Indecision played on his face as he hesitated. "... Her name was Jasmine."
"... Tell me about her," she pressed, unsure why she was so utterly curious.
He licked his lips in hesitation. "She was my friend... well. Really, she was like a big sister to me. She gravitated toward me because I was Chinese like her, but like my red hair, her deep blue eyes made her seem different and strange from the other kids at the orphanage; she said it was because she was a dragon." He intercepted Natalie's look of confusion with an amused smirk. "I know, I know, but those kinds of things mattered more back then. We stuck together, though, because we needed to protect ourselves from those who disliked us without reason. She was the more physical of us, playing sports while I preferred to read, and so she was quite a bit stronger than me."
"So, she protected you," Nat observed, unable to help smiling at how sweet it was.
"She did, indeed," he confirmed. "And she was ruthless; she never pulled any punches, never gave an inch. But she also never fought my battles for me. Jasmine always insisted that I fight first, on the promise that if I couldn't win on my own, she would help. And she always did, but not until I proved that I would try."
"She was... trying to make you more self-reliant?" she guessed.
"Exactly." He nodded. "And it worked. By myself, I felt helpless... but knowing she would always be there gave me the courage to fight as if I couldn't lose. Sometimes I would warn them that if they beat me, they'd have to face The Dragon- sometimes it worked!" Jacent looked aside with a wistful smile. "Then one day, she got adopted. She had to leave me."
Natalie actually made a sad-puppy face.
"I know." He chuckled. "I felt the same way. But before she left, she made me promise her something." A wistful smile came to his face. "She said, 'Jie Xian, when we met, you were weak. Now, nobody dares treat you like a weakling. So before you start crying about me, I want you to see that there are others who need you to help them, to be strong for them like I was for you. I want you to promise that you won't be scared. I want you to promise that you'll fight like I'm always by your side.'"
It as Eviscerator said... I'll just add, if we are not trying to prove ourselves for somebody else, then what is life and why is it worth fighting for?
It as Eviscerator said... I'll just add, if we are not trying to prove ourselves for somebody else,
... Why don't I remember this?... Wait... Is this spoilers!? Have I gone too far!? I haven't quite finished the whole story, but I thought I read all of the first volume.
... Why don't I remember this?... Wait... Is this spoilers!? Have I gone too far!? I haven't quite f
