Raven

Chapter 20

Raven's POV

Miss Harlequin paused for a while, and continued. “Luckily, the couple saw Rori when she fell to the ground and they immediately rescued her. The couple adopted her when they discovered that she was homeless. They were very rich and powerful, so she was given a new identity."

So she really is real! She existed not only in my dreams but also in real life! I have to look into this more. How did Miss Harley knew about Rori? That is, if it's the same Rori I knew of.

“Wait, Rori was real?” A boy asked. All of the kids' eyes grew in astonishment when they heard his question.

Miss Harlequin shrugged. “Probably. Some says it’s a legend. But who knows, maybe you already met her.” Her phone suddenly beeped. She looked at it and grinned. “Okay! That’s it for today.”

“Red did a very good job at entertaining the kids.” An old woman whispered at Miss Alice when the triplets and I went near her.

Miss Alice looked at Miss Harlequin, commonly known as Red, who was still busy talking to the kids. “You bet she did.” She answered happily.

“Big Sister Red, are legends true or not?” A little girl suddenly asked Miss Harlequin, picking everyone’s attention.

She patted the little girl on the head before answering. “Why’d you ask?”

“Nothing, I was just curious.” The little girl replied shyly. She looked so cute while holding the ends of her skirt.

Miss Harlequin nodded. “Well, legends are stories gathered through time. It’s up to you if you want to believe it or not.”

A little boy raised his hands and went beside Miss Harley. “How about you, big sister? Do you believe in legends?”

Miss Harley laughed and shrugged. “Hmm, maybe. After all, we came all the way from the past where those legends started.”

The kids fell silent. They only snapped back to reality when they heard the chimes at the entrance ringing.

“Goodbye, big sister Red! Goodbye, Boss Alice! Thank you for today!” The kids all chorused.

Miss Alice laughed and led all the kids up to the entrance. She waved goodbye at them. “Be careful on the way home!”

After she sent them off, she returned to our table. She smiled to me and to the triplets.

“Did you all had a good time?” She asked us. The three nodded at her and continued drinking their milkshakes.

She then looked at me as I tucked the wisp of hair on my ear and nodded shyly. "I love the smell of books. I'll definitely come here often."

"Thank you." She smiled. "And with that, you can choose one to take home."

"Really‽ Thank you!" I felt giddy when she told me that. Who wouldn't be??? Some of their books were first edition ones.

"Come on, guys." Miss Harlequin called us. "Hyperion's waiting and I bet he's already pissed."

"You won't be staying any longer?" Miss Alice asked while pinching Noir's cheek.

Miss Harley laughed and shook her head. "Nah. You know Hype. He's impatient."

࿈

Although Miss Harley said Hyperion was impatient, he still followed us silently wherever we go. However, his face couldn't be painted anymore. We've been shopping for two hours now and he was carrying all of our shopping bags, courtesy of Miss Harley. I want to carry the stuff I bought, but Miss Harley refused. She didn't allow me to help him since she's "punishing" him for being grumpy.

The triplets were hungry so we decided to eat and went to the Sweet Tooth's Haven branch of this mall.

"I've already talked with the Science Club about what happened to you yesterday." Miss Harlequin said. "Everything was just an accident and no one will be blamed."

"Thank you." I said. I was really enjoying today's day out with Miss Harley and the triplets. I don't want to think about what happened yesterday.

"Harley, don’t play with your food." Nova said while looking sadly at the food I suspected as cheesecake.

I drank my cappuccino and looked outside, specifically to the shop opposite us. I saw two familiar figure, making me remember something.

"Did you saw someone familiar? You can go and talk to them if you want. We'll just call you if it's time to leave." Miss Harley said.

"N-No, I'm good." I answered shyly.

Hyperion looked at the almost finished cakes on the table and stood up. He went to the counter and talked to the cashier. The cashier then handed him a box and he returned to our seat.

"Let's go." He said as he took the bags and turned to leave. The triplets quickly followed him, while harassing him on the process.

We were already at the door when Miss Harley stopped. I looked at her and saw that someone was holding her arm. Miss Harley's expression changed but it was only for a split second.

"Yes?" Miss Harley asked. The girl became flustered and let go of Miss Harley's hand as if it she was scalded.

She cleared her throat and said. "Y-You're Zheilred right? This is y-you?" She pointed at the front cover of the magazine she was holding.

I was surprised to see Miss Harley as the model of the front cover of Empire Magazine.

Miss Harley patted her shoulder and chuckled. "You must be mistaken. How did I became her? She's gorgeous, while I'm just average."

"Uh, sorry for the interruption. You two looked alike, on some aspects. Pardon." She said before running off.

Miss Harley laughed and looked at me. "Happens all the time."

Hyperion was waiting outside, face in a frown. "What took you so long?"

"Why so grumpy? You know I won't cheat on you, right?" Miss Harley said while grinning. She tapped Hyperion's cheek before joining the triplets.

He looked at me and raised his brow for inquiry, so I answered him. "We just got held up, by a fan."

He only tsk'ed and joined the four.

I sighed. I looked at the shop opposite us, and my heart thumped.

"Raven!" Nova called out. "Come on! We're getting pizza!"

"Coming!" I quickly ran and catched up to them while thinking of what I saw. They're still there, inside the ice cream parlor. It was really them. The siblings that I saw in my dream.