Mathieu has a conflicted feeling as his eyes trail Sid's back. He remembered her pale face washed with tiredness as her cheeks lost their color. The tiny tint of blush on her cheeks lost its color, and those beautiful freckles that she had became dull. Her glittering mismatched eyes became sunken and somber. The dark spots under her eyes became vivid, making him think that she isn't getting enough sleep. and her body figure became thinner.
She stopped doing things that she used to love, and her eyes don't sparkle anymore when they talk about things that she used to enjoy. It's as if everything turned meaningless. Sid became even more quieter and distant even to Mathieu, her closest friend. It became harder for him to reach her, as Sid preferred to stay alone and shut herself away from everyone.
Mathieu could no longer see the sweet and happy Sid he once knew, as she now became lifeless and apathetic.
The Sid he knew was getting farther away, and Mathieu couldn't shake the thought that the only reason that she was still here was because of a single thread binding her to this reality. A thin thread that could snap at any moment, making her fly towards her fantasy and disappear into oblivion. In one word. . .fleeting. That's what she is.
When did it start? Why didn't he notice this sooner when he was the closest person to her? He should've noticed the grief and pain that were slowly eating her up. And maybe he could've prevented Sid from losing herself.
What should he do to keep her from fading away? He wanted to protect Sid at all costs because she is the most precious person to him. Mathieu knew that Sid had gone through a lot. And he wanted her to be happy and to live her life without any worries at all.
"Sid!" Mathieu called, fearing that she would disappear from her sight.
She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. The wind blows, ruffling her black hair lightly in the air.
The scenery behind her became blurry, making her figure vivid in his silver eyes. Her face under the orange sky illuminated by the setting sun made her look even more beautiful in this melancholic atmosphere.
"Don't leave me behind."
"I'm not. It's your fault for walking too slow."
"No, it's not. It's just you're walking too fast," Mathieu replied as he jogged towards her.
Then Sid suddenly smiled and suddenly ran off.
"Hey, That's cheating!"
A sweet, loud laugh resounded through the air, and Mathieu couldn't help but smile widely. He loved hearing her laughter because it was always full of life.
'Ah, it's been so long since I heard you laugh this genuinely. . .'
Mathieu closed his eyes for a moment. He wanted to treasure and engrave these little moments with her in his memories.
"I'm going to catch you in no time," He confidently said.
"Yeah, catch me if you can, Mathy!"
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Related Chapters
SIDEREAE Chapter 1
It was a gloomy weather, and in the corner of a small town, a funeral was being held with only a tiny number of people who attended the ceremony. Sideraea, had a hard expression on her face, as she watch her father's coffin being buried on the ground. She wasn't able to cry, because her tears had already dried out after crying in grief for a couple of nights. The people began to disperse, after saying their goodbye and condolences to her and Sid, politely thanked them for attending the ceremony. "Sid," Her uncle called as he walked toward her. Her uncle Mario, is the only one who didn't cut ties with her father Elknox Lirrian after he was disowned by his family for marrying Sid's mother Laney. "Uncle. . ." She replied with a forced smile on her face. "Are you sure about your decision to move with your mom?" "You know, I can take you along with me," He asked with a voice full of concern. "Thank you uncle, but my mom already agreed to take me. Besides, I don't want to burden you.
