I don't remember how long I stood here, holding my breath, watching intently, like I'm in a trance, in a dream and I can't wake up, his voice took me out from my trance, it's just how I imagined it, how I described it, his voice, stern, cold, heavy. At first I couldn't make out what he was saying, I just stood there motionless, until he said something in his cold voice again.
-"you're late".
My hands shook further, I asked, trembling- "what late and why? "
-" Didn't you read the signboard, we're closed, it's past 10 mins closing time"
I thought 'but I just saw the open sign, so I came' obviously I didn't say anything, I don't want him to think I'm weird, so I said-" Well I just need an hour or so I'll be gone by daybreak, I won't steal anything I swear, ".
-" Stealing isn't a problem, because some of them steal back, so you better watch yourself "he said without lifting his head from his book. Actually what was this guy reading so intently, I really made him this way that now he isn't even concerned about being alone with a women in the middle of a night. Well anyways it's good for me if he doesn't pay any attention towards me.
As I was about to turn and go to scan some books he closed the book making a thud sound.
-"wait"
I halted, now he's facing my side, his gaze sharp, a moments ago I was shivering with cold, but now it's like I'm in front of a huge stove, wherever his eyes went, felt like something burned. I waited for a while for him to say something
-" You're not from here are you? "he said not taking his gaze away
-" What make you say that? " I asked now facing him, it really is hard to look at that face without being enchanted.
-"people who come here usually knows what they want, but you... "He trailed eyeing me up n down" You look like you're running from someone or something "
-" I'm just a passerby, I'll go once the night ends"
-"I'm not forcing you out mam, anyone would be concerned if they saw you like that, if anything, anyone's bothering you, you can say it, who knows I might help you. "
'If anything's bothering me it's probably you', I thought before my eyes darted to a sloppy mirror, and I saw myself, I looked ridiculously tired, ugly and even funny, I was so out of it that I didn't realized that my clothing style doesn't fit in this story.
-"nobody's bothering me, I'm just tired that's all"I said clearing my throat.
-"well, well I've never seen such peculiar clothing before, are you from other country. "
-"well yeah, I'm from West, it's still new, this style, maybe after a few years you'll be seeing people wearing stuffs like this"I don't know if he's really asking or mocking me.
-"oh, is that so, but why do I feel like I've seen you somewhere, your face looks oddly familiar, also the clothing it looks like I've seen them too".
I can't even curse myself, why did i make him so highly suspicious of everyone, he's using it on me too, -"you must've seen me in your dreams".
-"Dreams are messy places, you can forget who's real and who's not", "I wouldn't have remembered your face if it was a dream" He said, his brows high.
I turned away a lil-"well some do remember faces from their dream, like me so who knows".with that I went to scan some books so I could avoid him.
He didn't say anything for a while then asked-" Are you looking for something "
-"oh no I'm just looking at whatever looks nice"
-"if that's the case, touch them with care lady, or they'll bite".
I stopped touching them randomly, of course I know what kind of books they are, they're magical, they speak, they listen, they change forms, I created them for you how can I forget. But you still don't know that they speak, cause you've never unlocked the proper function so you just know that they're special, they help you with your cases, they're your secret weapon, no wonder you're still here even after closing the store. I thought while I rummaged through several books, I realized books here are really different from our real world, even contents are unique.
I was engrossed in one when I heard someone tapping on a shelf. I turned and it was jiang xi, with two mugs in his hands, steam rising from them. 'He's considerate' I thought.
-"here, there's no poison in it so no need to worry"
I blinked and took a mug from his hands. Our fingers brushed past each other for an Instance and I pulled the mug away,
-"who knows there might be some slow poison which could take effect tomorrow "I said drinking the coffee. Ah I realized what he was doing, he was trying to calm me as I was rather on edge the moment I stepped here.
-" Then I suggest you stay here till tomorrow and see if there's anything " He said, small smile appearing on his beautiful face.
-"it's just an hour and I can't burden you anymore than this, I've already held you from going home "
-"this is my home, I don't go anywhere "he said sternly.
I know this is his home, he lives in the back, I know, but I can't say that, so I said- " Oh, then maybe I didn't bothered you much, right? "
-"not at all. "
After that I drank the coffee in silence he didn't said anything too and then I went behind a bookshelf and left the mug in an empty space after opening a certain block.
As I was closing the block, my hands were tightly gripped by jiang xi, he was tightly holding my hand, his grip deathly, his eyes enraged.
-"lady this is the first time we've met so how come you know where to put the mug", his grip solidified further with every word he said.
Now I realized what I have done, I've written about this so many times that I forgot that this is where he puts his mugs and the block I just opened , nobody knows about it, apart from its creator and user nobody knows about this very function. And he catched me red handed doing something no normal person would do. In that very second all sorts of thoughts ran through my mind, did he deliberately gave me a drink, was he suspicious of me from the start, or was it a coincidence, why is my luck so bad!!
-"I... Ah, I passed through here before and saw this block so I touched it a lil cause it picked my eye and it opened and there was a mug in it so I thought that's where you kept your plates or mugs, so I left mine here too, ah..please will you loosen your grip"
He didn't loosen his grip, further twisting my hand-" Do I have stupid written on my head or do you really think I'm stupid !"
I tried my best but I know my words can't reach his head right now, he's thinking that I'm one of the crime suspect who came to spy, I know him, I tried pleading, tried to free my hands but nothing worked, tears ran through my face unknowingly and I felt petrified, by him that is.
After he saw that I started crying his grip loosened and he let go of my hands, before he could say something I bolted out of the bookstore, making sure he wouldn't follow me, I tripped some books which I knew he would have to pick up and he won't be able to follow me.
Now I was running again in this unknown world which i created , now I've done it, not only I made him suspicious of me but also gave him every reason to hunt me down, I can't face him anymore, I shouldn't have done that I know, I wasn't thinking straight, even if the mug incident could be put aside he won't tolerate the way I choose some certain books to throw at him and on floor, now he knows that I know him, that I know his place it's functions, that it's magical. He would definitely come after me. And I, I have to get away from here, go back to my own world.
I stopped in my track when I remembered something, my phone! , I opened my phone even though there was no signal, I could still see the new chapter which was posted just now.
Chapter 42- the girl in raggs ran away again, now leaving him furious, he knows he has to catch this girl as she's not ordinary.....