Doomed to Die in 3 Minutes

Second Chance

I’m not used to this type of attention. This treatment is usually reserved for the leading star of the troupe or the popular kids in class or something. Not me. So why now of all times do I garner the attention of ladies like this? Is this that thing “you get three periods in your life where you’re popular” or something like that? I guess I must have hit that golden time, or I’m just unlucky and attracting girls that get way too attached way too quickly and I doubt that ends well for me.

Alisa could destroy me with a finger so if she keeps begging and pouting for me to be hand-fed well, I guess I must comply… and well, at least right now, at the moment, it does feel good to get the special treatment for once. Barring the dagger eyes of the crowd. They sure are protective of her. I mean, I’m not surprised. For the older men and women, she’s a precious daughter figure who rose to the top of the social ladder and has basically just come back from a long trip from far away. For other people around her age, she’s the blooming flower within a city that had been ruled by shadows. The singular ray of light is something everyone wants for themselves in one way or another.

So I’m basically being murdered with the eyes of angry overprotective parents and jealous suitors. “Oh, are they bothering you? I love my family but they can sure be overbearing. Let me deal with that.” How can one person keep a smile going without ever breaking it? My face would get tired. Alisa stands up for a moment after feeding me another piece of fried chicken. “Listen up! This guy fought Yarul hand to hand while the assassin was bringing me back to life. If any of you have the balls to do that, I’ll feed you like this!” She grabs a strawberry coated in chocolate from nearby and stuffs it in her mouth and then, smack!

I’m stunned. My body flushes over with red hot flames. Her lips were locked with me and she pushes her tongue down my throat which sends a sweet treat across my tastebuds. A burst of juices and flavour, the endorphins of chocolate, and my dumb brain sending signals to release hormones and soak my cells in chemical cocktails. It’s like a tidal wave crashing down upon me and I can’t swim. It’s too strong. I can’t move. I can only be carried away in its embrace.

She lets me go. She’s a showstopper alright. Everyone stops eating, drinking, and talking. They just stare at her. Their idol just went all over some guy they barely know. “For anyone who doesn’t have that sort of courage; and you know who you are… don’t complain. I’ll shower affection on the brave. You can make a fuss when you do something worth talking about… that being said, I love every one of you guys. I’m happy to be home. Let’s live it up tonight!” She lifts a mug of beer and chugs the whole contents down with one swig.

With that the crowd return to roaring applause, hyperactive conversation, and frolicking. She had ended the noise with one declaration and brought it back to life with another. I think I understand now. This girl is the type who doesn’t beg for your attention or demand it. She makes you want hers and it pains you to watch her give it to anyone else, but at the same time, you want her to be free as a bird in the sky. So you won’t try to hold her down, not that you could.

She sits down by my side yet again. “So where were we?” I cough a bit as I try to find the words to speak back to her. “Hey, look, I’m flattered, really, but I’m not sure if I’m okay with doing this type of thing with someone I just met. It’s a bit embarrassing. Also, you just came back, right? You sure you should be making impulsive decisions with someone you barely know?” She listens to every word I say and never stops smiling the whole time. When I’m finished she takes her right index finger and places it on my lips. 

“Dummy. It’s because I just came back I’m doing stuff like this.” There’s something beautiful and sad in the corner of her eyes that I can only catch a slight glimpse of for the briefest of moments. “I was dead just a day ago. For about seven years. Do you know how that feels?” She inches ever closer to me until her face is right in front of mine. “I always thought boys and romance were rather stupid. I am a bit of a tomboy if you hadn’t noticed.” She chuckles and closes her eyes for a moment before staring back at me again. That piercing gaze…

“So I always made sure to turn down anyone who ever confessed to me and I sure as hell didn’t seek out anyone, even if I had a slight flutter of curiosity from time to time. When I was dying at the hands of those brutish morons…” Her words suddenly have a heavy and crushing gravity to them. I’m transfixed in place as I see a bit of venom leak from her lips at her reminiscing about those she hated the most in the world. “At first my thoughts were about how I hoped everyone would be okay with my sacrifice. That they might actually keep their promise. I was foolish. I was naive. They wouldn’t have stopped, no matter what. They took many of the children of my orphanage hostage. If it wasn’t for that, I would have cracked open their skulls ages ago. I suffered humiliation and death at their twisted hands..” She places her forehead against mine and lands her body onto my legs and closes her eyes again. 

“My last thoughts as I was drifting out of this world was… how loved I was by my family. How I wanted to share that love with other people… and about everything I missed out on because I was being stubborn. I want to know what love between two people is like. I want that flavour I was denied the first time around. Will you give it to me?” 

She opens her eyes again, and this time her smile and gaze are lightly brushed with sorrow but my heart begins to beat even faster. 

She’s strong. As expected of a hero.