Operation: Museum Raid
Was it because I was too excited about getting to play with Amy on a weekday, of all times, and not even the weekend? I ended up waking up in the dead of night. The soft moonlight gently illuminated the room, allowing me to scan my surroundings through bleary eyes. Sitting up dazed, I looked down at Shine, who was fast asleep beside me. Buried deep under the soft blankets, a peculiar smile played on her lips. Was she having a good dream? I let out a quiet chuckle and poked her cheek.
Her soft skin yielded easily under my finger, distorting her cute face into a funny expression. As I gently wiggled my finger, Shine's lips twitched slightly. Amused, I pulled my hand back and slipped out of bed. The moment I left the warmth of the blankets, the cool air nipped at my skin.
Turning my head, I noticed the window wasn't shut all the way, letting in a draft. I tiptoed over on my small feet, the gentle moonlight bathing my figure as I approached.
"Hmm..." I stared blankly out the window. A serene silence had settled over the city, which was bathed in a soft, ambient glow. Not a single car traveled along the wide, open roads, leaving the night completely devoid of sound.
I closed my eyes and listened. The gentle whisper of the wind, and the faint chirping of crickets riding upon it. Taking a soft breath, I reached out and pushed the slightly ajar window wide open, letting in a rush of cool air. My hair swayed gently in the refreshing breeze.
With the transparent glass no longer obstructing my view, I silently took in the now-sharper scenery. What should we play tomorrow? Imagining the fun times I would have with Amy, I climbed up to sit on the windowsill. Since my legs were so short, I had to hop to get up, but I managed to hoist myself up successfully.
I sat there for a while, enjoying the breeze and running my fingers through my hair. Then, I felt a gaze coming from an unexpected place. How long had he been there? Right across from my window, in the spacious yard of the neighboring house, a boy was standing. He looked strangely familiar. The tennis racket in his hand glinted under the moonlight.
I stared back at him in silence. Even from this distance, I could clearly see the movement of his eyes. His pupils trembled slowly, as if he had just received some sort of shock, so I gave him a little wave. His eyes shook even more violently. The boy, who had been staring at me blankly, let the tennis ball in his other hand slip. It rolled out of his grip and fell to the ground.
He remained frozen, staring at me, completely unaware that he had dropped the ball. I pointed a finger toward where it was rolling. Only then did his gaze snap down, chasing after the ball. His flustered, clumsy movements were so amusing that I burst into a quiet giggle. Hehehe. At the sound of my laughter, the boy looked back up at me. Had he actually heard me from all the way over there? I worried for a second that he might think I was mocking him, but soon, he began bouncing the tennis ball against the wall.
"Jeff. Aren't you sleeping?" As I was silently watching the boy practice, Shine's voice drifted from behind me. It seemed my giggling had woken her up.
"What are you doing up there?" "I couldn't sleep." I turned my head back to look at Shine. Her eyes wavered slightly. There was an anxious look in her gaze, though I couldn't fathom why she was looking at me like that. I smiled softly and swung my legs. My short legs swayed back and forth, the cool breeze wrapping around my bare feet. It felt nice.
As I was enjoying the pleasant breeze, Shine rushed over and grabbed me tightly. "You're going to fall." Her worry warmed my heart. I chuckled softly, turned around, and climbed down from the windowsill. "See? I'm fine now." "Okay."
The gentle breeze ruffled her white hair. Shimmering under the soft moonlight, she seemed to possess a strange, enchanting allure. As if possessed, I reached out and stroked her hair. Our fluttering white strands tangled together so seamlessly that it was impossible to tell whose was whose, before slipping apart.
"What were you looking at?" "Just outside." Shine stepped closer to the window and leaned her upper body out, looking in the direction I had been staring. Because of her short stature, she had to cling to the sill, leaving her legs dangling. I could see her straining on her tiptoes to keep her feet on the floor, but she couldn't quite reach.
"There's someone out there." "Yeah. I think he's practicing tennis." I leaned over the sill next to Shine and looked back at the boy. Following the path of the moonlight, my gaze landed on him—he was standing there completely dazed, having dropped his racket in surprise once again.
"Creepy." Shine immediately pulled back and dragged me down with her. I let myself be pulled away from the window by her hands.
"Shine, do you know what?" "What?" Shine asked, sounding puzzled by my quiet voice. Without a word, I reached out and shut the window. "When there's something blocking your view like this, things look completely different."
The moonlight dimmed, and the cool breeze stopped blowing. Even the faint chirping of the crickets was cut off. Just closing a single window made such a massive difference.
"Jeff?" We were clearly looking in the same direction, at the exact same scene, yet it felt entirely different. I smiled silently and tugged on Shine's hand. "Let's sleep! We have to wake up early to play with Amy!" With that, we climbed back into bed and drifted off to sleep.
