Ding!
Felix looked over to see who had entered the shop, expecting it to be someone he recognized. That familiar someone who always got on his nerves.
"Good morning, sir Felix. Do you have any pills for enhancing physical strength?" It was a young boy with blonde hair who had addressed him.
His eyes twitched slightly at the sight of the kid. It wasn't the individual he hoped to see, but he didn't mind too much. After all, it was his duty to assist his customers. Felix nodded and pointed towards the corner where the pills were located. "You can read, right, kid? They're on the second shelf." He directed the boy.
The child followed his guidance and went to the corner to find what he was looking for. "I can read, sir Felix!" the boy exclaimed, beaming with a smile while humming a tune he didn't recognize.
"Hm." Felix glanced at his hand, lost in thought.
Ding!
Felix's head snapped back, his gaze fixed on the door. He tilted his head as he recognized a familiar silhouette. There it was... The bothersome person. "Sorry, I'm running late!" I exhaled in relief that I arrived without incident. The rain was pouring heavily, and I had sprinted to the shop, umbrella in hand.
I leaned my umbrella against the wall and grabbed a small towel to dry my hair and face. I could feel his eyes on me, so I met his gaze and noticed him flinch slightly before quickly looking away. I raised an eyebrow in confusion. What was up with that? But I decided not to dwell on it.
"I figured you wouldn't show up." He murmured, but I heard it, which made me smile. "You missed me, huh?" I teased, sauntering over to the counter and leaning against it. He rested his chin on his hand, looking perplexed. "Miss you? Not really," he replied flatly.
I gasped in mock disbelief, placing my hand on my chest over my heart. "Ouch, that hurts." I closed my eyes, then reopened them to find him looking at me, his expression suggesting he thought I was a bit insane.
"Sir Felix, I got the pills!"
I turned at the voice and saw the young boy running toward him with a broad smile. How adorable, but who is he?
The kid halted in his tracks upon noticing me. "Who is she, sir Felix?" he inquired, handing over the pills. Felix took them without a second thought. "She's a friend," he replied, and the child's mouth fell open slightly, an 'oh' escaping him.
Friend? Did he just refer to me as his friend?
My heart skipped a beat at those words, and I felt a warmth spreading across my cheeks. Felix seemed to notice I was lost in thought. He turned to look at me, his brow slightly furrowed in curiosity.
"Are you alright?" His question jolted me back to reality, and I laughed shyly while nodding, "Yes, I'm fine." I giggled, averting my gaze to watch the kid who took the pills after Felix finished ringing him up.
The boy thanked him and left the store, leaving just the two of us again. Now what should I say? I wondered. Honestly, I had no idea. I slowly turned to see what he was up to, but to my astonishment, he wasn't doing anything but staring at me. This made me flinch and scream.
"What the-?!" Felix is taken aback by my reply. "Are you truly alright?" He stepped away from the counter to approach me. His presence feels overwhelming.
Being so close makes me feel small and exposed. I can catch a whiff of his scent... It resembles the fresh air of a morning breeze. His body is positioned so near that I can't move back; I'm frozen in place.
"Clara?" His hand lightly grazed my arm, causing me to retreat, my cheeks reddening. "This is crazy!" I exclaimed, executing a karate move. "Nope, stay right there. Don't move." I threatened, although I could feel my heart pounding louder than the air conditioning in the store.
Felix looked at me as if I needed a therapist for my odd behavior. "I'm not going to bite you. And do you really believe that karate move could take me down?" He crossed his arms with an exasperated sigh. "You're defenseless." He stated it so factually it bruised my pride.
"I know, I know." I sighed in defeat as I rested my arm on the counter. "Is it that obvious I'm defenseless?" I inquired.
He leaned against the counter beside me as he contemplated. "Yes." He finally replied. "Really? But aren't we both human?" I inched closer, intrigued by his response. "Gifted individuals can sense those who are ungifted, Clara. It's about the aura surrounding you." He clarified, and I nodded.
I learned something new today, which is great. However, it's both fascinating and frightening that gifted people can detect ungifted individuals just by their aura. It seems pointless to pretend to be gifted with this new understanding.
"But…" Felix turned to face me. Our eyes locked and we didn't break the gaze. "You're safe here. Just don't wander off." He finally said.
"Of course. Thank you." I felt valued and noticed with him. I'm incredibly lucky to have met him and grateful for those teens who tried to mess with me. I doubt we would have had this conversation if they hadn't been here before.
As I was about to speak again, the ground shook, nearly making me lose my balance, but Felix quickly moved closer to me, wrapping his arm around my waist, causing my eyes to widen and my heart to race again. Yet, there was no time to dwell on that feeling because a loud explosion erupted outside the store, knocking items off the shelves.
"Ah! What's happening?!" I cried out in fear as I grasped his hand for support. Felix remained composed, though his eyebrows were knitted together. "Something is happening outside." He looked down at me. "You need to get back to where you belong, Clara." He stated firmly, leaving no room for debate.
