Elsword: Yin Yang (Under Major Revision)

63

"You suck at lying." She rolled her eyes. "I only talk to you, Ara, there's no one else I'll gossip to." She bit on her lower lip and smiled. "That's if you don't count my imaginary pals." 

She does have a good point. What's the harm in telling her, right? I bet it'd make her happy if I was to share more things with her, it'd reassure her that I'm her friend. I already shared my past with her; what else have I got to lose?

"W-well, there's this guy--"

"I knew it!" Scarlet squealed, her voice bouncing loudly through the blanket of fog. "You may continue." She winked. 

I scoffed at her interruption but went on anyway," he was a real jerk when I met him, if you were to leave us in the same room I'd probably try to beat him up." I felt my chest warming as my mind raced for the correct words to say. "B-but as I got closer to the team he started warming up to me. At first it was small gestures like cheering me up and looking after me in battle, but now he's treating me like a true...friend."

"Just a friend?" Scarlet arched her brow.

"W-well," I turned my eyes elsewhere to avoid her gaze. "We do talk and make fun of each other like good friends, but when I'm around him my chest feels funny and I always find myself blushing." 

Scarlet squealed at my confession. She quickly apologized and gestured me to continue. 

"I-I don't know," I tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. "Whenever I feel down h-he always seems to know what to say. I-I also feel incredibly happy when I'm with him---I still feel happy when I'm with the others, don't get me wrong, but he's not like them. Sure he annoys me from time to time and he isn't always as nice as everyone else, but t-that's what I like about him."

"Oh my goodness, Ara." Scarlet bounced at my confession and wrapped herself around my arm. "You totally have a crush on him."

"A-a crush?" I quoted.

"I don't know who this boy is but I'm wishing you the best of luck in the future." 

"Stop it, Scarlet," I lowered my head with my heartbeat pounding in my ears. "I-it's not like that."

"You say that now, honey." She giggled. "But I know something will happen."

" Uh huh, sure it will." 

"O-oh I apologize, you've been talking to me for so long your team mates must be worried about you." Scarlet pried herself from my arm with a large toothy smile plastered on her pale face. "You should get going now."

"I could stay a bit longer with you," I insisted. "You need a friend more than ever right now."

"Ara, I appreciate the thought but I'd hate to worry your friends." She pulled me into a tight hug, burying her face into my shoulder. "Thanks for listening, Ara. That's the best thing anyone has ever done for me." 

I closed my eyes and hugged her back," if you ever need anything just come find me." I whispered into her ear. "I'll always be here to listen." 

She kept me in her arms for a few extra seconds before breaking the hug, her eyes reddened again with tears," take care, Ara. I'll be expecting to see you alive and healthy the next time I come find you." 

"That applies to you too." I told her. 

Scarlet waved goodbye to me before taking her leave, I kept my eyes on her until her small dark figure was completely engulfed by the fog. Sighing I went back to untie Yang from the tree, at this point it had already calmed down.

"What's gotten into you," I asked, untying the knot around the tree trunk. 

Yang whimpered and perked its head up to lick my face, as if asking me for forgiveness. I couldn't help but laugh as its wet tongue tickled my cheeks, all the frustration and anger I held before was quickly wiped away with the simple gesture.