'Lilith... that's a rather unique name.'
Olive had heard the name Lilith before; it was a name of a female, with its meaning rooted in ancient origins. Most of the people who had this name were either named by a mythology–loving parent or a person who loves the gothic atmosphere kind of person... not like he was judging, it was a beautiful name.
Whereas Olive himself was unaware of its actual meaning, he was sure it would mean something beautiful.
Still, while the name itself was beautiful, barely anyone nowadays has it. The reason being was simple. It was because the majority of humans have forgotten the name, it was not well–known as back then, back in the late twentieth century and the early twenty–first century. Sure, people of that time had revived the name, bringing glory to it. But that was almost six decades ago.
By now, it was the late twenty–first century, just a decade away from entering the twenty–second...
"Okay then... umm, Miss Lilith. Wait, should I call you Miss Lilith or just Miss?"
She looked at Olive weirdly. Shaking her head, she let out a small chuckle.
"Address me however you want boy. I don't care."
Then, she continued reviewing the sword.
Just like that, another minute passed, and Olive, feeling a bit bored again from watching Miss Lilith looking at the sword for a long time, called her.
"Miss."
She looked up from the sword again with a questioning look on her wrinkled face.
Confirming that he had gotten her attention, he continued:
"Your name... Lilith. What is the meaning behind it?"
There was a pause between them for heartbeats. Olive looked at Miss Lilith's golden eyes, awaiting an answer.
But somehow, Olive noticed something about her face, a subtle difference... Somehow, the wrinkles on her forehead seem to increase, more shadow veiled between those wrinkles everywhere. More than that, her golden eyes were narrowing, looking at him intensely with an emotion that he couldn't put his hand on.
It looked almost like... like a... like a frown.
That was when he realized that those strange emotion that Miss Lilith was observing him with was bewilderment. And the increasing wrinkles on her face were caused by her, looking at him with a scowl — but barely — combined with her confused look.
"That... is some question you had..."
Taken aback by her unexpected remark, Olive thought back about his question and tried to make sense of what she meant by that. What was wrong with his question?
At that second, a light bulb clicked.
'Just who the hell asks the meanings of people's names?'
Miss Lilith has a one in a hundred names among people these days, and Olive was curious, since he rarely met anyone with a name like that, sure. But that was not something people would blatantly ask during a conversation. At least, not normally.
''What's the meaning behind it'? What kind of question was that?!'
Slightly flustered, Olive waved both of his hands toward Miss Lilith, letting out an awkward imitation laugh.
"Ah, aha... s–sorry, that came out of nowhere. It's just that, I rarely met anyone with a name like yours. And I heard that there is an ancient symbolism behind that name, so I'm genuinely curious what the meaning behind it is."
Well... actually, there was one more reason why he had asked the question. It was mostly because he was bored standing at the same spot doing nothing but wait... but there was no way he'll say that.
One of her brows raised, she then changed her face from a bewildered scowl–like look, to just plain confusion.
"Why are you panicking like that? There's nothing wrong with your question, boy. I am just... surprised. No one had asked me about the meaning of my name out of the blue before."
Following that, her face grew somber as she landed her eyes somewhere with a blank look.
"A meaning, huh? Lilith..."
Taking a deep breath, she carried on.
"To answer your question, boy, yes, my name does carry an ancient symbolism, and my father certainly named me after the meaning the name carries."
Olive's interest piqued hearing that. But something about her demeanor seems off somehow..
"So my speculation was correct after all. What does it mean?"
He asked, feeling a bit fascinated. But what came out of her next was not what Olive had expected.
"Night demon."
Olive froze.
Silence hung between the two of them, with Olive looking at the old lady with slightly wide eyes. He must have heard it wrong.
"A... night demon?"
No, really... Lilith was such a beautiful name. And yet, the meaning behind it was anything but. How could it be?
Behind the counter, she slowly nodded.
"Yes..."
As a sigh escaped her lips, her eyes bore a hint of wistfulness.
Her lips then curved upwards, faintly.
"...you see, when I was nothing but a child, my father was scarcely around. It was only right for it to be called luck if he decided to stay home for a week or two weeks, if he felt like it — but even if he did stay, we barely talked. It was as if he never acknowledged my existence."
She took a deep breath.
"...the only person that was around me as I grew up, was my mother... even so, she was as much as my father when it comes to acknowledging me. In fact, she despised me."
Olive was momentarily stunned. Not from what she had said about her absent father, nor was it from her mother — actually, he was a bit stunned hearing that, but that was not the main part. The real reason was, because of the way Miss Lilith had suddenly opened up to him.
...and not just about anything, but something sensitive, a topic that one should not take lightly into account.
'Why is she telling me this?'
Olive was not close to her or anything, so how could she just shared something so sensitive? To him no less. This was not something that she should be telling a random stranger, but to a close friend instead.
He saw her hand trembling on the table counter. Miss Lilith did not speak for a long time, and Olive did not push. Remembering such things must be hard, it would only be right for her to take her time. So when she gathered her courage, Olive listened.
"I was an infant who had put a stain on my father's life... That was what she told me when I asked her about my name. About why my father gave me such a name."
She closed her eyes, as if reminiscing a bitter moment. However, when her eyes jolted open, her demeanor shifted.
"At least that was what my mother said. I never actually asked my father about it, so I never really learned why he named me the way it is."
Then, she let out a heartedly laugh.
"Look at what you've done boy! Forcing me to remember such a foul past! Shame on you!"
Feeling a bit offended, Olive crossed his arms playfully. The mood before had been sour, so a little bit of cheerful ambience would really be appreciated now, given that she started it first.
