I woke up on Saturday morning with a strange mix of excitement and nervousness. Today was the day Mei and I were going to hang out, and I couldn't help but feel it was more than just a casual outing. As I stretched and got out of bed, my thoughts were filled with anticipation.
I went through my morning routine quickly, taking extra care with my appearance. Just as I finished combing my hair, my sister, Yuki, poked her head into my room.
"Wow, Izumi, you're up early for a Saturday. Got a hot date or something?" she teased, a playful smirk on her face.
"Shut up, Yuki. It's just a hangout with a friend," I replied, feeling my cheeks heat up.
"Sure, sure. Just a 'friend.' You seem pretty nervous for just a friend," she continued, clearly enjoying herself.
"Your friend a girl?"she asked while giggling
"Yes she is , so?" I implied ,for a get back of my sister's teasing
"No it's nothing" she said still giggling."by the way ,are you not going to have breakfast? " She asked
"Yes I will but a light one" I said and so grabbing my jacket I head downstairs to have my breakfast.
and then heading out the door. "I'll be back later."
"Have fun on your 'not so-date'!" she called after me, laughing.
I met Mei at the corner of our street, and together we walked to a nearby café. The weather was perfect – not too hot, not too cold – and the air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers. As we walked, I couldn't help but notice Mei's blue hair again. It was vibrant and soft , just like her.
"So, you like my hair?" she asked, catching me staring.
"Yeah, it looks great,they seem really soft" I replied, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks.
We entered the café, which was charming with warm lighting and a relaxed atmosphere. Mei led us to a cozy table by the window. We ordered some pastries and coffee, and the conversation flowed naturally.
"So, how's your training going?" Mei asked, stirring her coffee.
"Its only been one night thought,but I did do some practice on my punches and ofcourse they weren't having the mist " I admitted. "But I feel like I'm getting betterand stronger than ever before, thanks to you."
She smiled, her eyes twinkling. "You're a fast learner, Izumi. I'm impressed."
We talked about various things – school, hobbies, even favorite movies and books. The more we talked, the more I realized how much I enjoyed her company. There was a warmth and kindness in Mei that drew me in, and I couldn't help but feel a growing affection for her.
As the afternoon wore on, the sky began to darken with clouds. Mei glanced out the window and then back at me.
"It's getting cloudy," she said. "Perfect weather for some training."
I nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. "What's the plan?"
"We're going to hunt a Kaiju," she replied calmly. "But this time, it's a lowest-low tier. I want you to take it down on your own."
I gulped but nodded. "Okay. Let's do it." I then implied "it seems that luck is with us,look it's cloudy outside".
"Yeah,that's our perfect opportunity for a little hunt" she implied with a cheerful tone
We left the café and made our way to a secluded area on the outskirts of town. The clouds had thickened, casting a gloomy shadow over everything. Mei led the way, her expression focused and serious.
And then when we were in an isolated alley "Spirit Arts: Time Pause," Mei chanted, and a red barrier expanded around us, freezing time for everyone and everything except us and the Kaiju we were hunting.
"Remember, this is your fight," Mei said, her voice firm but encouraging. "I'll guide you, but you need to rely on your own strength."
I took a deep breath and nodded. "Got it."
We scouted the area, and it didn't take long to find the Kaiju. It was a small, grotesque creature, barely humanoid anymore after seeing us, with leathery skin and sharp claws. Despite its size, it exuded an aura of menace.
"There it is," Mei whispered. "Remember your training. Focus on your center, and don't hesitate."
I approached the Kaiju cautiously, my heart pounding in my chest. As I got closer, it turned to face me, baring its teeth in a snarl. I took a stance, trying to recall everything Mei had taught me.
The Kaiju lunged at me with surprising speed. I dodged to the side, barely avoiding its claws, and countered with a punch. My fist connected, but there was no mist – just the impact of flesh against flesh.
"Focus, Izumi!" Mei called out. "You need to channel the mist!"
I grit my teeth and tried again. The Kaiju came at me with a flurry of attacks – a heavy punch, a dash, and a series of light punches. It was relentless, but I remembered the moves from a manga I'd read. I dodged and parried, feeling the strain on my body with each movement.On the kaiju's last punch it ended up hitting me ,the hit was strong and if it were a normal person they would have had suffered from the pain of the impact but I due to my disability it felt like an ant had bit me . I know that the punch had impacted me physical body but not mentally.
"Don't just react. Anticipate its moves," Mei advised. "Find your rhythm."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. The Kaiju dashed at me again, and this time, I saw it coming. I sidestepped and threw another punch, focusing all my energy into my fist. A thin mist began to swirl around it.
"That's it, Izumi! Keep going!" Mei encouraged.
The Kaiju snarled and lunged again. I blocked its attack and countered with another punch, the mist growing slightly thicker. Each hit seemed to draw more out of me, but I pushed on, determined to succeed.
Finally, after several more exchanges, the mist began to engulf my entire fist. I could feel the power coursing through me, a strange but exhilarating sensation.
"Good! Now finish it!" Mei shouted.
With a roar, I launched a final punch, the mist swirling around my fist in a powerful aura. The Kaiju tried to dodge, but it was too slow. My fist connected, and the creature was thrown back, crashing into the ground with a thud.
Breathing heavily, I stood over the fallen Kaiju, my fist still surrounded by mist. I looked at Mei, who was smiling proudly.
"Well done, Izumi. You've made great progress," she said.
I nodded, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over me. "Thanks, Mei. I couldn't have done it without you."
She walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder. "You've got the potential, Izumi. Just keep practicing."
As we stood there, the red barrier around us began to dissolve, and time resumed its normal flow. Mei raised her hand and chanted, "Spirit Arts: Restore."
