Etched In Their Minds

Quindecim: Two Sides

"Bye," Isaac bid farewell to Ina with a wave and a smile, albeit forced.

"Bye bye! Stay safe!" Ina ran towards her home while her head faced Isaac and waved back at him.

Isaac had just dropped off Ina at her house, apparently she had a live stream to broadcast, so neither of them had time to take a shower or even brush their teeth.

He turned the motorcycle and rode off to the main street.

-mumble-

Past afternoon was the promised date between Ina and Isaac. They planned to go shopping for new clothes for the latter.

Heading inside the mall, Isaac had an expressionless face while Ina wrapped her arm around Isaac's arm and walked with him with a delighted face. Isaac's thoughts had become more complicated than it had ever been.

"What kind of clothes do you want?" she asked.

"Shirts, training clothes and probably fancy clothes as well," Isaac replied.

Ina thought a bit before deciding where to go.

"I know the perfect shop for t-shirts and the like!"

Ina quickened her pace, leading Isaac to a clothing store. They went to the men's section and looked at casual t-shirts.

Isaac picked a few that he liked, then moved on. While walking to the fancy clothing section, he saw a dress that he thought would suit Ina.

"Hey Ina," he called.

"Hm?"

She looked up at him.

"What do you think about that dress?" He pointed to the pretty gown. She peeked from beside him and appraised the dress.

"Hmmm, it's nice.... but we're only getting stuff for you today."

"Sooo, do you want it?" he asked.

"I can just buy it at a later date," she shrugged.

"Why not now?"

"Because today's your day."

Isaac had a deadpan look as he stared at the innocent-faced girl.

"Seriously? Why are you being stubborn?"

"I'm not, though..."

Isaac's irritation developed further.

"You are. How can you not realize this?"

"You're the one being stubborn!" Ina raised her voice which was heard by a few customers. Whispers appeared inside Ina's mind.

"I'm not, I'm just asking why don't you want that dress now?"

His tone was not as loud as Ina's, but it insinuated his clear discontent and aggravation.

"Why are you making this such a big deal? I don't want it anymore! Happy?" she half-screamed at Isaac.

They both stare at each other in silence, but the glare obviously had poison in them.

Then Isaac's phone went off in his pocket. He took it out and looked who was calling him.

He accepts and placed the phone on his right ear.

"Yes?" 

Ina groaned lowly and walked further into the store and stopped at a line of dress shirts.

"I'm all right. Uhh, yes. Okay. Sure. Got it. Bye."

Isaac pocketed his phone and searched for Ina, then saw her looking at a dark purple dress shirt.

He walked up to her and said, "That looks ugly."

She turned back and looked at him with slightly pursed lips.

"I know. I just like the color," she replied.

Then she walked past a line-up of expensive suits and towards a collection of dress shirts with non-plain designs.

Isaac followed slowly behind her and sighed. He finally walked up beside her and said, "Hey Ina. I have to go."

She looked at him, surprised and almost sad.

"Why?" she asked in confusion.

"My friend needs my help with something," he answered.

In other words, Isaac wanted to have some alone time because of the fight. She came to that conclusion and briefly looked at the floor with a sad face.

"All right. You can go by yourself. I'll just warp to my house," she said, lowering her tone.

Isaac raised his eyebrows slightly at her answer.

"Are you sure? I can drop you off, it's no problem."

"Yes.... yes," she said, feeling disheartened.

"Are you re—"

"Yes," she said bluntly and walked away. Exiting the store, she went towards the women's bathroom. Her pace was quick, as if in a hurry.

After entering an empty stall, she stood still and a single tear dropped to the floor. In the next moment, the Necronomicon materialized and she was gone.

-east-

Ina landed on her bed and buried her face on a pillow. She grabbed the two sides and shoved them on her ears, trying to lessen the whispers she heard. Ina knew it was useless, she was well aware the Ancient Ones were talking directly to her brain.

The Freedom Faction were full of Eldritch beings with eleutheromania mentality. If they did escape the Necronomicon, what they would do to resist the wrath of Azathoth, a literal omnipotent god, was unknown.

[Tch..! Shut up! Shut up! Shut uuup!]

She gritted here teeth and screamed internally. That after-effect hits hard.

-freedom-

Isaac had a deadpan look while his friend in front of him was grinning ear to ear.

"This is what you called me for? You even said it was urgent..."

"Yeah, man! I need your help to set up my new house! A few other people will be here too."

They were standing in front of a two-story house. Isaac sighed and slightly regretted leaving Ina. Only slightly.

-tweak-

Pomp, the beds of Isaac and Ina cushioned the fall of their owners. Although in different houses, somehow they fell into their individual beds at the same time. Probably for added effect to the bit.

They both lay on their backs and stared absentmindedly at the ceiling. Both of them had contrasting thoughts, but the essence of their contemplation was doubt.

Isaac was doubting his relationship, and Ina was doubting her existence.

The lingering thoughts from that certain shower finally infiltrated Isaac's main thoughts.

The transformation from human to Eldritch god had quite an impact on Ina. Her blood became more potent, but her personality became transparent, as if the substance of what made her human was slowly evaporating.