"It's been a while since I've last seen you smile."
Amanda approached me after I came out of the room. Her face was unusually serious.
I turned to look at her while cocking my head.
"You think so?"
I never really noticed myself if I had to be honest...but it wasn't as though I was surprised by this development. There wasn't much to smile about.
Also, having had another attack just a couple of minutes ago, I couldn't really bring myself to smile.
"Here."
Amanda placed her hands on the edges of my lips and pulled them upwards.
"Much better."
She returned a smile herself.
Her smile was stunning. Enough to make anyone fall into a daze with just a glance. Well, anyone but me. I was pretty much used to her smiles by now. Well, for the most part. I wasn't exactly totally immune.
"Wwwamhat are you doing?"
It was hard to speak when she had her hands on my lips, pulling them up.
"Helping you smile."
"...What dwoes that have anything to do with the situation?"
"It doesn't."
Amanda let go of my lips.
"It's just that you look a lot better if you smiled a little more often."
Cocking my head even further, I eventually nodded my head.
"Well, sure, I'll try to smile more."
This wasn't too hard of a request. Not like smiling was that hard.
I smiled.
"Happy?"
"For what?"
"I'm smiling, aren't I?"
Amanda's brows furrowed.
"...No?"
"Hm?"
Amanda's reaction took me back.
"What are you talking about?"
Was she playing a prank on me? I could clearly feel myself smiling.
"Are you playing around with me?"
Amanda asked, inching closer to me.
I shook my head.
"That was what I was about to ask you."
Amanda's face hardened.
Her reaction took me aback.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"Here."
she took out a pocket mirror and handed it to
it from her hand and
"...No way."
on it was
there didn't seem to be
At first glance, though.
closer inspection,
am I
My expression...
It was stiff.
felt myself smiling, I did
'Just what in the...'
mirror and handed it back
"Thanks."
"Ren, what's going on?"
back and looked at me with a
waved my hand in
of practicing a certain
...That was a lie.
this came as a result of the previous attack I
better if I just play this off as
"If you say so..."
her head, her face still filled with doubt and concern. Obviously, she didn't buy my excuse, but as
"You hungry?"
stomach and attempted to change the
"A bit."
we go
"I wouldn't mind that."
"Great."
and gestured to Amanda with my
"Come, let's go eat."
"Mhm."
***
that was blowing across the grassland, the blades
as their feet left behind shallow footprints. They moved
longer do we have to
was Melissa. Her breathing had
the fuck down! I'm going to
started swearing that Jin and Emma finally slowed down and gave
about
quickly fell back on the grass and supported her body with her
to complain was Emma,
us for going too fast.
you guys were
knees and she took deep breaths to try and steady herself. The two were moving at such a rapid pace that it was impossible for her to keep up with them. Despite the fact that she wasn't exactly a weak person herself—with her current rank being at —she was still a lot weaker than the two of them who were
and if not for them finally stopping, she would've already started puking on
never agreed to
stomach and slumped back
Jin and Emma seemed to
at both Emma and Jin, Melissa stared at
a rest you two, I won't be able to move for at least ten minutes.
I'm fine. Not
"Me too."
as they exchanged glances for a moment. Melissa clenched her teeth
out
her stomach and then lowered her head and allowed her hair to fall to the side of her face.
you sure we're going in
"Positive."
he looked toward the
orcs, this is the direction of where the demons
Jin's speech halted.
suddenly squinted, and his expression changed.
"Hide, quick!"
"Wha-"
"No time for that."
yanking her away, Emma turned around and followed Jin from behind. They saw a large boulder off in the distance and hid behind
slight fluctuation in the air. His sudden actions aroused her curiosity as she looked around, wondering what he
something in the far distance. Her mouth instantly shut and her
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RsO3vZ7bH/O331rP0+3ERwPvY1SdK8+6u1zsDxD5tj7RWmHjfA9+AEtoip+WpspJMT4B5thFzVl9yLY7M7VvZpuR5qcqKMbF//KWUiW9AwZN7DzcUKBw6MpIYV3zAMbPx9sMuMWSaX2oEe0YuBPj3iOv3seVkPSPncoAJmuPRgyVGbvY68+djmBv7DwwQDdHsDD+JJAO4LoGES1rjfF9/7on7g8RJ9WbFmhnHdGJ/d7iEBrnie9hlAjZRIPqMGHcSQL9t7uZHPi1lz/bPjZvNsOGDbFyKtEbv5xvHJwCZbJpRosjk2X7O7JBT87Lc9b/0Z9t9M80TJ6mmrAliFEYo7UzfkkDnoWme8TQMHBHGw+uC7zgxXY436XTJ2ApZ+DZGo6+6fJp2kmSyC7H75g+BdlIfFMNsGtL6BljxZTqbQzsEckjpMk9ExuMCFkqpolb/jPLzlJRY6ELyr+R/CjI7iliBLHuMVoJtYO9WkPPxd9AfmHe+nFakNS6R6yfCZF2a1Bc5yirqWmHkwNYIxeI5/iWa9osDAT7cWyCFJO/xC2YxXCx8KPNPleqf5UFbuadPuwp8b36XgOUc2IMg6zYOncpPwYtNrJt7I4TW31mQgAHoNbkTHIQ72MstGCBxE5G4S0tOonQ+WtmhbjlhTttNpaWNtn3wl2nzZypBvRno6DhLdsXP7aDYWO2eHNZ7E9DzQuw4ivpddbpYC3RmnSsyTnDD/kie9TaojMv0lJ/c4wTRUsTaRxX7FGQ4SgQA5HjM/xfkWpei2xpTA//iROxhhO+NRY+Nn2fUxnX7f48k2S/7Qplx/FuA86bNIBvJwMXFjcFXMk1TgWJepo3ivDvATcANrjOsVUqUcFGQrfN9UDHGt0U6G1Eo2nK1fAaMceUidi0IC49/VugLSci0pDd4Gxal7ZdKOaT2VvPm9EI3Z2HHFVN1qKXdvvuZV+yFIzWyjH5c9rHfJJDXdBzN8GI8vW34SAwQpSzYuduYlU2bFJGnicua9I=
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