PHASE 15 - HEAD PATS AND HEAD SMASH

I woke up because my phone vibrated. The ice bag which I accidentally used as a pillow broke, so my bed has been spilled with cold water. I even think that my left cheek has frostbite.

It was Jeannette’s message. I first wondered how she got my number because there’s no way I could give it to her, but then I realized I never changed sim cards for the past three years.

“You were right! The winning lottery ticket for this day is 123456, and seven won the jackpot! I should have taken your advice!” The text said.

I don’t know what to feel. I want to forget that dream since it made me a lot of trouble, but some things are really happening based on that nightmare.

I decided to get up and go to the bathroom. But when I was going to open the door, there was a thud!

I peeked outside and saw Tiara sitting on the ground. She had these “Auuuu…” Japanese schoolgirl cries, and she’s holding her forehead. It seems like I accidentally hit her with the door.

When Tiara entered back on her senses, she immediately stood up and bowed. “Bre-Bre-Breakfast i-is ready R-Rikkun…” And then she ran away blushing. She even tripped two times, until she finally was out of my sight.

She’s probably embarrassed about last night.

<>

After we had breakfast, we took the train from Heightsburg to Dradecim. We walked from the train station to our school. Tiara has been barely speaking, and she has been looking away from my eyes and she looks red. I know she’s shy but I think she’s overreacting.

“Hey, um…” I don’t know what to say, really, but I kept going. “About last night-”

Suddenly, Tiara looked at me with her tearful eyes. She’s really suppressing her feelings, but she burst out all her emotions anyway.

“I-I never did it! I-I was about to start when you entered! S-So I never did it! I-I-I’m still p-pure, y-you know!! I’m a Kozukata Shrine M-Maiden! I’m not a nasty p-pervert! I’m just testing what we learned in our b-b-biology class! D-Don’t you dare telling anyone what-y-you saw, g-get it!? I-I mean, please, d-d-don’t tell anyone, I beg you! I-I-I’m sorry, I-I didn’t mean to shout your name in a perverted manner! I’m not…. Maybe I am, but still… please stay as my friend!”

I didn’t understand that paragraph because she was stuttering all the way while conducting her mumble rap, but I get her point. She looks pitiful for trying hard acting like a saint but ultimately fails afterward. But I kinda like it.

“Y-Yes, you are still my friend. Stop overreacting. It’s cool. I’ll forget it.”

I then caressed her soft black hair, and she acted like she’s really fond of it. I’m also getting carried away. She’s too cute! What makes her more adorable is her innocent smile!

“T-Thanks!”

There’s no way I would forget that, you perverted pup!

<>

The classes proceeded like a normal day. Nothing worth mentioning.

After the class, I went with Jeannette as we go back to Mirose Grande. Remember that I don’t have my watch with me, which contains my Weapon Gem. Apparently, I forgot it back in my home. I can’t train in the Kozukata Shrine without those.

It was already fifteen minutes since our bus departed from Dradecim City, but Jeannette has been weirdly silent. Normally she would pester me with questions just to redeem our broken friendship. Now it’s different. I’m not used to awkward silences so I grabbed her attention.

“Hey, you sick?” I waved my hand directly to her line of sight.

“...I just realize that you’re not the same Ric that I used to know. You’re cold, dense, and selfish. But when you’re with Tiara, the innocent, kind and thoughtful Ric from junior high comes back. What’s with that girl?” She had her arms crossed and was angrily ticking her index finger on her elbow.

“You sound like you’re dead jealous,” I smirked.

“I-I’m not!” Jeannette puffed her blushing cheeks. “I’m just worried that you’ll fall for that witch! Don’t let her charming looks and perfect body shape deceive you!”

“Witch?” I tilted my head. I remembered that Tiara has been joking that she’s a witch for a couple of times.

“I-I-It’s a figure of speech!” Jeannette panic said. “She’s just cursed with her fate.”

“Why so?” I made a follow-up.

“Her mother had a brutal death. His father is a womanizer and didn’t care for her. And her half sisters treat her like a turd. Aside from that, she’s overly clumsy, as if she was deprived of any luck at all. She didn’t even have that many friends, even among the Kozukata Shrine Maidens.”

“Well, she saved my life. She even taught me how to defend myself against Eidolons. Being her friend is the only thing that I could pay my debt to her.” I said.

Jeannette deeply sighed. ”I guess you still give your loyalty to those people who saved you. It’s like the Ric I know in the third grade.”

She made a cute smile and then reached my head, and gave me a pat. I was triggered so I softly slapped her hand away from me. But then she still continued to tease me.

“Why aren’t you calling me Amy anymore?”

“Your boyfriend has the obligation to call you via your cute nickname,” I said in a same freezing manner.

“I don’t have a boyfriend, FYI.” Jeannette mimicked a bloated pufferfish.

“W-What!?” I wasn’t able to control my voice. “W-What happened to Kristoff?”

“We broke up~” She said with a genuine smile as if she was not affected by that at all.

“This is news to me!” I slightly calmed myself by breathing heavily. “You look so good together! When did you break up?”

“Hey, don’t act like you really like us being together.” Jeannette looked away. “The day when you transferred your credentials to Dradecim National High School, that’s when we broke up… I guess.”

“Maybe she got sick of your aristocratic bullcrap.” I made a smirk.

“Stop assuming some weird story. I’m the one who initiated the break-up.” Jeannette is getting angry. I can tell just by looking at her twitching eyebrows.

“It’s such a waste.” I continued to insult her. “Kristoff was a kind smart man. He even bought you expensive perfumes and imported chocolates, and gives you flowers every single day.”

“Aaaaaah! Stop it! Let’s change the topic!” Jeannette stood up on her seat to have a clear shot on my head. Then she used her soft fists to hammer my forehead alternately.

Pic! Pac! Pic! Pac! It didn’t hurt a bit because this runt’s strength is like those of a five-year-old. Or maybe she’s just holding herself.

Jeannette was so noisy that I felt the urge to apologize to the people who got disturbed. I look at the adjacent seat and saw a people wearing an official uniform. I was about to say sorry when I noticed that the man has hollow eyes, and is crying with black blood.

Suddenly, Jeannette stopped smashing my forehead. She shifted into a serious face and muttered.

“They’re here.”

Jeannette swiped her fingers to create a Gate.