We said goodbye to Mr. Navata as we left the restaurant. I smelled the fresh air of the night as I spread my arms. This is such a great spot for a restaurant. Cars rarely pass and it doesn’t smell polluted. However, this might not be the same during the day.
I looked at the night sky above me.
It’s not the same sky above my room back in the Empire.
Haaa. I miss mother, father, and brother… I miss the kids too.
“Are you alright, my lady?” I heard from Sean.
I hummed as I waited for him to come and then we walked to his car. He opened it for me and when I came in, he closed it before he went to the other side, the driver’s seat.
He started the engine and we went to our second destination which is a clothing store. I understand that we went here first since I need clothes. There I shopped while I asked him if he liked the dress or not. He would reply to me with a nod with a blush.
I was casually looking for a t-shirt when he suddenly hung a dress in my arm. I looked at him and then to the white dress he gave me. He looked away before speaking.
“I… I think you will look great in it.” And then he walked away.
I watched his back and then I came back to sense when the clerk spoke.
“Your boyfriend looks sweet, madam.”
“Yes.” I showed the clerk a smile before I handed her the dresses I took.
So then I continued shopping and when I was done, I watched him pay for it. Well, he will serve as my bank card in this world. I only had gold and diamonds with me since money there is not the same in this world.
“Let me carry some.” I suggested, when we went out because he was carrying so many paper bags for me.
He stopped and then he looked around.
“It’s alright. We got magic.”
He snapped his fingers and all the paper bags disappeared.
My eyes sparkled. “Wow. Did you transport them to the car?”
“Yes.” He held my hand. “Let’s go to the grocery store.”
We walked together with our hands holding each other. I can’t help but look into our intertwined hands.
He sure has big hands. It is so obvious that my hand is so small compared to his size. Now that I think about the difference of our sizes, I felt the aching of my neck.
Ackh. I forgot that I would always look up to his handsome face. I am feeling the cramp on the back of my neck now. He is just so tall, just like brother.
We entered the grocery store and we had quite a bit of attention. Is it because of our hair? Is it because of our height difference? Or… do we just look so unnatural? I cannot deny that Princess Epiphany’s face is perfect. How much more Sean’s face? He will surely make a good model.
We took different grocery carts and started walking around while pushing it.
“What should I get?” I asked him since I don’t know what to get actually.
“Is it alright if I ask you to get lavatory supplies?”
“Oh. That’s alright.”
He smiled and replied, “I’ll take care of the food.”
I nodded and showed him a smile before I went to look for what we needed. I would look at my surroundings to see if I could see him but I think the food section is on the other side.
Alright. Let’s just look for the needed things before I look for him. Ackhh, he is just living in my mind. Would he be okay without me? How would he react if there is a woman who will approach him to get his number? Would he be really okay?
I found myself shopping faster than I ever did before. After that, I looked around to every section to look for him but I just couldn’t find him. I began panicking.
What if he gets kidnapped by girls? What’s going to happen to me if he’s gone? But wait, I don’t have to worry about him right? I mean he has magic. But…
Ackkhh. Just where are you, Sean?
***
“She’s cute. I bet she is a model or a trainee.”
“Should we try to get her number?”
“Let’s go—”
Two young boys was supposed to walk towards Tia to get her number but then a tall man suddenly walked in front of them, making them stop and look up to him.
They get terrified just after seeing how tall he is and he is looking down on them like they are mere flies. They found themselves walking away and changing their minds.
So then Sean took a glance at Tia who’s choosing shampoos. Then suddenly, she was in a hurry and she started moving around. He chuckled as he watched and followed Tia from the back. She was walking around like a little kitten that is lost and is pouting adorably.
He immediately walked to the side to hide himself when Tia turned her back. He purposely showed her his back so she could follow him. So then he just watched her on his invisible screen. She was now following him but in a distance where she cannot call for his name. He changed direction as soon as Tia came to him.
He had this unwavering smile that he cannot get rid of while watching her follow him everywhere while he is also shopping for vegetables. So then, when he thought that it’s enough, he purposely slowed down to the spices section. He then flinched when Tia grabbed his arm. He looked at her and she was pouting.
“I thought you were kidnapped by girls.”
He wanted to laugh but he stopped. He was thinking how was he supposed to be kidnapped by girls when he has magic to drive them away? Tia was the one who got almost hit by men a while ago.
“That’s not going to happen.” He tapped her head and looked at her cart while he was trying to act as natural as possible.
It is because he had been thinking about his behaviour. He is too shy towards her. And he is too wary of himself in front of her. After some thinking, he thought that he should try opening his real self to her.
“Are you done shopping?” He asked.
“Yes.”
“Do you need anything else? You can get whatever you want.”
Tia started thinking and as for him, he grabbed her cart with his cart as he pushed it towards the counter.
“I think I don’t need anything else?” Tia stood behind him.
He nodded.
So then they waited for the cashier to finish and Sean paid it with his credit card. Tia was not carrying anything when they went back to the car since a clerk helped them carry their things. Later on, they went inside the car and drove back to the house.
Tia was thinking that they would go straight home but she got confused when Sean parked the car somewhere. So then their eyes met.
***
“Would you like some fresh air?”
I immediately realized that we parked on a sidewalk where we could go sight-seeing at night.
I beamed.
“Of course”
We got out of the car and I immediately went my way to the railings as I sniffed the breeze of the sea.
Haaaa. It feels so good.
