Alkimia ~the Craft of Love~

24. it is your smile which lures me in (Alcyone + Naga)

I am a girl and Naga is a boy. That is something which is clear that I know. Yet, the difference in height and posture, our gesture and walking habit, also other things which I have not known. It makes me realise there are a lot of things I do not know about Naga despite having been silently observing him for a year.

"You know," Naga, with my face, fails to see me, in his body, in the eyes, "Having your (my) eyes looking at me seriously like that is quite... My heart beats quite fast," after coughing, Nara asks me with a blush on his (my) face, "Do your heart always flutter whenever I look at you?"

"Not quite," I shake my head as I answer, "Rather than your eyes, it is your smile which lures me in,"

Naga's mouth moves without making a sound. I think what I said and decide there is nothing wrong with it. To have a chance to see myself being so expressive...it is like a miracle.

I take notice of the moon and decide it's time to be home. When I am about to tell Naga to go home, I see myself. That's right. How do we return to our own body?

Naga shakes his head, "I don't know how. Maybe because I have just awakened it, I can't control my magic as of yet,"

I nod my head, "Then, do you mind going home in my stead? I will do the same with yours,"

Naga opens his mouth and closes it. Then, he tries again, "Are you sure? I mean, if you don't mind having a guest, I will...you will stay at my...your home," furrowing his eyebrows, Naga tries not to confuse himself, "Naga lives in a boarding house full of...Witches," Naga lower his voice as he says that, "Yet, Alcyone lives with...?"

I answer him, "Father,"

"Naga is fine going home late at night," Naga tells me, saying it in my body with my voice, "So, let's go to Alcyone's home first and wait,"

"If Naga doesn't mind it," I follow his lead and use names to address our real selves

"Naga doesn't mind," laughing quietly, Naga says so

I nod my head and we continue walking to my home. Before reaching there, Naga asks me, "Do you think your Father will mind Naga visiting?"

I tilt my head in thought, "Father is not at home,"

"Then, we will be fine," Naga smiles because he feels relieved, "We can be ourselves!"

"Yes," I nod my head, agreeing with him, "Father will surely have a heart attack if he sees Alcyone smiling brightly like that,"

Naga widens his eyes at me then bursts out laughing. For your information, it is not a joke.

"Then... How is your relationship with your Father?" in turn, Naga becomes concerned

"We are fine," I reply simply, then experiences the changes in scenery. After reorienting myself, I say, "I suppose we will be going to our own home now,"

"I guess," Naga blinks at me repeatedly, "That's...not good,"

"What is?" I question him with a glance

"To change suddenly like that is not good. Dangerous," Naga mutters under his breath, "I will go back and find a way to master the [Body Exchange] quickly. In the meantime, please bear with it,"

"If you need someone to help you to do research, feel free to ask me," as I say it, I remember something. Taking out my cell phone, I open the call logs and question, "Is the other number yours?"

"Yup," Naga looks at my phone and nods with a smile, "Text me or call me anytime you want. I will do my best to reply asap,"

I also nod, without a smile, "Text or call me anytime you want too, if you need me,"