult as when momma brought us to the manor. Like before, I was filled with fear and anxiety. But now, I was also filled with sadness. This could be the last time I could see Mateo, and I could feel that Teo felt the same.

     When we arrived at Claudio's mansion, Teo walked me to the door and handed me my suitcase. The two of us still did not speak a thing, and Teo just stared at me with a small smile on his face. He didn't say his goodbyes to me and just kept nodding his head. But when he turned away from me so he could finally leave, I quickly grabbed the hem of his coat and stopped him. Teo stood still, but as soon as he turned around, he grabbed me with no hesitation and gave me the tightest embrace.

    "Amore Mio..."

    "I will wait for you at the place we promised. As long as it takes, I will wait for you there," he whispers.

     As he pulls away, I see the tears pouring out of his eyes. I force myself to smile for him as I reach out to wipe the tears from his cheeks with my trembling fingers. "It's alright," I lie. "We will be alright."

     Teo continued to hug me for one last time, but soon enough, I had to push him away.

     My desire for a normal life has now come to an end. I have returned, just like master Claudio has predicted. And like a tree in autumn, I watch Mateo Ricci walk away from me, letting the man I have given my all walk away from me like a tree that could only watch all his leaves fall.

     Teo walks inside the car and looks at me through the window. He didn't wave his hand goodbye as the car drove off, but I kept smiling so he didn't have to worry. But as soon as he was gone from my view, the tears I have kept finally streamed down from my eyes.

    I bite my lip so I can keep myself from making a sound. I cover my eyes with my arms and continue crying, reminding myself of how beautiful Sta. Rosalia was because he was by my side. I continued crying because I knew deep down that I could never return to it again, and all that will forever be just another distant memory.

     "Bishop," a soft voice suddenly calls out.

     I swallow the lump in my throat and slowly put my hands down. I didn't know who it would be, but to my surprise, the man standing in front of me was Lino.

     The two of us stare at each other for a while, but then he grabs me and gives me a tight embrace. As soon as he wrapped his arms around me, I finally started sobbing, letting out the sound that I had kept shot as Lino continued to give me his tight embrace.

     "You did the right thing," Lino tells me. "Cry, and let it all out. When we return, do not give him the pleasure of seeing you in such a state. When everything has been concluded, we will all walk away and never look back. Just a little bit more, Bishop. Endure it, just a little bit more."

...

I took a deep breath and looked down at my lap where my diary sat. I was supposed to check what was written on the torn page last time, but I didn't have the chance to because of what happened to Pacific. Thankfully I was dropped off at the mansion, so I was able to get it back. Lino also gave me my butler uniform and mask and told me to wear them before we headed back, so I did.

     "We're here," Lino announces as he glances at me from the rearview mirror.

     I turned my head and looked out of the car window, watching the manor that got bigger as we approached it. Without saying a word, I took another deep breath and clenched the diary that I was holding.

     Lino parks the car at the front. I opened the door and stepped out, staring at the old building in front of me with a blank expression. It had only been a day, but the manor felt so unfamiliar now that I felt like I was gone for years.

    "Is the master in?" I ask.

    "No. He left last night and has not returned yet," Lino answers as he takes my suitcase from the trunk. "The manor has been still since you left."

    "Then Wednesday and the others, where are they?" I continue to ask.

    "They're in the same spot as you left them," Lino says, handing me my suitcase.

    I thank Lino and walk inside the manor. Like what Lino explained, nothing drastic has changed, which is a surprise because I thought Claudio would have done something crazy again like kill everyone. But the idea that nothing happened is what scares me more.

    "I'll head to my room first," I tell Lino. "I want to rest, so I'll just see you at dinner."

     Lino stares at me and doesn't say a word. The two of us just looked at each other, but for some reason, it felt like we both knew that something was wrong, or rather, my return would trigger something that none of us would have expected.

     Without waiting for his reply, I went upstairs and went straight to my bedroom, greeting the nurses with a gas mask like normal. This time, I was expecting something weird to have happened in my room, but when I got inside, there was still nothing. It was the same room.

    "What is going on? I was a hundred percent sure Claudio was up to something when he agreed to let me go on that trip with Teo," I say to myself as I throw the suitcase on the bed. I guess there's no point acting paranoid. This is probably what Claudio wants.