I looked around to see the lights of the nearby city and the alluring view of the bridge between. It is so nice to feel this again, the late night walks—
I wonder… why I suddenly feel sad? Is it because…
I looked at the sidewalk and it is as if I am watching my previous self, walking with Troy who used to visit me in my trainee years. He would usually just watch me walk around while drinking canned milk with me.
I wonder who he is in the parallel world? But… would we be able to meet now that he does not know me and I don’t know where to find him? Is he even in the country? I bet he went abroad since that time he disappeared.
“Tia…”
I came back to sense after hearing Sean’s voice.
“What would you like to drink?”
I don’t know but I don’t think I heard him. It is just that I found myself staring at his face. And then I realized that…
What’s the point of dwelling in the past when I decided to end it five years ago? I should just do what I think I have to do and move on. I will face Devi and Troy… for the sake of coming back earlier to the other world to live a life I have always wanted.
“Tia?”
“Ackh, you’re just so handsome, Arthfyw Cynwrig.” I chuckled after seeing his flustered look.
“I… I should grab a drink.”
I was laughing when he turned back and walked somewhere. I think he will go to a convenience store or a vending machine for a drink.
I watched his back until I found myself sighing. I looked for a bench to sit on. It’s good that there are few people around. They are mostly couples.
Oh, how sweet. Someone kissed.
I wonder how Sean would react if I kissed him?
Ackh. Just imagining it, it would be heaven for me to see him look like a tomato. But it would be better if I don’t kiss him for now because I assume that he will avoid me if I do that. Haha
Clack!
My attention was caught by a sound and I inadvertently looked where it came from.
My eyes immediately widened after I saw a familiar face I had not seen for a bit of time. He just closed the door of his car and he walked to where I am. I felt the skipping of my chest and I felt suffocated by the sight of him walking to the direction of the sidewalk.
I instantly diverted my gaze away from him when I assumed that he was going to look at me. I breathed in and out.
Calm down, it’s not like he is going to recognize you, Tia.
I mustered up my courage and I slowly turned my gaze to him and I was shocked to see him sitting on the wooden floor instead of the bench. He looks wasted for a man in a suit. He seems problematic as he messes up his hair.
I tried not to be suspicious while I observed him. I could feel the beating of my heart because until now, I still feel intimidated by him. I admit that I am still scared of him.
“Tia.”
I flinched when I heard Sean’s voice and I immediately stood up to approach him.
“Did you wait too long?”
“Nope,” I smiled.
He handed me a can of milk after he opened it. He also put on a straw which made me confused.
“It’s okay if there’s no straw.”
“It’s getting messy. I think it’s better to have it.” He explained.
I nodded.
“It makes sense.”
I took it and started sipping as I watched him do the same with mine.
“How did you think that I like milk?”
He flinched and blushed.
“E-Eunuoa told me.”
“Oh really? My brother told you something like that?” I chuckled.
“Y-Yes.”
How cute.
I grabbed his arm and I pulled him with me to walk.
“Let’s go for a walk.”
***
Devinus had been messy since the time he had lost the woman he never intended to lose. After going bankrupt, he had also received much hate from Tia’s fans. Luckily, his family’s business does not end with him.
Being guilty for over five years now made him a more aggressive man. He had been treated psychologically for this but he is not getting better, especially that image of Tia’s face during that time that hunts him every time he closes his eyes.
After leaving his parents’ company, he drove his car to his usual spot where he relaxes. He stopped the car on the sidewalk and then he looked at the view of the sea and the night. He went out and walked to the railings. He sat down to the wooden floor as he looked at the empty bench on his left.
That bench… was where Tia usually sat when she wanted to relax. He would always watch her sitting alone there while drinking milk. He would always take her there when he felt that she needed to breathe. He felt the tingling of his chest as the same scenario appeared in his memory. That time she smiled at her as if she had won his game before jumping…
He messed up his hair and tears began to form in his eyes.
He wanted to die. He wants to die and look for her in the afterlife. But… he knows that it is all his fault and this is his karma, that he deserves to suffer for doing all those things to her. If he could only turn back the time… he would cherish her. He will never hurt her again…
“Tia.”
His eyes widened after hearing her name and he instantly looked up to find where it came from.
There he saw a man holding two drinks and a woman with red hair walked towards him. He immediately felt the beating of his heart and he started having delusions and hoped that it would be her.
“Nope.”
He flinched upon being familiarized by the way the woman speaks.
“It’s okay if there’s no straw.”
His vision started to blur as flashbacks started flashing in his mind. That time she was in a hurry to change her outfit. “It’s okay if there's no belt.” That time her manager asked her if it’s okay to have no apples in her salad. “Nope. It’s okay if there’s no apple.”
He stared intently at this woman and as she sipped the milk from the can, he could only compare the woman to how Tia looked.
“How did you think that I like milk?”
A tear fell from his eyes as he watched that woman act just the same as Tia. And they even have the same names and they like milk…
He looked down upon realizing that he is becoming emotional again. Is he seeing things now because of guilt? Has he really gone insane after all these years he suffered?
“Oh really? My brother told you something like that?”
His attention was caught again after he heard chuckles that are identical to the woman he always wished to see again. He looked at the woman with dyed hair and he felt the skipping of his chest upon seeing how identical they are just how they laugh. That sweet smile he could only see in photos and his memory.
He wanted to speak and approach the woman however, somehow he cannot move and he feels weak after all the lingering thoughts he had a while ago. He watched the woman walk away with a man. And finally, he concluded that…
He really had gone insane.