A Spell for Success
A spell for passing! Gyoza. It was actually one of my favorite foods. Back when I used to buy frozen food in bulk, gyoza was always the easiest thing to whip up. Bulk? I stared at the gyoza, lost in thought. Late at night, turning on the TV, winding down the day with a cold can of beer and a plate of gyoza... Wait, when on earth did I ever do that?
"Jeff? Aren't you going to eat?"
"Oh. Right, I should." I opened my lunchbox with a puzzled expression. It was a lunchbox made just for me, personally prepared by Amy early this morning. I moved my fork and stabbed a piece of cucumber and carrot at the same time. *Thud, thud.* My face contorted at how fresh they looked, practically radiating an incredibly crunchy texture. With the cucumber and carrot held between us, I locked eyes with Rain. She had been looking at me with a bright smile, but suddenly, as if sensing my gaze, she began to stuff her face with gyoza. My gyoza—or rather, the gyoza that was supposed to be mine—was disappearing at an alarming rate.
"Oh, Rain, you were here too." The crunchy texture of the raw vegetables assaulted my mouth. As I sat there with a tearful face, holding the fork between my teeth, Amy approached from a distance. Perhaps her work was finished, as she looked unusually relaxed.
"Is your work all finished?"
"Of course. I can spend the whole day with you guys today."
"Really?"
"Yes." Amy nodded at my question and sat down. She pulled a lunchbox out of the shopping bag she was holding and placed it on the table.
"You're eating cucumbers well now, I see?" Amy said, looking at the cucumber skewered on my fork. I let out an awkward laugh. I wasn't eating them well at all. I was just forcing them down. *Crunch—* Ugh.
"Amy, I can take the test today, right?"
"Yes. The construction just finished. You can take it whenever you're ready."
"Really? Then I'll take it right after I finish eating!" I said, putting down my fork. At my words, Amy pulled out her phone.
"Really? Jeff, you're taking the test today?" Rain's gaze turned to me as well. Her cheeks were puffed up like a squirrel's, stuffed to the brim with gyoza. This was my chance. I started to move. The moment a faint blue light flickered, my hands blurred. *Swish, swish, swish—* The carrots in my lunchbox flew onto Rain's plate, while the gyoza on hers slipped right under my cabbage. I immediately wrapped the gyoza in a large cabbage leaf and shoved the whole thing into my mouth. *Chomp, chomp.* Quickly chewing and swallowing the massive bite, I chugged the green juice Amy had prepared for me in one go.
"Blegh." It was still as disgusting as ever. Amy let out a small chuckle at the sight of me. I suppose it looked funny to see me devouring everything despite clearly hating it.
"I'll head out first!" I stuffed the empty lunchbox into my bag and stood up. Shine stood up right after me. Even her eating speed was identical to mine. Was it intentional, or just natural? She was matching herself to me in even the smallest details. Moving my short legs as fast as I could, I dashed toward the cafeteria exit.
"Ah!" And Rain finally noticed. The tragic fact that her gyoza had turned into carrots. "Amy! My gyoza turned into carrots!"
The gyoza had been delicious. Having escaped the cafeteria, I ran down the hallway, recalling old memories as I slipped past the busy people preparing for the morning. They greeted me, and I greeted them back. "Hello!" "Morning. You're energetic today as well." The people, who had now become familiar faces, welcomed me warmly. But Shine didn't seem to care for them. She only ran after me, never greeting anyone. Shine was a very shy girl. Thinking back to when I first met her, she had changed a lot. First?
"Jeff. This way." "Ah. Right." The moment I was about to get lost in thought, Shine pulled my arm. I had been heading down the wrong path, but with Shine's help, I was able to find the right way. Running down the long hallway, I arrived in front of a large iron door. It seemed to have been freshly painted, as it was a different color than before. Blue. A sparkling sheen. The smell of fresh paint. I carefully reached out toward the iron door. Feeling the cold touch of the metal, I pushed it open.
"Wow..." The vast testing ground was breathtaking no matter how many times I saw it. The miniature replica of a ruined city was so realistic it could easily pass for a movie set. From our high vantage point, the testing course below was fully visible. I leaned over the railing, staring down at the course.
"Jeff." "Yeah?" "Do you want to pass the test?" "Yeah. I want to pass quickly so I can train with you, Shine." "It won't be safe, though." "Shine, I'm not weak." Shine didn't say anything more at my reply. I puffed out my cheeks. She passed it all by herself. Doesn't she know what it feels like to be left behind? If I didn't pass the test, then when Victor, Amy, Shine, and Rain went out on a mission together... I would be left all alone. I hated that.