SIDEREAE Chapter 2
"What should I do to become a dreamer?" Oneiroi's lips curved into a loop-sided smile when Sid spoke those words. "It's simple, you just need to form a contract with me. If you do, you can freely travel to different worlds. You can also gain the right to possess artifacts or abilities that'll help you, in your future travels." "Then, what will you get in exchange?" Sid asked with a serious tone coated in her voice. I never tried to form a contract before, but my dad taught me that I need to consider the benefits of signing a contract and to think carefully about the gains and losses that I'll get upon agreeing. "Hoh, this kid is smart. Elknox surely taught her." He thought in amusement, as he looked at her firm gaze despite the nervousness on her pretty face. "Your dreams." "My dreams?" "Yes. I'll get the right to eat all your dreams," Oneiroi opened his right palm and a bright yellowish light appeared with a variety of beautiful pictures in it. "Be it a good dream or a bad d
SIDEREAE Chapter 3
Sid opened her eyes at the sound of the bustling street, in an unfamiliar place. The street is full of busy shops and people walking on the sides and carriages passing by. She can smell the freshly baked pastries coming from the nearby bakery, and the smell of fresh flowers from the stall. She can see the ladies chatting inside a cafe and people coming out from a boutique. This place appears to be something that came out straight from a medieval fantasy novel, which she usually read during her free time. "Milady, are you alright?" A woman's voice suddenly spoke to her. "Huh?" Sid turned her face to her right and saw a woman with short brown hair looking at her worriedly. Then an unknown lady is wearing a nice green colored dress with a small hat shading her from the sun. "Are you feeling dizzy? The heat must be getting to you, milady. Shall we head back to the state now, so you can rest?" "Uh, yes?" "Then, please wait here milady. I shall call the carriage for us. Sir knight, p
SIDEREAE Chapter 4
"What are you thinking?" Mathieu asked while looking at Sid. They're currently on the school's rooftop, eating their lunch which composes of burgers and apple juice, along with some sweets that he bought for Sid. "If you were given a chance to live in a fantasy world, what would you like to become?" "That's so random," He laughed, "Hm. . . I think I would like to become a mage." "Why, Mage?" "Well, isn't it cool to do magic and to have the power of teleportation, producing lightning bolts or shooting a water ball," He answered while copying the gestures of anime characters, "Pew, pew, pew!" "Pfft–!" "Haha!" "I thought you're going to say, Hero." "Oh, that's good too! Heroes are strong and good at swordsmanship. I'll be willing to become a hero, as long as you become a Saint so that I can protect you!" I looked at him ridiculously. Me, a Saint? Just imagining myself as a Saint takes a toll on my lifespan. Becoming a saint is so tiring, I'm not someone like Mathieu who has goo
SIDEREAE Chapter 5
Sid decided to go to school early to go to the library. She didn't manage to do a single homework last night, because after she ate dinner and went to her room, she immediately fell asleep. "Yes! Finally, I'm done." She leaned back on her chair and sighed with relief. "Here, this is the last one," Mathieu said, pushing the book and the paper containing her homework. She immediately took them and organized them properly before putting them away inside her backpack. "Thanks for helping me with my homework, Mathy. I might not be able to finish all of this if you didn't give me a hand." "No worries. I'm happy to help," He chuckled and ruffled her hair. "By the way, how was your job hunting yesterday?" "Mmn, well. . .I got rejected at first, but thankfully after trying for the fifth time, I managed to get a job at the ramen shop." I said smiling widely at him. Mathieu looks at me with proud eyes, as he lightly laughs while patting my head. "I knew it! Well done Sid." "Mn. Thanks.
SIDEREAE Chapter 6
Sid smiled as she took out the new volume of a manga and a light novel, that Mathieu lend to her. He gave it to her when they were eating ramen at Sid's working place."I'm excited to read these!" She said before carefully placing them on her old bookshelf.She plans to read it this coming weekend, hoping that she won't have to do a lot of homework. She went to her bed and hugged her pillow before leaning on the headboard.Mom's husband will be coming home tomorrow, from his overseas business trip. I feel nervous just imagining myself meeting him. I don't know what to expect, will he get annoyed at me for intruding in his house?"What are you thinking Dreamer?" Oneiroi asked as he take a glance at her.He was playing with her phone while floating midair in an upside-down position."I'm wondering if my stepfather will kick me out of his house when he sees me.""Why would he?""Because he probably hates me. . .you know. . . since I'm a daughter of his wife from her previous relationship
SIDEREAE Chapter 7
"What's the matter,Saintess? You look pale. Are you alright?""Y-yes, I'm alright. I'm just a little dizzy."She quickly made an excuse and averted her eyes to avoid the High Priest's gaze."So, when will I go to the marquisate?" Sid anxiously asked."You will depart tomorrow morning. So make sure to take care of your healthSaintess.""Don't worry, the holy knights will accompany you. Since we're dealing with demons, we need to be extra careful," He reassuringly said after sensing her subtle anxiousness."I understand. I'll take my leave now."
SIDEREAE Chapter 8
Sid gulped in nervousness as they're riding a horse to get to the contaminated forest. She's being accompanied by three priests, the holy knights, and the knights of Kroiss. Her hands were slightly trembling as she tightly held the horse's reigns. She has no idea how to ride a horse, Sid never tried it in her real world and she has only seen a few of them in the zoo. They were allowed to ride the horses, but she was too afraid to try it before. She felt a little jealous, seeing the little Mathieu on top of the horse. Her dad and Mathy keep on urging her to try it, but she strongly declined, fearing the height and the thought of her falling to the ground. Thankfully, Saintess Lucia's body was used in riding horses, which made Sid smoothly maneuver the big horse. Sir Arthur ran his horse beside her, "Your Holiness, we're closing at the entrance of the forest. Please be careful." "I understand." As they got closer to the entrance, Sid felt a cold and prickly feeling, making her feel