Good Faith (Cain)

[Reira]

Reira had been skipping out on her social activities and obligations after she received a call about her grandfather's illness. She had flown all the way back to Ukraine just to see him and took a few weeks off school. Now that she's back and her grandfather's condition was stable she had to catch up with all the work, projects, and exams that she had been excused from. Nonetheless all the workload had tired her out so Reira decided to take a walk near the city's dyke.

The sun was beginning to set so the orange and yellow hues warmed up the riverside and the swaying grass that framed the path that Reira was treading on. The warm breeze, the singing of birds and the sound of water running downstream was really soothing, that was until she saw someone or something under the bridge within the shadows. She looked away, afraid to have been to nosy but curiousity took a hold of her. Reira glanced back slowly and walked closer to the bridge before she made her way down the stone steps.

Reira with her earphones in her ear couldn't tell if this dark mass was speaking or creating some sort of animal noises. It wasn't until she caught sight of him in the light that she realized it was a man. A man that she knew! In Reira's eyes Cain had looked really fatigued and stressed, a look that she was accustomed to seeing after spending endless nights at the hospital in Ukraine. However, Reira hoped that she was wrong, she didn't want anyone to experience anything bitter.

"Cain?"

[Cain]

The sound of waves crashing against the supports of the birdge filled the young man's ears, his emerald hues staring blankly at the streaming water in front of him, his body silent and still. His breathing was soft, his face almost void of expression. His heart beat solemnly in his chest, as if mourning for a loss. Technically, he was. It had been a week now since Zen disappeared, taken away by her father. And for a week, Cain had been searching, 24 hours a day throughout the 7-day perod. He had exhausted all his contacts, both legal and illegal. And yet, none could find even a fingerprint of a clue as to where Zen or her family was. And with the end of the week, Cain was so lost that the thought of giving up started to ligner annoyingly in his mind.. Let the 'annoyingly' be stressed. He closed his eyes, a soft sigh escaping his lips, the man sitting down on the ground, clad in a plain yellow shirt and a pair of black bermudas. And finishing his attire was a pair of black Vans.

He sat with legs sprawled out in front of him, his hands resting on his thights by the wrist. Hell, if one didn't know better, he could actually be mistaken as dead.

He was exhausted to say the least. In every single one of the days in the week, Cain had picked a fight with more than what he could handle, his own personal way of venting the stress, anger and guilt he felt inside of him, and had walked away with injuries and exhaustion. And yet, he fought on. He fought on beyond his own limit, as if reminding himself of the promise he had made, both to himself, Zen and his future sons. Twins, they were supposed to have. And now, Cain was never going to find them. And all because he failed to be a father. Hell, he was worse than his own, a realisation that haunted him, knowing that once more, fate had deprived him of the opportunity to best his father in something.

"Cain?"

It was a calling that Cain initially failed to take note off immediately, his mind still in limbo as it wandered in his own conscience. That did not mean that it was ignored, though. Cain was only slow to process and react to it, as he sluggishly raised his head, finding himself looking up at a familiar face. The girl from that time, at the cafeteria, during his time as School Captain. The students had decided to take over the canteen and turn it into some sort of a disco club, this girl actually askign Cain to dance without fully realising who he was. He opened his mouth finally, his voice low and almost slurred.

"... Hey, Reira."

[Reira]

"... Hey, Reira."

Reira had taken out her earphones once she had seen him, and so when she heard his weary slurred speech, Reira couldn't help but feel concerened. Sure, they weren't very close but he was a nice a guy and he left a pretty good impression on her during the cafeteria dance and a fellow classmate's houseparty. Besides, she wouldn't be Reira if she didn't help someone in need...well maybe he wasn't but from the sound of his voice and his weary appearance it seemed as though he was experiencing an all time low in his life.

He had been slow to react and it appears that a foreboding thought was still burning in his mind. Along with the mental and physical stress, a heavy burden appeared to be weighing down on his body almost crushing him in it's wake. However, here Cain was, still holding on.

Dark circles and lines were apparent and he looked as though he had pushed passed all his limits, past exhaustion and fatigue. Reira wondered if it was too daring or nosy to pry into why he was this way. After a few moments of contemplation Reira decided to ask.

"Are you okay...? Looks like you were just hit by a train or something..." Reira started with a small smile intending to lighten up the situation. However the atmosphere was thick and heavy and solemnness swallowed up all hopes of good cheer and smile.

Reira knelt down close to his side trying to give him a vibe that she was there for him as her long chestnut locks shielded Cain's eyes from the sun if he were to look at her.

[Cain]

"Are you okay...? Looks like you were just hit by a train or something..."

A train, huh? Cain's lips parted open for a bit. Yeah, it felt something like that. His body was exhausted, aching even, as he sat there, almost as still as a rock, his chest rising and sinking ever so slightly with every breathe. Cain let out a soft sigh, hearing the sound of clothes ruffling beside him. His eyes would roll to the side, noticing then that Reira had knelt down beside him, her hair covering the sun from his face. Well, it was a comfortable gesture, that was for sure. Cain let his eyes wander back to the water then.

"Yeah, something like that... I guess."

He would then adjust his position, his head lifting up as he rested it against the bridge support he was leaning against. He really was unsure of what was going on with him. The thought of Zen never failed to linger at the front of his head. Whatever he tried to distract himself with, it would simply deviate its way back to Zen.