    It would be better if I worked on the diary entry instead. I couldn't find the charcoal I bought back at the mansion, so I walked to my desk and tried looking for a pencil or pen as an alternative, but there wasn't anything. It looks like someone cleaned my room and arranged my things.

     "Guess I'll have to head to the art studio upstairs," I say as I head out of the bedroom, holding onto the diary.

    When I got to the empty studio, I hurriedly went to the desk that was filled with pencils. I quickly placed the diary down and opened the page that came after the torn entry. Before shading the paper, I took a deep breath and readied myself.

     "This could be just one of my alters playing around, or it's really something important, but one thing's for sure, I have to see what it is."

    I finally start shading the page, and the writing imprint automatically starts to be visible. As I shade the page, I begin reading the words as carefully as I can...

09/24/1952

Bishop...

I don't think I have the strength to come out for a while, so make sure to take care of yourself and everyone else. The police officer is also okay. And the doctor...

He is not evil, and you may actually be able to trust him, but you should still be cautious. This is just something I have observed, so you should still make your own judgment.

"Who wrote this?" I ask as I stare at the letter. "This was the time I went to the hospital with master Claudio. So I really did switch with someone back then."

I continue to shade the page with the pencil, sweat trailing down my forehead as my breathing starts to become heavy. I was eager to know what the rest of the letter said, but as soon as I saw the entire entry, the pencil in my hand dropped.

There's also something else that you have to know. "Tomorrow" came out. It's been a while since he came out, so I had to drain myself just to push him back in. You have to be careful and make sure to hold your ground, especially since Winter's trying to take control again. You don't want the past to repeat itself, Bishop.

You know how much damage Winter has done when he locked us all in.

That is all.

- Alice

     My heart races as I stare at the words on the page with a horrid expression on my face. I tried to calm myself down, but I couldn't. 

     Tomorrow. The letter mentioned the name Tomorrow.

     How long has it been? How long have I last heard of him?

     For months, I have pretended that I knew nothing about him. I acted like I didn't know he existed. When I saw his name in the folder that master Claudio gave us, a folder that contained the criminals, I instantly knew why I was brought to this mansion, but I said nothing. 

     This was the reason why Claudio was certain that I would return. This was the reason why he knew that whatever he did to me, and whatever he told me to do, I would follow him because of the sins Tomorrow had committed. All this time, I knew that I was a patient in this manor, but I didn't say a thing.

     "After everything I've done to keep you locked up, why are you starting to come out now?" I ask myself as I immediately close the diary.

    My head starts to ache, and everything practically starts spinning, but I try my best to keep it together. I have to stay focused and alert, especially now that Tomorrow is trying to come out again. Tomorrow is our weakest alter. This is the reason why he's part of Claudio's suicidal watch list.

     Why didn't I know all this? Why didn't I know that this was happening?

     "I have to warn Lino and the others. I have to tell them to lock me up in case Krimson ends up revealing himself. If Tomorrow comes out, Krimson will—" I instantly stopped myself when I saw the large painting on the side of the room that was covered in a white sheet. This was the painting that I saw last time when I first visited this art studio.

     "Addie didn't want me to see what it was, but what could be behind this picture?"

     I walked towards the painting and took a deep breath. And then, in the moment of silence, I grab the cloth and pull it off. As soon as the fabric was off, my mouth instantly widened in shock, and I took a step back from the canvas.

     It was a painting of Capo di Monte being engulfed by green flames.

     "The three patients, Tomorrow, Messiah, and Doll Face...I was confused about who Doll Face was. I always thought it would be Adeline, and for a while, I was certain that it was her, but now—"

     "Do you like it?" A chilling and unfamiliar voice suddenly asks, making my entire body stop moving.

     "It took me a while to paint that," the voice continues to say. "But the manor gave me a perfect view of the town. It gave me the perfect image of everyone dying when the final plague would be released."

     I gulped as I heard the footsteps getting closer. But when the entire room became silent, I slowly turned around to see who was standing behind me.

     "Welcome back, Bishop. I missed you so much," she says with a baby tone voice, showing me her innocent face before returning back to her cold and lifeless expression.

     "Adeline."

to be continued...