Disclaimer: I do not own -Man.

Lessons of the Heart

Iris – Wisdom

Lavi had known Bookman for a very long time. Ever since he was a child, he had been taken in by Bookman, came to know Bookman as Bookman, and they became almost like a comedy routine between a grandfather and his grandson.

However, Bookman always taught something.

Every morning, when Lavi was a child, Bookman would teach him a lesson or a rule.

Lavi came to know Bookman as someone very wise - someone who seemed to know everything.

One morning, Bookman came to Lavi and led him to the privacy of their hotel room.

“Time for another lesson, my dear child,” his hoarse voice had whispered and Lavi, being a child he was, looked up eagerly.

Bookman continued. “Today’s lesson… you will most likely not understand right away. You will come to learn of it…”

“C’mon Gramps! Hurry up!” Lavi’s childish voice piped up, interrupted the Bookman’s monologue.

Bookman gave Lavi a sharp glare but continued, “it’s a sentence. Just one… but it may take your life to understand what it means.”

Lavi leaned in, ready to learn.

“Never lose your heart,” Bookman said, with an air of finality, giving a heavy sigh as if remembering something painful.

Lavi frowned, lower lip sticking out, “that’s easy! Because if you lose your heart, you’ll die, won’t you?” he asked.

Bookman never answered.

However, as time passed and Lavi found himself staring at the boy sleeping on the bed, covered in bandages, snow-white hair laid uselessly on the pillow, chest slowly rising and lowering with each breath…

“I seem to have broken that rule…” Lavi whispered.