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It's a rainy Sunday. And I was fooled by the beautiful sun rays in the morning, how naive of me. Just stay inside the house watching it rain could drive me nuts, so I decided to take my umbrella and go out for a little stroll.
It's drizzle, but enought to make people rushing on the street. I walked around the neighbourhood, without destination. I truly hoped that I could find something, or someone, that would bring any light of facination, or at least, something worth paying attention to. Well, it would be too much of asking in such weather. As far as I could tell, there was only me in the street. The rain had done well on keeping people in their houses, it's the holiday after all. He was sleeping, or so I guess. Normally he wasn't very much active at this time of day. Eventhough the last few days were kinda strange when he got work up quite hard, and he was even active in a full day. All that happened since that day.
It was nearly three weeks.
I could still remember as if it was just yesterday.
Somehow, I couldn't forget.
-"if we see each other again, you'll tell me yours and I'll tell you mine."-
"Again huh? I doubt that." I talked to myself.
Whatever the feeling I had that time, it was unexplainable. Could it be that I was overwhelmed by what happened that drove me to paranoid? or could it be the feeling of a boy who confronted the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen in his life?
"No, that's just stupid." I instanly wiped that thought out of my head. To have of such ridiculous thinking, how foolish of me. I had to keep in mind that she could be able to "see" him-my soul, as a glow of light, from which I could tell was not normal at all. She's definitely not normal. But she didn't mean no harm, or well, at that time at least. It's hard to tell if she's always like that. She's a girl after all, the most unstable species on earth according to my knowledge and experience.
As I kept on loitering, the rain started to get heavier. Now that I'd walked a little too far from home, so going back in this weather would take some efforts.
"Shit, I shouldn't think too much while walking." Yeah, I could only blame it on my brain for distracting my off my route. Looking at where I was standing, it could be 6 blocks away to return. I had no option but to find a place to stay away from the rain. So I rushed my way and as soon as I could realize, I found myself in the familiar book store.
"Why so hurry in such nice weather?" The shop keeper greeted me. She's only 3 years older than me, but had done well on setting up this business. Although it's just a small shop, but it had survived for a considerable time. She said that it was really difficult to run this store all alone, especially at the beginning. I admired her for this. Some strong woman she is. Mentally I mean, not sure about physically.
"You can't tell? I'm exercising. Just take a small break before continue, wanna join?" I was well-prepared for her attack.
"Hey hey now, why so aggressive bro? I just asking. Oh I just got some new books, about medieval I guess. Those things are really hard to sell. Luckily I know a weirdo who takes interest in that specific area. So wanna get them cheap? I can lower down a bit for you."
When it came to books, especially about history, medieval time, I had a really hard time to resist. My allowance wasn't really much flexible so I had to consider carefully when buying something. But it had come to books, history books.
I surrendered.
"Is that so? Alright, show me what you have in your inventory. Make sure they're cheap, or I will eat them to live." I totally gave up to my passion.
"Kay, I know you would bite it. Wait here." She leapt through the checkout and disappeared into the door which was surrounded by a pile of books.
"Take your time, I'll make myself comfortable." I called out.
"Let see what we have here." This shop was the only place that I'd visited more than my room. So basically this would be my emergency shelter if I had nowhere to run to. I made myself a cup of mint tea, not too hot, to enjoy the raining scene. I took the chair and gave myself a quick rest. It's autumn and running in the rain could be really cold sometimes.
....
....
....
I almost felt asleep. The fatigue and the warmth of the tea was hardcore sleeping pills if I must say. Damn that woman sure took her time.
"Sorry for the wait, there's a leak and I have to cover it up before the books get wet. Here you go, any interest?" She looked wet from the shoulder to the head, while her hand held some really heavy books. She handed the books for me and I gazed through the title.
The fall of Arthur. "This is not even about the medieval time, is it?"
""Hm? I thought king Arthur's time was medieval? or not? But it's the history that you're fond of, so doesn't matter."
How could a bookseller not know about what she's selling, I wondered.
Jeanne d'Arc, the maid of Orleans. "What about this one?" She asked?
"It looks nice, I haven't read much about French."
I didn't know much about the French history, but the name Jeanne d'Arc was far too popular. This could make a good read in some rainy days.
She showed me some other books too, which I found really hard to digest. History of catholic, the civilization of ancient Greek, and what the hell, the foundation of philosophy, really?
