Cecil was notified by the system that her radar had expired, but she couldn’t be bothered about it at this moment as she stared at Hana. She knew this was the third time that Hana was recalling her memories, and it was from this point on...that Hana would start to change little by little.
However, now, since K’xug has appeared and the storyline has been changing constantly, Cecil wasn’t sure if the memory Hana would see would be the same as it was in the original novel.
If so, how will she change?
Cecil stared at Hana, still concerned.
“Just like last time, she is probably recovering her memories,” Cecil informed the two man, and she gestured to the pot of congee Hana had cooked. “We should eat up, since she cooked for us.”
Hence, it was the start of a meal with a heavy atmosphere.
When it was Cecil’s turn to scoop her own serving, she glanced down at her injured right wrist, sighing. Just then, a shadow hung over her and a hand appeared out of nowhere, scooping the congee right into her bowl instead.
“You could have just asked for help.”
Cecil glanced up, seeing Xue towering over her as he scooped congee carefully into her bowl. She blinked rapidly, glancing back down.
“It just...didn’t occur to me.”
“Does it hurt? Your wrist?”
“It does, but it’ll heal. It’s just a sprain, I am lucky it wasn’t broken.”
“...your wrist is sprained because of Zeau, isn’t it?” Xue questioned with a hint of anger.
Cecil nodded with a hum, watching as her bowl was slowly filled up, her mind becoming preoccupied as she recalled the fight with Zeau.
She was terribly weak, and powerless.
It felt...horrible.
“Cecil.”
“Mmm?” Cecil snapped out of her daze, glancing up at Xue.
Xue was looking down at her, the fire from the campfire highlighting the gentle look in his eyes. It was so gentle, Cecil felt her heart skipping a beat.
Without any warning, the conversation she had with Hana earlier replayed in her mind.
“Because Xue likes you!”
“He really, reeeeeallly likes you!”
Suddenly, Cecil found the distance between them a little too close and she shifted forward unconsciously.
Suddenly, Cecil found herself growing warm and her heart decided to go on a race inside her chest.
Suddenly, she found herself growing conscious and she couldn’t quite meet his gentle, grey eyes.
It doesn’t help that the words that Hana said kept repeating in her mind.
“Is it enough?” Xue asked softly.
“What? Enough? What is enough? Enough of what?” Cecil’s eyes were wandering about, and her pitch shifted.
Xue lifted up her bowl, and it was filled with congee.
“Oh, yes, sure,” Cecil glanced at it, nodded hurriedly. “Enough, it is enough. More than enough.”
Xue started to frown, confused as to why Cecil had repeated the word “enough” too many times.
Cecil reached out to take her bowl, to find a place to sit down and eat, wanting nothing more than to calm herself down. She had no idea why her mind was growing flustered by each passing second.
Alas, that moment was denied as Xue carried her bowl away and her mouth hung open as she followed Xue’s figure. He settled down close to K’xug, and he placed her bowl beside his, raising his eyebrows as he gestured for Cecil to sit beside her.
The entire time, K’xug has been eating his congee quietly, complimenting Hana’s cooking skills as he observed the two people.
Cecil was rooted in her spot as she gazed at the empty space beside Xue.
Why does he want to sit beside me?
Because Xue likes you!
Why did he put my bowl beside his?
Because Xue likes you!
Why did he scoop that bowl for me?
Because Xue likes you!
Why--
Because Xue likes you!
Likes you, likes you, likes you, likes--
“You don’t want to eat?” Xue asked.
Cecil forced a smile on her face. “No, no, I want to eat. Definitely, want to eat.”
“Ah, is it because you don’t want to sit down? We can stand up to--”
“No, no! It’s fine, let’s sit down and eat, sit down!”
She quickened her steps towards Xue and sat down beside him. Her movements were stiff, and even her manner of speaking was weird, earning the confused looks from the two men.
Cecil inhaled deeply, closing her eyes and she finally gathered the courage to open her eyes to look at Xue, turning her head.
The moment she did, she found a spoon right in her face and Xue was too close for her own comfort.
She recoiled back, flustered. “Wha…”
Xue tilted his head, furrowing his eyebrows. “You can’t expect to feed yourself with your wrist sprained like that.”
K’xug gulped down the spoonful of congee, licked the corners of his mouth and when he heard Xue’s words, he snorted to himself.
More like, you are more than eager to feed her.
You even blew on it to cool it down for her.
K’xug shook his head at his hopeless friend, and at the couple blatantly flirting beside him.
“Here.”
Cecil blinked, looking down at the spoon and she leaned forward, feeling awkward as she ate the congee offered to her.
“How is it?”
“It’s delicious, Hana’s cooking has really improved ever since that time in the academy.”
Xue was reminded of the days he spent training with Cecil in the academy, and he found himself smiling.
“Yes, she really has improved.”
The moment Cecil saw his smile, she was stunned. It wasn’t her first time seeing his smile, but she didn’t know why, this time, it affected her to the point where she couldn’t speak.
Xue proceeded to scoop another serving for her, blowing on it and offering the congee to her, the smile still lingering on his face.
