"Happy birthday, Mark..." Mark was startled by that voice coming from behind.
He turned back and noticed a young boy in his twenties coming towards him with a smile on his face. Mark was very much confused, as he couldn't recognize that boy. Though he didn't let his confusion come on his face.
Mark gazed on him for sometimes and then without replying him, again focused towards the doctors.
By that time, Azrael also entered the room. He was very much surprised to find that his mother's condition had improved slightly. That's why several doctors gathered there to observe and treat her more precisely, as the news was very shocking to everyone. This was the first time she had responded weakly since being hospitalized. Azrael was happy from inside, also he noticed a glimpse of happiness on Mark's face.
At that very moment, that nurse noticed him.
"Hey you... After you came this shocking miracle happened... What did you do with her?" The nurse shouted at him with a sharp tone.
Azrael knew that nurse didn't like him. But such behaviour from that nurse made him feel very much embarrassed. With shame, he slowly began to leave the room.
"You didn't answer of that question..." Mark suddenly asked from behind. By that time, everyone present in that room, finally looked at him.
He already felt very embarrassed and then he didn't dare to stand there any longer.
Actually, after transforming in his twenties he already had completely lost his elderly demeanor, ego, and dignity. It was not because of that he wouldn't gain such characters, but rather that he had not only changed physically, but also emotionally and mentally. Only the memories and experiences of those times remained in his brain. Rest every aspect of his soul and body had changed, as if he had reincarnated into a new life with a new body and mind with same features and imprints of his old self.
Solely for that reason, he had decided to work within the shadows, but unfortunately, he didn't expect that he would be exposed in front of multiple people in such way.
As a result, he quickly left the room.
Upon coming at a corner of the corridor of the hospital, he paused. Tears of joy began to flow from his eyes, thinking about his mother's improved condition. He was finally satisfied that, the doctors finally would treat her and thus she finally could wake up in her consciousness.
"Ash... or I should say my dear brother, you didn't answer of that question..." A sweet voice came to Azrael's ears from behind.
He startled in shock.
He turned back and saw that, Mark was coming towards him.
Seeing him, Azrael felt emotionally devastated of his single statement. Mark's words pierced the armor around his soul. At his most vulnerable moment, Mark uttered the one truth he had spent a long time burying into his inner soul. It was not the revelation itself that broke him, it was the realization that someone else had reached the darkest corner of his soul before he ever could. He felt naked, not in body, but in spirit, as though every secret he had ever hidden now stood under the unforgiving light.
He was frozen in his spot.
Mark slowly stood in front of him and touched his shoulder. Immediately, he snapped back at his consciousness.
"Brother, finally I found you..." Saying that, Mark hugged him in tears.
He stood suspended between reality and dream, as if time itself had forgotten to move him forward. He was in no state to speak; it seemed as if his body was no longer under his control.
Mark however, continued to speak...
"Brother... I could never forget your scent. We grew up together beneath the same sky, laughed through the same days, shared the same dreams. No matter how much time has passed, no matter how much you have changed by now, those memories of yours have never stopped breathing inside me.
There isn't a single day that I don't curse myself for what happened on that day.
I swear on myself... The greatest sin of my life was that I wasn't there for you on that day. If I had reached there in time; if I had stood beside you when you needed me most; I'm sure, that nightmare would never have unfolded.
I have begged for your forgiveness a thousand times in the silence of my heart. Every prayer I whispered, every tear I shed, every moment I closed my eyes... I asked only for one thing that somewhere, somehow, you would forgive the brother who failed you.
And today... standing before you once again... I ask for it with the same broken heart.
Please... forgive me.
I know I don't deserve it.
But if there is even the smallest corner of your heart that still remembers the brother you once loved and cared, let me carry the burden of my failure forever...
Because I have found you...
...and I have found Mother.
The family I believed destiny had stolen from me has been returned by a miracle I no longer dare question.
I swear upon every wound I have carried, upon every tear I have hidden, and upon every breath that still remains in my body, I will never lose you again...
Not to fate.
Not to death.
Not to this cruel world.
I have already lived through the agony of losing my family once.
I will not survive it a second time.
From this moment until my final breath... I will remain by your side.
I promise you, Brother.
Please, believe me for once..."
While saying that, Mark knelt down in front of him. Tears kept flowing from his eyes.
Azrael couldn't believe his ears. He had already forgiven Mark since knowing the fact that, Mark was nothing but just a victim of the conspiracy. But at that moment, even after hearing such an beautiful apology, he still decided not to forgive me. He restrained himself; after his emotional breakdown in front of his mother, he no longer wanted to express his emotions. He had to slowly process the whole incident in his mind.
He held Mark and made him stand. After that, he slowly spoke in a faltered voice, "Just... give... me... a... moment..."
Saying that, immediately Azrael ran towards his mother's room. Countless thoughts kept revolving across his head.
"I am waiting for you here..." He could hear Mark's gradually fading voice.
...
By that time, all the doctors already left the room. His mother was in ventilator. Arriving in the room, he could clearly sense her mother's clear heartbeats. His heart filled with happiness.
The room again was filled with bright moonlit radiant light, made her appearance almost ethereal in the lingering chiaroscuro state. He slowly grabbed his mother's palm with gentle care.
With a hope on his face, he closed his eyes and began to speak in a stumbled voice, "Mom, I know you're somewhere present between dream and the reality. Today, a strange incident happened. After I reborn, I never met Mark face-to-face. Yeah, I admit that one day ago, I met him from behind the shadows, giving him his birthday present," his face blushed, "But it's impossible that he recognized me then. So, now I'm stuck in a dilemma. I seriously don't know what to do mom," his voice hesitated for a moment; then he continued, "Mom, right now I myself don't wanna introduce to anybody about my new identity, as I myself want to act behind shadows. But unfortunately, at this moment my new identity has been revealed to multiple people. In this situation, I don't know how Mark could recognize me so easily... Hey, mom, please... please give me any signs on whether it would be good to get together with my younger brother. I'm very confused right now..."
However, after waiting for sometimes, he still didn't receive any such response from his mother. Her palm was as usual cold like ice.
After that, he opened his eyes. He heaved a sigh, and silently left the room.
By that time, although he didn't get any response, he got enough time to think about what he should do with Mark. He had already decided what steps he had to take further.
"Mark, you can't easily convince me with such an apology; I'm not the same person I used to be and so, I don't wanna waste any time on such useless reunion. Let's make a deal. Alright?" Azrael gradually stepped forward at Mark's direction while continuing to speak.
Mark turned back and rushed towards him; hugged him with a joy and happiness. Azrael somehow separated Mark from himself.
"Just order me, brother. I have already promised you, until my final breath, I will remain by your side. So, just tell me, what I have to do for you..." While saying that, Mark's voice became filled with joy and face became glowed with a hope.
"How did you find who I am?" Azrael asked. His voice hardened.
Hearing that, suddenly Mark's voice became very mysterious. He gradually whispered at Azrael's ears, saying, "Brother, this is something which I can't reveal you openly. Come with me. I know a hidden place where we can properly communicate."
"Alright then. This is the deal. It's called, give-and-take policy. If you answer me, I promise you that, I will save you once in your life-and-death situation. Other than that, there will be no longer elder brother-younger brother relationship between us. Which brother you knew in your childhood, is no longer alive. And remember, now I'm Ash, not your brother Azrael..."
While saying that, he already started following Mark. Mark slowly yet carefully stepped outside the hospital, travelling through the footpath...