CHAPTER 28 — Surprise and Discovery
On the couch, Razan looked at Charlie and said, his expression relaxed but curious:
"Well then… why did you come here today? You usually only show up when you bring a stack of movies you want to watch, or when I call you so we can hang out, eat something, or mess around a little."
Charlie froze for a moment. Her hands fidgeted nervously with the edge of her skirt, and her eyes darted away as she forced a smile.
"I… I have something to do here. Yes, I have something. Something important."
Razan, seeing the way she avoided his gaze and how stiff her posture was, became even more suspicious.
"So what do you want? If it's something I can help with, I'm happy to."
Charlie started to panic. Words got tangled in her mind, and she swallowed hard while trying to improvise. Then, all at once, a lightbulb flicked on in her head. She straightened and said quickly:
"Well… you see… I've been very worried lately and I can't sleep at night. My mind keeps spinning. I heard you guys made some sleep potions. I want them."
Razan raised an eyebrow, scratching his head as if trying to force the suspicious feeling away.
"Well… if you really want them, they're at the hospital. I can go get them for you."
Charlie practically exploded with relief.
"Yes! Go right now! Please! Thank you so, so much!"
Before Razan could even stand properly, she shoved him out of the room with surprising strength for her size. The door slammed behind him so suddenly that he blinked twice.
He stood there in the hallway, perplexed.
"What is this effect-of-joy girl thinking…? I really don't understand."
With a sigh, he started walking toward the hospital.
Inside the room, Charlie watched Razan walk away through the window. The moment he was out of sight, she turned dramatically to Loona:
"Yes, now we can start the operation!"
Loona stared blankly.
"What operation?"
Carla, standing beside her, tilted her head in equal confusion. Charlie looked at the two as if she had just discovered an unforgivable crime.
"What do you mean, what operation?! You don't know what day it is today?!"
Loona answered without hesitation:
"A normal Monday."
Laura nodded as if this were the obvious and only possible truth.
Charlie looked horrified.
"Today is Razan's birthday! He's turning 14 today!"
Loona's eyes widened as the realization hit her like a punch.
"That's right… but why the plans?"
At that exact moment, Jon and Joe walked into the room. They sat down, looking serious, trying to figure out why the "little princess" had summoned them so suddenly. Charlie looked at that group of loyal but unbelievably dense people and understood the truth: they didn't forget the birthday — they simply assumed Razan didn't care about celebrations.
Charlie took a deep breath, placing her hands on her waist.
"Today is Razan's birthday! My plan was to come help you all with the party, but it looks like NONE of you planned anything."
Joe raised a hand slightly.
"Miss, I don't think the boss would like things like that. Parties, decorations, lights… I don't think it's his type."
Jon and Carla nodded in agreement.
Charlie crossed her arms with determination.
"You know Razan isn't just this powerful being who acts like he has everything under control. He's only FOURTEEN! He may pretend nothing affects him, but he would never be unhappy if the people he cares about tried to make something special for him. He'd be happy. That's it."
The three froze, feeling the weight of her words. Loona let out a long sigh, rubbing her forehead.
"Damn… I really needed to hear that to wake up. And it's kind of frustrating that you, a stranger, sometimes know him better than I do."
Charlie puffed her cheeks angrily.
"I'm not a stranger! I'm his best friend!"
Jon, Joe, and Carla looked down, guilt hitting them like bricks. They really did admire and respect Razan — but they kept treating him like a boss, not a kid.
Loona clapped her hands once.
"Alright, enough feeling sorry for yourselves. If you want to make it up to him, help the princess organize the birthday party."
"Yes, ma'am!" Jon replied immediately, then looked at Charlie with seriousness. "Miss, we're waiting for your orders. What's the plan?"
Charlie straightened with authority, her voice bright and energetic as she began assigning tasks.
Meanwhile, Laura asked Loona:
"And us, ma'am? What do we do?"
Loona replied:
"Razan doesn't really like Hell's food, so we're going to the human world to buy his favorite snacks. He loves sweets, especially. Let's go."
She shifted into her human form, her clothes adjusting smoothly, then stepped into the portal. Laura transformed as well and followed.
While everyone in the mansion rushed in a frantic but excited chaos — moving furniture, cleaning corners, choosing decorations, carrying boxes of lights, and following Charlie's precise instructions — Razan was discovering an uncomfortable truth about himself:
He was a road idiot.
On the level of Zoro.
Because he always used teleportation or flight, he had never bothered learning the city's actual roads. Now, walking through the streets, he squinted around with a tense expression.
"Where is this hospital…? I can't ask anyone. It would be embarrassing for the guy who created this city to ask how to get to the hospital."
He placed his hands on his hips dramatically.
"If I fly or teleport, I admit defeat… and I won't admit it."
He struck a heroic pose, chin high, standing in the middle of the street like someone making an oath to destiny.
A pair of voices whispered nearby:
"Mom, does that boy have something wrong in his head?"
"Don't talk so loud, dear. You might make him sad. His life is already difficult."
Razan smiled tiredly. He shook his head and began walking again, choosing a random direction and praying it was the correct one.
Meanwhile, in the human world, Loona was screaming inside a bakery:
"What do you MEAN you don't have time for more orders today?! I said I'm in a hurry!"
The shop owner raised his hands, intimidated but holding his ground.
"Miss, like I said… all these orders here are already everything we're making today."
Loona placed a heavy bag of money on the counter and slowly opened it.
"And now?"
The owner froze… then his face changed instantly.
"Everyone! New urgent order! Do NOT make the customer wait!"
Workers scrambled. Loona sighed deeply, sitting down, while Carla cracked her knuckles beside her — ready to offer "motivation" if any worker slowed down.
Back at the mansion, Charlie paced intensely from one side of the room to the other:
"NO, that decoration goes on the LEFT! Not the right! And that vase does NOT go there! Move it now!"
The entire living room had become a battlefield of balloons, confetti, floating ribbons, and confused demons carrying furniture.
Meanwhile, Razan continued his impossible mission…
The search for the lost hospital.