The afternoon sunlight cast a warm glow over the street, though the cold heavily bored itself as Athlea and I walked side by side.
I could sense her quiet mood, the faint trace of a shadow in her usual brightness. I walked in silence for a while, puzzling over what to say, how to break through the invisible wall that seed to surround her today. My mind churned with ideas, but none of them seed quite right. Then, out of nowhere, a simple question ca to .
"So… what are you cooking today?" I asked, peeking down at the grocery bag I carried. "Hmm..probably Fried rice, I guess."
She looked up, a small smile tugging at her lips, and her eyes brightened just a little
"Yes, Fried rice," she said, giving a look that was both surprised and amused. "How'd you know?"
"Just a wild guess." I grinned, pleased to see the faintest sparkle return to her eyes.
We walked a few more steps, the sound of our footsteps filling the quiet as I thought about how to keep her talking. Athlea had always been soone I admired—smart, kind, and with a warmth that felt like ho. But since few days, sothing was weighing on her, sothing she wasn't sharing, and that only made want to reach her more.
"So, how's college going?" she asked, glancing at sideways, her tone shifting into a teasing one. "You've got a holiday, don't you? Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend?"
I laughed, feeling an exasperated sigh escape as I shook my head. "Not that again… I don't have any, Athlea. Sigh."
"Yeah, yeah," she said, rolling her eyes as she gave my shoulder a light, playful smack. "I'm just ssing with you, Austin. Relax!"
She kept her gaze forward but added with a slightly embarrassed smile,
"But honestly, I don't get it. You're handso, smart, and girls must be all over you, right?"
I shrugged, trying to play it cool, though her words made my heart pick up just a little. "It's really nothing like that," I said. I wanted to add more, but for so reason, the words got caught in my throat.
She gave a sideways glance, her smile still soft. "I see…"
I smirked, feeling a mischievous impulse bubble up within .
"Well, I could make you my girlfriend if you're okay with it," I teased, raising an eyebrow and grinning.
Her cheeks turned a bright shade of red, and her eyes widened. She looked up at , flustered, her hands clenching tightly.
"Stop teasing like that, Austin!" she said, her voice high and her face glowing with embarrassnt.
I chuckled, raising my hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. But hey, I'm glad you smiled… Keep smiling like that, always."
Her blush deepened, and she looked down, muttering under her breath, "You're doing this on purpose… making my heart race."
Seeing her like this, flustered and shy, made smile, though I kept my expression as innocent as possible. She reached out, gripping the sleeve of my shirt, almost as if to steady herself. I could feel the warmth of her hand through the fabric, her fingers brushing lightly against my arm.
We continued walking, her hand still holding onto my shirt as if she wasn't quite ready to let go. The city street around us grew busier, filled with the chatter of people heading ho, the hum of passing cars, and the occasional laughter of children playing in the park nearby. But all of that faded into the background as we walked together, this quiet bubble forming around us.
As we approached the corner near our apartnt building, I hesitated, my mind flicking back to sothing I'd noticed recently. I turned to her, choosing my words carefully.
"Hey… I've noticed you don't talk to your husband much these days. He doesn't call?"
Her face imdiately fell, her smile fading as if a cloud had passed over the sun. She hesitated, glancing away, her gaze falling to the ground.
"He's… just busy, you know. He'll call when he's free." Her voice was soft, and I could feel the weight behind those words.
"Right… I see." I nodded, ntally kicking myself for bringing it up. The sadness in her eyes returned, and I knew I'd hit a nerve. It was clear that whatever was happening with her husband, it was causing her more pain than she wanted to admit.
As we reached the entrance of our building, she turned to , her expression softening.
"Thanks for walking with , Austin. And for holding the groceries." She offered a small smile, and though it was faint, it felt like a precious gift after the silence that had settled between us.
I gave a casual shrug, trying to play it off. "It's nothing. My pleasure."
She gave a small wave as she headed up the stairs, her silhouette fading away as she walked toward her door. I watched her go, my chest feeling a strange mix of concern and sothing else I couldn't quite place.
There was sothing about seeing her like this, vulnerable and quiet, that tugged at in ways I didn't fully understand.
As I unlock my own door and went inside, my eyes fell on a few envelopes scattered across the floor.
Curious, I bent down and picked them up, shuffling through them until one caught my eye—a glossy envelope with a logo of a newly opened amusent park. Intrigued, I tore it open, my gaze drawn to the contents inside.
It was a VIP pass for the grand opening of the amusent park, complete with a theater built inside. The flyer ntioned that the popular idol "Sophie" would be performing on the second day.
I stared at the poster, my eyes widening in disbelief. The girl in the photo looked familiar… too familiar. Those eyes, that subtle smirk, the way her hair frad her face—it was uncanny.
A sudden mory flashed in my mind. "Gamma?? Could it be? Her real na is Sophie, Yes" I whispered.
I squinted at the poster, examining the idol's face. The getup was different, of course, more glamorous, and her outfit was designed for the stage. But the body language, the intensity in her eyes… there was no mistaking it. This "Sophie" was Gamma, my own shadow mystic. The thought made grin, a mix of pride and disbelief bubbling up inside .
"Damn," I muttered, still looking at the flyer in awe. "My own shadow mystics are out there killing it in the real world."
The idea of Gamma living this double life, of her being both my loyal mystic and a celebrated celebrity in her own right, was almost too much to process. I chuckled, shaking my head, thinking back to the nights I'd spent with her and how much I fucked her. We even bath together.
As I flopped onto my bed, I opened the pamphlet that ca with the pass, skimming through the details. Apparently, the amusent park had a five-star hotel built inside, along with a range of attractions designed to keep visitors entertained around the clock. And with the VIP pass, everything would be free and open to , no limits.
Gamma must have had this delivered here, I thought, smiling to myself. She's incredible...
~So luck I have. I thought, grinning as I rembered the countless tis we'd spent together without even realizing that she was soone famous.
Then, as I set the pass down on the bedside table, my mind drifted back to Athlea. Her sad smile, the way her voice had softened when she ntioned her husband, the shadows that had lingered in her eyes… it all ca rushing back, a lingering ache settling in my chest.
I sat up, my fingers brushing over the edge of the VIP pass as an idea began to form in my mind.
A slow smile spread across my face, grabbing the pass, I slipped it into my pocket.
Without another mont's hesitation, I stood, heading toward the door with a wide grin on my face. This was going to be interesting.
Ti to give Athlea a reason to smile.
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