UNUSUAL DAY
1186 Words
“I still couldn’t believe something like that really happened.” Mercy bit into her burger as she started complaining about their experience in the so‑called haunted house.
It was their break time before the next subject. Andrea sipped her milky matcha. It’s so good! she thought. The sweet, earthy taste relaxed her, bringing a quiet peace to her soul. Kael might love this too… She shook her head quickly, as if trying to shake away the image of his face drifting into her mind.
“How are you feeling? Does it hurt anywhere?” Andrea asked, changing the subject.
“No, but my memories are kind of hazy,” Mercy replied, frowning a little. “Though I do remember someone saved us.”
Andrea giggled softly. “Yeah… kinda cool, right?”
“You mean kinda romantic.” Mercy wiggled her eyebrows playfully. “But did that guy leave already?”
Andrea bit her lip. She couldn’t reveal any more details. Glancing at her watch, she stood up and said, “It’s almost 1 PM. Let’s head back to the classroom.”
“Already?” Mercy groaned, dragging her feet. “I really hate Psychological Statistics, my brain starts bleeding just from hearing the name of the subject!”
Andrea let out a quiet sigh of relief. Thank goodness Mercy had stopped asking questions.
By 2:30 PM, Andrea kept glancing at the clock. Just thirty more minutes and I can go home. She paused, then frowned. Why am I so excited to go home?
She looked out the window and her eyes went wide. Down below, walking along the campus path, was a very familiar figure. Kael!
What is he doing here? And with his horns out in broad daylight?!
She quickly excused herself from class and hurried outside, nearly breaking into a run. She caught up to him, grabbed his wrist, and dragged him into a nearby empty classroom, heart racing.
“Why are you here?” she asked in a hushed, urgent tone.
“I wanted to see how schools of this era work,” he replied calmly, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Andrea stared. “You mean you planned to just walk around campus like this? Silver hair, horns, all of it?”
“Not everyone can see my horns,” he said simply. “Only those who are attuned to magic or have an open third‑eye.”
Then a faint, warm ripple of golden light passed over him, and in the blink of an eye, the curved horns vanished completely, blending seamlessly into his hair.
“Better?” he asked, sounding almost proud of himself.
“Where did they go?” she asked, still wide‑eyed.
“They are still there, just hidden,” he explained. “And besides, you are allowed to come to school without your uniform until the end of midterms, right?”
“How did you even know that?”
“I asked them,” Kael said, then turned his gaze toward the window and pointed at students sitting on the benches.
Andrea pressed a hand to her forehead, trying to calm her nerves. “Alright, listen, you have to stay right here in this room, okay? Wait here until I come back. And please, keep the horns hidden.”
She checked her watch again — 2:45 PM. Just fifteen more minutes.
Those fifteen minutes felt like the longest of her life. She couldn’t focus on the lecture at all; her mind kept drifting back to Kael, wondering what he might do next.
The moment the bell rang for dismissal, she grabbed her bag and stood up so fast her chair scraped against the floor.
“Mercy,” she called over her shoulder, “I’ll go ahead!”
She hurried down the hallway without looking back and didn’t notice that Mercy had already gathered her things and was following her, curious about the rush.
Andrea reached the empty classroom and pushed the door open, only to find it empty.
Where did he go?
She stopped for a moment, thinking. He likes old things, knowledge, places that hold value… Then it hit her. The library!
She ran toward the library, and sure enough, she spotted him just about to step inside. She caught up and grabbed his arm.
“You look tired,” Kael said, looking at her as she caught her breath.
“Of course I am! I’ve been looking everywhere for you! I told you not to wander off!”
Before Kael could reply, a voice called from behind them.
“There you are!”
Andrea froze. Mercy walked up, tapped her shoulder, then turned her curious gaze to Kael. She tilted her head, studying his face. “And who is this? Wait… you look familiar. I think I’ve seen you somewhere before.”
Andrea’s heart skipped a beat, but Kael just smiled: easy, polite, and completely natural.
“I’m Kael,” he said smoothly. “Andrea’s… distant cousin. Just arrived in the city, so I’m tagging along to learn my way around.”
Cousin? Andrea blinked, but quickly played along. “Yeah! He’s staying with me for a while. Don’t ask too many questions, he’s still adjusting to everything here.”
Mercy blinked, then shrugged, seemingly satisfied with the explanation. “Well, nice to meet you, Kael! Hope you like it here!”
Mercy went on ahead, leaving just the two of them. A group of students passed by carrying cups of iced tea and pastries. Kael’s gaze lingered on them for a moment, and that gave Andrea an idea.
“Come with me,” she said with a smile, grabbing his hand and leading him toward the cafeteria.
She bought two cups of milky matcha, then handed one to him. “Here. Try it, I’m sure you’re going to love it.”
She looked around; there were still plenty of students in the main area, so she led Kael to the back of the school, a quieter spot where few people went. They sat down on the concrete steps of an old, unused building.
She smiled as she pushed a straw through the lid of his cup. “I don’t have a demon feast or fancy offerings, but this —” she tapped the lid gently “— trust me, you’re going to love it.”
Kael looked down at the drink in his hands. Then Andrea saw it again: the softest, prettiest golden glow she had ever seen wrapped around the cup. Slowly, the physical form of the drink seemed to dissolve into that warm light, drawing gently into his palms and up toward him.
When the glow faded, he looked up at her, and a tiny, genuine smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
“So?” Andrea asked, grinning. “What do you say?”
Kael paused for a moment, then answered simply and honestly: “I want more.”
Andrea laughed, louder than she intended, but she didn’t care.
“I told you you’d love it!”
- Writer
