"Ehem." Ms. Sabin cleared her throat. It's been a while since I last heard her voice. "You may sit beside--"

"I wanna sit beside Celeste!" Joan immediately ran to the seat beside me. "MOVE!" She said as she kicked the guy who's sitting there.

"Hey, Joan. Long time no see!" I raised my hands for a hug but it seems that someone was controlling Joan when she was about to hug me. I glanced at Zan, who whistles around like it has nothing to do with him. I know it has.

"Sorry. I don't know what happened there. One more try!"

As we reach out for a hug again, the bell suddenly rang. We were both frustrated.

"What the hell's wrong here?!" She shamelessly yelled out.

"It's break time!!" The students cheered.

"Ok, ok, settle down, settle down. That was just a false alarm. We just started too. So, let's discuss about--"

•

Break time.

"So Joan, what brings you here in Earth?"

Before Joan can open her mouth, Zan popped out of nowhere behind me.

"Yeah Joan, what brings you here in Earth?" He says in a more serious and threatening tone.

"Yes, Ms. Himbocole, what brings you here?" Philip repeated.

"Man, you have a lot of echoes." Joan commented, munching on her biscuit as she asks.

I sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Just answer that question."

Philip and Zan attentively listens to her every word as she speaks.

"Well, I was just out from my prison-- you know, my house and went to your house but it's empty so I thought that you just took a stroll but you never came back so I asked everyone and they all said that they didn't see you. Until I saw Senna and she said that you're in Earth so she sent me here." She briefly explained.

"Senna is alive?!"

"No, I think she's just an AI. You know her, with all the techno and stuffs." She munched on her biscuit again

"How do you know?"

"She says so before I was teleported here."

"I see.... How did you--"

"I was brought in by the Himbocole family."

"Ahh, the Himbocole family, one of the wealthiest families. One step below the Auden. Am I right, Mr. Andrew?" Zan commented, glancing at Philip.

"Yes, that's right." Philip answered.

"Hahaha. Seriously, what happened to you, girl? You just earned 2 bodyguards." Joan laughed, smacking my arm.

I saw Zan and Philip's glares so I glared at them back.

"I can't even touch you." Joan laughed again, her eyes glowed bright red, looking directly at Zan. "Hahaha." She laughed, causing Zan to blush...or that she read his mind so he blushed. But why would he blush? Are they communicating telepathically now?! "Your classmate's cute." She smiled.

Zan then absentmindedly leaned closer to her. Joan seems to enjoy this. She also leaned closer.

I don't know what happened but I raised a wall between them and they stopped.

Joan raised an eyebrow at me. I jolted then turned away, removing the wall while I whistle like it has nothing to do with me.

Zan snapped out of his trance and was confused about everything-- the position he was just in.

He shook his head and looked at me with apologetic eyes. I nodded.

"Your nod seems a little weird." He says, leaning close to my face with a smirk. "Are you jealous?" He whispered.

"What's jealous?" I asked with one brow raised.

"You know, like when you like someone and because you like that someone, you hate the other people who also like that person you like."

"Like. Like. Like. Like. Like. All I hear are the words like." I mocked. "But I kind of understand you. I had that feeling once... When Joan was bullied by some other demons."

Zan sat beside me, staring at me in confusion. "What do you mean?" He asks.

I glanced at Joan and she nodded.

"Let me tell you the story of our friendship, how about that?"

"I think we'll have to skip. We haven't eaten yet and--"

"Except Joan." I interrupted Zan, pointing at Joan, who already finished her snacks before any of us could have.

"Hey Celeste, you gonna eat?" Joan asked.

"Nope. I'm still full from earlier."

"What did you have for breakfast?" She asked with eyes sparkling like stars.

"I...ate some souls from a whole department." I unconfidently answered.

"Wow, that's great!" She exclaimed. "Save some for me, ok?"

"Psh. Whatever, bitch." I turned away.

Joan laughed and laughed, taking advantage of our leisure.

When we stopped, no more topics to discuss, I caught her glancing at Zan so dreamily....so I snapped her back to reality. I'm such a good best friend.

"Hey, snap out of it, you fool!" I said.

"But your friend's really cute. I don't wanna snap out of it." She replied with a gentle voice.

I sighed, knowing that her angel side is showing because of Zan.

•

Dismissal.

I'm packing my things away for dismissal. I saw Joan controlling Zan's mind again. Zan exited before her then she followed, leaving me behind.

"Celeste, I need you to bring this cake to Veronica. It's her birthday today. Drop it and you'll die, understand?" Ms. Sabin handed me a cake box with a grand cake inside.

