"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 from her hand and looked
"...No way."
on it
black hair, deep blue eyes...at first glance, there didn't seem
At first glance, though.
closer inspection, I realized
am I not
My expression...
It was stiff.
smiling, I did not have a smile on my
'Just what in the...'
and handed it
"Thanks."
"Ren, what's going on?"
pocket mirror back and looked at me with a worried
waved my hand
little side-effect of practicing a certain art. I
...That was a lie.
as a result of
play this off as something like a side-effect of an art
"If you say so..."
doubt and concern. Obviously, she didn't buy my excuse, but as expected of her,
"You hungry?"
my stomach and attempted
"A bit."
about we go eat
"I wouldn't mind that."
"Great."
stretched my back a bit and gestured to Amanda
"Come, let's go eat."
"Mhm."
***
the grassland, the blades of grass that previously stood upright bent in
flashed across the grassy field as their feet left behind shallow footprints. They moved in such
longer do we
of them was Melissa. Her breathing had become labored as she worked
the fuck down! I'm going to die at the rate we're
Jin and Emma finally slowed down and gave her
I'm about to die over
quickly fell back on the grass and supported her body with her
to complain was Emma,
going too fast. You were the
were going to run for
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
was exhausted, and if not for them finally stopping, she would've already started
should've never agreed to
her stomach and
find the herb that she wanted. Following Jin and Emma seemed to be the best option, but
Emma and Jin,
a rest you two, I won't be able to move for at least
Not tired at
"Me too."
and Jin responded as they exchanged glances for a moment. Melissa clenched her
I out of
and allowed her hair to fall to
the way, are you sure we're
"Positive."
while he
is the direction of where the demons
Jin's speech halted.
that his eyes suddenly squinted, and his expression changed. He quickly turned around and his figure vanished from
"Hide, quick!"
"Wha-"
"No time for that."
followed Jin from behind. They saw a large boulder off in the
the ground, Melissa felt a slight fluctuation in the
say something, she noticed something in the far distance. Her mouth instantly shut
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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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