Looking at the testing course, I began to calculate the optimal route in my head. If I used the abilities I had learned from Victor, I was sure I could pass through that entire path without crashing into any walls. From the starting line, cross the bridge, then weave through the ruined buildings... No, there was no telling what might be waiting inside the buildings. It would probably be best to just run up the buildings themselves and leap over them.
"A perfect calculation." I nodded, admiring my own perfection. I really was a genius.
"Jeff is a dummy." Startled by Shine's words, I spun around. Shine was perched on a chair with her arms crossed. She really didn't seem to like the fact that I was taking the test.
"I'm not a dummy." "No, you are." "I'm not." "Dummy." "I'm not!" "Jeff, you forget things too often." "Wh-what did I forget?" "You said you'd listen to me, that you wouldn't reject me, and that you wouldn't put yourself in danger. But you're not keeping those promises. You forgot them all." "That's..." I lowered my head at Shine's words. I certainly had made those promises to her.
"That's why Jeff is a dummy." I wasn't a dummy. I wanted to argue, but just as Shine said, I had completely forgotten the promises I made to her. *Crackle!* A light flickered unstably before my eyes. I shook my head and muttered, "I'm not a dummy..." "You are. Jeff is a dummy." "Ugh..." *Crackle!* The light grew faint. The light that had filled my vision lost its strength and began to scatter. Shaking my head, I walked over to Shine.
"Shine. I'm sorry." "Okay." I sat next to her and apologized. Shine turned her head away sharply, as if she still wasn't appeased. Sitting beside her, I anxiously hugged her arm. "Sorry. I'm sorry, Shine." Shine's gaze shifted slightly. I could feel her looking at me out of the corner of her eye. I clung to her even more desperately. "I won't forget anymore. So please forgive me."
"Really?" "Yeah." "You won't reject me anymore?" "Except for weird things." "No." At my words, Shine turned her head away again. I frowned at her. "Then I don't want to either." I had humbled myself this much, yet she had no intention of letting it go. Shine was always full of thoughts about doing weird things, so if I gave in, it would definitely lead to trouble.
"Jeff!" The faint light flared up intensely once more. My vision began to be dyed pure white, and my hair, which had been resting calmly, fluttered and floated into the air. A heavy silence followed. Staring at me, Shine finally let out a sigh and shook her head. "Fine, Jeff. I lose." "Did I win?" "Yeah. I'll make sure you pass the test." Saying that, Shine hopped up from her seat. Her white hair fluttered gently.
"Jeff. Stay still for a second." Shine stepped closer to me and locked her gaze on mine. Her sparkling white eyes slowly began to turn pitch black. Startled by her appearance, I tried to take a step back, but she grabbed my head. "It'll be over in a second." I nodded at Shine's voice, which sounded like a low hum. Shine's eyes, now dyed a perfect black, stared into mine. Black, a perfect black, began to draw me in deeply. Just as I started to realize that the sensation in my hands and feet was fading, Shine spoke.
"Jeff. You can do it." "I can do it...?" "Yes. Always in peak condition. You can always succeed." "Really...?" "Yes. Trust me, Jeff." "But I'm anxious... I failed before. What if I crash into something and pass out again...?" "Don't worry, Jeff. Just trust me and run." "Trust Shine?" "Yes. Trust me." I nodded. Shine's pitch-black eyes began to return to white. I blinked, staring blankly at them.
"Jeff. You understand, right? Trust me. You can do it." I nodded once more. It felt like I had a rather long conversation with her, but I couldn't remember it. A single short sentence floated in my head. I can do it. Confidence welled up inside me. My slightly anxious heart calmed down.
"Jeff. I will always do what you want. For you. Only for you." "Yeah..." "I won't do anything you hate." "Yeah..." "Do you hate this too?" Shine said, grabbing my hand. Her small hand moved gently, weaving her fingers through mine.
"No..." "Then how about this?" Shine stepped even closer. The faint, deep scent of her body made my head droop. Shine locked her arm with mine, pressing herself close.
"It's okay..." "Then how about this?" Shine's face slowly drew closer. I could hear her short, shallow breaths. My body tensed at the breath brushing against my cheek. *Smooch.* A soft, squishy sensation pressed against my cheek and pulled away. As I blinked blankly, her mouth opened carefully. "How about... this?" Mouthing silently, I carefully untangled my arm. Shine didn't say anything. One step, two steps. Slowly backing away from her, I touched the cheek where her lips had just brushed. Shine remained silent.
It was a strange sensation. It felt as if my arms and legs were slowly swaying, like I was submerged in water. I felt dizzy enough to want to collapse right then and there. Catching my breath, I spoke. "It's okay..." It really was okay. I didn't feel any rejection at all.