When Hitomi took Galaxia for a walk, she wanted to discuss what gift they should give Aether. She had heard from her mother that Aether’s mother would take him with her to the clinic, so he could watch, learn, and play with the other children nearby. Unfortunately, something happened, and the children started teasing him…
When his mother saw him upset, she asked, "What's wrong, my child?" He looked at her sullenly. "You see, Mom... the children... they tease me and I don't know why. They call me weird and say they get shocked by electricity when I’m near them..." His mother looked at him with concern and said with a trembling voice, "Hmm, w-well, maybe the children are playing a little too roughly. What would you like to do to have a good time yourself? Leave the children alone now."
Aether looked at her with confusion, saying, "Can you buy me that book we saw about crystal energy? It's a bit expensive, I know. If you can't, it's okay. I'll just stay home, so I don't bother anyone around me… with whatever this electricity is..."
His mother hugged him to comfort him, and he shed a few tears. She told him sweetly, "It's alright, my child, we will get it on our way out. See? No electricity is shocking me. The children probably just wanted to play, but they didn't know how."
When they left the clinic in the afternoon, they passed by the bookstore and bought the book. A woman, Lux, said, "Wow, the little one is getting this encyclopedia - magical book?" His mother looked at him, holding it in his arms. "Yes, it’s for this little scholar here." He smiled, put his hands on his waist, said goodbye, and they left.
The bookseller’s daughter said as soon as they left the shop, "That was the kid, Dad, who kept hitting us with a black-blue energy like current." He looked at her, raised an eyebrow, and said, "It didn't shock me, my dear. Maybe you were playing a little more than you should have?" She didn't say anything, turning her gaze awkwardly in the other direction.
...And so, Aether spent most of his days inside the house, not going out at all. He would go out briefly, play with the girls, and then go back inside.
Hitomi looked sadly at Galaxia. "My mother told me all this… You understand, Galaxia, I want to give him a gift to show him that I'm here for him…"
Galaxia told her, "Ooh… You care about him a little extra, huh? Do you have feelings for him?" She looked at Hitomi with a sarcastic gaze. Hitomi turned bright red. She tried to hide. "You don't need to have feelings for someone to give them a gift!" She looked at Galaxia in surprise.
Galaxia, on the other hand, just gave her a good, long, sarcastic look again. "Alright, alright, you're not convincing anyone." Hitomi pouted and started hitting her lightly on the shoulder. Galaxia started laughing, and they got up from the bench where they were sitting.
The next day, at Hitomi's house, they started thinking about what to give him. They thought about buying him a hat, but just the thought of the hat being twice the size of his head and hiding it made them start laughing. After thinking of many things—T-shirts, glasses—Galaxia turned and looked at a corner, where Hitomi had an ore. She simply pointed it out to her. Hitomi's face lit up with joy, and she decided to make a bracelet, putting all her knowledge and love into it.
Out of joy, she suggested they go for a walk, but quite coincidentally they found themselves outside Aether's house. Hitomi, full of excitement, said to Galaxia, "Do you think if I knock, he'll open the door for us this time?" Galaxia looked at her with amusement. "Knock, what have you got to lose?"
Hitomi knocked on the door, but received no answer. Annoyed, she started knocking louder. She looked at Galaxia, frustrated. "He's not inside?"
Galaxia grabbed her by the shoulder, saying in surprise, "Whoa, whoa! Calm down a bit. He might be sleeping… or maybe he doesn't want to see you."
She lowered her hand, turned her back, crossed her arms, and said, "If you want, climb up from there." She pointed to a small foothold on a rock that led to the upper floor, where Aether's room was. "Go check if he's okay. Don't beat him up, okay? Give him something to remind him you’re near him."
Galaxia raised her right hand, turning and saying towards Hitomi, "This is simply pre—" but before she could finish, Hitomi, full of courage, had sprouted wings and started climbing.
Galaxia, shocked, shouted, "Be careful… What are you? A goat with wings?..." And then she saw the red ribbon Hitomi had in her hair fluttering. "Hey, Hitomi!" she shouted, but Hitomi had already climbed onto the roof, just before entering Aether's room.
Galaxia told her from below, "Listen, Hitomi, cut a bit of the ribbon you have in your hair and tie it around his wrist."
Hitomi thought for a moment and decided it wasn't a bad idea. So, she rushed into the room.
The window was open. She saw him sleeping with the book open on his head. He hadn't realized a thing. She stepped onto the floor, quickly walked towards his bed, lifted her head over his body, and looked at him with a self-satisfied expression. She started teasing him, poking him in the stomach, until she heard from his mouth: "Mmm, you smell so nice today, Hitomi. Hehe, you're sweet. Maybe I should eat you?"
She widened her eyes, but also blushed, because she had no idea what he was seeing. She hit him quite hard in the stomach, and Aether jumped out of bed. The book flew into the air. He saw Hitomi and shrieked in fear, telling her, "How did you get in here? We have doors, you know!"
Hitomi just laughed. "Good morning, Aether! First, you should have opened the door. Second, you shouldn't have left the window open. And third, since you weren't answering us, what was I supposed to do?"
Aether was stunned. He didn't know what to say. He tried to fix his hair and clothes. "Fine, what are you to break in through the window? A winged goat?" he said. Hitomi thought, "What did Galaxia tell me? Ah, yes, to cut the ribbon and tie it around his neck or hand? Hmm, the hand is better."
So, while Aether was talking to her and picking up the book, she had taken a small paper-cutting knife that was on his desk and turned toward him. When Aether saw it, he put the book in front of his chest, saying in a panic, "Whoa, wait a minute, let's talk about this! You're not a winged goat, you're a winged angel! I'll open the door next time, honest!"
She looked at him with amusement, untied her hair, took off her ribbon, and cut it in half. Aether saw her in the light of the midday sun streaming into the room. Her blonde-red hair was shining, and he felt his heart beating fast. Suddenly, the book became quite heavy, and his left hand clenched it as tightly as possible. And as soon as her scent reached him, his left hand simply dropped, while his right hand held his chest.
Hitomi, full of unexpected tenderness, approached him and tied the ribbon around his hand. "I'll be there for you, through this ribbon. Remember that! I'll tie it here, on your left hand, so you can see it and remember." She tied it, took a step back, smiled, and tied her hair again.
Aether was flushed red, unable to speak. He thought, "How wonderful is this warmth of the ribbon on my skin, what a lovely vanilla scent, this promise is like a dream." As he realized it, Hitomi also felt the same. After all, they might say they are seven, but they practically feel like they are fourteen… Hitomi turned her back, playing with her hair, and as she was leaving through his window, she told him that "we'll be outside, if he wants to come out too…" and left.
Aether, on the other hand, was frozen, and whispered, "What was that? Was my dream not a dream after all? Did I kiss her? She was so charming today... Oh, what has come over me!"
When Galaxia saw Hitomi climb down, she asked, "Mmm, how did it go?" Hitomi lifted her head, bright red, saying, "Do you think my ribbon is enough?" Galaxia put her finger on her chin. "Mmm, yes… he’s a boy after all, it’s something sweet and it smells like you."
Hitomi lowered her head and started giving Galaxia light punches on the shoulder. Galaxia started laughing, saying, "Oh wow, come on, my good tomato soup with eyes. Let's go for a walk!"
Thus, the two of them became bonded in a way no one would forget. From then on, Aether began to be more lively with the girls and spent more time with them…
Add comment
Comments