Two Red Strings

Chapter 3

They made their way to the parfait cafe when Magnolia smelled a aroma of sandalwood. She turned around and saw Angelina. "Angey! Angey!" She shouted, waving her free hand, trying to catch her attention.

Angelina looked up from what she was doing and saw Magnolia. She turned elsewhere and seemed to be talking to someone else.

Magnolia guessed that it was Camellia, until she took another sniff. Levi pulled Magnolia into the shop and sat down at a four-seater. It isn't camellia nor baby powder... She thought. Magnolia knew it was a scent of a flower, but didn't know what. In addition, there was deodorant. And it was a common type the soccer boys in school would use.

"Magnolia, what would you like to have?" Levi snapped her out of her strings of thoughts. She took a look at the menu, scanning for her favorite flavor. "I want a mango and peach parfait, please!" She smiled. Levi smiled and went over to the counter to order.

Then, Angelina came into the cafe. "Mag!" She called, walking over to her table. "Angey!" She cried. Magnolia had only realized that Angelina had someone else with this. Angelina realized this. "Mag, this is my classmate, Myosotis." She introduced, sidestepping to reveal a teenage boy.

Magnolia observed his appearance. Myosotis was a brunette with ruffle chocolate brown hair, but yet it made him look kind of handsome. Magnolia suddenly straightened her back. What did I just think of? Magnolia lightly blushed.

She trailed her vision to his pinkie. His right pinkie had a red string, faintly glowing. The tail was long and loosely wavering. She trailed it to her left pinkie. We're meant to be...?

"Did you come alone?" Myosotis asked as tugged at the hem of his sweater. "I came with my brother." Magnolia answered him as she pointed at Levi in the queue, before gesturing them to sit down. Magnolia lightened the mood. "Hey Angey, you aren't cheating on Tavi, are you?" She smirked.

Angelina blushed. "N-No! I'm doing a project with Firmament!" Angelina flustered. Magnolia smiled. "Just checking." As if on cue, Levi came back with a tray of four parfaits.

He gave Magnolia her mango and peach, Angelina a strawberry parfait and Myosotis a blueberry. He helped himself to a coffee parfait. "Wow, I didn't know you knew what we liked." Angelina was surprised/confused. She didn't expect Levi to remember what she had ordered the last time.

"Thanks for the food!" Myosotis started eating his parfait. "It's a lucky guess." Levi and Magnolia fist bumped each other. "Woah! Blueber'es! You're amazing!" Myosotis complimented Levi. "Hey now, no need for praises, I'm just a simple brother." He smiled.

Blueber'es? Magnolia thought. Where did I hear that kind of saying from? Suddenly, her heart was pounding. Magnolia's face flushed with shyness. "Magnolia, are you alright?" Angelina asked. Magnolia nodded again.

"It's nothing!" She took a bite of her peach. She heard Myosotis whispering something into Angelina's ear. "Do you think she remembers me?" She overheard. "Why are you asking me that? Ask her." Myosotis turned away from Angelina.

"Hey, Magnolia." Myosotis called out to her. She looked up from her parfait and made eye contact with Myosotis.

"Do you... remember me?" He asked. Levi remained quiet. "Remember you?" She repeated. "We made a promise to see each other, after you turned 14." He continued. Magnolia scanned through her mind. "Is it related to the way you say 'blueberries' ?" She asked.

Myosotis couldn't be any happier when he heard those words. He nodded. "Yes!" Then, someone had to barge in. "Myo? Is that you?" Angelina heard a familiar voice and let out an exasperated sigh, on purpose.

"I don't need that kind of attitude, Red!" It was Clara. Or probably the Bitch-I-don't-give-a-fuck-about, by (the almighty sarcastic lil prick) Camellia. Magnolia scowled at the strawbie. "Oh, didn't see you there." She sarcastically said.

Magnolia sensed Levi's patience meter falling. Her brothers never tolerated bad attitude towards her from others. Levi was already losing control of his angering wolf. His hands balled into fists, getting tensed up. 'Miyachi, calm down.' Magnolia mind linked with his wolf, placing her small hand over his larger hand.

Levi relaxed his hands, breathing out slowly. "Is that a blueberry parfait?" Clara asked, snatching away the dessert from Myosotis. This time, her wolf was losing it. 'Keh! That little bitch!!' Lacrimosa shrieked. Suddenly Angelina grabbed Clara's wrist and snatched the dessert back. "Ah, sorry, I didn't see your name, so I thought I could take it since it didn't belong to you." Angelina became sarcastic.

Magnolia took a sniff, and smelled a faint fragrance of lily of the valley. Clara yanked her hand out of Angelina's grasp. "I'm taking Myo now." Clara went over to Myosotis and grabbed his shoulder.

At that same moment, Levi grabbed Myosotis' other shoulder. "I'm sorry but, my godson here has to attend his cram class after this." Levi lied. "Fine!" Clara gave in, probably because Levi is an adult, and probably her lack of knowledge of Myosotis's family.

Myosotis looked confused, but slowly understood the situation. "Am I... Magnolia's mate?" He asked. Angelina almost choked on her strawberry. "How'd you know that Magnolia is a wolf?" She whispered, regaining composure. Magnolia looked at the red string, now brightly glowing.

"Ange, I literally lived, ate, played and even slept with Magnolia for the first seven years of my life. There's no way I could not have known that Magnolia's a wolf-shifter!" Myosotis smirked. Magnolia beamed.

・・・

Magnolia and Myosotis appeared to have dated for months, although they had only talked for half an hour as they strolled around the mall. Angelina and Levi walked behind them. "They grow up so fast." He smiled. "Hey, don't sound like you have kids already..." Angelina felt a little awkward.

"And about this mate thing... what is it even? Is it like a relationship or something? Like soul mates?" Angelina asked. "Something similar. But unlike soul mates, we wolf-shifters can easily tell who is our mate and who is not." Levi explained. "Then, what about yourself?" She quizzed.

"I haven't found my mate yet..." He scratched the back of his head. "Is that so? Did you pass some time limit to find a mate?" Angelina asked, becoming very curious. "Not really. We can find mates as early as elementary, to as late as maybe even senior citizens if possible. But it's rare." Angelina smiled.

Levi saw this. "Why are you smiling?" He asked. "Well? It's like... Magnolia has finally found someone she can be at peace with. Usually she comes to either Camellia or me, just to complain about boys who confessed their feelings to her."