Ethan
After dinner, I cleaned up the dishes. With the clinking sound of the plates, my thoughts wondering. I felt bad for her, thinking about how she was dealing with everything on her own.
As I was getting ready to go to my room, I made up my mind. I wanted to ask Rubielle again about staying here. Maybe, even if just a little, it could help her.
I entered my room and opened the door, only to be shocked when I saw Rubielle, dressed in the same clothes she borrowed from me, heading outside through the window.
"What are you doing?!" I shouted in alarm, rushing toward her.
"You might fall!"
With a playful smirk, she looked back at me.
"Who do you think you're worrying about? I'm just checking something."
Before I could respond, she leapt out of the window, her movements smooth and effortless. The soft sound of her feet landing on the roof barely reached my ears. I looked out the window, curious about what she was doing, and saw her reaching out her hand, inviting me to climb out.
I held her hand, allowing her to pull me up as I climbed onto the roof. The night air was cool as winter approaches. The sky stretched out, vast and dark, with only a few stars scattered across it. The full moon, however, gleamed the brightest. I found myself staring at Rubielle as she gazed upward, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the moon. There was something about her, something that reminded me of the moon—so distant, yet captivating.
She stood up, holding the marble in her hand—the very same one I had picked up in the school garden. Reaching out with her other hand, the marble began to glows in the same color.
The sky itself seemed to shift, faint swirls of movement drifting through it, almost unnoticable unless you were paying close attention. I was stunned, my eyes locked on the scene before me, my mind struggling to make sense of what I was witnessing.
"Hey, is that the heart you're talking about?"
II broke the silence that hung between us by asking her a question out of curiosity.
Rubielle replied calmly, "It is. There are five more of these, and three have already been stolen from me."
"What about I-... well nevermind.."
I hesitated, the words stuck in my throat. I wanted to ask if I could help, but I wasn't sure how. My thoughts filled with doubt, and the lingering fear of danger held me back, reminding me of how useless I am.
"I mean.. I-i saw the other one on the woman in red it was like green yellowish one!"
I added quickly, trying to contribute. For some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that I wanted to help her, even though my own fears held me back. Was it pity? Or something more? I wasn't sure..
"I see, thank you for telling" she smiled still her hand reaching out.
"Where are you staying these days?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going to fill the silence between us.
"Just walking around," she replied nonchalantly.
"Oh, there's an old lady sometimes, helping me out."
"I-I see. I remember that lady... she's quite something..." I said, recalling how she teased us even though she was asleep.
A small smile tugged at my lips, feeling a sense of relief knowing she seemed to be okay.
"What are you doing now?"
"Hmm.. just magic stuff"
I couldn't shake the feeling that there was some distance between us. It made things feel a little awkward, and I couldn't help but feel a bit down.
"Speaking of magic what can you do?"
"Well many things"
"Like what?"
In anticipating tone, my nerdiness is coming alive feeling excited hearing from her.
She sat down beside me, seemingly finished with whatever she was doing. The marble still glowing in her hand, wrapping Rubielle in gentle light.
"I can make element stuff, manipulate and create things like this clothes"
She gestured to her outfit, and with a flick of her fingers, a small magic circle appeared in the air, followed by a flicker of flame.
I watched in awe, feeling a rush of joy like a child discovering something new and magical.
"Can you teleport?" I asked, my excitement growing. "Or shoot lasers??"
"W-wait, calm down!" she said with unease in her voice as she looked at my overly excited expression. I realized I might've gotten a little carried away.
"What is teleport?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, clearly confused.
"Like... you go to another place without traveling or something, and laser is like concentrated light with great heat!" I explained, referring to the magical abilities I'd seen in mangas.
"Hmm, you have some interesting ideas," Rubielle commented.
"Maybe teleportation, as you call it, is quite complicated since it might involve dimensional magic, but I think I know how the laser thing can work!" she explained proudly.
"Can you tell me more?" she asked.
I smiled brightly, eager to share all I knew from fantasy stories. Rubielle seemed just as engaged, happily explaining how those concepts can work. Her enthusiasm for magic was contagious, and I couldn't help but feel even more drawn into the conversation.
As we spoke, time seemed to slip away unnoticed. Hours passed like minutes, both of us absorbed in our discussion, sharing stories and ideas beneath the night sky.
------------
Finally, after a long conversation, I turned to her with a question that had been on my mind since earlier.
"Hey, what about staying here for a while?" I asked, my voice a little uncertain.
"I mean, you don't have a place to stay, and I'll help you whenever I can."
i felt a bit nervous asking, unsure of how she'd respond. Yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that I wanted to be involved with her.
Rubielle hesitated, looking down for a moment.
"Won't that put you in danger? And the people around you?" she asked unsure.
"Well... I know I'm being selfish," I admitted.
"But... you said you'll be leaving soon, right? While you're here, I just want to do what I can."
An idea popped into my head, and I spoke again.
"How about this? In exchange for letting you stay here, you'll protect us?"
Trying to ease her concerns, I wanted to make her feel less worried. But as I spoke, I realized I was essentially placing responsibility on her. Now, I couldn't help but feel guilty about it.
I had expected her to turn me down but to my surprise, her eyes lit up.
"Is it really okay... to be friends with you?" she asked shyly, her cheeks flushing.
I smiled feeling relief. "Yeah! It's really okay."
A wide grin spread across her face, her cheeks still tinged with pink. The sight made me feel a warmth spreading in my chest. It was clear to me now—she felt the same, wanting to be friends just as much as I did.
"It can't be helped, then," she said playfully, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"I'll help you, and you help me!"
"Pfft! HAHAHAHA, what the heck!"
I couldn't help but laugh, the tension between us completely fading away.
Rubielle joined in, her laughter light and carefree. In that moment, everything felt easier. There was no more uncertainty, just the quiet comfort of knowing we were on the same page.
That night, our story truly began...