WMMAP - [S1] Shelter You - (愛)してる

Chapter 3: Annoyance

Sensing the decreasing pace of the girl behind him, Lucas slowly swirled around to meet her. They just stood there, staring at one another silently yet perplexingly.

"Aren't you gonna go home?" Athanasia finally asked, not liking how those crimson eyes bore into hers.

She knew there was no harm in those orbs, but they were getting appealing to look at. Noticing how she avoided his eyes, Lucas smirked.

"What? Do you want to follow me home?"

"That is my line. Where is your house?"

"Should I be concerned about telling a Random Stranger my whereabouts?"

"Whatever! Be on your way."

"Harsh. But I'm already where I should be."

"You are standing in front of my house! Go away, you creep!"

"I know you are stupid, but you need to stop giving out information like this." Lucas snickered when she facepalmed herself just now, realizing what she had just told him. "And I should correct you. I am in front of my house, not yours. There is a fence. See?"

He tilted his head and motioned to the waist-length fence which separated the two households.

"Eh?"

Athanasia was not ready to have a random stranger— or savior as her neighbor.

"I have never seen you before..."

"Are you dumb? I just moved in today. Arrived a few hours ago. Took a stroll. Found a Pikachu getting bullied."

"Who are you calling Pikachu!?"

"Who else? Blonde hair. Smoll. Not small but, Smoll. Yeah, I said it. So, Pikachu is the perfect reference."

Athanasia gritted her teeth, rage-fueled by that mocking smirk of his. It clearly said, 'What are you gonna do about it?' His eyebrow heaved in amusement when she suddenly stormed toward him.

Before Athanasia could reach his collar and decide to shove him in the nearest trash bin she could find, her door was barged open. Lilian hastened out of the house and ran toward her.

"Athy!" What took you so long!? I tried to call you, but you didn't even bring your phone— And— Is that a puppy in your arms!?"

Her godmother held her so close that she could barely breathe. Athanasia made space for the puppy before Lilian could crush both of them with her bear hug.

"Lily, you are squishing me... I will explain when we are inside. But... It was fortunate enough for this guy to show up."

Athanasia stole a glance at Lucas, who was still grinning in delight at what he was seeing. Lilian promptly let go of Athanasia and slightly dipped her head.

"Oh my! Thank you so much for helping Athy. My name is Lilian York."

He responded with a slightly awkward bow of his own and scratched his head. "I'm Lucas. And since that is out of the way, I will be heading back to my house."

He stepped backward, then turned around with his hands inside his pockets. As he was getting closer to his house, a black car parked right in front of his house captured his attention.

"Lucas." a vaguely recognizable voice resounded.

He whipped his head around. "Oh, it's you. Wait— Did you just come out of that house?"

"I came to deliver more documents for you."

"That is not my house."

"Neither could I enter without permission," said Ezekiel.