I wonder why me. "Where's Veronica by the way?"

"In the faculty room, having fun with the other teachers. You know, you shouldn't worry about me. I'm going to go there sooner or later..." I hear faint sobs as I ran away from the classroom before I continue listening to Ms. Sabin's torturous story. It's torturous to my ears.

While I was running to the faculty room, I saw Joan and Zan hugging....

I gently placed the cake on a table nearby and ran towards the two of them.

I squished myself between them, glaring at Joan.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" I shouted. "Do you think you can just hug him randomly?!"

"Geez, what's wrong with you, Celeste?" Joan responded calmly.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?! You just met him around this day and you already hugged him, what the hell!"

"Nuh-uh. He hugged me."

"Because you brainwashed him, you dumbass!"

"Are you looking for a fight?" She glared.

"What does it look like?"

I took out my spear while she controls some witnesses' brains to attack me.

I flawlessly dodged all of their attacks and headed straight to Joan. I raised my spear above my head and she smirked, Zan jumping in front of her to block me. I was caught off-guard. Taking advantage of this, two students came in and pinned me down the ground.

Before Joan can walk towards me, I slid below and stood in front of her, readying to stab her with my spear.

"Tsk tsk tsk." She waved her index finger.

Zan again ran between us.

Irritated, I threw my spear away to the ground. It was so dramatic that the only sound that that was present was the fall of the spear to the ground, echoing the halls.

"What's the matter? Can't attack him?" Joan smirked like she already won.

I hang my head, thinking what I will do from now on...when out of nowhere, a truck passed by, breaking the school walls and is coming towards me. I think Joan controlled the driver's mind to kill me right here and now!

I flew to the top of the truck that seemed like a very high jump and look at her with a terrified expression. She just...smirked.

Some students are already climbing the truck to attack me. A student already reached me by jumping. H-he can jump... What's wrong with these people?!

He took out a knife-- wait, hold on. Isn't that against the rules of the school? Oh well...-- and stabbed my chest. It was shallow so it didn't actually reach my heart.

Blood came oozing out of me. Haha. Disgusting.

I held the student's right arm so that he won't stab me any further. So that I won't get killed...

"Hey! Hands off of her!" I heard from afar. He jumped to me and kicked the student out who's holding the knife that was plunged in my chest. Now I feel more painful than when he stabbed me.

"Zan... How did you--?" Before I could even finish, I fell down. I felt warmth on my back and the part behind me knee. Is it p-p-popli--- I don't remember what that Patricia woman told me.

The sounds slowly fade away and I slept.

•

"Yeah. She's here. Sorry to bother you... Yeah, she'll stay here until she's ok... Don't worry, I can handle her. Her best friend is also here. Joan, I think. She's here to apologize... Yeah, she takes things too far... Thank you. Bye." I heard a button that presumably ended the call.

"So what did they say?" I heard Joan's voice, not too far from me.

"They said that they'll come here as soon as possible. Judging that they really have no time for Celeste, I think it will be a day or so." Zan said, walking closer to me. "Look, she's breathing."

"Really?!" I heard running footsteps as she ran towards me. A lot of things fell down as she ran. It was noisy but...it feels good to have a background noise once in a while. "Oh yeah, she is breathing."

I slowly open my eyes, blinking twice before fully opening them.

I saw Zan in my right and Joan on my left. Zan is in the same direction as the door and Joan is in the same direction as the window... And I'm on a bed....

"Hey! Where the fuck am I?!" I shouted.

"You're in a hospital." They simultaneously answered.

I glanced at my chest to see bandages wrapped around it. I heaved a sigh of relief and smiled.

"Let's go now. I'm finished healing." I stood up from the bed, not realizing the needle that has stuck inside of my hand, connecting it to a bag of water sooner. I pulled the needle out and was annoyed even more when I realize I don't have clothing on my top. Zan is already closing his eyes, his face flushed with pure red.

"Haha. Embarrassed to see a female body?" I teased.

"Shut up! If a guy undressed in front if you, you will do the same."

"No... Not really." I reminisced about the events that happened with a lot of guys naked in front of me and I'm not even closing my eyes nor my face flushed in red like that.

Zan's face flushed into a deeper red as he desperately shutting his eyes with his hands.

"Hey Celeste, I'll go get your clothes." Joan volunteered "I think it's in the bathroom." She mumbled as she went inside the bathroom.

Zan, step by step, walked to me and placed his hoodie to me.

"Cover yourself so I can look at you now. My eyes hurt."

"Ha! Why don't you look now even when I'm not covered?" I smirked, tempting him. "Come on, I know you want it."

