"So, which way to go then?" Asuka asked.

It was the next morning. We wandered aimlessly as we didn't know which way to go. I tried asking the scroll but it didn't give us any reply.

Asuka sighed. "I think it is hopeless. We should go back to the Queen Fairy and ask for a better scroll!" The scroll again bounced up and down in my hand, clearly showing its anger. "Ain't afraid of you," Asuka teased it.

"Stop it now, Asuka," Hotaru hit her friend's head.

"Wait! Stop, Izumi!"
"No, I don't want to talk to you ever again, Itsuki!"

"Huh?" We heard voices from behind. We turned back and saw a young man running after a red-haired woman. The were wearing traditional clothes.

"Is it another girl and her butler?" my green-haired friend joked.
"Maybe the guy is trying to kidnap her," I pressed my hand to my face.
"Oh, no..."

The girl ran past us. As the guy tried to chase her, Asuka put her foot out and tripped the man.

"Hey! What was that for?" The man was clearly angry.

"That's what you get for trying to kidnap a girl!"
"Kidnap?! That's outrageous! Nevermind, I must try to find Izu-" But the girl was already out of his sight.

The guy sighed and turned towards us,"It's your fault! I wasn't trying to kidnap her! She is my friend, Izumi, and I just wanted to talk to her!"
"Then why was she running away from you?" Hotaru asked him.

"Because -" the guy sighed again.

"Because I told her that I loved her..."

Asuka let out a shriek. "Oooh...so you love her, huh?" The man blushed. "Asuka, knock it off," Hotaru warned her.

"So, why did she run away from you?" I asked.

"I don't know...but she said she would never talk to me again," he frowned.
"Sorry we tripped you."

I genuinely felt sorry for him.

"Nah, it's okay. But I must find Izumi. See ya later!" He ran off towards the direction where Izumi went.

We shrugged off the situation that unfolded before us and walked on our way. After walking for a while, we came to a lake.

There we heard someone cry. "Huh?" I saw the girl called Izumi sitting under a tree, sobbing.

I went up to her.

"What's wrong?"
"Oh!" She was surprised to see me. "Oh, it's nothing..."
"Are you crying because that guy said that he loved you?" I asked her.

She was shocked to hear that. "How did you know?"
"He told us everything. Although we didn't catch his name..."
"Itsuki..."
"Yes?"
"His name...it's Itsuki," she said.

So his name was Itsuki. He clearly looked as if he really loved her. But why did she run away from him? Did she hate him?

"Why did you run away like that? Don't you love him?" I asked Izumi.

"I don't know...I don't know my own feelings for him..." she started sobbing again. My friends heard all our conversation.

"But why don't you love him?! He loves you a lot!" Asuka cried out.
"He does?"
"Yeah! Someday you two would get married and have children and live happily ever after!" Asuka started daydreaming.
Hotaru sighed.
"But I don't know if -"

Suddenly, Izumi was cut off by a sound that came from behind us.

"Itsuki, is that you?"

No. We were greeted by three huge beasts that had the heads of a lion and tails of a snake. "What the -" The beasts let out a loud roar and prepared to attack us.

"Oh no, what is that?" Izumi looked frightened.
I stepped up in front of them. "I'll hold them back. You guys run!"
"But we can't leave you here!" Hotaru said with a worried face.
"I said run!"

Asuka gritted her teeth in concern and grabbed her friend's hand, dragging her behind. Izumi ran with them.

I clasped my hands together and concentrated on my palms. "Please help me save my friends!" A warm bright light came from my hands. As I opened them, soft white feathers came out from my hands.

The feathers surrounded the three beasts. The pointed parts of the feathers became sharp as needles. They attacked the creatures and they roared out in pain.

Two of them lay defeated but one of them escaped the needle-like feathers and went after the running girls.

"Hotaru! Asuka! Izumi!" I called out to them.

They turned back and saw what was after them. Suddenly, Izumi tripped and fell down.

"Izumi!"

The large creature gradually stepped forward towards the fallen girl and raised its claws, ready to strike her.

"Izumi!" We heard a deep male voice. We turned and saw Itsuki running towards us.

"Itsuki!"

Itsuki took out a sword and thrusted it into the beast's body. The creature welped and fell onto the ground.

"Itsuki..."

Izumi got up and went close to Itsuki. They both looked at each other, theirs eyes focused only on one another...

"Itsuki, I wanted to say this...I am sorry for running away from you."
"It's alright. And if you don't want to return my feelings, it's okay. I am totally fine with -"
"I love you!"
"What did you say?" Itsuki stared at the red-haired girl, wide-eyed.
"I said...I love you!" The girl smiled.
"Izumi..."

They both embraced each other. It was a sweet moment unfolding before our eyes.

"Ahem..." Asuka cleared her throat.

Suddenly realizing the situation they were in, they let go of each other. They turned to us,"Thank you for helping us."

"It's our pleasure...Umm, is there any way you know which direction is the Celestial Empire?" I asked.

"The Celestial Empire? Of course, you're on its outskirts. Just go straight ahead and you will find the Celestial Empire," Izumi smiled.

"Really? Thanks a lot!" Asuka gave them a thumbs-up.

"You're welcome. Now, if you would excuse us, we are going to start a new life together..." Itsuki and Izumi blushed.

"We wish you best of luck for your future. Goodbye!"

We bid them farewell as we continued our journey to the Celestial Empire.