Blinking, both of Mizuki and Rikuo tried to register what just happen to them. The scene where Mizuki attacked Rikuo still confusing to them but now, Kaizora tried to confuse them more with the new and unknown person who just appear in front of them, saving Rikuo from the powerful magic. While that, Kaizora removed his hands from the so-called third member’s shoulder and about to leave them be once more to do his works since for him... his work here is done.

However, the third member noticed the confuse looks on his new teammates, so he quickly grabbed Kaizora’s hand. “NiiChan… They are still confused.” He speaks up calmly.

“NiiChan?” Rikuo and Mizuki uttered in the same time. Is this person… Kaizora’s little brother that he always talked about?

Looking at his juniors and the new team member, Kaizora looked at his watch before sighing and sat down on the grass. “Alright, Q and A time. If there’s a question both of you wanted to ask me, I’ll do my best to answer what I know. But let’s do this quickly… I have an appointment to attend to.” He said and looked at both Rikuo and Mizuki, ready to answer any question given to him.

“Why do you always have business to attend?” Rikuo asked first because though it’s out of the real topic, he really wanted to know. Kaizora always give the same excused as less spends with the team. What kind of business is he attending to? While that, Mizuki looked at her advisor and nodded. She actually have an important question to ask but she shouldn’t ask in front of Rikuo because… the question is why and what is actually inside her body and just took over, attacking Rikuo. That is what she really wants to ask.

Kaizora scratched his head and answered. “Someone in my home… he doesn’t have good health and has a weak body… always getting sick… I really worried about him and he is kinda clingy to me. Last time, he had a fever, and then he ran away from home, looking for me. So… to avoid it, I always have to be at home. That’s the reason.” Kaizora answered without giving any details of ‘who’ is that person is. Mizuki was about to ask about that person but he quickly continue his speaking, “I also have to take care of this person. He’s still healing. That’s why he gets bandaged up all over him.” He said as he placed his hand on top of the new member’s sienna hair, ruffling his hair lightly so that the bandages at his head stay still on him.

“Oh, yeah senpai. How can… umm… ” Mizuki lost her words as she began to wonder… who is this person’s name again?

“Sorata.” The new member said after staying quiet for a long time. “Just Sorata.”

“Just Sorata? Is that your name? Just Sorata?” Mizuki asked confusedly.

Kaizora chuckled. “Only Sorata. He doesn’t have a family name.” he explained.

“Oh…” sounded Mizuki. It’s not a rare thing for a person to not have a family name. There’s only a few reason because of it. First, he doesn’t know who his parents are. Second, he doesn’t want to use it. And third, he wanted to make his family name as a secret. That’s the most reasons if you saw someone without a family name in this ArCiel. “Anyway~” Mizuki finally returned to her cheerful self. “My name is Nanajima Mizuki.” She introduced herself as she placed her hand on her chest before lend Sorata to Rikuo. “This guy is Tamotsu Rikuo. He may look like a problematic student but he is an ace and very kind. So, don’t worry much about him!”

“Hey.” Warned Rikuo. “Do I really look like a troublesome student?”

Mizuki nodded without hesitations. “Yes, especially because you wear those earrings.”

Rikuo blinked and touched his ears, feeling kind of weird but Sorata suddenly speak up, making he snapped from anxiety. “Nevertheless… I think… you looked… like… a… cool person with it...” he said nervously like he never gets used speaking with other peoples.

Hearing what Sorata said successfully made Kaizora chuckled but nobody asked why he chuckled like that. “So, what’s the question that you want me to answer just now, MizuChan?”

“Ah.” Mizuki raised her hand. “How can Sorata join in our team? A few months ago, in the exam, we are not enough defender, right? So, how can Sorata be here?” he asked.

Suddenly, Kaizora smiled; the same mysterious smile that Rikuo saw last spring. “Yes, we don’t get enough defender that passed the exam but this guy here. He was able passes the exam but he collapsed when the exam was on going. The shadows took for granted and managed to beat him up but luckily, I saved him. Then, we postpone his exam. He could take it again if he wanted to and when his wounds are healed.” Kaizora explained as he laughed and giving the mystery smile again. He peeked to see Mizuki’s expression and it seems she believe all the things he said while Rikuo is neutral; unknown whether he believed or not. “So, after he healed… not completely heal, he took the exam and passed it with flying colours. It’s it great? Now your team has completed and all of you can advance to your next task as a real and ‘Licenced’ Returner.” Kaizora said happily with sparkling smiles and clapped his hands lightly.