"Hey Celeste, I found it!" Joan slammed the door open and  handed me my top, a white long-sleeved buttoned shirt.

"But you know, you should change it to a more convenient one." She added.

I glared at her for making such a comment and snatched my shirt away.

"I have an idea. How about this double-breasted navy blue dress?" Joan handed me that kind of dress from out of nowhere.

"Did you seriously have it all this time?"

"Maaybee~~" she playfully answered. "Just go and wear it!"

"Fine, fine."

"No wait! How about this vintage dress London style?" She handed me another dress, this time, a little bigger than the previous one.

The dress she just gave me is a bit better than the previous one so I returned the navy blue dress and wore the plaid dress. I tied the ribbon on my waist and buttoned it until the bottom and swayed around.

"Can I open my eyes now?" Zan suddenly brought the topic up.

"I've been telling you to open your eyes minutes ago!" I rolled my eyes.

Joan smiled and removed Zan's hands from his eyes. He stared in awe.

When I removed my skirt in front of him, his eyes are wide open, he immediately shut it again.

"It's useless now. I'm wearing a dress." I answered blankly.

"Oh yeah, sorry." He blinked twice and stared at me for a few minutes.

"What?" I finally asked.

"Is that your normal size?" He innocently asked.

"What do you mean? Did I grow smaller?" I looked at myself to understand.

"Oh, no, Celeste's breasts are bigger than that." Joan said, placing her arm around his neck.

"I don't think that he's--" I stopped when I looked at him, covering his face with his hands, underneath it, I can see a little of it, that his face is glowing bright red.

"Nah, I think he is." Joan replied, teasing Zan.

"Well sorry for looking flat when I was wearing my casual clothes." I crossed my arms and turned my gaze away.

"Ah, no. It's not like that..." Zan sharply turned to me. "I... I'm just not used to seeing...them..." He sheepishly added.

"Guess you have a point." I let him go. I took of his hoodie from me and gave it to him nonchalantly. "Let's go now, you two. I don't wanna be late for tomorrow."

They nodded and followed behind. I wondered where my shirt went. I glanced at Joan to see her shoving my shirt to a black hole that looks like her closet....and it's almost full... (-_-;)

"What a surprise that you want to go to school early tomorrow." Joan smirked while catching up to me.

"I didn't see Cervi today, even in the witnesses' area." I sounded a bit disappointed.

"Little Miss... Do you like that guy?" Zan kind of whispered.

"Huh? Of course I like him. A lot." I bluntly answered.

Joan suddenly laughed so I glanced at her.

"What's so funny with what I said?" I furrowed my eyebrows, asking her that.

"It's not what you said, it's Zan's reaction! It's priceless!" She pointed at him. I turned to the direction she's pointing at and saw Zan attacking a dry wall... No wait, he's leaving a trail while we're running... And a dark aura too.

"What's up with him?"

"Come on, stop acting dense." She snorted. "Don't tell me you're dense to your own feelings. Tell me, why did you stop us from kissing by raising a wall and that time when I hugged Zan while you were walking by?"

"I-it's because that's improper... That's not what you do when you just meet someone... Right? Coming from the Himbocole family, you should know that, right?" I softly answered, unsure myself.

"Oh, you're right." She pounded a fist on her palm. "Hahaha! Look at Zan! He's worse than before! You should be careful with what you say, Celeste!"

"I don't get humans." I sighed.

"It's not that he's a human that he's acting this way. You were this scary and powerful too when you snapped. You just don't get feelings and all that. Wanna let me teach you a thing or two about romance?" Joan excitedly invited. Before I can give her my answer, she started already. "First, you have this feeling in your chest. Like, your heart is beating rapidly and loudly when he's in close contact."

"That's fear." I said.

"No, that's nervousness." She glared.

"Yeah, that works too."

She slapped her head with disappointment.

"Zan, you're better to teach than Celeste right?" I'm eavesdropping them~~

"I don't think I'll need your lessons." Zan flatly rejected Joan's lessons before she can even say another word about it.

"You're right." She slumped her shoulders and heaved a heavy sigh. "Hey Celeste, give me a favor and say I love you to Zan." She lazily commanded.

"What kind of a favor is that?!"

"It will make me feel better." She reasoned out. "Please..." She begged. Ggh. Her angel side is coming out again...

I rolled my eyes and faced Zan... "I....l-love..." I acted nervous and flustered. "Cervi. HA!" After I trolled the both of them, I dashed faster than usual to the end. What a spacious and wide hospital this is.

After a few minutes, they caught up, lying down on the floor by the stomach in exhaustion.