"I'll take those two, thank you. The rest are just overpower, so good luck with them."
"Jeez, guess that's still something even weirdo like you can't even handle." She sighted, disappoint at the fact that those books would stay, maybe forever.
"Stop calling me weirdo if you want two more to stay, so how much?
"Right, I'll take the price of the cheaper one, the other you can take as a gift." She said something really odd for a business person.
"Really? Is today my birthday yet? Come on, there's nothing for free."
"Nope, but consider this as a tribute to the most valuable customer. And actually today is exactly 5 years since I opened this shop, so you know."
"Oh, 5 years already? Damn time flies fast as hell. So okay then, thank you for the books."
It was still raining, but not as fiercely as before. Biting her goodbye, I readied my umbrella and headed out. I could have stay there for a while till the rain stop, but I felt uncomfortable. If I stayed, I had to talk, which I didn't like, and didn't want. I tried to minimize the time of communicating with others as much as I could. Even I with people I do not hate, I found it really hard to keep talking. My mother one said I was too introvert, that's all. Well, I really hoped that's all of my inability to like people.
As I kept thinking about trivia matters, my legs guided me in my way home.
Until I bump into an unexpected person, in an unexpected situation.
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That's how we meet again.
But this time, something's wrong.
It's looked like she's in pain. Leaning on the wall, she slowly drags herself in the rain. She doesn't seems to notice that I'm walking toward her direction, and continue struggling with her steps.
I don't know what to do, I could just come and ask her condition, but from the last encounter, my soul told me to be more careful and not to act recklessly. Damn you, where are you when I need you the most?
And then, as a sign for me to make my decision, the girl collapses to the ground.
I stop thinking and run to her place. He may scold me later, but I have to do what is right, and this is what I think is right - helping her.
When I reach to her, she is trying to get up on her knee, pushing herself up with her arms.
"...you okay?" Dumb question, of course she's not.
"Huh?" she turns her face to the direction of my voice. She's soaked up, which means she has been walking in the rain, for a while. Her golden hairs are now all wet and cover her beautiful face. Looking down to her, I think of a lost child, who has nowhere to go to. Then she speaks again, her voice is soft as ever.
"Ah, it's you. I remember you. Your name?" She doesn't sound tired at all. Maybe she just try to hide it.
"My name?" I'm caught by surprise.
"Yes, we made a deal last time. Now we have met, human, tell me your name and I will tell you mine." That speech pattern sounds kind of high-born.
"Oh right. I'm Kai, and you're?" I try my best to make a friendly smile, even though it's all chaos inside me.
"ummm... Thera, with the "h"." With a bit of hesitation, she tells me her name.
"Fine whatever, are you hurt? you do not look well." I somehow put aside the fact that she just told me her name, because I have something more important to paying my mind to.
"Hmm, do not mind me, it's nothing. I'm fine by mysel..." Then she collapse again. This is no good, she must be really weak right now. Even a total dork with no medication knowledge like me can tell. I see no blood nor injuries on the outside. Could it be the inner injuries? That would be hell worse.
"Nope, you can't even stand up. Here, take this, keep yourself from the rain."
I give her my coat and umbrella while calling to the pedestrian walking toward us for help. But he doesn't react. What a jerk, I thought to myself.
Then I run out to call for others, but it's no use. Seems like they don't notice me, or sort of. That's just weird.
And I heard her voice again.
"Don't waste your effort, no one can notice you." She's now sitting, back against the wall.
"What do you mean?" There it is, that feel again.
"I've put a barrier around me as I moving. No one can notice anything within a radius of 30 meters from me."
What? is that supposed to be a joke?
"From what I can tell, she's probably right, no one can notice you either. That's something out of the normal knowledge if I must say." The voice that I wanted to hear, finally.
"Damn, you know when to pop out don't you?" I relieve to hear his voice, but at the same time angry a bit about he leaving me all alone to deal with the situation.
When we are busy arguing, I fail to notice that the girl has already walked to my place and now she standing in front of me.
"I have something to ask you two." She goes.
"eh? Are you okay now, you shouldn't expose to the rain like this." That's not what we are expecting, so I try to make an escape. But she ignores my attempt and continues.
"Right now, I need a place to stay. Since I have where to go to and I don't know anybody in this town, I think that you two are reliable. So can you take me as a refugee?"
Outrageous. How outrageous. We can't agree with each other more.
-End chapter 5-
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