Chapter Text
The convenience store worker scanned the drink I bought "Your total is $4.00 cash or card?" I swiftly pulled out my wallet and handed over $4 worth of cash in $1 bills.
"Thank you, come again" I bowed my head slightly in response as I walked out of the convenience store. The hot sun stung even more as I exited the air conditioned building.
It was summer, and summer time meant a nice cold drink. I sat on the bench just outside the store, near one of its windows.
The dark brown of the wood really made the slight glow of my mana ring pop. 'Wow!' ...I raised my hand up to my face and stared at the mana stone ring on my index finger. I tilted my head back to observe the ring's lustrous glow in the sunlight—
'wth?'
Why the hell were there two men looking out the convenience store window staring at me?!? I locked eyes with one of them and swiftly turned my head down.
'Well that was creepy'
I looked back at the ring on my finger. Brother got me it for my birthday, he said it casted off ghouls or something. It's been a year since he ran away...I wonder if he's doing well. Is he eating enough? I hope he's happy with pursuing magic...The house has been so empty without him
I was so excited to see him again after 2 years studying overseas. Mom, dad and ray sigh...did they really have to fight a week before I came home?? '
Ray really couldn't just wait for me to come home before breaking off that blasted engagement!'
I wrapped my fingers on the bottle cap and twisted it. psst.
The 1.5 litre bottle of milk soda fizzed. I closed my eyes, my lips touched the rim of the bottle, as soon as I was about to take a sip, a voice interrupted.
I opened my eyes and saw a tall and muscular man with ginger hair. Next to him was a smaller guy who looked liked a mage judging by the wand in his hand. They looked familiar?
"Hey, give me that" the ginger demanded, his finger pointed towards my hand.
oh crap. Wasn't that the guy who was staring at me earlier???
"yeah, if you know what's good for you" the man's companion added. His wand flickered in the air.
'Oh Crap.'
"what? No! Are you two crazy????" Seriously. Why would they want to steal this out of everything. Not only were they staring at me earlier now they're trying to steal the few things that bring me joy?!
"buy your own milk soda!" I pulled the soda up to my chest protectively. Then the two men started laughing! What the hell is there problem?
"The guy actually thinks we want his milk soda. Hah!" The ginger scoffed as he looked over at his mage companion
"I know right?" The mage sighs and looks at me. The ends of his fuchsia hair glowed with a slight pink. "we want that ring and if you don't give it to us..." The sound of knuckles cracking from the ginger lingered in the air "Let just say things could get messy"
Without missing a beat the ginger grabbed me by the collar. I lifted my right arm and was about to throw a punch- 'huh?' I can't move my arm- 'that bastard mage!'
I couldn't just let them take my brother's ring! Crap. Should I just let them take it and call the police?? Is there anything else I could do??
Tap. Tap. Footsteps could be heard in the distance. A finger snapped. It felt like I couldn't breathe. Immense pressure came over me.
It was suffocating.
It made my head hurt.
Suddenly the mage and the ginger's hands froze. I dropped to the ground with a slight thud. Their eyes were wide. Their hands trembled.
The two men looked up. "Oh crap it's a witch!" they muttered as they ran off into the distance. I looked up and my mouth dropped.
'witch?' more like angel because holy- she was beautiful. She wore a witch like hat that drooped, the tip of the hat almost touched the brim. Her face was covered with a purple tinted veil that was attached to the hat, opaque enough to block out the sun, but transparent enough to see her face. The back of the veil reached her thigh, while the front ended at the bottom of her nose.
She had a cold but delicate face. The ends of her hair glowed a bright purple. Her eyes glowed a faint honey color through the veil.
It was suffocating.
"You, are you fine?" The woman asked as she reached over to help me up, her eyes and hair reverted back to its original color.
The pressure was gone.
'Phew,' I could breathed again. I grabbed her gloved hand and flinched. The hand was cold.
As soon as I got up an air of awkward silence surrounded us. I coughed into my fist "Thanks for uhm...helping me out earlier." The beauty nodded in acknowledgement.
"So ma'am...what did you buy?"
"Nothing, Just waiting for someone."
"..."
"...Well I should probably get going thank you for helping me earlier-"
I looked towards Seline and—
—A man with blue long blue hair tied up in a ponytail walked towards seline. They looked a lot like my-
"Ray?!" My brother looked up and dropped his phone. His mouth hanged open.
"Lucas??...seline? Do the both of you know each other??" My brother asked as he turned to the woman,Seline.
The woman snapped her fingers , the phone teleported to her hand before it could hit the ground. "I suppose."
I walked slowly towards him, my legs shook with each step. "Lucas?" I hugged my dear brother. Ray's shoulder's stiffened but soon relaxed, before patting me on the back...just like he always did.
As sweet as this reunion was, I was still mad at him! I mean who just runs away a week before your brother comes home and cuts off all contact?!
"you- do you know how shocked I was when I found out you ran away? Mom and dad were worried sick about you!"
"Mom and dad? What? They're not angry?"
"Do you think they'd still be angry? Yeah sure you broke off an engagement but...considering how much older they looked since you were gone..."
"Oh..."
I withdrew my arms and stepped back.
"Well anyways since you're nearby, why not visit? I'm sure our parents would be happy"
Ray glanced at Seline looking for confirmation. The witch nodded in return.
"Why not? After all family is important." A faint smile was visible through the veil. Ray looked back at me there was also a smile on his face.
"Come on!" I walked forward and the two followed my trail.
***