Avoiding This Fucking Childhood Friend

Chapter 9

“Uhm… Is there any book on love…?” Rajik mumbled. What? Wait. What? WhAT? Airis was stunned into silence. ‘Love?’ Airis was stupied. They were like… 6 years old?? Turning to 7 soon. But like, asking about a book on love? She didn’t- Oh my god. She was so, she didn’t even know what to say. Taking a deep breath, Airis turned out to face Rajik.

Her eyes twitching, “Love… Uh, are you sure you want to read something like that?” Well… He didn’t specify… Yea! Yea. He can mean familial love, or friendship love. Not exactly like romance and stuff! Regaining her senses, Airis decided what book she would pick. The Magic Tree House is perfect! It presents history, legends and everything! It also has familial love!

Picking out the book, she handed it to him. “Try this, I think it’s good.” Rajik took it in his hands, looking at the title. His eyes sparkling as he caressed the book. It was a book given by Airis! He will definitely read this over and over again! He hugged the book to his chest, treasuring it. Airis smiled, looking at his actions. She patted his head, “Tell me how it is after you read it, okay?” Rajik nodded, scampering over to sit next to the window as he read under the moonlight.

Airis gazed at him. ‘Ah… He really does look cute, doesn’t he?’ She couldn’t help sighing. Some people are just blessed with good looks. Airis raised her hand and squished her cheeks. She really has lots of baby fats, doesn’t she? Airis sighed, picking up the book. ‘Really, what a shame.’

____________🕕Timeskip🕕______________

“Ai!!” Before she could turn around, Airis felt a pair of arms wrap around her as she fell onto the ground.

Hearing a giggle above, Airis knew it was Rajik as usual. He started doing this kind of thing, just jumping onto her. He has gotten a lot more clingy over the years. They were now known basically as the bestest of friends. 6 years have passed since then. Both of them have turned 13 years old this year.

Over the years, Airis and Rajik could be seen everywhere together, if you wanted to find either of them, just look for either Airis or Rajii. You would be bound to find them.

And as well, with their midnight rendezvous together, they had gotten caught by the caretaker who had caught them reading in the break room when he woke up to get a cup of herbal tea.

And after scolding them mercilessly, they were now allowed to go into the break room to read at any time of the day. Sometimes, you would walk into them when one of them was sleeping on the other person’s lap, taking a nap. Or leaning against each other when reading a book.

They would also share conversations on the book excitedly sometimes. Their hangout spots have basically moved to the break room now instead of under the tree. To be fair, the caretakers didn’t really mind since they were well-behaved and quiet.

Airis also brought her notebook along, often lying on the floor as she sketched in her notebook or sometimes wrote. Beside her, Rajik would admire her drawings whileast reading. They were basically like two peas in a pod.

“Rajik! Get off me! I’m suffocating to death!” Hearing that, Rajik instantly got off her, bursting into peals of laughter. Airis glared at him, her hair all messy now. Folding her arms, “Look what you did! My hair’s all messy now!” Her hair was still the same as in her last life. Not smooth at all, rough and curly at the bottom.

Compared to Rajik’s HAIR? It was smooth, shiny and smells good like all the time! Unlike his wonderful, ethereal, beautiful, amazing, breathtaking, hair, her hair gets smelly and oily like every other day. She could hear her uncle’s voice echoing in her mind. ‘Your hair resembles a lion’s mane and a broom!’, ‘Oh look, the witch has arrived!’.  Airis groaned as she combed through her tangled hair locks.

Rajik had also walked over to assist with her hair. Gone was the lovely, cute and easy to make him cry boy. Now it was a cheeky, smart little boy who loves to tease and laugh at her. The one trait that never changed was him who always seemed to cling onto her whenever she went or met with her other friends at the orphanage. Some people have come and gone throughout the years, and looking at the amazing prospective Rajik. Airis was waiting and had already prepared herself when he would be adopted and separated from her. She didn't think it would come so soon.

3 months after their birthday, Rajik was called to meet a middle-aged man who came to the orphanage in a shiny black limo with tinted windows and a chauffeur. Just one look at this, Airis knew it was some rich man wanting to adopt. Perhaps he wanted a son to take care and accompany him! Yes, of course, he couldn't possibly adopt someone to be his heir. Haha, something like that would only happen in a drama! How could it possibly be?

And she was stunned shitless when she was waiting outside for Rajik, and when he came out of the room, he had told her that he overheard from a conversation that they were adopting him to be a heir. Airis couldn’t comprehend this. She actually predicted it correctly…? It was a joke! Wait, Wait! Rewind! Come on!

AIris didn’t know what to feel about this. She held his hand, squeezing it. “It’s going to be okay.” Comforting him. Rajik blinked at her, tilting his head, “What do you mean, Ai?” Airis pursued her lips. She shakes her head, sighing.

“Nevermind, let’s go sit under the tree. We haven’t been there for a while.” He smiled and nodded to her request. Arriving at the tree, Airis plopped down and leaned against the trunk of the tree, admiring the clear blue sky.

‘Ah, it has already been 7 years here…’ Time sure passed fast. Airis felt Rajik rest his head on hers. “What’s wrong?” He asked.

Airis shook her head, “It’s nothing much, I’m just overthinking…” Both of them fell into silence. It was a deafening silence. Nothing like the peaceful, comforting silence they would normally have.

“You know, don’t you, Rik?” She broke the silence.

Rajik didn’t answer as he closed his eyes. She lowered her eyes, looking at the ground. “Take care of yourself, okay? Become rich and everything, get a partner, a best friend and stuff! I can’t accompany you in the future all the time, but, be strong, okay? And make some new friends, have fun and everything! Just make sure you enjoy life at this age. ” She said with a bright smile.

Rajik kept silent, and asked a question she did not expect at all. “What type of guys do you like?”

…This! THis is supposed to be like a forlorn, sad moment? You don’t just break the atmosphere and go, “whAt TyPe Of GuYS yoU liKe?” Never in this world did Airis want to slap someone so badly. What a great question! Such an exemplary question!

Airis wanted to cry, grabbed his shoulders and shook him back and forth, but really, she couldn’t do so at the moment. Well, it wouldn’t hurt to answer such a question. Airis had always considered herself as aromantic.

To be honest, she felt terrified of interacting with people who are in a relationship, typically because of her amazing, overactive imagination. She always felt that if she were to talk to someone like that, the partner might haunt her ass down to the deepest depths of the abyss.

So she didn’t really find herself suited to be in a real relationship because she did like flirting with basically all her friends, like that time on valentine’s day where she bought a rose and got into the proposal position and proposed to her friend with a rose in her hand.

Needless to say, her friend started running away from her fast and furious. What a beautiful and cherished memory.

Back to the topic! Airis decided it wouldn’t be a harm to answer Rajik’s question. They were now 13 years old anyway! It wouldn't be that strange to ask a question like this. Rajik probably had a crush on her for the time being, but after not seeing her for years, his crush on her would fade with time.

“Well, like for my enhanced version of a guy I like who doesn’t exist in this world but only the fictional world, I would like for them to be super smart, good at household chores, good-looking, rich and amazing in bed. And well, the realistic version, it would just genuinely be a nice and accepting guy who can cook and catch bugs and at least be financially stable. Either of those.”

Aha, Airis didn’t know she was setting up her death sentence for the rest of her life! What a delight!