At that, his eyes would roll aside again, looking towards Reira's direction. It had been a while since he last saw her, the last time being during the end of his reign as School Captain. And that was still quite a long while back. He furrowed his eyebrows in curiosity, trying then to distract himself with her presence instead.

"... Where have you been?"

Yeah, it had been a while indeed, even when Cain had come back to #774. Not once had he crossed paths with her, not even a distant glance. The Junior could only deduce that she too had left the city for a while. Perhaps talking about where would help distract Cain a bit.

[Reira]

Reira watched Cain's small movements. Call it a woman's instinct or her motherly side but she could tell that he was in a lot of misery and pain even more than what his appearance and words let on. It was a deep emotional pain that scarred and sets people on the track of chronic depression. She wasn't exactly sure what happened nor could she start to hypothesize but she knew it was something upseting and something that would change a person's life. Reira only hoped that the man beside her could get back on track soon because she wouldn't want to see him like her father who took a wrong turn in life.

"... Where have you been?"

Reira's calm, concerned and gentle expression gave way for a split second to one of hurt, yet not something that matched Cain's level of pain.

"Just been out of town..."

Cain seemed to be zoning in and out of focus as his thoughts and attention seemed to wander every now and then. When his brows furrowed it would seem as though he was struggling immensely just to set his eyes on her and to speak to her properly. Reira, as much of a flirtatious girl as she is, was not hitting on him when she carefully pulled Cain into a tight hug. She pulled him close to her so that he could rest his head on her shoulder and that one arm would rest around his waist and the other on his shoulder.

"I think you need a hug, tough guy...what's wrong?"

Reira would pat his back softly and continuously if he would accept her gesture hoping that she would be able to help him get out of his rut.

[Cain]

Cain may have been all distracted and bothered and all, but he was not that oblivious. He had seen that brief change of expression on her face in reaction to his question. Something bad happened, huh? Cain could only figure that. And her disappearing too pretty much clued out a couple of possibilities of what may had happened to her. Though, Cain was not going to probe into the matter, the man himself having enough trouble to bother himself with. And besides, it did not seem like she wanted to talk about it. Out of town, huh? What a reply. Cain would look away once more then, finding himself unable to think up of any reply.

And then, he suddenly felt a warmth surround him, a feeling that Cain had been deprived off for so long that he almost allowed himself to indulge in it. Well, briefly, at least. He closed his eyes, feeling Reira's body warmth radiating into his own. For a moment, he didn't even realise that it was Reira, his body relaxing briefly. And finally, he noticed what he was doing, with his head gently resting against her shoulder.

"I think you need a hug, tough guy...what's wrong?"

He felt the soft pats on his back. And although it was comforting, it was somewhat bothering too. For with every pat, Cain was given a soft and subtle reminder of how pathetic he was then. He looked away then, as if finding himself a tad bit too ashamed to actually be looking at her. And unbeknown to him, his head was actually still on her shoulder.

"... It's a long story..."

He replied, his voice softer but less raspy than before.

[Reira]

Reira was glad to see that Cain had relaxed when she comforted him in a soft friendly embrace. She wasn't about to go pounce on a guy during his down times when she already knew he was pretty much already hooked up with someone else. Zen was it? She was a beautiful girl, but Reira was starting to wonder how all this played out and whether or not this fatigued Cain was a result of something related to Zen. Feeling the tense muscles of Cain slowly fade into simple weight and sound of breathing that eased, Reira felt just a twinge of accomplishment. She was glad that she was at least doing something right, she wasn't all that great with serious business.

However the momentary peace ended abruptly with Cain tensing up again as if he reacknowledged the horrors that plagued his mind and was physically and mentally battling against them once more.

"... It's a long story..."

"Well I have plenty of time...maybe if you let it off your chest I can help you out? You'll never know!" Reira chirped trying to encourage him as she stopped the patting. She did however keep one of her arms around him. All this is what friends do...right? Reira never really had a stable friend but if she were to reach out and just perhaps give it a shot maybe Cain would be a good guy to be friends with.

[Cain]

"Well I have plenty of time...maybe if you let it off your chest I can help you out? You'll never know!"

Cain would keep his eyes away, his body still as tense as before. However, his breathing had calmed down a bit, his body not fidgeting so much anymore, the Junior finding his position considerably comfortable, despite the awkwardness of it all. Cain was fully aware of where he was... Well, except the head, but you know what I mean.

"No... You can't..."

His voice was now almost a whisper, as his eyes rolled downwards, now gazing hard at the ground that he sat upon. He was truly one bothered individual. His mind was never thinking right now, his consideration for the feelings of others fading away alongside his happiness, and with many other such positive cuddly emotions. He sighed, his eyes closing a bit. It almost seemed as if Reira was never going to open him up. Almost.

"... Zen was kidnapped. And I've spent the last week looking all over the city for her, but I can't find her anywhere. Her father left no trace of their departure at all. Not even private investigators can find anything. It's like they disappeared off the face of the earth... With my kids..."

His voice was soft, almost shaky, fading away at the last bit too, as a single tear rolled down his cheek, the liquid hidden from Reira's view by the angle of Cain's head. Well, only for a while, as Cain would slightly turn his head in, so that he looked in front instead. He still could not find the strength and esteem to look up at Reira, knowing how weak he was looking then.