SIDEREAE

Prologue

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!"