Mizuki giggled lightly when saw her senpai’s childish behaviour as now she began to understand the reasons for Sorata’s appearance. Now and finally, they can join the other team to advance and learn more about things being a Returner. While that, Rikuo grinned. He stood up with the same smile and places his shoulder around Sorata who just blinked seeing the very suspicious action from Rikuo. Then, Rikuo whispered something at his ear which made Sorata blinked, sighed and return to his emotionless expression.

“As expected like what NiiChan said.” Sorata said as he removed Rikuo’s hand from his shoulder and intend to tell him something with a hidden smile before Kaizora suddenly jumped in between them, stopping Sorata’s speaking.

“You two looked like having fun with the ‘guy’s talk’. Mind if I join in?” Kaizora said happily before realizing something. “Ah, I forgot… I’ve got a sick person at home.”

“Him, right?” Sorata uttered quietly like a whisper but he has no intentions on hiding from Rikuo.

The advisor of the team nodded and waves at them. “See both of you later. Don’t forget to tell me what you guys talked about~” he smiled and just stared at Sorata who is dragged by Rikuo to answer something he just asked.

When both of them have disappeared from Kaizora’s sight, he slowly turns around, facing Mizuki alone. Finally, Mizuki can ask what had happened to her that made her attacked Rikuo before. “Senpai… ” Mizuki called him slowly as she feeling very worried on what may be the reason for her previous behaviour.

“You will learn soon enough, Mizuki.” Kaizora said with serious tone without the smile and sweet talk like he used to. “Your new team member has it too but… ” Kaizora stopped talking awhile before continuing, “Your Nightmare is more dangerous and able to kill many dreamers without hesitations if you do not face your Nightmare or more clearly… your regretted past.”

The female student looked down, feeling depressed after hearing what her advisor just said. She really should do something about the ‘thing’ inside her… The ‘Nightmare’ inside a dreamer…

“Don’t worry. You have plenty of time to make your actions because I don’t think ‘she’ would go berserk like that again in near future. However, be aware that if you let your negative emotions takes over your mind, letting in the darkness… ‘She’ will definitely take that opportunity to completely take over your body and mind.” Warned Kaizora before facing backwards to leave Mizuki alone, thinking what she should do next. “Sorry that only you can face your own Nightmare, Nanajima Mizuki.” He whispered as he slowly disappeared from Mizuki’s sight.

After a few minutes of silent, Mizuki falls down on her knee and tried her best to hold her tears. The thing that she feared the most can happen anytime if her heart is weak. So, she shouldn’t feeling depressed like this. She shouldn’t be crying but she just couldn’t help to shed a little tears. Small images where her beloved person in the past died because of her appeared in her mind. Will it happen again?

“NeeChan, don’t worry. NeeChan has friends. So, neeChan shouldn’t be worrying. NeeChan’s friends can help NeeChan.” The sentences suddenly triggered in her mind. She stumbled back and looked at the sky, hearing the same sentences again and again. ‘My friends can help me?’ she asked herself with her blue eyes still set on the sky which she saw dark clouds in coming, meaning soon, there will be a rain or even worst, thunderstorms coming this way.

“I can’t do that… They will be involved too… ” she mumbled and finished her discussion with herself. In the end, nothing has change. She will keep on continuing her problems with herself with making anyone help her to lift a burden of a murderer.

-----***-----

In the same time, a small orange-brown child looked at the sky though a window next to her bed. She is wearing her pyjamas and still inside her bed because of her fever. Her food already empty but her medicine just left on the table, not wanting to drink the weird taste of medicine though, it’s liquid because soon, someone will came to meet her. She just wanted to play with the person before off into dream land.

Then, while she is staring at the sky, she saw someone and couldn’t help to waves at that person lightly. “NIICHAN!” she called the person’s name.

“Ah, AkiChan~” Kaizora smiled at the small child who resembled as him when he was small. Aki is his little brother after all.

“Where’s Ra-ra?” he asked as he looked around his big brother.

Kaizora only laughed to hear the nickname Aki gave to Sorata. Aki just bad in memorizing names, that’s why it’s easier to call the nickname, also, surprisingly, when Sorata stayed at his home… Sorata accidentally used on calling Kaizora ‘NiiChan’ thanks to Aki but he didn’t mind getting another little brother though Sorata is not related by blood. He just found him, that’s all. “Sorata is hanging with his new friends. He will return later, so don’t worry, AkiChan~” he replied Aki’s question before his name is called by their foster mother. He quickly walks inside the house before climbing the stairs to Aki, Sorata and his room.

When his older brother disappeared from the street, Aki return his gaze at the sky and mumbling something before turning to the door to see Kaizora, jumping off the bed and raised his hands up so that Kaizora would lift him off the floor.

“NeeChan… It’s a bad idea to not trusting NeeChan’s friend with NeeChan’s past…” Are the words that Aki said when he was gazing at the sky.

Dream V Awaken.