"What took you guys so long?" I boasted.

They glared at me. Joan stood in front of me and ripped the temporary dress that I was wearing, exposing my forbidden parts, whatever they call it.

Zan immediately buried his head as soon as the ripping sound was heard.

"I'm getting naked a lot today." I commented.

Joan didn't say anything. She just glares at me. Finally, she displayed her soft feathered white angel wings and put them into good use, to fly to the Himbocole residence.

Now I'm stuck with Zan with minimal clothing... Great..... How can we get out of this mess? Do I have my phone with me? Yes!

"Hello, Sebastian? I need you to--"

"Yes, m'lady."

"But I wasn't finished."

"I know what you want already, m'lady. You want me to go to that hospital and fetch you, am I right?"

"Y-yeah... Thanks." I hanged up and shivered when I knew about his knowledge. Then again, maybe Zan called him.

I glanced at him, who's still covering his eyes. I crouched down to his level.

"She left us, she left me." I said, hoping to get a reply. Instead, I was greeted by silence. The hands covering his eyes softened their grip. "Joan and I...we have a complicated friendship. But in the end, we still genuinely care for each other."

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked in a serious voice.

"To kill time." I answered honestly.

"Then, what can you tell me about that Cervi guy? Why are you so attached to him?" He continued on with his serious voice.

"He's... My friend. Best friend, perhaps? He was my my only human friend that accepted me as an outcast." I started.

"What about me? I accepted you whatever you might be, right?!" He jolted, subconsciously facing me. His face is so scary, glaring at me like that. He saw my eyes, the eyes of an almost crying demon... "S-sorry..." He sat down with his knees pressed to his chest. "If the both of us accepted you as an outcast, why are you more attached to him than me?"

"Hahaha!!!" I laughed out loud. "Who am I with now, exactly? Is it Cervi? No, it's you, idiot. If I'm more attached to him more than you, then I would fly off the window recklessly and go to him."

"Heh... Guess you're right." I'm not sure because his knees are pressed, but I may have seen a weak smile on his face. I don't know his problem with Cervi but it seems that it has worked out...

Sebastian came just in time. He opened the door of the car and Cervi and his stupid foster parents emerged, all wearing worried faces. Except for Cervi, he was wearing a very happy one, as he hugged me. It was not tight nor it was loose. It was just right... He's warm...

"Celeste! I'm glad you're alright!" He exclaimed. "Are you ok? Can I see your wound?"

I was about to show him but a blue hoodie covered it, no, not just it. My whole upper body.

"Sorry, she can't right now." Zan said from behind.

"Ahh.... Cervi, why are you here with Sebastian?"

"I heard that you got hurt in school so we decided to visit you so I dragged my parents into going with Sebastian to fetch you." He happily explained. "And I want to stay to take care of you for the weekend."

"Oh yeah, I forgot that we don't have classes tomorrow."

"Yeah! Mom, Dad, can I stay over with Celeste for the weekend to take care of her?" Cervi faced his parents.

"N-no. Don't go." Katherine stopped. "I have a bad feeling about her."

"Why not? We can call anytime. Call us if you need help, ok?" Peter smiled.

Cervi obediently nodded and smiled brightly. "Ok." He said.

•

"Patricia." I called out.

"Philip told me everything. Are you alri--" she paused for a moment, staring at the two boys that I brought in our house. "Cervi?... And who's this guy right here?"

"What? Even your mom knows Cervi." He coolly commented.

"We...had something...." I turned my head to the side.

"Hmm.... Is that so?" The seriousness he had didn't change. From the hospital to the car until here. His seriousness didn't fade away. I'm not used to this. When will he say his next bad joke again?

"Come in, come in. Make yourselves at home." Patricia invited.

I went to my room and put on some clothes. Zan's hoodie is so warm...

I put on my casual clothes. The same clothes that Joan took from me.

I sighed as I put on Zan's hoodie over my shirt and head off to the dining room. It's already evening so I think they're having dinner right now in the dining room.

And, as I expected, they're there...

"So Cervi, how long will you stay here?" Patricia enthusiastically asked. It's been a while since she talked like that... Her true emotions...

"Ah, I'm just staying here for the weekend to take care of Celeste." Cervi answered the same way.

"Hey Patricia." I called, entering the dining room. I sat beside Cervi and immediately took the meal and dug in.

On our other sides are Patricia and Zan. Cervi is seated across Patricia and I'm across Zan. Johnny is seated around the corner, just beside Patricia.

So it's like...

           Patricia          Zan
Johnny                               Empty
            Cervi             Me

Like that.

