Sera looked at Ethan whose eyes were on her the whole time she was being escorted by her brother, Lu Jinan.
Shooting an apologetic smile to the man Sera followed Jinan as he dragged her away from Ethan.
Sera deduced one thing after this little fiasco her brother, Jinan was clearly displeased at her and Ethan too.
"Is he the one?", Jinan didn't dilly-dally, his direct question perplexed Sera.
Sera's eyes widened as she understood the meaning behind Jinan's words, internally smacking her head she turned her focus back to the aggravated brother of hers.
"No!", she almost screamed her answer.
Jinan's countenance returned to normal at her words, a pleasant smile on his lips thinking about Sera's disapproving tone.
"Good! I just hate that man, better stay away from him!", Jinan was almost gloating although his voice had a note of warning that made Sera gulp as she blinked at him.
"I'll go say hi to mom!", shooting a dashing smile Jinan spat the words as he ruffled her tiny head and then walked away.
Sera stood stupefied at his sudden change in attitude, she stood staring at her brother's receding back.
"Anything wrong?", Ethan's distressed voice brought Sera back to earth, as she snapped out of her daze shaking her head mechanically.
"Hmm.. Then?", Ethan extended his palm in front of Sera, she glanced askew at him and he simply jutted his chin pointing at his hand.
Hesitant, Sera slowly grazed her hand in his palm, a surge of electricity ran through Ethan.
"Oh dear god!", Ethan muttered under his breathe feeling indescribable giddiness.
Gulping his spit Ethan held her hand and strolled back towards the balcony, the cool breeze carrying the waft of frest flowers caressing their faces.
Ethan's heart jolted in excitement at the subtle touch as blood rushed to his ears tinting them pink.
As the wind blew Sera's wispy, unruly strands of hair created a flimsy veil between Ethan and Sera.
Sera was trying to push back the hair from her eyes when a large hand beat her to it making her body jerk in surprise.
Sera stood rooted at the spot, shocked by the sudden intrusion she couldn't open her mouth to speak.
Taking his good time Ethan moved the hair away from Sera's face, with each stroke his fingers coming in contact with her supple skin making his heart jolt.
Time was frozen for Ethan, everything around him was in slow motion and he could feel the violins in the background.
"Et.. Ethan?", Sera's shaky voice broke the man's reverie and he smiled wryly at her.
"If you don't mind.. Can I ask you something?", Sera asked him with a little reluctance in her voice.
"Sure!", Ethan replied in a heartbeat to which Sera's eyes turned expectant.
"I heard through the grapevine that.. that there is a room at Lucifer's parent's house..", Ethan looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"That.. It's full of paintings.. of ROSE!", Ethan's hand holding Sera stiffened at her words, his eyes turned cloudy and lost.
- - - - -
Nearly 12 years ago
"Brother, Ethan.. look!", an excited Mia Chung ran to the two boys holding Qin Ying's and Nathan Lee's hand.
"My first painting... Uncle Nathan helped me, it's so beautiful!", her dreamy eyes made the adults smile.
"Mia.. You merely went to accompany Uncle Nathan to the art show. Why did you buy an expensive painting?", Lucifer asked with a stern voice.
"Ethan..", Mia Chung hid behind Ethan's back, her protective shield and called out in an aggrieved manner.
"Lucifer, think of it as an early birthday gift!", Ethan tried to alleviate his friend's anger.
"Don't spoil her!", Lucifer spat angrily before storming out of the room.
"Ethan, let me show you the painting.. it's by a new artist called ROSE! And guess what..? I, Mia Chung bought the artist ROSE's first ever painting.."
Mia Chung dragged Ethan Lu as she rattled on about the painting.
The thirteen year old boy followed after the twelve year old chirpy girl who was swiftly dragging him enthusiastically to show her first art possession.
"Ethan, I'll buy all the paintings of this artist in the future! You should help me okay?", Mia's words were sweet like honey and music to the young Ethan.
"Promise?", Mia Chung looked at Ethan Lu who was not saying anything, With stars in her eyes she pointed her little finger to him.
"Promise!!", Ethan linked his little finger with Mia's as she giggled in happiness.
"Pinky promise..", Ethan's ears were ringing with Mia's words, a faint pain arising in his chest.
- - - - -
"Ethan.. Ethan? Ethan!", Sera called out the man who was in a daze, she could sense something amiss but had no idea what it was.
