My Dear Friend | Chilumi

The Reunion

Through her window, a faint light from the crescent moon in the starry night sky drew her attention. She got up from her chair and passed her head through the window, a feature she particularly loved about this borrowed room. The streets were quiet and dimly lit by yellowish lights, a comfortable feeling lingered in the air. She turned around towards a silent Paimon, who had her nose stuffed inside a travel book while she munched on some sweets.

"Paimon." Lumine said softly so as to not startle her.

"Mmm ?" She hummed as she raised her small head. "Oh, is it already time?" She asked.

Lumine nodded with a smile.

"It's refreshing to see you be happy and excited about something Lumi." Paimon said to her friend. "I hope you have fun and I can't wait for you to tell me all about it, hehe." Paimon added. The traveler found the last few months to be very hard on her mood, barely finding joy in happy events anymore. She finally had something to be excited about tonight, and she wouldn't waste a second of happiness.

"Thanks, bestie. Be a good little fairy while I'm gone, hihi." Lumine said with a giggle.

Paimon waived to the traveler who walked out of her room and through the sombre corridors of the Knights' headquarters. She walked passed the front door guards and into the city streets. She stayed close to the walls while she made her way to the inn. She walked passed the front desk where a man was sitting and snoring. A black cat was sitting on the wooden counter and watched her as she passed, blinking slowly and emitting a slow purr. She silently went up the stairs to the last floor and knocked on the last door at the end of the corridor, a golden number eleven adorned the red door. Ironic.
Anyway, that's what the note she had found tied to a rock at the foot of her bed that morning told her to do.

In seconds, the door to the room flew open and Ajax stood in front of her with an intense smile, he almost seemed nervous. He wore the red button-down shirt that made him even more beautiful than he already was, tucked inside black dress pants and adorned with his black work harness that moulded his perfectly fit body. With one hand on the door and another inside his pocket, he radiated confidence and charm with a hint of fluster on his face when he looked down on Lumine. She wore a simple black dress that fell just over her knee and a heart-shaped neckline, a perfect and comfortable dress that obviously affected the man in front of her.

"Hey." He said before gesturing for her to come in.

"Hey." She said as she stood still for a moment, before responding to his invitation and walking inside the room.

"Were you followed ?" He asked as he peeked outside before closing the door.

"Don't think so." She said.

"Perfect. Come sit down with me. I prepared a little something for us."

He escorted her towards a small table that was already arranged and ready for a meal. He guided her with a hand pressed against the lower part of her back and she sat down at the table while he went to the kitchen attached to his room. The room was spotless like he had cleaned everything up just before she got there. The smell of veggies and meat filled the room as Ajax brought a platter of tea and two bowls of food to the table.

"I wasn't expecting all of this." Lumine said in awe at the beautiful dish in front of her.

"Oh, is this too much? Had you already eaten ?" He said nervously as he poured her tea.

"Stop worrying Ajax, this is perfect. I'm happily surprised, that's all.".She said as she stared at him with her doe-like eyes. "What's this soup called ? Smells delicious." She said confidently to ease his tension as if she wasn't a little nervous herself. It had been so long since they shared a moment just the two of them, and so many things had happened in between. She knew though that the uneasiness would wear off soon enough, the butterflies in her stomach told her so.