In that moment, she saw a blinding aura surrounding Xue. Moreover, the blinding aura grew bigger when Xue tilted his head in confusion, furrowing his eyebrows in concern.
“Why do you look like that?”
“Because...you…”
“I…?”
Cecil widened her eyes in disbelief, blinking once.
Why is he suddenly shining so bright for me?!
Cecil blinked again.
The aura...it’s…just...go away!
Cecil blinked once more.
This can't be happening!
“...”
Without any word, Cecil hastily took out a long piece of bandage from her storage ring.
“Cecil?”
She then proceeded to wrap the same bandage...around her eyes.
K’xug choked on his congee.
Xue wore the most bewildered expression on his face.
“...”
“...wh-what are you doing?”
“Training. Blindfolded.”
“When eating...congee?”
“...”
“Yes.”
Xue’s expression twisted even further in confusion.
K’xug was coughing and laughing at the same time, his shoulders shaking with mirth.
Hence, the heavy atmosphere turned out to be an awkward one, with a blindfolded raven-haired woman being fed.
At least, the woman didn’t have to face the blinding aura around the man in front of her...no matter how ridiculous she seemed to the other two men.
***
Hana was at her usual meeting spot, under the pavilion that was situated next to the lily pond, waiting for Xue to arrive. Her eyes were closed, her long eyelashes as she leaned against the fence, enjoying the scent of the fresh flowers. A gentle breeze blew by, causing her hair to tickle her nose and a small frown creased her forehead. The wind chime rang to the breeze, its sound beautiful and soothing.
Hana opened her eyes, pushing her hair away and she turned to look at the far end of the pavilion, expecting to see a ash blonde-haired god approaching her way. Instead, she noticed a handsome copper brown-haired man resting on the fence, in the same manner as she did, his eyes closed.
Tilting her head, Hana hopped her way towards the copper brown-haired man. She leaned in, gazing curiously at him. The next second, the man lifted his eyes open slowly and she suddenly found herself staring into a pair of different coloured eyes.
One a beautiful greyish-black and the other a mesmerizing crimson red.
Hana gasped in amazement, leaning in even closer.
“Your eyes are so pretty!”
The man recoiled back in shock, but he soon recovered and wore an indifferent mask on his face.
“Who are you?”
He didn’t answer.
“Oh, I remember you now! The scary assistant that Xue always talks about! I see you sometimes! K’xug, am I right?”
K’xug exhaled sharply.
“...Xue told me to accompany you today.”
“Xue is busy again today?”
“Since he is the next Supreme God in line, he has a lot of duties, and he will not be able to spend time with you for two weeks.”
It was obvious from his tone that K’xug did not like Hana, not one single bit.
From the time he had seen Hana accompanying Xue, Hana had been nothing but a burden and a trouble to Xue. Unfortunately, since Xue was ever the helpful and easy-going god, he only laughs it off and helps Hana without any complaints.
K’xug, on the other hand, disliked people like that.
To simply put, he thought they were completely useless.
Of course, Hana could sense how K’xug detested her, especially from the way he spoke scathingly.
However, what no one knew was that Hana was used to treatment like this.
Since young, more people disliked her than liked her. Eventually, the people that liked her came to dislike her again. To her, friends were people who come and go, and she never expects them to stay.
She was always a simple person, and she will continue to remain that way.
Hence, hearing that Xue had no time to spend with her didn’t leave her feeling bitter. She only beamed positively.
“Oh really? Then drop a message to me for Xue, tell him not to overwork himself! I’ll be here to listen to him if he needs it!”
K’xug was expecting Hana to begin whining and crying. To his surprise, she only smiled happily at him.
She even spun around, preparing to leave the pavilion.
K’xug snapped out from his shock, grabbing her wrist. “Wait a second. Xue told me to accompany you, and not let you wander around unguarded.”
After all, she was a close friend of the Supreme God, and there is still the rising conflict between angels and demons.
Hana turned back, blinking as she hummed thoughtfully. “If it is like that...okay then! How about you accompany me to the marketplace?”
“...what?”
“One time, I asked Xue to accompany me to the marketplace. But then I saw everyone greeting and bowing to him every second we walked...so Xue felt so uncomfortable that he didn’t want to go to the marketplace anymore. I felt so bad for even asking that…”
K’xug furrowed his eyebrows.
“What about your friends?”
Hana smiled sheepishly. “I...I don’t have any at the moment. Even if I do, they hate accompanying me to the marketplaces all over the heavenly realm!”
K’xug was baffled by her answer.
“What about your mother?”
“My father always snatches my mother away because he loves her too much! Even if I do get my mother to come with me, my parents never liked me going out too much!”
K’xug had the slightest impression that her parents were overprotective.
“Wait, then how did you come out here if they do not like you going out too much?”
Hana giggled. “I sneaked out! As long as I am back on time, they won’t know!”
“...does Xue even know about this?”
Hana shook her head vehemently. “No, definitely not! And you cannot tell him, since he is always so good, he will definitely tell my parents!”
K’xug can somehow imagine Xue tattling on her parents...and what that would lead to.
