The small boba shop in the midst of Kyoto almost made you forget the events that had happened at the temple.

Nick was now up and going, sipping her matcha milktea happily with a basket of plum chicken she bought for everyone to share. Matthias was talking to Nick on some things that they've probably bonded over the short amount of time they've killed, which was the opposite of what you and Lukas were going over. The blond you partnered with was quietly staring at you like some awkward date, which was not awkward to you because you were doing it to him as well-a deadass staring contest after an epic battle.

The shade of lavender in his eyes gleamed against the tungsten light, as he if was waiting for something to happen. Out of the shade, your eyes glinted like jewels in the dark, waiting for someone to move them from their ore. The both of you were just waiting-an adventure that has yet to continue after a small sidetrack. The king and queen have yet to make their move towards each other.

Lukas still couldn't read her thoughts, and that was surprising to him. He studied over the years that mind reading only applies to people who have average emotional attachments to the reader or to those who have no emotional attachments to them at all; not just by encountering them once. If he couldn't read your mind now, it meant that there was still some emotional attachment that could block your thoughts out from him. To him, that was a small spark of hope that maybe all is not lost.

"Are you guys okay?" Nick chimed in, snapping you both back into reality. "Y'all seemed occupied with something in your heads, is it that bad?"

Yes. You wanted to answer, but you couldn't say that it was bad to the point you wanted to bury yourself six feet under and just stay there until everything goes back to normal. You weren't a coward, but you weren't that brave either-you used to be a bit braver.

"Hey-," You jolted in your seat, your body all jittery with sweaty palms against the table.

"Yes?" You croaked at Lukas' call.

The Norwegian wasn't that dumb when it came to emotions, he grew up with nine other siblings after all, but it did take some time for him to notice how you started to space out after you started to think-your mind isolates itself.

"Are you alright?" You could see him glancing at your hand.

You seemed to see everything in a slightly stretched manner, as if you were looking through some fisheye lens. Nausea was around the corner, but you quickly pipped it down. After all, you knew that all of these symptoms were just some mind over matter shit; and you were gonna get over it one day. You did have a coping mechanism after all, but it wasn't a very agreeable coping mechanism when Emma found out about it. Abel and Henri had no objections, yet Abel was very lowkey in trying to make you stop.

"I-I'm gonna head out for a moment, excuse me." You stood up and left.

••••••••••••••••••••••••

You had to admit that your twelve year old self would punch you in the face for doing this, but that was years ago. You weren't the same little girl you used to be, and it's been proven after that one family reunion in one of your uncle's private residences.

The snow started to fall as the people in the park started to disperse. Purple and yellow painted the skies as the crescent moon revealed itself with a few sparkling companions. You watched the frozen water reflecting the color of the sky as you puffed a few rings of clouds into the air. The embers at the tip of your cigarette began to mesmerize you.

I should smoke weed when I get back home. You placed the cigarette back between your lips and breathed in.

You looked up and saw the crescent moon finally showing itself with a few stars. The cold in Japan was somewhat chillier than the climate in Amsterdam, but your smoking kept you warm in the inside. Sure, it's unhealthy and Emma has warned you about it a lot, but it was a convenient coping mechanism. Unlike what happened previously before burning butts of nicotine, this helped you socialize and stay focused. It wasn't uncommon in your profession as well, even Nick smoked on occasions. Yet you still wonder why you were like this. You hoped that if you could find the answers, peace would finally take some rest in you, rather than the numbness of smoking two packs a day.

Nick told you that you stopped smoking unconsciously after that encounter, but you could've sworn that you did-until you saw the pack of untouched cigarettes in your bag earlier. You were smoking a stick from that pack now.

"Life does work in mysterious ways, huh." You scoffed. "The next thing you know it, a man arrives and then he's suddenly the reason you're about to stop all your bad habits."

And apparently triggers things in your head. You thought to yourself quietly as the chatters and joyful laughter of the people around went into a muffled ambience.

Definitely too cliché for my tastes. He doesn't seem to be making any moves though. I wonder if it's just a coincidence-powerful sorcerer and all.

You slowly blew that thought out through your smoke as the sky turned dominantly purple. Though, it bothered you when he said he was assigned to protect you. That didn't sound like a coincidence to you. With all of this mumbo jumbo magic coming around, you were starting to believe that you were involved with something big in the past.

The first thought to that would be your uncle's cult. You can't recall any moments that has happened that had you cross paths with them. The only time you realized that Uncle Jared was a devoted cultist was that one time at a family reunion eight years ago-the night he kidnapped you and tried to kill you while committing arson. Uncle Jared was in jail now, he can't hurt you... at least, you thought.

You had your head hung down as you breathed another out. This was too stressful and you couldn't understand why. All these years your feelings came in second, professionalism always comes first.

"Mind if I join you?" You lifted your head up only to see the last person you wanted to see you in a state like this.

