LIVING | 하루토

7 - Acoff & Watanabe

"o-ogre sightings?!" i shrieked, looking at haruto in concern.

"you still wanna go out there and cross the barrier filled with ogres? go then," he challenged, simultaneously grabbing his sword and arming himself with different herbs and leaves in a small pouch.

he stuffed it into his back pocket as he slicked his hair back.

i stood there like an idiot just watching him.

he finally paused for a moment as he put his hands on his lower torso, glancing at my direction.

gosh. what am i supposed to do? sit here and wait for him to come back from that ogre raid?

"if anyone asks, you're my friend since childhood and your magic is animals. you're not a hybrid, understood?" he said, not giving me much time to digest whatever he just said before he tossed me a sword.

not a hybrid? is that even possible in Alin...??

"also you can't go out in that. no one wears such majestic-looking dresses around here," he said before scurrying into his room and dug around his closet.

is he for real? no one around here wears dresses..? yeah right, he just wants me to get changed out of this musty dress.

this guy...

"this is the best i have," he tossed me a shirt  which i believe to be his. i already had shorts on underneath my dress so i quickly went to change.

it was a very large plain white shirt that drooped slightly from my shoulders. it exposed a bit of my collar bones & went all the way down to my thighs.

"i-isn't this is a bit large..." i said, scratching the back of my neck in embarrassment. my cheeks felt hot as i cleared my throat, avoiding his eyes for god-knows-what reason.

honestly, just WHAT is wrong with me today? ever since i met haruto, i haven't been acting like myself... as if i don't want to embarrass myself in front of him.

b-but why do i even care?! why do i-

"it's the smallest i have, acoff.. deal with it," he instructed as we stepped foot outside of his hut. he grabbed his sword and tucked it by his side as i inhaled sharply, not knowing what to expect at the town hall.

although i hate to admit it, i was anxious. what if my heart starts to fail on me midway through? am.. am i going to fight off the ogres with haruto? what if they find out i'm from Cepil?

will they....

kill me?

haruto carried me up onto asha's back as he climbed on, securing his grip on asha's leash.

"sorry asha, we have to ride fast again," haruto mumbled to asha as he caressed her majestic white mane.

i caught myself smiling at his small gestures for her.

w-what the hell, yena..... i've officially lost my mind haven't i?

i must be homesick.

this is not me!

asha neighed in what seemed like annoyance as haruto patted her, before getting on and securing himself. he then glanced behind me, checking if i, too was secure on asha's back.

"h-haruto," i muttered under my breath as asha was starting to gain momentum.

he didn't answer but i went on to say what was on my mind anyway. i might as well do so if there's a chance of me dying today, right?

besides, he's the only one i have here whether i like it or not.

"i-i'm afraid. afraid that they'll find out i'm from Cepil and.. and execute me o-or something! i-i never meant for all this to happen, i just wanted to get some water and..." i rambled, but i was just speaking my mind!