Outside, the chaos was unfolding with a frantic urgency that made my heart race. Felix guided me quickly through the crowd that was now spilling out onto the streets, faces etched with panic and desperation. People hurried past, their eyes wide with fear, clutching loved ones close as they hurried to find shelter. The air was thick with dust and the distant wail of sirens, a haunting soundtrack to the unfolding disaster.
I tried to protest, my voice trembling with worry. I shook my head desperately, desperate to stay, to understand, to do something. "What?! No! How about you?" I stammered, my words stumbling over each other as my mind raced with questions. My voice cracked with anxiety, a plea that sounded almost like a cry.
Felix's expression was calm but resolute. His reply was brief, almost dismissive in its certainty: "I'll be fine." There was no room for doubt in his tone, only a quiet confidence that seemed to stand in stark contrast to the chaos around us. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was losing control, that something terrible was about to happen.
As we pushed closer to the outside world, Felix suddenly released his arm from around me but grasped my hand firmly instead. Without warning, he dragged me towards the gates of the city, his grip tight but steady. Hesitant, I hesitated, feeling the weight of his impatience. I sensed his urgency, his desperation to get me to safety, but part of me wanted to stay, wanted to stay close, to understand what was happening, to help somehow.
"You are not safe here, and you know that," Felix said sharply, his voice cutting through the noise. His patience was wearing thin, the edge of frustration creeping in. "Stop being stubborn."
My concern for him was overwhelming. An ache in my chest that threatened to spill over. I wanted to stay and help, to do something, anything. But I also knew he was right. We couldn't afford to be reckless. Still, my resistance was strong. I wanted him to see that I cared, that I wasn't going to abandon him.
"I know that! But I care for you!" I shouted back, my voice rising, just as the ground beneath us trembled violently. An explosion rocked the city, shattering windows and sending shockwaves through the air. The earth beneath our feet shuddered as if the entire world was trembling in fear.
Felix instantly stopped, his body going tense. He turned sharply toward me, his face set in a stern expression. His eyes flashed with concern and something darker, anger barely contained beneath his calm exterior. "Clara!" he barked loudly, his voice fierce and commanding. The tone sent a jolt through me, a mix of fear and realization that he was truly worried, perhaps more than he let on.
Suddenly, chaos erupted anew. A towering explosion tore through the skyline. A building, once tall and proud, was obliterated in a fiery explosion. Debris was flung in every direction, some falling like deadly rain from the sky. The destruction was staggering, a testament to the raw power unleashed around us. Yet, thanks to their extraordinary abilities, many below remained unscathed.
Amid the tumult, I saw it. The flash of movement, a huge fragment of debris hurtling toward me at an inhuman speed. Time seemed to slow as my mind froze, panic flooding my senses. The fragment was approaching fast, too fast for me to move out of the way. My body was rooted in place, a paralyzing fear gripping me tightly.
Felix's voice cut through the chaos, loud and commanding. He shouted my name, his tone fierce with urgency.
"Clara!" I finally heard him shout as he pulled me forcefully towards him, causing me to collide with his chest. I winced in pain as it slightly grazed my skin, my eyes squeezed shut in anticipation of the impact. But nothing happened. I cautiously opened my eyes to see Felix enveloping me in a hug while his other hand was raised, creating a red orb-like shield surrounding us. The massive particle slowly fell to the ground nearby with a loud thud.
I finally exhaled, panting and feeling my heart racing. "Oh my..." I stammered, but was interrupted when I felt him shaking my shoulders a bit roughly. He looked at me with a cold stare, and this time, it was different from the previous gazes he had given me.
"Why won't you listen? If I hadn't been here, you would be a goner. I told you to leave, but you kept interfering in others' affairs instead of taking care of yourself." Felix's voice was steady but laced with venom and hurt.
"I... I apologize..." I murmured, looking sad as I slowly shifted my gaze downward to my foot. I heard him let out a long sigh as he released his grip on me. "Go away. And don't return." He said with finality, and it pierced my heart even deeper. I couldn't believe he said that; I knew I had caused him concern, but I never anticipated him to be so harsh.
I gazed at him in shock, "What? What do you mean?" I inquired.
"I'll inform the government to prevent you from coming and request them to bring the items from your home." He spoke without hesitation. He was utterly serious. "You can't be serious..." I said hopefully, but he dashed that hope.
"I am serious." Without saying anything more, he turned and began walking away, expecting me to trail behind him.
I stood there for a moment, at a loss for words at the predicament but gradually started following him. The distance was significant, his figure in front of me seeming to maintain a constant lead no matter how fast I tried to catch up.
When we reached the gate, I moved past him but paused. I turned slightly to catch a glimpse of his outline behind me. "Does this mean our friendship is over?" I questioned, tears welling in my eyes as I awaited his reply.
But he remained silent and walked away. My world fell apart at that silence.
"I suppose that's a yes." I whispered before making my way to the side where I belonged. I continued walking, feeling as if the gates were slowly closing behind me.