It wasn't that you minded Lukas seeing you smoke, but it was a matter of the comfortability of someone accompanying you. A habit that grew out of nowhere after a certain project in college. You would refrain doing things that made you comfortable or calm you down when you're with a stranger, somewhat frightened that you might scare them all away of a sudden or weird them out. It was a feeling of insecurity from doing things you think that are right for you or the person before you.

"Maybe." You spoke softly. "If you mind my habits, then I suggest you move away."

"If I don't, will you light me up?"

You didn't expect Lukas to bring out a cigar from the breast pocket of his jacket. You didn't expect this man to smoke with you, let a lone a thick and dark cigar as if he was some underworld boss. He didn't even look like a smoker. You realized that this must be the same feeling how some of your mutuals see you smoking.

"(Y/n)?"

"Ah, sorry." You chuckled nervously and fished the lighter out of your bag. "That was rude of me."

The flame flickered on as Lukas moved closer to light the cigar in his mouth. It almost seemed to contrast the color palette his being carried, a brown cigar in between his pale pink lips with orange flames glowing against his porcelain white skin and by the tips of his platinum blond hair. His eyes were the only things that fought against them, and they fit in perfectly as a stronger color against the flames.

Watching the still flame's reflection on his eyes seemed to feel like forever. It was like seeing the universe around a lone flare of the sun-far from the yellow star and nearing its end. It seemed impossible for you to see such a beautiful phenomenon in someone's eyes. It felt like a big change seeing a view like that, and you think that it wasn't like that before-people change after all.

When Lukas pulled away, you snapped out of your dreamy gaze and straightened up. You closed the cap of your silver lighter and dropped it back into your bag. You took another puff out of your cigarette to calm your nerves from whatever you just saw in his eyes. It made your head pound for a second, but the follow up vision never came.

"I figured that there was something bothering you." Lukas' words made you flinch from his attentiveness.

"Ah, yeah..." You scratched your head awkwardly. "I guess I just wasn't expecting you to be the one to approach me."

"I asked Nick if I could try." He took his cigar out from his mouth for a brief moment to puff out rings of smoke.

Whether honest or not, his confession made you smile a little. It was comforting to know that even some strangers do have a heart to approach others in distress.

"What makes you think I'd tell you though?" You rose an eyebrow followed by a playful smirk on your lips.

"I'm an outside party to hear what you have to say." Lukas shrugged.

"You're not exactly an outsider per say, I mean-you said that you're supposed to be protecting me from whatever this shit is."

"Somewhat." He puffed on his cigar.

You watched the thick smoke fade slowly as the darkness crawled faster into the sky. The moment felt a little bit comforting. Whatever strings you had attached to that trauma in the past was breaking threads for quite some time-a slow burn process of healing. Understanding the cause was hard enough for you, but you knew that you needed to get rid of its roots if you want to heal completely.

If there was ever such a concept of being completely healed.

"And you know him." You turned your head towards him. "My uncle, Jared. You're supposed to protect me from him."

Lukas looked quietly at the distance. Crestfallen, he can't think of anything besides apologizing to you. It made his chest tighten knowing that he wasn't able to protect you, even if he worked from the shadows. He thought that his magic was powerful enough to just protect you from a distance, without causing any more harm into your life. Now that he knows he has failed again, he's beginning to lose that hope of being a part of your life somehow.

Before Lukas could even apologize, he felt your hand on top of his-brushing your palm against his knuckles as you fiddled with his fingers. The sudden act of affection surprised him. He thought you would be mad at him for not being by your side.

He looked at you, your head tilted towards the sky-eyes widened in amazement and confusion. Your mouth gaped open.

"I can't believe it."

Lukas followed your gaze as he saw what seemed to be something that hasn't happened in years in Kyoto. The Northern Lights were bright and clear in the sky. Bystanders around stopped and looked at the green and blue river of lights as the air grew colder.

Lukas could feel that something was off about this. Sure, Japan is geographically in a position to see the lights, but they don't usually appear in the cool and vintage city of Kyoto. Something was up. He exhaled a thick cloud and watched the river of colors in the sky. His eyes trailed towards the end of the river. He squinted to see a thin trail coming from up the mountain. Someone was creating this phenomenon.

"We should go back."

Lukas was taken aback by your words while your eyes were still fixated on the lights. You took one last whiff before putting your cigarette out on the public ashtray. Ever since you came back from that Norway assignment, you've had this sensitivity to magic now. It was damning as times, but it kept you safe. The first few months you had this migraine that would come every time you would sense magic. Alice had to get you through some sort of magic exposure therapy for you to get used to it. Yet today was different. You were used to working while being sick or having migraines in the middle of shooting in studios, but the river in the sky was something different. It ticked you off more than it should.

"I don't know if you'll take my word for it, but that is not a good sign."

