"Great job, Aris! Here's some juice for you," White said, offering her the cold can with a warm smile.
"Thanks, Sir," she replied, gratitude shining clearly in her eyes.
"You're a quick learner, unlike someone else I know," he teased, thinking of Zen. "You're quite well-known in your grade, but I didn't expect you to have such skill already."
Aris chuckled, closing her eyes in mock frustration. "I'm not as famous as you think. Mostly it's because of my brother Zen. Other girls think he's perfect, but to me, he's just… Zen."
White nodded knowingly. "Well, he is one of the best players on our school's basketball team, so his fame isn't surprising."
She smirked. "Yeah, but aside from basketball and games, he's pretty useless."
"Come on, he's your big brother. You should be proud of him," White said, encouraging her.
"Well… if you say so." She flashed him a reluctant grin.
Aris had always been like this since he met her and Zen. Zen was a little overprotective, often annoying her by scaring off her friends. Yet deep down, White knew there was a genuine bond between them, even if she never admitted it.
Catching her eye, he grinned and drifted into thought.
"What? Why are you giving me that look? Don't tell me you're trying to lower my guard so you can make a move," she teased.
In response, White playfully delivered a karate chop to her head. "What? I didn't hear you say anything."
"No, no, not at all, sir," she said quickly, sarcasm lacing her tone.
Glancing at the clock, White realized it was nearly 10 PM. Zen would be arriving soon at Aris's friend's house, and he had left Bell and Elsa alone at home. A wave of concern washed over him.
"Let's pack up; it's almost time. Zen will be there soon, and we need to beat him there," he urged.
They left together and walked toward Aris's friend's place.
"Thanks for the company, White," she said, bowing slightly.
After seeing her safely to the door, White walked slowly back to his apartment. The door was locked, but he slid his keys in and opened it quietly.
As he stepped inside, cheerful voices drifted from the living room. Bell must be watching TV. Clutching the bag of pudding he'd brought for her, he smiled softly and entered.
"Bell, look what I brought!" he called out—but froze when he saw her playing nearby with Aisha.
"Papa! Welcome back! What's this?" Bell exclaimed, rushing over and grabbing the bag excitedly.
"Pudding! Yay! Look, Big sis! Papa brought pudding!" She jumped with joy, holding it out for Aisha to see.
Aisha smiled knowingly at him. "It's good for you, Bell. See? Your Papa always takes good care of you."
"Right, Papa?" Bell giggled, darting off to fetch spoons in the kitchen.
White sighed softly. "So, what's the matter now? What did I do this time?" he asked, half-expecting a sarcastic reply.
Aisha tapped her chin, amused. "Ara, I never said you did anything wrong." She paused, then added thoughtfully, "Ah, right… you left Bell alone. What if somebody broke in?"
White shook his head firmly. "Nothing would happen. No one can see Bell except me. So, tell me—what's really going on?"
Aisha frowned playfully. "Hey, that's rude, you know! I may not be human, but I do have a heart."
"Yeah, yeah. So?" White pressed, wanting to cut to the chase.
She sighed. "I thought after all our encounters you would see me as a friend. But you remain as guarded as ever." Then she smiled teasingly. "Remember when you thanked me for helping you? You said, 'Thank you, Aisha, the most reliable and beautiful. I will always be grateful to you.'"
"I never said that!" White protested, blushing.
She giggled. "Oh, right. You met someone new today, didn't you?"
"What are you talking about? I didn't meet anyone." He hesitated, unsure if he should reveal too much.
"Don't lie to me. Was her name Luna? And she can see Bell?" Aisha's smile didn't falter.
Damn it—how does she know about Luna?
'Luna might be smart, but there are mysteries even human minds can't comprehend. And even I wasn't sure where Aisha's true power lay.'
He folded his arms, growing serious. As Aisha noticed, she softened. "Don't worry, I'm not as evil as you think. If Luna can only see Bell, it's no big deal. Besides, you have to visit Elsa soon, right?"
"You came to make sure of that, didn't you? Is that all?" White asked.
'She already knew her name.'
'How…? She's always one step ahead.'
"What do you think of me?" she asked, pouting. "I consider you a friend, whether you like it or not. Since Bell is with you, I have access anytime—not just to cause trouble."
Bell interrupted, running up to Aisha with pudding in hand. "Here, Aisha big sis, your pudding! And Papa, I'll get yours too!"
White smiled. "Thanks, Bell. Enjoy it with Aisha. I'm going to check on Miss Elsa."
"Okay," Bell agreed, eyes bright.
White knocked gently on Elsa's door before entering. She was sitting by the window; glasses perched on her nose. Upon seeing him, she removed them slowly.
"Ah, White. Welcome back from how was your part time job," she said with a tired but genuine smile.
"Yes, It was good and see, I brought pudding—I thought you'd like it," he told her.
"Thank you, White. Actually, there's something I want to show you." She held up a worn notebook.
"A notebook? What's in it?" he asked, curious.
"It's a diary I was keeping before the amnesia. I wrote everything down." Her smile brightened.
"That's wonderful! Maybe reading it will help you remember the things you lost," White said hopefully.
But it wasn't simple amnesia. She remembered everything—except him and the accident.
"I saw the parts about you," she said, her voice quivering. "But it feels like those memories belong to someone else. I'm sorry." Her eyes shimmered with sadness.
"Don't apologize, Elsa. Don't force it. It's okay if you don't remember me. I'm just glad we can make new memories." He forced a smile though his heart ached.
She looked up. "Big Sister…"
"Yes?" White asked gently.
"I know… the way you call me that feels warm and familiar. Could you please just stop calling me 'Miss Elsa' and call me 'Sister' instead?"
"I promise, Big Sister. I'll never forget," he said softly.
After wishing her goodnight, White left, feeling relief that she was healing so well. On his way back, a message pinged on his phone.
Aris had texted:
"Thanks for today. I made it home without Zen noticing—he fussed over my late-night study habits, but I tuned him out. He's such a worrywart! And don't forget our deal after school tomorrow, okay?"