Ethan was looking hazily at Sera, he saw a frail looking Mia Chung and then the two figures overlapped making Ethan widen his eyes as an intense feeling of fear overwhelmed him.
*ring* *ring*
Ethan jolted awake, he shuddered when his ringtone went off, he stared at the screen of the phone in his hand that was brightly lit.
Absentmindedly the man picked the phone and answered the call, he didn't even say a word of greeting when the other party spoke in a grave tone.
About two seconds into the conversation Sera's hand that was held by him abruptly slid down, she looked at the man in surprise.
"What? Which hospital?!", Ethan's eyes were bloodshot, his croaking voice had a hint of horror and pain.
Sera who was standing beside him had a bad premonition and instinctively clutched the pendant tightly with two hands as she looked at the pale faced Ethan.
"Ethan? What happened?..", Sera shook the man hard, with all her might she shook his shoulders and shouted his name.
"Lu.. Lucifer.. He..", Ethan didn't complete his sentence, halfway through he realized the gravity of the situation.
Sera's heart jolted when she heard Lucifer's name, staring at the worked up and jittery Ethan she stood glued to the ground as her knees gave out.
After getting his act together Ethan stormed out of the place, his legs went weak however he pushed himself and ran out of the house with long strides.
Tumbling and falling on the way Ethan went straight towards the car park.
"Lucifer..", Sera's ears were drumming with Ethan's shaky words, her face as white as a sheet.
Aghast, Sera ran after Ethan like her life depended on it. The man himself was in a trance, he was having it difficult as he sat inside the car.
Sera hurriedly opened the car door and sat beside him, her hand still holding onto the crystal pendant like it was her life.
Ethan was shivering, he looked forlorn. Within seconds his appearance turned haggard and he looked tired and exhausted with an extremely pale face.
Not a word was uttered, there was complete silence in the car. Ethan hadn't spoken a word after the phonecall, his eyes were closed shut.
Hoping against hope Sera prayed for Lucifer's health and wellbeing as she sat looking out of the moving car with an uneasy heart.
"Lucifer.. please, please be fine!", Sera's eyes were red, tears threatening to fall from her large doe-like eyes.. Biting her lips Sera held back the urge to cry.
Sera looked at Ethan whose eyes were on her the whole time she was being escorted by her brother, Lu Jinan.
Shooting an apologetic smile to the man Sera followed Jinan as he dragged her away from Ethan.
Sera deduced one thing after this little fiasco her brother, Jinan was clearly displeased at her and Ethan too.
"Is he the one?", Jinan didn't dilly-dally, his direct question perplexed Sera.
Sera's eyes widened as she understood the meaning behind Jinan's words, internally smacking her head she turned her focus back to the aggravated brother of hers.
"No!", she almost screamed her answer.
Jinan's countenance returned to normal at her words, a pleasant smile on his lips thinking about Sera's disapproving tone.
"Good! I just hate that man, better stay away from him!", Jinan was almost gloating although his voice had a note of warning that made Sera gulp as she blinked at him.
"I'll go say hi to mom!", shooting a dashing smile Jinan spat the words as he ruffled her tiny head and then walked away.
Sera stood stupefied at his sudden change in attitude, she stood staring at her brother's receding back.
"Anything wrong?", Ethan's distressed voice brought Sera back to earth, as she snapped out of her daze shaking her head mechanically.
"Hmm.. Then?", Ethan extended his palm in front of Sera, she glanced askew at him and he simply jutted his chin pointing at his hand.
Hesitant, Sera slowly grazed her hand in his palm, a surge of electricity ran through Ethan.
"Oh dear god!", Ethan muttered under his breathe feeling indescribable giddiness.
Gulping his spit Ethan held her hand and strolled back towards the balcony, the cool breeze carrying the waft of frest flowers caressing their faces.
Ethan's heart jolted in excitement at the subtle touch as blood rushed to his ears tinting them pink.
As the wind blew Sera's wispy, unruly strands of hair created a flimsy veil between Ethan and Sera.
Sera was trying to push back the hair from her eyes when a large hand beat her to it making her body jerk in surprise.
Sera stood rooted at the spot, shocked by the sudden intrusion she couldn't open her mouth to speak.
Taking his good time Ethan moved the hair away from Sera's face, with each stroke his fingers coming in contact with her supple skin making his heart jolt.
Time was frozen for Ethan, everything around him was in slow motion and he could feel the violins in the background.