"Hey! I remembered no such thing! How can you accuse me like that?!"
Letting out another wholehearted laugh, she shrugged.
"You did! You asked me about my name's meaning, therefore triggering my brain to remember those memories!"
She shook her head.
"Well, whatever, you did do this old lady a favour by listening to her story. So nonetheless, I appreciate that. Been carrying the painful memories for years you know? Feel good to finally breathe it out."
Looking at the sword, she let out an inaudible whisper. Her words flew so thin that Olive would have missed them if he were to be distracted.
"...thank you."
With that, she continued to study the sword.
...Olive stared into the space somewhere else. After all, what she had said was a lot to take in. All those painful memories that were supposed to be shared with friends and loved ones, were instead given to him. Why?
There were no reasons for her to do such things. And she does not require to share it with him if she doesn't want to. She could have just left him unanswered. And yet, she answered. She remembered her painful memories, just to answer his question.
Of course, Olive suppressed himself from asking why had she answered him, feeling that would only force her to remember another year of suffering. He kept quiet.
Now that he thinks about it, Miss Lilith was extremely old. An individual who was born in the early twenty–first century. And judging by how old she looks, it would only be right to assume her being in her eighties, maybe more. People her age were rare, not absent, but rare. Perhaps that was why she had shared her story with him.
Because she doesn't have friends. At least, not anymore...
'That's sad.'
Would Olive and his friends be like that? Old and alone?
He sure hoped not.
That aside, He also felt a little glad... After all, Miss Lilith did say that she felt better letting her past out. It was good to know that in a way, he had helped a person. Hopefully, she would live her life away from cruelty from now on.
"I think it's beautiful."
Miss Lilith looked up, feeling a bit shocked.
"Huh?"
Giving her a smile, Olive explained.
"The name I mean. I think it's beautiful. Sure, the name has an unflattering meaning. But who's to say that it needs to be like that? Who's to say that we can't think otherwise? Who's to say we can't find a whole other meaning? Let's see... Lilith. Isn't there a flower named Lilith?"
She shook her head, confusion like no other glued on her face.
When Olive saw that, he panicked.
"There's not? Crap, I'm positive I heard a Lilith flower before."
Turning around, he whispered.
"Think... Think you fool. You started this..."
However, he forgot all about that later. Because behind him, a laugh resounded. When Olive turned back, he saw the sight of Miss Lilith laughing, tears slipping down her cheeks as she wiped them off the next second.
Finally, it died down.
"Ha... how you amuse me. Truly! And here I thought that the fidget spinner would be the only thing to turn you into a clown. How unexpected!"
Olive tilted his head.
'A clown? '
Breathing in, she said.
"Well, I guess you're right boy. Who's to say there is no other meaning to my name other than a demon? Huh? In fact, maybe I'll find a whole other meaning to my name."
Olive brightened up as her words echoed through the air, but chose not to say anything.
Later, she continues studying the sword. Expecting another long session of staring at the wall, Olive looked away. But not even a couple of seconds passed after he looked away, Miss Lilith called him.
"I'm done."
A bit shocked, Olive abruptly jerked his head toward the old lady.
"Already?"
She just nodded without giving him a verbal reply.
Olive's body leaned toward the counter. His eyes were now looking right at Miss Lilith's golden eyes, prying for an answer.
"So tell me about the sword! Is it ancient? Was it from an old knight? Wait, wait, wait, what does the rune say?
Lifting the sword, handed it to Olive, prompting him to take it, and without much thought, he took it as he leaned back away from the counter.
"If you must know, yes, it is old. But how old it is is a mystery. As for the runes, I had no idea whatsoever."
Her last statement took Olive aback. By a lot.
"Wait... so then why did you take such a long time studying the sword?"
Miss Lilith shrugged.
"Of course it took a long time! Just when are you going to get the opportunity to study this old sword, boy? Of course, I would take my sweet time observing it, I'm old!"
Disappointed, he shifted his gaze at the sword solemnly.
"Don't tell me this is just junk I found in the store. Ah! But it is so beautiful!"
Was it nothing but deception?! If it was, then Olive would consider throwing it.
As if his mind were transparent to her, she shook her head.
"Relax boy, I'm just not sure what it is, really. Don't throw it just yet. Keep it, that sword is too good–looking to be thrown. Who knows, maybe you can use it for self–defense."
'Self–defence?'
Olive doubted that. If there were a person harassing him, then he might just give that person a punch in the face. Moreover, slicing a person would do him no good.
Sighing, he nodded.
"Yeah, maybe I'll keep it."
***
As he was about to leave, Miss Lilith suddenly stopped him.
"Wait, boy! Before you go, let me give you something. You know, as a gift for listening to me."
Olive flinched, raising his hand, he waved it hurriedly with wide eyes and a slight blush on his cheeks.
"No, no, no, you don't have to–"
But despite that, she insisted.
"Don't be so modest, boy! This store is cramped! So you would really do me a favour if you just take it! Wait here while I search for it."
With that she bent down under the counter, searching.
Defeated, Olive put his hand down.
'Huh?'
Was it just him, or was his hand holding onto something?
Lifting his arm again, he opened his palm and looked at it. There, a blue fidget spinner lies in his palm, apparently resting on his hand for the entire time somehow.
Turning his head left and right, he walked down the aisle — where he found the fidget spinner — searching for its kin. When he found the countless fidget spinners on the shelf, Olive then put the one in his hand to where it had been. As he was about to take a step toward the exit. He suddenly heard a loud noise at the counter.
Bam!
Then, he heard a shout...