Only after the woman had disappeared down the street did Zelaive finally move. An unspoken tension filled the air at the bus stop, a silent acknowledgment of their repeated encounters. Boarding the bus, a fleeting exchange of glances—a silent conversation—passed between them. "You go first," Zelaive offered, a hesitant courtesy. "You were here first." "Thanks," she replied curtly, already stepping onto the bus. Zelaive found a seat, noticing the woman from the train already seated nearby. He sat beside her, the silence heavy between them. As the bus approached his stop, he saw her rise, apparently getting off at the same place. They exited the bus together, their paths continuing to intertwine.
The woman, noticing their shared route, voiced her suspicion, "Are you sure this is your way? Or are you following me?"
Zelaive's response was sharp, "If anyone has bad intentions, it's you."
Her retort was equally pointed, "If you have plans for me, don't bother. You'll only hurt yourself."
"I have no plans," Zelaive insisted.
He spotted a familiar path, one that would take him further from his family dinner, causing him to hesitate. The woman noticed his pause. "Is that where you're going?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied, choosing the longer route, a silent concession to her apparent discomfort at their continued proximity. He wanted to alleviate her unease.
As he walked, a torrential downpour began, the sky ablaze with an unnatural red hue.
"Good thing I have an umbrella," he muttered, a touch of relief in his voice.
He decided to stop at a convenience store for some chocolate and ice cream, despite the storm. Inside, he saw a familiar figure, drenched and huddled near the back. As he approached, the figure turned, revealing the woman from the train and the bus.
Her gaze was accusatory, the silent judgment clear. "Wait, let me explain. I'm not a stalker," he stammered, his attempt at explanation clumsy and unconvincing.
"Why do you look like that?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her tone.
A nervous laugh escaped him. "Did I smile?"
"Yes, you. Smile a little," she prompted, her voice softer now.
"Is that how you see me? Never smiling?" he asked, surprised.
"Yes," she confirmed.
"Let me explain. We separated routes a long time ago," she said, finally softening her stance.
He explained his detour, his attempt to ease her discomfort. Her response was unexpected—a burst of laughter.
"Seriously? Hahaha!"
"What's so funny? I'm worried about you, even though I don't know you," he said, slightly offended.
"Sorry, sorry. What's your name? We've been seeing each other for a while now," she said, still chuckling.
"It was an accident," he replied, still slightly embarrassed.
"There are no accidents. Everything has a reason. Everything that happens in your life, from birth, has a reason," she stated, her voice thoughtful.
"How can you say my birth has a reason?" he questioned, intrigued.
"As long as you're breathing, you have something to do, something to finish. It could be now, or in the future," she explained.
He was suddenly struck by her beauty, a realization that caught him off guard. "My name is Henzu Zelaive Mazerch. I'm eighteen, born March 11, 2005, and I'm single. Nice to meet you," he blurted, offering a complete biography.
"Zelaive, that's unusual. I didn't ask for your life story. Just your name. And I don't care if you're single," she teased, her smile genuine this time.
He noticed her repeatedly glancing at her watch. "Do you have somewhere to go? Want to use my umbrella?"
She declined, not wanting to leave him without one.
"I'm going to a family dinner with my future stepmother," she said.
"Me too. With my future stepfather," he replied, a strange coincidence dawning on him.
A sudden realization washed over them both. "Wait," she said, a note of worry in her voice. "Where's your dinner? Because..." The implications hit them simultaneously. They might be step-siblings.
"I don't think what's in my head is right. Maybe it's an accident," he stammered, unsure.
"I don't know, but there's a chance you're right," she replied, her voice equally uncertain.
They left the convenience store, sharing his umbrella. The storm intensified, forcing them back inside. He offered her his jacket, and she accepted.
"It's so stormy! Is there a typhoon?" he exclaimed.
Her phone issued a warning: stay home, public transport was shut down. They needed to turn back.
As they started back, they saw a figure in the distance.
"Isn't it dangerous to be outside?" Zelaive shouted. "Go home! It's dangerous!" Jazel, however, sensed something was wrong. It wasn't just a person.
"Run, Zelaive! It's dangerous!" she yelled.
A faceless human silhouette floated into the air, a terrifying sight that chilled Zelaive to the bone. Jazel's face was pale with fear as the figure rapidly approached. Before Zelaive could react, the figure was behind him. It was like a sentient gust of wind.
Jazel reacted instantly, summoning a red-furred bear-like creature with gold eyes, black claws, and gold crystals on its paws. The creature grabbed Zelaive, leaping high into the air. A gust of wind formed in front of them, coalescing into a human form, and punched the bear. Zelaive was thrown back, but Jazel caught him.
The wind-human created a wind barrier, preventing escape.
"Are you okay?" Jazel asked, concerned.
"What was that?" Zelaive asked, bewildered.
"I don't know, but I know it inhabits the Layer," Jazel replied, her voice serious.
"How did it get here? Is someone responsible?" she wondered aloud.
"What's the Layer?" Zelaive asked, his curiosity piqued.
"I'll explain later. We have a bigger problem," Jazel said, her eyes fixed on the wind-human.
The creature she'd summoned transformed into a spear.
"Wow," Zelaive breathed, awestruck.
Jazel attacked, but her spear passed through the wind-human. It vanished, reappearing behind her, its hand around her neck. It could have killed her, but it chose to toy with her.
"I'm only just trying this, but since you forced my hand, you'll be my practice dummy. Zone Divine Fire!" Jazel declared, unleashing a wave of flames that engulfed the wind-human and its barrier. The fire spread to Zelaive, but he was unharmed.
"I'm not hurt," he said, surprised.
"Only those with evil hearts can be burned by this fire," Jazel explained.
Jazel smiled at the wind-human. "You could have killed me earlier, but you didn't. You were too confident. Don't underestimate people."
The wind-human lunged, its hand burned by the fire, forcing it to sever its own arm. It expected regeneration, but it didn't happen.
Jazel's spears multiplied, blazing brightly.
"Divine Meteor Shower!"
A shower of spears rained down, their impact immense. Jazel used her fire to shield Zelaive and the nearby houses.
The rain stopped. The clouds dispersed, revealing a starlit sky.
"Why was I so scared at first? It turned out to be so weak," Jazel muttered, her strength waning. "What if they come out of hiding?" A chilling thought hung in the air, a promise of further conflict.