I made a gradual step while checking out the boxes on the racks. I checked my Tab for the inventory I did the other week when my phone received a new message. Something is missing here, and I'm thinking about how it happens.
I take it out of my coat pocket to check the message. Instantly, a smile curled on my lips. My kid's response. I tapped my phone and began replying to them.
'Priestess, watch out!'
I was immersed in talking to my children when my Familiar warned me. It happens in a blink of an eye.
Sensing the danger, I readied to protect myself. But, first, I closed my eyes to raise a shield.
'No!' I screamed into my head as I could sense a mortal nearby. So I quickly concealed the energy I slowly released from my body and let the boxes fall on me.
I expect to get hurt inadequately, but I don't feel the object hit me.
I looked up, surprised when a stranger man was leaning toward me. His arms stretched above my head and pushed one box about to fall over. He uses his body to shield me from those heavy boxes. I then noticed the blood dripping from his left arm.
"You're hurt," I said.
"It does not matter."
His response stunned me.
"Vice President Smith!"
People were now coming to us, calling him Vice President Smith.
Who is he, then? He must be related to Chairman Smith.
"Boss, are you all right?"
"I am fine."
"But you hurt your arm, and it would help if you had a checkup by a doctor," I suggested.
"Later..."
It made me speechless. He's stubborn; I could see that. But I feel the guilt. Because of me, he's hurt.
'But if he weren't here, no accident would happen.' said my thoughts.
Wait... that was my Familiar, Luna. I mean, she is part of me, but I am not the one quoted that, and she's the one complaining.
You might wonder what Familiar is. It was more like my soul, the image of me, but her proper form was a Phoenix. My energy also comes from her.
Now back at present, I want to handle this stubborn boss. But my Familiar is right. If we are on the planet I came from. I don't need to hide my healing power. But as I was now living in the mortal world, I had to conceal them.
"Mr. Vice President, it won't be an excellent idea if we won't tend your wound quickly. Before any bacteria get through it, we better disinfect it now." My voice was firm, and I realized I should not sound like a boss when talking to the real boss.
Anyway, he seemed to understand me this time. He scrutinized me momentarily, then shifted his gaze toward the boxes that fell on the floor. His eyes wandered to the racks to examine them while I waited for permission to clean his wound. He only ignores me.
"Boss, it's better to clean your wound first," said a man, I presume, as his assistant.
"Okay."
Whoa. He agreed quickly when it was his assistant told him. So what's the difference when I was the one who asked him? It frustrates me.
He's acting like a lion. Mighty and proud. But I should not forget that he saved me, which was a sense of protecting his pride.
"There is bad labor here. The boxes are not compiled properly." He reprimands the warehouse worker.
Wow. He lectured everyone. I sighed.
"Miss Zelena, here's the first aid kit."
"Thank you, Manager Kim." Hmm, I think manager Kim would receive a lot of scolding later, as he's the overseer of this warehouse.
I looked at this mighty boss and waited for him to finish his lecture. I followed him until we reached the guest lounge, and he took a seat. I hesitated to sit beside him, but I needed to clean his wound.
"Can you take off your coat, Vice President Smith?"
"Okay."
Whoa. Am I dealing with a kid here? He should have the common sense to take it off since we need to check which part he gets hurt.
Darn. It seems like I need a lot of patience. After he removed his coat, he just gave me his arm, meaning I should roll out his sleeves by myself. He's completely acting like a prince.
'Just leave him alone!'
Ugh. Luna is also acting like a child. It upset her that I didn't use our magic. But I cannot do that anytime, anywhere. There are mortals to consider, not to discover that I wasn't a human. More to say, Earthen, dwellers of this planet.
'He saves us, Luna.' I tried to explain to my familiar.
'But we can protect ourselves!'
'I know that. But this is a human law. So here, I should act ordinary and less to show I have magic, or they called it a power.'
Ugh. I converse with my Familiar when a stubborn guy here. His eyes never left, peering at my face, making me anxious.
"Have we met before?"
My mouth dropped open. How old-fashioned! How generic is a method to flirt with a girl this way? I want to raise a brow, but he will see it.
"No," I replied.
"I see. No wonder..."
My forehead curled from his reply. What does that mean?
"I never met a woman as beautiful as you before... until today."
My jaw dropped to the floor this time. Is he trying to throw a joke? Because there is no trace of being comedic, I could see it on his face.
"This is my natural expression."
Oh, he understood what I was thinking, in fairness. WAIT! What did he say? Has he never met a beautiful woman before? Is he joking with me? That was a joke. It is a generic line of a guy trying to hit a girl!
And my familiar is laughing at me.
'Stop it, Luna.'
'I can't help it! He's lousy as to how lousy Aelius is joking at you! I can't believe a human that would sound like Aelius!'
I did not respond to Luna.
'I'm sorry. I went overboard. I'll turn back to my original form.'
'Don't worry. I'm not mad.'
'I will meditate.' Luna said.
She then transformed into a Phoenix and flew far away.
Luna, as my familiar, is living inside me. But for her, she was like living in a dimension of a Universe reflection. Millions of stars gleamed in the distance. A form of unexplainable gases that creates an immense cloud that produces colorful sights in this entire dimension inside me.
In the middle is a lake that stands as my heart. Luna landed in the center and covered her body with her wings.
All right. It was time for me to return to my senses as I finished wrapping the wound with gauze. I looked up, and my eyes grew wider. Our face was too close, like we were almost kissing.
"What are you doing?" I yelled and distanced my body from him. Gladly, this room is soundproof.
"I was talking to you, but you were not listening."
"So? Do you need to come close? You can pat my shoulder if—"
Wait a minute. Why am I so defensive? I could easily throw him far away if this guy did something inappropriate.
Anyway, partly my fault. I should pay more attention, but I lost my mind when I heard Aelius' name.
"Ahem! What did you ask?" I asked calmly.
I need to lighten the mood.
"I said, call me Shane."
"Wait— what?"
"Shane!"
The door opens, and Manager Jang steps into the room.
"Alexander? What are you doing here?"
"Can't I come here when I was also working here? Besides, the meeting will begin soon, and I heard about the accident."
"Hmm… don't tell me? You hurried to drive here because you are worried about me?"
"Worried, my ass."
I just listened to these men and realized they were close to each other. Also, it was the first time I witnessed Manager Jang roll his eyes and Vice President Smith smirking. I was dumbstruck when Manager Jang looked at me.
"How are you, Miss Henderson? Are you not hurt?"
His question stunned me. It never crossed my mind that this day would come, and he showed how worried he was about me.
"Um, I am fine, Manager Jang. But, unfortunately, Vice President Smith gets hurt among us."
"See? But it appears only you worry about Miss Zelena."
The vice president sounded teasing Manager Jang, whose mouth was twitching on the side, and the two conversed like both were irritated. One tried to joke but showed a severe face and care but a poker face.
I think men are strange, or I am still not used to dealing with men.
I guess I am not needed here when both continue talking to each other and ignoring me.
"Vice President Smith, Manager Jang, I will check if everyone has arrived."
"All right, Miss Henderson. Thank you."
I bowed and left the room.
Phew! It was a relief sighed.
I am taking distance from mortal men. But it happened, they were my boss.