“...fine, I’ll go with you.”
Hana threw her hands up, smiling happily. “Yay! Finally, I have someone to go with!”
Thus, for the next two weeks, K’xug spent his time with Hana, mostly at the marketplaces scattered around the realm...and he finally understood why her friends hated going with Hana to any kind of marketplace. And why, her parents never liked her going out much.
First, her naivety.
“Oh, what’s this? An enchantment item?”
“...it’s a jewelry box.”
“Oh, K’xug! Come here and see, they told me this was a magical treasure that belonged to the first Supreme God!”
“...it’s a scam.”
“K’xug, K’xug! They are telling me that in this alleyway, there is a shop that sells rare goods that are extremely cheap!”
“...they just want to lure you in there to knock you out and steal your money.”
Secondly, she was a complete trouble magnet.
If it was in the marketplace, somehow, the merchants would try to fight for her attention to deceive more money from her.
If it was in the inn where they wanted to rest, somehow, brawls would break out where she would be the prize for the winner to take out on a date.
If it was inside the bigger shops in the marketplace, sometimes, she’ll be cheated into buying things when K’xug looks away for a second. She might even break things accidentally and leave the shop owner very, very unhappy.
One time, even in the garden, Hana somehow managed to anger a Zepphin’s nest that appeared out of nowhere. They were extremely aggressive, particularly to anyone that disturbs their nest, and they were also poisonous.
Lastly, she just assumes everyone is inherently good and never doubts them.
At times, it surprises K’xug that Hana is indeed right in her judgment of the person being good.
Other times, it leads her to being deceived and occasionally, K’xug has to teach them a painful lesson.
“Gather around, gather around! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you one of the rarest gems in the world…”
Hana was staring at a store owner shouting at the top of his lungs, advertising his product but everyone was clearly disregarding him.
“Hana, this is a--”
“--scam!” Hana finished his words, beaming at him. “Am I right?”
K’xug widened his eyes in shock, not expecting Hana to answer like that.
The smile Hana had on her face remained, and there was a grateful look in her blue eyes.
“K’xug, thank you so much!” she chirped, before her smile faltered and she looked down and twiddled her thumbs. “I know...how much of a trouble it is, to take care of someone like me. I am sorry for causing you so much burden.”
“You did cause a lot of trouble.” K’xug agreed with her words bluntly.
Hana lifted her head up, smiling sheepishly. “I know! That’s why, I would like to thank you, very, very much! And thank you, for staying by my side!”
This was her first time not seeing anyone leave her side, like they always did. After experiencing so many situations one after another, it could make one receive a permanent migraine.
K’xug scoffed.
“I have never seen anyone that attracts so much attention and trouble.”
And also, someone so stupidly naive.
“You are unique beyond words, Hana Katae.”
“Hehe! That’s why my parents never let me out much! Because I am--”
Hana stopped abruptly, shutting her own mouth.
K’xug raised his eyebrows. “Because you are…?”
Hana shook her head, forcing herself to maintain her smile. “I’ll tell you another day! I think we should go back now!”
Only she herself knew the real truth and the words she was going to spout out without thinking, but that was really...a topic for another day.
***
Hana exhaled shakily, slowly lifting her eyelids and as she did so, stray tears slid down her face. There was a dazed look in her blue eyes, a tinge of sadness in them. She pushed herself up, rubbing her tears away and she glanced around.
Her eyes laid on two people in the distance, resting near the campfire as they cuddled up with one another. Cecil was laying her head on Xue’s shoulder, sleeping soundly, looking completely exhausted.
Meanwhile, Xue was staring intently at the pot in front of him, stirring the pot gingerly as he glanced at the contents inside, grimacing. Occasionally, he glanced at Cecil, as if checking whether his movements had disturbed her sleep.
Hana smiled softly at the scene, bringing her legs up as she laid her head on her knees, staring at them.
These two were her friends that had never left her side.
Not even once.
Not like the others.
The two of them...were really her friends.
Her eyes moved, and she looked at K’xug standing beside Xue, pointing at the pot as he shook his head. K’xug gestured for Xue to stir harder but Xue narrowed his eyes, nudging his head to Cecil resting on his shoulder beside him.
K’xug rolled his eyes.
Xue just narrowed his eyes even more.
...and now, there was another friend that had never left her side either.
At that moment, the two men seemed to notice Hana was awake and staring at them with a soft smile.
One of them smiled back at her.
The other showed her a small smile along with a wave.
Welcome back.
Their actions brought about a comforting warmth that suffocated her and she found it hard to swallow her saliva. She wanted to tear up again but she held it back, she lifted her hand, waving back at them.
Just like how Xue felt things were going to be different now, Hana felt the exact same way.
***
《 start 》
That is why my parents never let me out much.
They were too protective of me.
They were too scared for me.
Because I am…
Because I am cursed.
...but it’s alright now.
Mother.
Father.
Now I have Cecil.
Now I have Xue.
Now I have K’xug.
Now...I have friends who stay no matter what.
Now, I will in turn, stay by their side and fight along with them.
...and now, I will also fight on my own.
《 stop 》