A gentle, glowing aura spread from her hand, covering the damaged area and repairing everything as if the fight had never happened.
"Let's head back," Mei said, and we made our way out of the secluded area, the city lights guiding our way.
After the fight and Mei's cleanup, the weather cleared up, leaving a perfect environment for hanging out again. The afternoon sky brightened as the clouds dispersed, revealing a clear blue expanse. I suggested we head to a nearby park, a perfect spot to wind down and reflect on the day.
We arrived at the park and made our way to the swings, settling in as the sun began its slow descent, casting a warm glow over everything.And seeing the left time ,we decided to have some talk.
"So, Izumi," Mei began, her voice gentle. "What are some of your favorite hobbies?"
I glanced at her, feeling a bit shy. "Well, I really enjoy reading manga. It's kind of my escape from everything."
Mei smiled. "I can see why. Manga can be a great way to dive into different worlds."
She pushed off the ground slightly, her swing moving gently back and forth. "Tell me about your family."
I took a deep breath, thinking about Yuki and my mom. "I have a younger sister named Yuki. She's in middle school. I usually stay with her and my mom. My dad... he's rarely around. He's always busy with work, even on Sundays."
Mei listened intently, her eyes reflecting understanding. "That sounds tough. What about your life before all of this? Before the Kaijus and everything?"
A wave of old memories washed over me. "I've always felt kind of alone. I mean, I have my family, but at school, I was just another introvert. I barely know anyone in my class. In my childhood, my classmates made fun of my stamina. I couldn't run for even a minute without getting tired. It was pretty rough."
Mei's swing stopped, and she looked at me with a comforting gaze. "Thank you for sharing that, Izumi. It must have been hard."
I shrugged, trying to play it off. "It's in the past. But what about you, Mei? Where do you live?"
A soft smile appeared on Mei's face. "I come from a planet named Celestia, in a country called Clyde. My family consists of four members—my parents, my older sister, and me. They're very kind and supportive."
"Your older sister?" I asked, intrigued.
"Yes, she's amazing. She's always been there for me," Mei said, her voice filled with warmth.
"But why are you hunting down Kaijus?" I asked, the question lingering in my mind.
Mei's expression turned serious. "The reason is quite deep. My entire country depends on me. You see, I'm a demon lord candidate. To become a demon lord, I need to have a kill count of around 50,000 bodies. Without a demon lord, my country might be overrun by others and could cease to exist."
I was taken aback. "That's intense. But why Kaijus?"
Mei sighed. "I chose to kill Kaijus instead of innocent souls. Earth has the weakest and most abundant amount of Kaijus. But there's a catch—the sunlight on Earth activates my curse, unlike on Celestia."
I nodded, absorbing everything she had said. The weight of her responsibilities was immense. "I see. That explains a lot."
As the sun began to set, casting a golden hue over the park, I felt a strange mix of emotions. Spending the entire day with Mei had stirred something inside me. I couldn't quite understand these feelings, but I knew one thing—they were growing stronger.
Mei looked at me, a soft smile on her lips. "Thanks for spending the day with me, Izumi. It's been nice."
I returned her smile, feeling a warmth spread through me. "Yeah, it has."
The day had been full of revelations and bonding, and as we sat there on the swings, I realized just how much Mei had come to mean to me. What exactly these feelings were, I didn't know. But one thing was certain—my life had changed forever since meeting her.
After spending the evening at the park with Mei, I felt a warmth in my chest as I made my way home. The day had been full of revelations, and my mind was buzzing with thoughts of Mei.
As I entered the house, Yuki, my younger sister, greeted me with a mischievous grin. "Welcome back, big brother! So, how was your 'not-date'?"
I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at my lips. "It wasn't a date, Yuki."
"Oh really?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "Then tell me all about this 'not-date.' What did you do? What's her name? How does she look?"
I sighed, knowing there was no escape. "Her name is Mei. We went to a café and then to the park."
Yuki's eyes sparkled with interest. "Mei, huh? Is she cute?"
A blush crept up my face. "Yeah, she's... really nice."
Before I could say more, Yuki dashed off to the kitchen, where Mom was preparing dinner. "Mom! Guess what? Izumi went on a 'not-date' today!"
Mom's eyes lit up with amusement as she turned to look at me. "Oh, did he now?"
I groaned inwardly as the two of them teamed up against me. "It wasn't a date," I insisted, but my protests fell on deaf ears.
We sat down for dinner, and the teasing continued. "So, Izumi," Mom began with a playful smile, "tell us more about this Mei. What does she look like? How did you meet her?"
I tried to keep my composure. "She's got blue hair, and we met on the way to school."
Yuki giggled. "Blue hair? That's cool! Is she as weird as you?"
"Hey!" I protested, but Yuki just laughed harder.
Mom joined in, her eyes twinkling. "I'm so glad I'll get to see my daughter-in-law before I die."
I buried my face in my hands. "Mom, please. It's not like that."
Mom and Yuki exchanged a knowing glance, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Sure, sure," Mom said, patting my shoulder. "But if you ever need dating advice, you know where to find me."
After dinner, I retreated to my room, my face still burning from the relentless teasing. Despite the embarrassment, I couldn't help but feel a smile tug at my lips. Spending time with Mei had been wonderful, and even the teasing from my family felt heartwarming in its own way.
As I lay in bed, my thoughts drifted back to Mei. What exactly were these feelings I was experiencing? Was it love? I wasn't sure, but one thing was certain: Mei had become an important part of my life.
With a content sigh, I closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep with thoughts of blue hair and a bright smile. Tomorrow was another day, and I looked forward to whatever adventures awaited me and Mei..
To be continued...