"Thank you," Zinnia finally whispered, her voice softer than before. She clutched the wallet tightly against her chest, as though it were a treasure salvaged from the bottom of the sea.
Kaivan simply nodded and replied casually, "You're welcome, Zinna." Deep inside, though, he couldn't shake the feeling that this moment was the beginning of something far greater, something he couldn't yet fully grasp.
"You… know my name?" she asked, her tone low but laced with suspicion. Her eyes locked onto his, demanding an answer he couldn't escape.
The question struck him like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky. Kaivan froze, caught completely off guard. The satisfaction he had felt just moments ago instantly melted into awkwardness. He tried to keep calm, but the nervousness was obvious in every twitch and fidget.
"Uh…" he muttered, scratching the back of his head as he scrambled for an excuse. He forced a half-smile and murmured under his breath, "It was… from the Tome of Omnicent." But he knew he could never say that out loud.
Zinnia arched a brow, her skeptical expression making it clear she wasn't convinced. And Kaivan hadn't even given a proper explanation yet.
He quickly added, fumbling to fix the situation, "I-I mean, I saw it on your uniform. Your name's written there."
Zinnia let out a small sigh, her expression softening at last. But the tension quickly shifted into something oddly comical. She glanced down at her broken sandal, lifting it slightly with a sour look.
Kaivan noticed instantly, struggling to stifle a laugh. "Uh, Zinnia," he said with a grin, "are you sure you'll be able to get home like that? Your sandal's broken."
She shot him a sharp glare but then let out a small chuckle. "Oh, it's fine. I'll be just, "
Before she could finish,
"Eh, ehhh?!"
The other sandal snapped as well. She staggered backward, unable to keep her balance.
Kaivan darted forward, reaching out instinctively to catch her.
Unfortunately…
His hands landed exactly where they shouldn't have.
And at the very same moment, Zinnia toppled, straight onto his hands.
"S-Sorry, !" Kaivan yelped, eyes wide with panic.
Zinnia froze, her entire body stiffening as she felt his hands move. Her cheeks turned crimson, heat flooding her face.
Then,
"Wha, ?! Y-You're squeezing them?!"
Her voice burst out in a mix of outrage and embarrassment. With her cheeks burning, she snatched up her bag and slammed it down on Kaivan's head.
"THAT WAS A REFLEX!!" Kaivan cried, desperately trying to explain.
But it was already too late. The second swing of her bag came crashing down on him mercilessly.
Kaivan cleared his throat, trying to shake off the absurd moment from earlier. "Looks like your sandals really don't feel like cooperating today."
He crouched down and picked up the broken sandal. "Hold on a second." Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a small piece of string and some glue. His hands moved with practiced ease as he began repairing the sandal, making Zinnia watch him with a mix of awe and amusement.
"You're like Doraemon," Zinnia said with a small smile. "Always pulling out the right thing at the right time."
Kaivan shrugged, his expression serious yet laced with humor. "True. The world could really use more Doraemons."
Zinnia sit there, watching him still crouched over her sandal. She leaned forward slightly, her voice soft as she spoke with a hint of guilt. "You were trying to catch me earlier, weren't you? But I ended up hitting you instead… Sorry about that." Her eyes carried a sincere glow.
Kaivan lifted his head and gave her a faint smile. "It's fine. Honestly, I should be the one apologizing. Grabbing a girl like that…" His fingers worked deftly, threading the string through and adding glue to the worn edges.
Zinnia quietly sat down beside him, fascinated by his careful movements. The golden afternoon sun outlined her silhouette, the breeze brushing past her hair. "You're pretty good at this. I wouldn't even know where to start."
Kaivan didn't answer right away. He only gave a small smile as he kept working, but inside he felt something unusual, normally he was awkward around new people, yet with Zinnia, everything felt strangely natural. Her laughter carried a warmth that erased the distance between them.
Zinnia rolled her eyes lightly, though the small smile on her lips betrayed her mood. She slipped her sandal back on, testing it before glancing at him with a look of relief. "Thank you," she said sincerely, her voice warmer than before.
Kaivan extended his hand with a gentle grin. "I'm Kaivan," he said, introducing himself properly.
Zinnia took his hand, her smile equally warm. "Zinnia," she replied, her tone friendlier than ever. For a brief moment, they simply stood there beneath the darkening evening sky, both sensing this encounter might be the start of something bigger.
Brushing the leftover glue from his fingers, Kaivan let out a small laugh. "It's nothing, really. I just happened to have some experience with things like this. Besides, walking around here barefoot would've been a nightmare."
"True," Zinnia agreed, her voice carrying a more serious note. "This place is full of sharp rocks. I don't know what I would've done if you weren't here." She tucked her wind-blown hair behind her ear, her gaze lingering on him with unspoken gratitude.
Leaning casually against the railing by the river, Zinnia tilted her head, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. "So, what actually brought you out here, Kaivan?" she asked, her voice gentle yet probing.
Kaivan paused, glancing at his phone before looking back at her. He let out a small
Zinnia looked at him and broke into a wide smile. "Yeah, our first meeting may have been silly, but it was fun." She pulled out her phone, and within moments, they exchanged numbers.
As they parted ways, Kaivan walked home with a spring in his step, his mind swirling with excitement and curiosity. Yet, what Zinnia didn't know was the weight of the secret Kaivan carried. Inside his unassuming bag rested the Tome Omnicent, a mysterious artifact that was not only a part of his life but also a key to a destiny far greater than he could ever imagine.