Aria was the most unhappy girl, she had a family, yes she had toys, yes she had friends, too; but something vital was missing, the moral and loving support of his parents. One day when her ninth birthday arrived, she thought of a stuffed animal that she always wanted to have and, with the support of her grandmother, she managed to convince her parents to buy her one. The morning passed, the hours passed and finally they both arrived with the penguin stuffed animal in their hands, but contrary to all their expectations, their parents did nothing but complain about that gift and did not give it to them willingly.
—I've looked at you and I think this stuffed animal couldn't be luckier.— thought a young man with black hair and ordinary appearance with a smile, who entered with Aria's parents.
Subtly the figure of that young man, invisible to everyone, leaned on the stuffed animal and watched the girl in front of him, who carried the stuffed animal with tenderness and affection, he cocked his head curiously.
—And yet...why do you seem sad?
Aria smiled, thanked her parents, and went into her room with the penguin stuffed animal in her hands. The girl looked at her new friend for a long time, while that transparent being smiled expectantly.
— I must give you a name, it is the right thing for you to be part of our family. said the little girl.
—oh? A name? Is it perhaps a name of a great character? said the young man approaching the girl. —Oh! Maybe a name derived from penguin, let's see... penpen would be great... although it sounds ugly.
That invisible being plunged into his thoughts next to the girl and then she broke that precious silence by sneezing.
—She sneezed. — said the young man and smiled tenderly as he looked at the little girl.
Aria rubbed her nose with the back of her hand and sighed. Then, before the expectant look of the young man, she lay down on her bed, taking the stuffed animal with her.
I decided. —she said. — You will be called Penguin
The young man felt an arrow pierce his chest. "Not a great name"
—My precious Penguin. —said the girl and carefully hugged the stuffed animal with her.
Despite the tender scene that was taking place, the young man felt a second arrow pierce his chest. "Name for the gender opposite of him."
There then, Aria thought that her parents must be like this because they worked so hard to get her that stuffed animal, and with that thought she quickly grew fond of the stuffed animal. She loved him more than anything, she loved him as she loved her parents and yet she felt sad. While the invisible black-haired young man, without being able to complain, was doing all kinds of actions and activities with the girl and the stuffed animal; they went for a walk, ate together, slept together and the girl gave her very formal clothes, however, those days were nothing more than memories once the little girl went to school.
—Her name is Aria, a little common-looking but very cute. —That being said smiling when remembering Aria. "...she takes this stuffed animal with her everywhere and she didn't seem to want to part with him today...I wish I could do something for her."
Later that day, the young man anxiously awaited the arrival of the girl, the stuffed animal, on the bed in the little girl's room, remained motionless, exactly where Aria had left it; but despite his wait to see that girl's smile, the young man preferred not to have wanted anything.
—Penguin...— said the girl's voice, who was indeed smiling, but barely as she held back tears in her eyes.
The young man looked at her like that and felt his heart twist, 《ah... I really must have done something in my past life to suffer this》 he thought.
Little Aria climbed into her bed in a pitiful way and as soon as she reached the stuffed animal, she hugged it tightly, hid her face and the contained tears rolled down her cheeks. The young man watched her helplessly, he just looked and waited patiently for her to calm her crying, because when she fell asleep, he decided that he would stay there for her.
— A single one of your tears can be worth a thousand needles that pierce my already dead heart... — the young man settled next to the girl and despite not being able to do so, he hugged her in an attempt to comfort her.
—Thank you...for staying with me.—the girl said in her sleep.
Thank you for accepting me into your life.—He answered.
《Maybe the best part of our lives has been fulfilling our dreams, but fulfilling the dreams of others, once you no longer exist in the world, is much better than having lived.》
Waking up, Aria found herself in an unrealistic place, or at least she didn't know about it.
—Where am I?...—the girl said scared and looked around, it was a field, full of wild flowers and trees.
Aria got up and looked around and walked for a while trying to figure out where she was and how she got there, but soon her attention was drawn to little fluffy creatures, white speckled rabbits; Aria approached them carefully and to her surprise, they were very friendly and let Aria pet them; She cried, but not out of sadness, but because she felt better and loved by those furry animals. He sat with them and the rabbits allowed him to touch them.
While she was having fun, not noticing that someone had come to her side and took one of the rabbits in her arms, Aria looked at the stranger somewhat scared, but without making any movement.
—Are you happy?—asked the young man there by his side.
Aria looked at him for a few more minutes, watched the young man smile at her warmly and somehow comforting; She agreed without giving any more thought to the matter of the unknown young man and continued playing with the bunnies.
—Who are you? why are we here? — Aria asked.
The young man looked at her and then stroked the rabbit in his hands.
— Each person has the right to happiness and freedom, if reality ends up being strict enough and scarce of those virtues... what better than dreams? — replied the young man.
Aria looked at him in surprise and stood up.
— Is this a dream?... So you're a demon? — Aria said, making hypotheses about the nature of that strange boy.
The young man laughed at Aria's insistence and decided to get up as well.
—I'm afraid I can't tell you who I am or what exactly I am.
—Then I'll guess who you are! — Aria said determinedly, noticing that the young man's expression, even though he had a mask, became sad, melancholic and indecipherable.
—Why? — He asked the answer more than eagerly, as if his life depended on it.
Aria noticed the pitiful expression on the being's face, she approached him and took his robe in her hand.
—Because... what better than dreams to feel like being yourself? Aria smiled.
Meanwhile, in the real world, the young man watched the dreaming girl sleep and went to turn off the lights in the room.
— What better way to be yourself than dreams... — he said and sat up, leaning her back on Aria's bed. — The world of dreams is commonplace, but what you can do within them... is much more than what one might call usual.
Dream and be happy, little Aria; because I...can't dream anymore.
