Sensation

Chapter 20

Diane’s mood seems rather bright these past few days. Ever since Lindon decided to work in his own office inside the house and he sometimes attends to her whenever Jasper goes out to buy their groceries. On top of that, it also seemed strange that whenever he’s there, she could hear just fine but whenever Jasper attends to her it turns back to hearing underwater.

That’s why when they were talking that time when Lindon got flustered and lied about the towels, she heard them over the door and laughed. At first, when both of them attend to her, they were so cautious that it seemed comical.

They were so gentle in everything that their steps, breathing, and even their way of speaking got affected. She didn’t have any choice but to laugh at their ridiculous antics.

Both cousins thought at that time that she had gone ‘mad’. With her gloomy presence and all, they concluded that she had lost it… which made her laugh harder.

Since then, the three of them lived harmoniously despite the two mostly argue in the smallest of details like hot meals should be warm, not cold, her bed-sheets are in the wrong color, or even the number of pillows allowed in her bed. The two of them when combined are so comical despite them not even trying to be and Diane just laughed at them whenever they bicker.

It has been two weeks since the k********g incident and because of them, her days are not as gloomy as before. Deep inside, Diane knew that she had found her new family. A family that never judged her despite her mysterious background. Now that she’s coping well even if it’s slow but the two are now happy that she’s progressing.

She knew that no matter what the pace her healing is, the two will patiently wait for her. Despite this, Diane wants to tell them about her past… but is still afraid.

“What is in that pretty little head of yours that you’re not even acknowledging my awesome presence?” Jasper jokingly asked.

She didn’t even know that she was so out of it and Jasper had called her name more than twice already. This time can feel her cheeks burning whenever she hears the word ‘pretty’ or any complimentary words that they say to her.

“She’s probably wondering how big is your ego,” Lindon answered. She can hear the flipping of pages from his paperwork.

“Shush you. Do not question the ego of THE awesome one nor did he ask for your questions, dear foolish one.” Jasper retorts, making her giggle.

“Oh, forgive me awesome one! For I’ve felt thy awesomeness and ego have gone up towards the heavens and then had gone back down towards your awesome behind!”

This made Diane laugh hard that she began rolling on her bed.

“Hidoi desu! Doushite?” (translation: you’re mean! why?) Jasper asked which made Lindon irritated.

“Why are you always speaking in Japanese whenever you’re irritated, man? I. DON’T. SPEAK. JA. PA. NESE.”

“Hmph! Omae no sei daro? Yurusanai.” (translation: Hmph! It’s your fault, isn’t it? I won’t forgive you.) Jasper continued.

“Fine! Whatever dude.”

Throughout that day, only the two of them bicker back and forth. They didn’t push Diane to talk with them, the cousins just let her be herself. They accepted that she’s not yet open, for now.

***

Theo sits comfortably on the grassy ground near the campfire he built a while ago. He ate his dinner earlier and is now racking his brain for answers.

He was sure that two warlocks were chasing after him, hot on his trail. Maybe due to his luck or just plain drive that blocked his rationality at that time. He hasn’t felt their presence since the pursuit of the snowy mountains. At first, he was skeptical but then he waited for a day just to be sure… and indeed, they ‘magically’ disappeared.

For now, he needs to rest and quickly earn enough mana to continue the search.

Theo sits on the ground, nibbling on the cooked fish meat he caught earlier. His mind starts to wander through his memories. On the very first day that Diane arrived in their house, wearing clothing like those in fantasy movies and games… and the weirdest part is her appearance.

Wild curls colored in pink, long pointed ears, brown skin, and lastly, indigo eyes.

The small child that has the height of a three years old had claimed of being five. Her small lips pouted and her watery pitiful eyes are now puffy but fiery due to anger. Her arms are in a fold on her small chest, looking at him feeling aggrieved.

He was just trying to console her because she kept on crying since she came about two days ago. She wouldn’t eat nor talk. His useless father told him to just let her be if she wanted to die fast. All he could do as a child was to glare at him as his hatred grows for the man.

When he tried to cheer her up despite not knowing whether she understands him or not. Patting on her head, trying to spoon-feed her despite her not wanting to eat… until one day, she said something that made his ten years old body froze.

“How dare you, human, treat me like a sprout! I’m a grown fae of five summers!”

Despite not understanding some of the terms she used, he could understand that she scolds him for treating her like a child being trained for weaning.

“So, you can understand me?” he asks.

“What kind of question is that? We fae can understand and learn many things.” She proudly said with her head slightly tilted upwards.

This made Theo intrigued. It was only two days and yet here’s this little ‘fae’, as what she calls herself as, being arrogant and proud. Three days more and they became close. Her talking and rambling about their world and him listening nonstop. Until one day she began to forget all about her world… and her features began to slightly change.

“The experiment is working.” Was all his useless father said when he asked him about it.

“What do you mean, dad?”

“Like I said, you stupid boy. That no-good fae is as good as a stinking human child now.”