Moonlark Turned Evil

38: New Friend?

Hello hello!

The sun was setting when Jin returned home. He made himself a cup of coffee and sat down, unfolding his newspaper. He skimmed through most of it, unimpressed, until he came across an article about a strange aurora over northern Africa.

"I have the weekend off," he said to himself, glancing at the calendar on his wall—a colourful page filled with notes that were scribbled hastily over the image of Yor and Loid Forger.

His girlfriend had thought it would be amusing to get him a Spy x Family themed calendar, and he really loved it, but his friends and coworkers never let him forget it.

His phone rang, and he answered without checking the caller.

"Hello?"

"Jin, have you seen the aurora article yet?"

Jin sighed, pushing his square black glasses up his nose. "I only just got back from work, Am. Why do you think I know about it?"

"Because you're you. Now answer the question."

"Geez, someone's feeling short-tempered today," Jin said teasingly. He could picture her pouting at his comment. "Yes, I've seen it. I'm planning to check it out tomorrow."

"You're always ready to travel, huh?"

"Well, I am a student of archaeology."

"Tell me what you found when you come back, will you?"

"Sure."

"Alright, see you soon!"

"Love you."

Jin hung up, dropping his phone onto a pile of clothes.

His main job was teaching at the local school, a tiny shack with about twenty kids in total, but whenever something like this happened, he pursued his hobby of travel and alien sightings.

And archaeology, but that was more of an excuse for the alien sightings. He was a big believer of little green martians and UFOs from outer space.

Some thought he was eccentric and strange, but a majority of the people who lived in the tiny rundown town loved him. Especially his students.

And he, in turn, wouldn't want to leave the town even if someone offered him a trip to Mars.

Especially if it was a one-way ticket.

Jin opened the door and stepped outside for a breath of fresh air, frowning as he noticed something strange.

There was someone walking on the street.

Now, that was perfectly fine. People in town went for walks all the time. It wasn't as if everyone stayed in their houses and boarded up their windows and threatened anyone who came near with pitchforks.

The strange thing was that Jin didn't recognize this woman. Which meant she was either a newcomer, or a visitor—and both were usually quite loudly announced. It was hard to miss the news in a town as small as this.

So, he decided to strike up conversation.

"Hey," he said, walking over.

The woman on the sidewalk—if you could call it a sidewalk—was pretty. Very pretty. In fact, Jin was sure he'd never seen anyone more beautiful in his life. She wore a long skirt and a snug jumper, her blonde hair tumbling down to her waist. Her eyes were a startling shade of ice blue.

"Hello," she said, and her voice was elegant and sweet.

"I'm Jin. You from around here?"

He felt stupid the moment the words left his lips. There was no way she lived somewhere nearby—he would have seen her if she did. And her accent didn't fit.