Gate Guardian - Song of the Frozen Soul

PHASE 2 - HOW TO WIN A FRIEND

PHASE 2 - HOW TO WIN A FRIEND

There's something different from this girl's eyes. Her sclera has this glowing bright cross sigil. It was excessively gorgeous, and no words can sufficiently describe it.

"T-Tiara Hikari, right?" I have to make sure.

"Y-Yes!" Tiara bowed with reddish cheeks. "I-I'm sorry if I took so long in rescuing you!"

"I-I'm fine, thanks to you." I scratched my head and looked away. Gosh, this is so awkward. I believe I also have my face red.

Tiara pushed her face to scan me. "Are you hurt?"

"N-No, I'm fine," I said.

I felt that there's some warm blood flowing to my lips. It's probably my nose since the bloody cotton swabs have been ejected from me a while ago.

Tiara made a serious but slightly mad face. She even had her hands on her hips, ready to unleash a sermon. Now her pure and shy figure has been replaced with the overly-protective nanny.

"I don't trust guys who always say that they're fine when they are not." She said, and then she put her soft warm fingers on the tip of my nose. Her hand glowed green, and there is some sort of refreshing menthol sensation on my sinuses. Then the pain finally stopped.

"Just so you know, my bleeding nose was not due to that monster. That was because I got my nose punched by a girl earlier..."

Tiara's eyes became round and big. "I-I-I'm sorry about that..." Then she bowed once again. "I...couldn't resist myself punching a rude guy..."

"Just so you're cute doesn't mean that you can punch a guy that you barely know..."

Tiara's face went full strawberry when she heard that. I can see steam bursting out from her ears! "Y-You're the f-first person who told m-me I'm cute..."

"You're really strange..." I sighed. "Anyway, what happened to the world?" I pointed the red moon that has been there for a long time.

"O-Oh I forgot to return you to the Earth Realm!" She clasped her hands softly.

She swiped her fingers in the thin air, and a white dimension rift opened. Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of light from the portal, and everything became...normal.

The streets are now busy with vehicular engines. The night has been brightened by the city lights, and we are nowhere in the typical bus terminal. Tiara and I are the only ones seating here, but we are not completely alone. There may be no passengers but there are now people on the ticket counters and bus drivers. Seeing so many people have never made me relieved than before.

"J-Just who the heck are you?" I asked the shrine maiden-looking girl beside me.

"I..." Tiara made a long pause.

"I'm a witch!" She made a bright smile.

A witch? Considering what happened earlier... Her monstrous strength, her ability to create a golden dragon from her fist, her powers to heal wounds, and her weird outfit... She's maybe one. But when Tiara noticed that I was convinced immediately, she changed her answer.

"I'm just kidding!" She let out a soft chuckle. "I can do all these things because I'm cursed!"

I made my face so doubted that I wanted to punch this girl.

"C-Come on, I'm joking." She made that puppy eyes again when she realized that I'm annoyed.

"I am a Gate Guardian."