《If from now on I have to be with you for as long as my soul lasts, I'll try to ensure that you have a good enough life, so that nobody sees you cry in front of a stuffed animal again, ...so that everyone knows how to appreciate what you can give.》
The years passed without the desire of that young man, Aria grew rapidly and became an admirable girl; Contrary to all expectations, growing up she did not leave the stuffed animal even though she matured enough.
—Penguin, do you think that one day I will be able to fulfill my dream? she asked as, lying on her bed, she raised the stuffed animal in the air.
The young man sat next to her and nodded.
—I'm sure you'll do that and more. — he answered, as if Aria could hear him.
The conversations between the two had become habitual, Aria chatted about little things with the stuffed penguin whenever she could and although the young man couldn't be heard by her, he answered.
—You know... it's time for me to go rest.— Aria smiled, setting the stuffed animal aside. —Today has been a very tiring day...
Aria closed her eyes and fell asleep almost instantly, signaling for the young black-haired man to reach out and touch Aria's forehead. Immediately after, the young woman opened her eyes and found herself back in that world she always went to when she felt sad or wanted to have time for herself.
—Biscuit, flake. Aria called to the bunnies who already knew her and they approached her.
—Are you happy here? — someone else asked, a young man in a suit and an eye mask, who looked at Aria and smiled.
Aria looked at that being, that boy who was always present in her dreams since she was nine years old; She looked at him with remarkable affection in her eyes, and every time she woke up out of reality, in the world of dreams, she felt unable to leave that young man alone. But time plays against, and Aria had finally discovered the identity of that spectrum only visible to her in her dreams.
— Today I'm sure…— Aria said as she got up from the floor. —You are...
《Yes... say it... make me feel that my presence here, with you, was worth it; that I do exist by your side and that I was able to help you throughout the years... recognize me.》
The young man looked at Aria while she smiled at him, every second that passed weighed more heavily on the boy's heart and before he could break the silence, Aria looked at him differently.
—You are Penguin. Aria said smiling sweetly.
That answer was enough, it was what was necessary for that young man.
— A pleasure Aria, my name is Tadeo Haltom. He introduced himself, tilting his head slightly. — is the first time we see each other knowing each other.
—You're right, Tadeo, maybe too much...— Aria looked sad as the figure in front of her vanished. — Is this your dream? Can you have my recognition?
—That has been more than my dream, my reason for continuing on Earth.
Aria walked over to Tadeo and took his hand.
—Tadeo Haltom... although today I just met you... why?
"Because I'll finally be able to rest...— Tadeo looked at half of his legs no longer exist. — I know it's not fair to you, but, since I ceased to exist on Earth, my soul was trapped by my unfinished dreams that I had in life; I wanted more than anything to be able to fulfill the dream of someone similar to me and... I accidentally found you. You've taught me so much which is why I want you to promise me something Aria.
Aria looked at Tadeo and hugged him.
—I'm here, I'm listening. — she said and sadly hugged that man who had been her reason for happiness for years.
Tadeo in that hug remembered when Aria was still just a girl, he wanted to remember everything before leaving and saying his last words.
—Then you're a ghost! — said Aria, still nine years old, who barely opened her eyes, in that unreal world, felt the need to shout it.
—Close!...but no. Tadeo said smiling at Aria, who didn't seem to want to give up.
—A deity!— Aria continued.
— No.— the young man denied again.
Aria felt Tadeo was more than just a dream for her, she discovered it over time and now, she could have confidence in her thanks to the fact that he accompanied her when things went wrong. Tadeo welcomed Aria by patting the girl on the head, then helped her up off the ground. They both walked for a while until they reached a hill, from where they could see a field full of flowers and a cabin in the distance.
Aria looked at the young man one more time and thought more.
— Perhaps... A lost soul! — Aria continued smiling.
— Ghost and Banshee are close! — he said once more, and to prevent Aria from continuing, she spoke hastily. Why don't you think better of it and tell me tomorrow?
Aria felt her heart sink at those words, tomorrow was hours away from the present and tomorrow also meant going back to the real world.
—Because...I'm afraid I won't see you tomorrow...— Aria said sadly.
Tadeo changed his expression and knelt in front of Aria.
— Aria... I couldn't leave you alone even if they forced me to. — Tadeo smiled at her and extended his arms, a signal for Aria to run into his arms and they both hugged.
— Sometimes I would like to sleep forever... to be able to be here, with the rabbits and with you.
— But life can't only depend on dreams, Aria... — the young man looked at Aria once they were far away and looked at her confused face. — You must grow and become someone amazing, make your life the dream you want to live.
Aria's eyes widened as if illuminated by Tadeo's words.
— Even if you're not there?
—...— Tadeo hugged Aria again. — I will always be with you Aria... always.
When those words of his reached his head, playing against Tadeo, he opened his eyes, and, determined to say goodbye to Aria in the best way, he hugged her tightly and then, when he separated a few centimeters, he looked at her.
— Promise me that, no matter what or how, you will continue looking for who you are, because, just as you discovered me, you must discover yourself, be yourself; and turn once and for all, the unhappy world in which you think you live, into one of dreams; the dreams you want and want to have. Find out and if necessary, ... guess who you are.
Aria felt her eyes sparkle from the unshed tears and nodded painfully, then, watching, little by little, Tadeo, disappear completely.
—Thanks... Tadeo.
Aria woke up and looked at her room, then she looked at Pingui next to her, that stuffed animal so adored and appreciated by her; The now eighteen-year-old girl shed tears when she remembered that she would never see Tadeo again, and got up from her bed to go to her university, where she would give her entrance speech, for having obtained the best score in the admission exam to the university. career of your dreams. Dreams, that now, after a long time of waiting, were going to come true.
The End
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