"Big sis!" Rhiannon happily bounded towards Aster, completely ignoring the stares she received.
Aster gave a small smile despite her unease.
Just as Rhiannon reached the table, she tripped over the leg of a chair and fell towards the tall bookshelf behind Aster.
'What!' Aster dove towards Rhiannon, placing herself between Rhiannon and the bookshelf. With her arms wrapped around Rhiannon's head and back, they crashed heavily into the bookshelf. Books from the top shelf clattered.
But there was no pain.
'Lucky...' Aster opened her tightly shut eyes, intending to check on Rhiannon, but she froze when she found Lucifer towering over their hunched bodies with his hands on the bookshelf.
Aster glanced at Rhiannon. Indeed, her eyes were twinkling with admiration. It made Aster's eyelid twitch. 'What in the world is happening here? A trope? A cliché? Rhia is never this clumsy. And what's with his insane reflexes? Did he jump over the table or something?'
"Are you ladies okay?" Lucifer's deep voice broke Aster's train of thought.
Rhiannon's eyes grew wider in surprise.
On the other hand, Aster's lips were further pulled into a straight line.
"You-"
"Thank you." Aster hurriedly pulled Rhiannon away before Rhiannon's words could tie their fate to him.
"Big sis!"
Aster ignored Rhiannon and continued to stuff her belongings into her bag.
"He-"
"Let's go. I'm done here. You didn't need to find me here." Aster scurried off with Rhiannon's hand in hers.
"Why're you in such a rush!"
From the corner of her eye, Aster noted how Lucifer had already returned to his task, completely unperturbed by their activity.
'It should be okay...'
"Big sis!" Rhiannon was getting more upset by the second.
Now that they were out of the library, Aster slowed down her pace and properly looked at Rhiannon. "Yes, Rhia?"
"...Why were you- No, nevermind that, do you know him? That guy from earlier!"
"No, I don't. We just happened to study at the same table."
"Just happened to? That's even better." Rhiannon stroked her chin with a twinkle in her eye.
Aster frowned. "Why?"
"That makes him all the more promising. I like him."
"Just because he saved us?"
"Tsk. Of course not! Think about it! Sitting at the same table by luck? AND noticing you?"
"... I'm not getting it."
"He could be the one for you!" Rhiannon squealed.
Aster's expression fell flat. "Give up that thought. He didn't notice me before today, before you came along. Don't even think about it. It's impossible."
"So you have been sitting with him regularly? Oh... It just gets better and better!" Rhiannon squirmed in excitement.
"Rhia, please-"
"Oh, come on..." Rhiannon shook Aster's hand childishly. "You never know..."
"Rhia, no. I don't want us to have anything to do with him."
YOU ARE READING
Kindling Flame
FantasyAster died in one her of attempts to cut the ties between her family and the ones she deemed as trouble and found herself bound to a system that offered her a chance of resurrection. However, Aster had lost her will to live. Will she let her soul be...