As you were about to get up from your seats, Nick and Matthias made an appearance with all of your things in tow. The pair looked like a bunch of idiots. Both Matthias and Nick had backpacks on their backs and in front of them with Nick having two other bags on her arms and Matthias carrying the hard solid cases of their equipment in his hands.

"W-We need to g-go..." Nick huffed. "Like right now."

"She managed to block the doors before they could get in." Matthias continued as the both of you helped them with their loads of luggage.

"Who?"

"Some dudes looking for the both of you." You helped nick with the backpacks and two other bags. "It's not the same people from the temple."

Without asking more, you all made your escape. With autumn being a crowded tourist season it would make an easy escape, but it would also divide the both of you. There was no meet up point or any other way. The goal was to run now.

"We'll meet at Hitachi tower thing!" You blurted. "The one that has the rainbow lights thing in Osaka."

It may be crowded later on, but it would help you guys blend in the crowd later. Osaka is just a train away and it would give you guys some time to think it all through.

"If we don't see each other at the station, we meet at the Hitachi tower." You adjusted your bags. "If we don't see each other at the station, we meet there before midnight."

You can't tell whose bag is whose anymore. You guys were going to meet up anyways.

"We'll go in pairs then." Nick suggested. "Since Lukas and (Y/n) are the ones being hunted, Matthias and I can distract them."

"How?" You raised an eyebrow.

Nick looked at Matthias and Matthias gave Nick a look that wanted her to tell you. With the mini staring contest at an end, Matthias gave in and told you about the plan.

"Nick has this crazy plan that she'll bait them." Matthias started. "The ones chasing after us are the people Lukas and I work with. It slipped off my tongue while Nick and I were getting away, and she thinks that if she reveals herself she can help you guys out."

"Nick, what the hell?!"

"Nooooo! I promise." She rolled up her sleeves. "If they see me, they'll be caught off guard."

"Because you're not under the radar."

It finally dawned on Lukas. Nick wasn't registered or even known to be a person with magic powers. She didn't use any of her powers on him or Matthias when they met at the airport. If she were registered, her passport would've gave off energy, even if it wasn't shown to other magic users, because all registered users had one to keep the count on how much they travel and use their powers.

"I came up with an excuse for Matthias if we ever get caught, and Matthias can walk freely."

"Wait, but what about you?"

"I'll figure it out." Nick's eyes started to fill with black.

"I'll take care of her, don't worry." Matthias reassured you. "Just go!"

Before you could even say anything else, Lukas grabbed your hand. You both started to run. You looked back to see Matthias and Nick running at the opposit direction with Nick's finger waving in the air. Above them, a storm cloud started to swirl into form.

You and Lukas dove into the crowded street of Gion. Walking amongst the crowd who were all in a rush as the storm clouds started to grow into the area. You stayed close to Lukas as you surveyed the people around you. Nick and Matthias never gave a description on how they would look like or what they were wearing. You could tell that Lukas was a bit panicked. His palm was getting sweaty and he was looking straight ahead. You could feel yourself slipping from his grasp so you took the initiative to hold his hand and pulled yourself closer. He glanced at you for a moment and then looked ahead. He gripped your hand tightly as the rush of the crowd started to get rougher with the rain starting.

It was getting too crowded. Lukas needed to act fast. He never thought the association would act that fast. He looked from side to side, shop after shop, alley after alley, just to find the perfect spot to portal you both away from this place. As the rain drew in, he finally found the area he was looking for.

"This way."

Lukas pulled you into a little dango shop that had a number of tourists seeking shelter from the rain while buying food. For some reason, no one seemes to noticed you and Lukas walking into the kitchen and into the alley behind the building.

You both stopped in front of two bamboo poles with identical carvings. Lukas started to mutter something under his breath as you watched his eyes swirl with blue and violets. It ticked something in your head, but not the way how the lights did to you earlier. You could feel your chest tighten while your vision started to blur a little, but it showed another version of him again. It was like a flashback in real time. Glowing blue ribbons came out from his sleeves as his eyes glowed brighter.

The blue ribbons coming from him started to tie themselves on the bamboo poles as a glowing archway started to appear. Inside was a train station with the sign Namba.

"Are you ready?" Lukas looked back at you.

There was a sense of familiarity all around him when he said that. You were having double vision with his hand holding out for you, but you knew which one to take.

"When will I ever be." You responded with a mix of anxiety and excitement.

The feeling of exhiliration despite the dangers didn't feel strange. Whatever you're feeling now felt different when you did extreme trips or shoots. The strange familiarity of this adrenaline rush gave you goosebumps.

You took his hand and walked into the archway with him.

This fic is turning 5 years old and this story is turning 10 this year. I hope someone is still reading this after 5 years of no updates HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I'm sorry for that.

HAPPY NEW YEAR YALL 🥳🥳🥳

-Pumpkin

P.S.

I don't condone smoking unless y'all are of legal age.

Auf Wiedersehen for now!