The Mentor and The Ten Heroes

Chapter 5

As a result of Roswel's words, who said that; from now on, there will be a time limit on task completion, and the maximum time is one month. It made Paul very surprised to hear that, he even couldn't sleep thinking about it repeatedly while lying on the surface of the bed. He was restless, depressed, and could not think clearly. Because Paul was confused about where to look so he could find ten people, which would later be used as the vessel for the firefly spirits.

Paul was really freaking out now. Moreover, says Roswel, there will be a penalty for Paul, if he can't finish his assignment in one month. Paul glanced at a jar of ten fireflies on his bedside table.

Sighing, Paul smiled bitterly at the firefly trapped inside the jar.

"You guys are so troublesome." After saying that to the fireflies, Paul turned off the light in his room and quickly went to sleep, resting his chaotic mind and body, so he could be refreshed the next day.

The next day, Paul woke up earlier than usual. When he saw the clock on the wall attached to the wall of his room, he was quite surprised. It's too early. Actually Paul wanted to sleep again, because sleepiness still enveloped him. But he forced himself to go to the bathroom, because today is the day, he has carrying out his duties.

When Paul came out of his room, darkness started to greet him, because his mother had a habit of turning off the lights in the whole room at midnight, she said, to avoid ghosts. But, according to Paul, isn't a dark room a comfortable place for creatures like that, huh?

Oh well, Paul didn't bother too much either, he immediately walked forward towards the stairs, through the total darkness, to go down to the bathroom which was located downstairs, next to the kitchen room.

Step by step, Paul went through until finally he arrived at the bathroom door. As Paul pushed open the bathroom door, he felt someone's presence behind him. Paul quickly looked back,

"You don't usually get up this early, Paul."

Turns out it was his mother, not a ghost or something. Paul breathed a sigh of relief, as the tension he felt was gone.

"Next time you're behind me, try saying something, so I don't think anything weird, Mom."

Hearing her son say that, for some reason, made the woman furrow her brows, not understanding what Paul meant.

"Huh? Think anything weird? I'm just surprised you can wake up this early, when you usually get up at eight."

"That's none of your business, Mom."

Paul went straight into the bathroom casually, leaving his mother who was irritated by his rude answer. But Paul didn't really think about it, all he wanted right now, was to take a bath. Clean sticky body. In order to come back clean like a newborn.

"The water is so cold." said Paul after he finished taking a shower, now he was already in his room, looking at his own reflection in the cupboard mirror; still in a towel, bare-chested, and hair dripping wet. His body is fresh, it feels like he is ready to do everything today. That's Paul, his spirits will soar after every bath.

It only takes a few minutes to put on underwear, shirts, pants and shoes. Until finally, his appearance looks very neat now.

The sun also seems to have risen, because, the blinds on his bedroom window are so brightly exposed to the light. But since Paul rarely opened the blinds on his bedroom window, he kept them closed. Then, without further ado, Paul immediately picked up the jar that was on the bedside table, which contained fireflies, to be taken away.

“Paul!? Why aren't you wearing your school uniform! Also! What did you bring that!? A jar!? What did you bring a jar for!?”

As he descended the stairs, Paul was startled by the screams of his mother who was sitting relaxed on the living room couch, playing with her cell phone with glasses on. Not only that, Paul was also surprised about the 'school uniform' question, shouldn't his mother already know that her son has been expelled from school? Could this be because of Roswel's act of erasing his mother's memory?

"Damn. I thought he only erased the memory of when Mom met him alone, but to think that the memory of me being kicked out of school has also been erased by him." grumbled Paul in a low voice, irritated at Roswel, but it was not heard by the mother.

And now, Paul is confused about how to explain all of that to his mother, moreover he knows very well that his mother has a pretty high temperament. Paul didn't want to upset his mother on a sunny morning like this, but he didn't want to lie about his condition either. Because it would be tiring if you have to keep hiding the truth. Finally, reluctantly, Paul approached his mother, and he sat facing her in the guest chair, not forgetting to put the jar of fireflies on the guest table for a while.