"I see... Zan had also volunteered to take care of her. You can be friends!" She smiled brightly.

As soon as Patricia said that, the empty chair suddenly fell down loudly, startling us all...except Zan who's obviously the one who's behind that.

"Ah sorry. My foot slipped." He said nonchalantly.

"That's...ok..." Patricia nervously responded.

I continued eating like never happened and once I finished, I quickly got to my room, opened the black hole and took one subordinate soul and swallowed it. I feel relived now...

I heard a knock from my door and he opened it. "Celeste... May I come in?" He peeked his head. I haven't replied yet and he entered already. "I want to talk to you for a while."

"What is it, Cervi?" I asked, sitting down on my soft bouncy bed.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't there when you were attacked." He slowly approaches me.

"That's ok. It was no big deal anyway." I said as I lie down on my bed, with my bottom half still intact with the floor.

"C-can I see your wound now?" He stuttered as he climbs my bed.

"Oh yeah." I quickly unbuttoned until it reaches the bandages still full of blood.

Cervi gulped as he lie on top over me, he stands on all four as he looks down at me, staring at my bare chest, staring at the dirty bandages that's wrapped around my chest. He's blushing all over.

"I'm...really sorry..." He whispered. "I can't even protect you. What kind of a man am I?" He silently sobs. "I know we're best friends but I couldn't even...help you... I want to make it up to you." He added, stroking my wounded chest. The small tears that were coming out of him makes me more uncomfortable.

"Cervi..."

"Sorry C but--" Zan immediately entered after he knocked. Cervi and I turned to him with confused faces. "--I need my....hoo...die......."

"Oh hey Zan." I greeted.

"C, I know that you and that Cervi guy are close but I don't know how close you both are..."

"Huh...?"

In a swift motion, Zan threw a coin. While it's flying to the air, he dashed to Cervi and pinned him down to the same direction he was just in. He then caught the falling coin just in time, still pinning the defenseless Cervi down.

"I hate that you dropped by. And you know what? If you don't go now," he paused, gripping the coin tightly. A blue fire surround his left hand, the hand that grips the coin tightly. All that's left are melted metal that almost falls to Cervi's face. "You'll turn into this."

I buttoned up myself and approached the two of them. I shoved Zan's hoodie in his face to distract him.

"Here, the hoodie." I said.

The distraction is effective as he got up from Cervi and stared at the hoodie, giving Cervi a chance to escape. But he didn't. He hid behind me. Smart.

I saw him glare at Cervi.

I sighed. "Don't go breaking my house. Go outside and break the neighbor's trees or something."

"But it's so dark and cold, will you come with me?" He cutely (and disgustingly) asked.

"No." I coldly replied.

"But I want to talk to you about something~~" he added.

"Fine." I angrily gave up. "Ah, Cervi, can you guard my room for a sec?"

"Sure." He enthusiastically saluted.

Zan grabbed my hand and dragged me out of my own house. He keeps ignoring me as I keep saying "it hurts." Several times.

As soon as we were outside and no one is watching, I took out my spear and supposed to cut my hand to not feel the pain but Zan had already let it go for some reason. As soon as he did, he slammed his hand near my head. Maybe to act as a tr...ap?

"What kind of like do you have with Cervi?" I knew it. His cute facade is one way to stop himself from wreaking havoc.

"I like him as much as I like you..." I answered honestly yet he slammed his other hand near my head. Even though I can easily take Zan down, I'm still terrified of his behavior.

"Why?"

"Because the both of you are my friends.... So I treat you equally..." I fearfully answered.

"Then what were you doing on that bed?!" He barked like a bulldog.

"I was just showing my wound to him... He started crying and complaining that he's useless because he couldn't save me, or even just help me... Until you barged in and started acting like an overprotective bulldog. I can hardly say now if you can be described as a dog. Maybe like an elephant on the loose."

"Then... Why were you positioned like that?" He's starting to soften.

"My back hurts so I laid down. What's wrong with it?" I innocently asked.

"Ah.. N-nothing... Sorry for bothering you..." He removed his hand from the tree trunk and started walking away. I followed.

"Hey Zan, do you consider me as your best friend?" I asked as I walk beside him.

"Wh-why would you ask something like that...?" He stuttered.

"No reason? If what I said is true, the one when I told you that I like you as much as I like him, then that means that I also like you as a best friend like him."

"A-ahh.... Y-yeah... I...consider you as a best friend...." He averted his gaze.

I saw his left hand not in his pockets so I think it's funny if I suddenly hold it. As I did, I was disappointed that he didn't react....and was surprised when he held mine tight...