PHASE 4 - RAVIOLI RAVIOLI, I HATE THE BLONDE LOLI

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Students have been broken into small groups, but most of them are out of the classroom already. Meanwhile, my nerd squad has been flocking around me.

“So, Tiara Hikari invited you to her place, huh?” Chrisprel made a smug.

“It seems like it, but I feel more like I’ve been summoned to the principal’s office…” I had my palm in my forehead the whole time.

I have mixed feelings about this. Tiara said that I have the potential to become like her. To become a Gate Guardian. I will be a magical girl like creature who would fight imaginary monsters in order to achieve safety for the citizens. With great power comes great responsibility they say. But I hate responsibilities. I love beating up monsters with magical powers though.

Maybe I should see it first before commenting.

“Here she is,” Ranley said. I heard footsteps coming closer.

“Ohayou gozaimasu!” Daughty greeted the Japanese school girl. “Watashiwa Daughty-des! You’re so osoroshi sugoi, Tiara-chan! Toyotamitsubishihondacivic!”

“E-Eh?” Tiara’s face is a huge question mark.

“WTF are you saying, Daughty!” Ranley locked Daughty’s neck and drilled his fist on his forehead.

“Ow OUCH!!!” Daughty screamed. “Ittai! Yameteeeee! Ya-Yameroooo!!!”

“Shut up!” Heushac and Chrisprel pinned him and then dragged out of the classroom, leaving only the two of us. Tiara and I.

Tiara erased her confused smile and shifted to a serious mood. I returned back to my original position with a gloomy face. There was a weird and awkward silence. I feel like Tiara has been formulating some words from her mind, and it’s taking too long so I opened my mouth first.

“Shall we go now?”

“Y-Yes!”

That’s all she’s gonna say? I want to smack her head with a pencil.

<>

We walked for ten minutes until we found a condominium that has six floors. When we reached the sixth floor via the elevator, she led me to room number 65. She rang the doorbell. I was nervous because I was expecting that she’s still with her parents.

Suddenly, she started talking. “Don’t worry, I don’t live with my parents.” She smiled.

I was astounded for a second there. Can she read minds?

“I can read minds because I’m a psychic!”

“W-What?”

“Just kidding! I have the curse of a witch so I know the deepest secret you have.” She made a cute chuckle.

This time, I’m completely annoyed so I didn’t show any facial reactions. I’m fed up with all her bullcrap. I pretended not hearing her say “It was a joke, I just have good intuition.” Jokes are meant to be funny, dumbass. Repeating the same phrase over and over won’t make you any good.

Suddenly the door opened.

There was a small girl, about only five feet wearing a gray blazer and short skirt. Her uniform is those of a high school student from my hometown. Her long blonde hair was tied in twintails by adorable pink ribbons. She has a cute reddish face and purple twinkly eyes. She’s definitely a loli!

“Good afternoon! You must be Tiara’s classmate! Please come… in…” The small blonde girl was stunned upon gazing at my face. Then she muttered. “H-Huh!?”

There was a loooooong silence. This girl… I’ve seen her before…

Meanwhile, Tiara proceeded to enter the unit. She said “I’m home!” but when she realized that the blonde girl and I are still staring at each other, she went back outside.

“D-Do you know each other?”

“No, of course not!” I immediately blurted. My natural instincts say that I must go home right now, so I waved Tiara goodbye. “See ya!”

As I was about to turn my back, Tiara immediately grabbed my collar and dragged me inside! “You agreed to stay at my place tonight, so you have to be true on your word!”

<>

Oh, my goodness. This is so awkward.

I was sitting on my lap, and in front of me is the short blonde girl. Tiara is busy preparing tea for the three of us while humming carelessly and ignorant of the unpleasant atmosphere.

It’s because this girl is…

“Tea’s ready!” My magical girl acquaintance gave out a full cup and a ravioli for each of us two. Tiara has been joyful and lively since we’ve come to this unit.

I’m fully aware that this place is her comfort zone, and the classroom is her restless zone because she didn’t have friends in school. I see that she had formed the bond with this blondie.

The blonde girl had her cheeks blushing the whole time. We’re both looking in the ground like we’re waiting for some ant to show up.

“U-Um, S-Senpai…” Tiara elbowed the girl softly.

“O-Oh, yes!” The blonde girl cleared her throat. “Let’s start with the introductions. You’re Alaric Eisenhower, right? I’m pretty sure you know me.”

“I don’t know you,” I said coldly. Then I looked at Tiara. “Is she your little sister in prep school?”

“OF COURSE NOT!!!” The blonde girl exclaimed and held her chest. “It’s Jeannette! Je-ann-ette!!! How can you forget your best friend from grade school to junior high?”

“I don’t have any best friend in grade school to junior high.”

“You became handsome, but you have turned denser and colder, huh…” Jeannette facepalmed herself and made a deep sigh. “We’re getting nowhere if we continue to have our conversation like this. Let’s cut to the chase.”

Suddenly the air went from awkward tension to a serious and scary environment. It’s because everything that comes out of her mouth is a little new to me. She gazed at me with her purple eyes, and at the center of it… is a golden cross. The same as Tiara’s.

“Tiara told me that you have the potential to become a Gate Guardian. I’m pretty sure that you know the basics, right?”

I nodded without noise.

“You really doesn’t have a choice, really. Only 0.001% of the population has the talent to open the gates of Yami and the power to defeat Eidolons, and you’re one of them. You need to become like us. You need to become a Gate Guardian. I am here to teach you-”

“I don’t want to.” I quickly replied.

“You have to!” Jeannette shouted. “It’s for the greater good! You will become a hero, just like what you wished before!”

“I don’t want to become a hero.” I stood up. “My life is mine, and mine to decide alone. I know what I like, and I will do what I want to do.”

“But-!”

Before she could finish, I cut Jeannette. “I’m not interested in playing hero. I’m leaving.”

I packed my things and left the condo.

<>

Honestly, I wanted to give that Gate Guardian thing a try. But when I stepped on that condo unit, I lost all the motivation and interest on it. I want to have special powers, but if it means that I will see that runt’s face every day, I will say thanks but no thanks.

Because of that Jeannette…

Is the first woman I loved…

And the one who broke my heart.