"So? Why don't you wear your school uniform, Paul? But don't worry, since it's still early, you still have time to change your clothes. What are you waiting for? Come on, hurry back to your room." said the mother to Paul, with a soft tone and eyes focused on her cellphone, and hands that were busy scrolling the cellphone screen.

Taking a deep breath, and exhaling again, Paul began to work up the courage to explain everything from the beginning, regarding his problems at school until the principal could issue them directly to his mother, to other trivial matters. Except for the matter of Roswel's appearance and the things related to that, Paul didn't mention it. And when his mouth was busy explaining that to his mother, in his heart, Paul was terrified. Yes, he was very scared.

Not scared of being scolded or yelled by his mother. He was just scared of disappointing his mother again. Because for Paul, this is the second time since yesterday he disappointed his mother at school. But maybe for the mother, this is the first time, because her memory has been erased.

"...so that's it, Mom. I'm really sorry."

Paul lowered his head, he was ready to be slapped, punched, or even more than that. Because all parents in this world will be very angry and disappointed to hear that their child is expelled from school for causing trouble.

However, Paul saw the drops of water falling on the floor, he immediately raised his head to see the mother's face, and oh my. Unexpectedly, it turned out that his mother was crying, until the glasses she was wearing, as well as the cellphone she was holding, were wet from her tears.

"Mom!? why are you crying!?"

Paul was shocked and confused, because this was the first time he saw his mother cry like that. Truly, this was the first time in his life to see his mother cry. So he stuttered what to do to make his mother stop crying.

Paul even still remembers very well, when he heard that his father had just died, his mother didn't even shed tears. His mother only had a gloomy expression at that, but she didn't cry. Until the funeral ceremony, Paul did not see any signs that his mother would cry over his father who had died. Even though at that time, all his relatives, grandparents, and even Paul were crying when he saw his father being buried, but only his mother did not cry.

And today, finally Paul can witness his mother crying.

"Paul..." The mother whispered, sobbing. "Why didn't you tell Mom from the start that you were in big trouble like that? Why didn't you tell your Mom? Were you too scared to talk to Mom about it? Were your mother that scary in your eyes?"

Surprised, Paul was confused about what to answer, but whatever it was, he had to respond to his mother's words, especially at this time, his mother was shedding tears.

"N-No, Mom! I was just worried that might disappoint you! So that's why, I hid it from you. But, since now seemed like the right time, I started working up the courage to be honest."

Hot. Scorching hot. Paul's eyes, for some reason, felt very hot when he said that to his mother. Ah, the tears are falling. This is so embarrassing. Even though Paul is known as a bad boy, but what is this? It turns out that he can also cry like a child.

However, Paul just cried silently, while his mother sobbed. They stared at each other for quite a long time. Until finally, the mother put her cellphone on the coffee table, then she stood up from her couch and immediately hugged her son very tightly.

"Don't worry, Paul," The mother rubbed her son's back gently as she had tears in her eyes. "This time, I'm not going to yell at you. So you don't have to be afraid of Mom anymore, you understand? Because... Actually... I really love you."

"I'm sorry, Mom." replied Paul in a heavy tone.

Then, the mother ended her hug, and looked at the face of her only child, who was now almost a grown man. His mother gave Paul a sweet smile, while he was too nervous to look directly at his mother's face, so every now and then his eyeballs glanced sideways. But, Paul knew that right now, his mother was smiling at him.

"So can you tell Mom why you came out of the house with a jar of fireflies, Paul?"

Hearing that question, Paul's heart was pounding wildly. And on the other hand, Paul doesn't want to lie to his mother anymore, especially after seeing her cry. So he had to be honest now.

"Actually, I want to find ten people to be a place for these firefly spirits, Mom. The problem is I've been chosen as a mentor. And I have to complete my task within one month, because if I can't complete my task in one month, then I will be exposed to a punishment. Also vice versa, I will get a reward if I can finish it on time."

"I don't understand. But since you seem very serious when you say that, I'll let you. But, Paul, you have to be home by dinner. Okay?"

"Okay Mom!"