THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

"Ahahaha!!"

"I swear, Aunty. And guess what he said after that?"

"I didn't say anything."

"Yeah, right! You asked me if it wasn't supposed to be soft."

"Ahaha!"

While eating, Claire Started a conservation about her job as captain of the guard. I don't know we did, but in less than thirty minutes, it went completely sideways with Anriette talking about the time we spent together..

This atmosphere, people laughing and smiling, a warm meal. I…strangely don't miss it. On the contrary, I don't feel at my place, being showered by so much happiness makes me feel bad somehow. OR maybe it is because I am the murderer of Anriette's parents.

"I suppose it's because of that."

"Kevin?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"You look like you are having some troubles."

"Yeah, You can talk about it, boy. We won't laugh at you."

Trouble? I don't particularly feel troubled…Though, I could talk to them about that sensation with Farner. Maybe I can get some hints on how to dispel whatever she has done to me.

"Well, maybe."

"Eh? What is it?" Anriette pulls her chair closer to mine and sits right next to me. Now that she is close, I notice her light and fragrant smell. She smells good.

"Well, how can I explain it…Have you ever felt like you can't look at somebody? Or more like, when you look at that person, your vision blurry, your heartbeat increases, you lose strength, those kinds of thing?"

"Yes!! Yes!!"

Anriette suddenly screams out of nowhere. What the hell?!!

"Hm…" Claire stayed calm. Why did Anriette react like that?

"Kevin. I know that feeling very well! Trust me! It is something I have felt as well!"

"Hm, okay."

"Anriette, stop."

"Aunty?"

"Calm down. It is not like you to shout of nowhere."

"S-sorry Aunty." Anriette's face turns red. Why is she embarrassed?

"Kevin, when you look at that person, how do you feel? Can you describe it?"

"But Aunty."

"Just tell me."

Even Frank is now looking at me with great attention.

"Well, I already did earlier. I can't see very well, my heartbeat increases, I feel like I am losing my strength."

"Yeah, you said that already. I talking about how you feel, emotionally."

Emotionally? What does she mean?

"I am not sure I understand."

"You describe how your body acts when you are with that person. Not how your heart feels."

"I said my heart was beating faster."

"No, not that. AH…You are dense about the weirdest things. I am talking about your feelings here. FEE.LINGS."

Feelings? I don't feel anything.

"I don't feel anything."

"Huh…" Claire and Frank's faces changed. They look like a horse who can't get a carrot even though it is right in front of him. I told the truth, though.

"What?"

"N-no, nothing. If you don't feel anything. Then how…"

"That's why I asked you since I don't know myself." This discussion is going nowhere. They don't seem to know what kind of scripts Farner has used.

"Well, there is only one thing I can say: you should find out for yourself what is happening to you. But if I can give you a hint: look within your heart."

"My heart?" A script that affects the heart? Could it be that? I might make sense, indeed. "I see. Thank you. I will make sure to look deep enough."

"You are welcome."

Claire and Frank stand up and leave the table.

"Anriette, you will accompany him, right?"

"Yes, Aunty."

"Okay."

They both go upstairs. The maid stands up as well and picks up the plates.

"Shall we go?" I ask Anriette and she stands up as well.

"Yes. Let's just take some food for K'nor. He didn't eat with us after all."

"Okay."

***

While we are walking to the pet's house. Anriette keeps squirming around. Maybe she has a stomachache?

"Are you alright?"

"Y-yes. Don't worry."

"Okay."

She keeps squirming, though.

"Don't you think this feels like a date?"

"A date?" What is a date? Wait, maybe she means like a day where we had the same kind of things?

"Yeah, maybe."

"You think so as well?!!!" Anriette turns around in a quick step and faces me. Her face is so close our noses are almost touching.

"You are too close."

"Hya!! S-sorry." She retracts and covers her face, which is red as a tomato. Seriously, what is wrong with you, girl?

"Are you sure you are alright?"

"Y-yes. I just need to calm down."

"Okay." I can help if you want. A good smack on your forehead will certainly calm you down. That's what Selene always said.

"K-Kevin. Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah."

"Do you remember the day you saved me?"

"Hm…I don't remember everything but I do remember that day."

"Then you also remember how we…"

"We what?"

"We k-k-kis…Don't make me say it!!"

She advances to me and tries to kiss me. AH, I remember now. That day she did the same as well.

I block Anriette right before her lips can come any closer to mine. Her body is trembling a little as well. As she opens her eyes, tears start flowing down from them. Why does she like to cry so much?

"So, it won't be me?"

"It won't be you?"

"I had hoped that perhaps…If I was patient but determined…"

"What are you talking about?"

"Why can't you understand?!!! I love you!!!"

You love me? Why would you love me? I murdered your parents and your town! I left you and other people to die! No, wait, she must be lying. There is no way anybody would love me. Those who told me or showed me they loved me so far either lied about it or died for it. And from the looks of things, she must be lying since we barely know each other.

"I don't love you. Sorry." Sorry I didn't fall into your trap.

I won't be easily deceived by people again. The only feeling I am sure people can't lie about is hatred. It is easy to fake love but not hate.

Anriette explodes in tears and runs away. Leaving me with the meat she took for K'nor.

"Good grief. She sure knows how to act." I don't know why she did that, though. Could she have been…

"Why do you think she was lying?"

"Because she has no reason to love me, Cissa."

"But you saved her life. Even for us dragons, somebody who saves you when everything is about to end might awake feelings you didn't have before."

"I have murdered her whole town, Cissa. Who would love me after that?"

"You didn't tell her. No, actually, what you want to say is that you can't love her after what you did, right?"

"Think of it as you want! And anyway, even if she is not lying. She will die if she stays with me. Just like the others."

"Not if you are strong enough to protect her."

"No, the strength I seek is not to protect. It is too difficult to do that."

"Then, why do you want to become strong?"

"Didn't you say it yourself? We have to take care of the Longinus. And I need to take my revenge on Demether and Veronica."

"Then, why do you want to defeat the Longinus?"

"Argh, you are asking too many questions!!!"

"Is that so…"