The fireworks gradually faded from view. I then glanced down at the collection of photos we took in the booth. The first image captured us flashing peace signs, my broad smile contrasting with Felix's nonchalant pose. The next photo showed my hand around his arm as I made a silly face while he looked at me in surprise. In the third picture, we wore comical masks, striking karate poses. Finally, there was a sweet shot of us gazing at each other, where Felix's smile, though slightly shy was evident in his eyes, revealing how much he cherished our time together.
Looking through the pictures made me laugh. Hearing me, Felix turned to see what was amusing me. "Oh, the pictures," he remarked unfazed, glancing at them for a moment before returning his gaze to me. "You were really lively." His comment took me by surprise.
"Hey, I can't help it! I had so much fun!" I pouted playfully, causing Felix to raise an eyebrow at my cute antics. "Whatever," he said, playfully pinching my cheek, which made me let out a surprised squeak and pull back in shock, my eyes wide.
"You just touched my cheek!" I exclaimed in disbelief, placing my hand on the spot he had pinched.
"I did." His tone was teasing yet sincere, as if he enjoyed the playful interaction even if it was momentary.
"You idiot!" I declared, turning to tickle him, my fingers dancing against his sides. Felix's eyes widened in surprise, and he burst out laughing. His laughter was music to my ears; it was the first time I heard him laugh, and it brought a big smile to my face.
I continued tickling him as we laughed together in the park, drawing the attention of passersby who found us either adorable or annoying. Then, a curious young girl approached us.
"Are you two a couple?" she asked, causing me to halt my tickling. The question took me by surprise, and I felt heat rush to my cheeks.
Felix maintained his composure but seemed puzzled by the girl's assumption.
"No! No! We're just friends!" I insisted, shaking my head vigorously and blushing. He looked at me like I was being dramatic but redirected his focus to the girl.
"We're not a couple," Felix said, and the girl nodded with a smile.
"I see," she said, then pointed at me, causing me to raise an eyebrow in confusion.
"But if you touched him, you'll get pregnant. You two were making babies, right?"
Now it was Felix's turn to feel embarrassed, his ears turned bright red. He struggled to maintain his cool but was clearly taken aback by the girl's unexpected remark.
"Felix? Felix?!" I called out, waving my hand in front of him, but he remained frozen in shock.
"Sisi! Why are you bothering the couple? Ignore them." Just then, the girl's mother arrived, taking her hand. The mom turned to us, offering an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for my daughter, she's just very curious. I hope you understand," she said earnestly.
I responded with a kind smile and a small wave. "It's okay." With that, the two of them walked away, leaving us on the bench. Sighing, I turned to Felix, only to find him still speechless.
"Felix!" I exclaimed near his ear, giving his shoulder a gentle slap to bring him back to reality. Finally, it worked—he flinched and blinked at me.
"The kid is gone?" he asked. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his confusion.
"Yes, you fool. They've already left," I replied, noticing the redness in his ears starting to fade. A smirk appeared on my lips. "I guess I'll be pregnant since I touched you," I whispered near his ear, watching his face flush again.
He stiffened, caught off guard.
Unable to contain my laughter, I clutched my stomach. "I'm sorry; you just look so cute, Felix," I managed to say between giggles.
Felix glanced at me, his brow furrowed, clearly aware that I had annoyed him. "That wasn't funny, Clara," he stated with an air of seriousness. I playfully stuck out my tongue but soon decided to ease up on the teasing. "Alright, I'll stop," I said kindly, offering him a reassuring smile, conscious of his trust issues.
His expression began to soften as he stood up and stretched his arms. "It's pretty late. I'll take you home," he said, looking down at me with a relaxed demeanor. I nodded in agreement, rising to my feet and stretching my arms as well.
We both walked out of the Carnival together, heading towards the gates under the moonlit sky. I glanced up at him, my eyes widening slightly at how handsome he appeared bathed in the glow of the moonlight, his maroon hair swaying in the breeze and his dark eyes shimmering.
"Beautiful..." I whispered, unexpectedly surprised that the words had slipped out. Felix caught it.
"What?" he asked, looking at me in confusion, causing my heart to race. I quickly averted my gaze. "Clara?" he repeated.
I shut my eyes, mentally kicking myself for being so foolish. Despite my efforts to calm down, my heart continued to race, clouding my thoughts about Felix.
Predictably, distracted as I was, I stumbled on a stone and yelped. My body fell towards the ground, and I thought, this is it. I'm about to kiss the pavement.
"Got you." Felix wrapped his arm around my waist, preventing me from hitting the ground. He gently pulled me back up to my feet. His gesture left me momentarily speechless, and I found it hard to pull away from his hold.
"Th-thank you..." was all I could manage to say. I noticed him nodding in response, and we resumed our walk together.
As we drew nearer to our destination, the moment we arrived, the guards swung open the gate. I turned to Felix, my face lighting up with a wide grin. "That was such a blast, Felix!" I exclaimed joyfully, handing him the two halves of the photograph we snapped at the booth.
"Don't forget this," I said, observing as he took the pictures, his gaze lingering on them. "We look great," he murmured, looking back at me. "It was fun for me too, Clara. Hope you have a safe walk home." Felix raised his hand, hesitating briefly before letting it drop, then he turned and walked away.
I found myself puzzled by his actions moments earlier. Was he about to pinch my cheeks? Or perhaps he wanted to embrace me before we parted ways? A whirlwind of questions took flight in my mind, but I brushed them aside and headed into the 'Trash' area. I needed to return home and freshen up.
Once I arrived, I wasted no time in cleaning up. Now, I was clad in cozy pink pajamas adorned with tiny elephants. I made my way to the balcony, cradling a steaming cup of tea. Leaning against the railing, I gazed out at the homes around me.
The neighborhood of the ungifted isn't as glamorous as that of the gifted. We have only our modest houses, a basketball court, and a few food stalls. Yet, there's a certain charm here—it's tranquil and far from overcrowded. It provides the perfect backdrop for meditation and reflection.
As I recalled the day's events, I couldn't help but notice how my heart raced whenever I was near Felix. Butterflies danced in my stomach, a sensation that felt peculiar. Why did I feel this way in his presence?
Am I… falling in love?
The thought made me shake my head, adamant in my refusal to accept that I might be in love with my only gifted friend. No, that couldn't be right. I took a sip of my tea to soothe my racing thoughts, and it worked its magic.
It's true. I didn't see him through a romantic lens. Felix was simply a friend, nothing more. I nodded to myself, a smile spreading across my face as I reassured myself that my affection for him was purely platonic, just a delightful friendship.
Tap.
Tap.
A sound echoed softly from my right, drawing my gaze and widening my eyes in surprise as I spotted the shadowy figure of the dark hero. This time, he appeared clearer than ever before. Cloaked in a dark hoodie and obscured by a mask that concealed his mouth, the only feature visible were his penetrating blue eyes. I blinked in bewilderment, wondering how he had made it up here. Did he climb? But then again, that wouldn't be shocking for someone with his talents—after all, they move like whispers on the wind.
"Uh, tea?" I offered him my steaming cup, half-hoping he might join me for a drink. He simply shook his head in response. There was something intensely unsettling about his gaze, as if he could see right through me. But then, with a sudden burst of energy, he leapt away to the adjacent building, causing me to gasp and instinctively reach out as if I could save him, completely forgetting that he needed no rescue.
When he finally landed on the other side, relief washed over me. I watched him fade into the distance until he was nothing more than a memory. That encounter was strange, it felt almost as if he had come to check on me, to see if I was alright.