"Et.. Ethan?", Sera's shaky voice broke the man's reverie and he smiled wryly at her.
"If you don't mind.. Can I ask you something?", Sera asked him with a little reluctance in her voice.
"Sure!", Ethan replied in a heartbeat to which Sera's eyes turned expectant.
"I heard through the grapevine that.. that there is a room at Lucifer's parent's house..", Ethan looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"That.. It's full of paintings.. of ROSE!", Ethan's hand holding Sera stiffened at her words, his eyes turned cloudy and lost.
- - - - -
Nearly 12 years ago
"Brother, Ethan.. look!", an excited Mia Chung ran to the two boys holding Qin Ying's and Nathan Lee's hand.
"My first painting... Uncle Nathan helped me, it's so beautiful!", her dreamy eyes made the adults smile.
"Mia.. You merely went to accompany Uncle Nathan to the art show. Why did you buy an expensive painting?", Lucifer asked with a stern voice.
"Ethan..", Mia Chung hid behind Ethan's back, her protective shield and called out in an aggrieved manner.
"Lucifer, think of it as an early birthday gift!", Ethan tried to alleviate his friend's anger.
"Don't spoil her!", Lucifer spat angrily before storming out of the room.
"Ethan, let me show you the painting.. it's by a new artist called ROSE! And guess what..? I, Mia Chung bought the artist ROSE's first ever painting.."
Mia Chung dragged Ethan Lu as she rattled on about the painting.
The thirteen year old boy followed after the twelve year old chirpy girl who was swiftly dragging him enthusiastically to show her first art possession.
"Ethan, I'll buy all the paintings of this artist in the future! You should help me okay?", Mia's words were sweet like honey and music to the young Ethan.
"Promise?", Mia Chung looked at Ethan Lu who was not saying anything, With stars in her eyes she pointed her little finger to him.
"Promise!!", Ethan linked his little finger with Mia's as she giggled in happiness.
"Pinky promise..", Ethan's ears were ringing with Mia's words, a faint pain arising in his chest.
- - - - -
"Ethan.. Ethan? Ethan!", Sera called out the man who was in a daze, she could sense something amiss but had no idea what it was.
Ethan was looking hazily at Sera, he saw a frail looking Mia Chung and then the two figures overlapped making Ethan widen his eyes as an intense feeling of fear overwhelmed him.
*ring* *ring*
Ethan jolted awake, he shuddered when his ringtone went off, he stared at the screen of the phone in his hand that was brightly lit.
Absentmindedly the man picked the phone and answered the call, he didn't even say a word of greeting when the other party spoke in a grave tone.
About two seconds into the conversation Sera's hand that was held by him abruptly slid down, she looked at the man in surprise.
"What? Which hospital?!", Ethan's eyes were bloodshot, his croaking voice had a hint of horror and pain.
Sera who was standing beside him had a bad premonition and instinctively clutched the pendant tightly with two hands as she looked at the pale faced Ethan.
"Ethan? What happened?..", Sera shook the man hard, with all her might she shook his shoulders and shouted his name.
"Lu.. Lucifer.. He..", Ethan didn't complete his sentence, halfway through he realized the gravity of the situation.
Sera's heart jolted when she heard Lucifer's name, staring at the worked up and jittery Ethan she stood glued to the ground as her knees gave out.
After getting his act together Ethan stormed out of the place, his legs went weak however he pushed himself and ran out of the house with long strides.
Tumbling and falling on the way Ethan went straight towards the car park.
"Lucifer..", Sera's ears were drumming with Ethan's shaky words, her face as white as a sheet.
Aghast, Sera ran after Ethan like her life depended on it. The man himself was in a trance, he was having it difficult as he sat inside the car.
Sera hurriedly opened the car door and sat beside him, her hand still holding onto the crystal pendant like it was her life.
Ethan was shivering, he looked forlorn. Within seconds his appearance turned haggard and he looked tired and exhausted with an extremely pale face.
Not a word was uttered, there was complete silence in the car. Ethan hadn't spoken a word after the phonecall, his eyes were closed shut.
Hoping against hope Sera prayed for Lucifer's health and wellbeing as she sat looking out of the moving car with an uneasy heart.
"Lucifer.. please, please be fine!", Sera's eyes were red, tears threatening to fall from her large doe-like eyes.. Biting her lips Sera held back the urge to cry.