Playing with a ball? Tennis? Or maybe catch? All of the above. They were all ball games, but regardless, our preparations to play with Amy were complete. Shine, Rain, and I laid out all the toys in the yard. However, Amy hadn't come out yet.
"Is Amy still not ready?" "She just went in to wash up. She'll be out in a bit." Answering my question, Rain picked up a large baseball bat. The bat, which was only slightly shorter than her height, looked a bit too unwieldy for her to swing.
"Are you going to use that?" "Huh? Can't I?" At my question, Rain tilted her head and rested the bat on her shoulder. Wouldn't that be uncomfortable? I handed her a shorter bat that was lying next to it.
"I think this one would be better for you, Rain." "Really?" She readily accepted the bat I offered. The shorter bat seemed much more suitable for her size. Whoosh, whoosh. Rain swung the bat a couple of times, nodded, and said, "Wow, this actually feels perfect in my hands."
As we were checking the toys while waiting for Amy, the door opened and she stepped out into the yard. Dressed in comfortable sportswear, she rested her hands on her hips and gave us a playful smile. "Did I keep you all waiting?" "Yes!"
Instead of answering, Rain lightly snapped her fingers. Instantly, the water droplets clinging to Amy's damp hair scattered in all directions. "Thanks~" drying her hair using Rain's ability. Amy smiled brightly. And so, our fun ball game began.
It was a game played without using any abilities, relying purely on physical prowess. The 'it' had to keep the ball in the air, preventing it from touching the ground. They could touch the ball as much as they wanted, but if they held onto it for more than a second, they were out. The other players had to try and stop the ball from staying airborne.
I was up first. I threw the rubber ball in my hand high into the air. Hurled with all my might, the ball soared past the roof, looking as if it would reach the very edge of the sky. The moment I threw the ball, the interference began. With a swift motion, an outstretched hand reached to grab me. A long hand—Amy's hand.
I immediately spun around to dodge her grab. As her hand brushed past me, our eyes met. Reflected in Amy's pink eyes, a young girl was smiling brightly. She looked incredibly happy. Yes, I was having the absolute time of my life right now.
But dodging Amy wasn't the end of it. Shine and Rain attacked simultaneously. Since I had already twisted my body to avoid Amy, I was forced to contort myself mid-air. I kicked off the ground and leaped upward. The training I had done with Victor and Rain was proving to be incredibly helpful for a simple ball game.
Being airborne meant it was much harder to control my body compared to being on the ground. Shine, Rain, and Amy didn't miss that opening. In a panic, I twisted my body and grabbed Shine's arm, pushing off it. Using that recoil, I spun myself. My vision whirled in mid-air as Amy's and Rain's hands grazed past me.
While everyone's attention was momentarily diverted, I used the momentum of my spin to extend my leg. The ball was falling. At that exact moment, the top of my foot connected with the ball, launching it back into the air. Landing on the ground, I immediately rolled to dodge any incoming hands. Just as I felt Shine's intense gaze lock onto me from behind, my body was suddenly scooped up in a tight embrace.
"Ack!" "Gotcha!" Amy spun around while holding me tight. My vision whirled. Ah, this is so much fun. So fun. I was supposed to report the mission to Amy. But... could I play just a little, just a tiny bit longer before doing that? This was too much fun! I couldn't stop smiling.
I knew I should show her right away, but if I did, wouldn't this precious time come to an end? So, I decided to just enjoy this moment.
"Now it's my turn!" Amy shouted, setting me back down. My feet touched the ground, but I tottered and ended up plonking down on my butt. She had spun me around way too much. As I rubbed my dizzy eyes, Amy caught the ball falling from the sky.
"Shall we start?" "Wait a second!" Shaking my head, I quickly scrambled to my feet. I brushed the dry grass off my bottom and took a stance. "Okay! I'm ready!" Everyone else was already prepared. Shine looked determined to catch the ball this time, her white eyes gleaming with a faint light.
"Here I go!" With those words, Amy prepared to hurl the ball into the sky. As her slightly coiled body uncoiled, an immense wind pressure erupted. Boom! Her body snapped straight as she stomped her foot hard against the ground. The moment she swung her arm, the rubber ball stretched out like melted cheese.
The wind pressure was intense. The fierce gust made it hard to even keep my eyes open, forcing me to shield my face with my hands. At the same time, a sharp sound ripped through the air. Riiiiip! Unable to withstand the sheer pressure, the rubber ball tore completely apart. I stood there, jaw dropped in sheer shock.
"Ah." Flinching as if she had made a mistake, Amy shook the shredded remnants of the rubber ball off her hand. "Sorry~ I guess I gripped it a bit too hard." I swallowed hard. Right. This was a woman who could crush a steel doll with her bare hands. Unconsciously, I reached up and patted my own head.