33 What a Surprise

Naomi turns quickly, with one of her hands behind her back.

"Alexandria! What a surprise to see you here!" she says nervously.

'I should do something'

"Hello, Naomi. I didn't expect to see you here either..."

"It's a bookstore, I come all the time! Hehe..." she lets out a nervous laugh.

...

"You didn't come to see Elin?"

"Eeeh... Yeah, that too!"

...

"And... which books do you like?" I ask to break the silence.

"Eh... well..." she starts turning everywhere.

"Come on, Alex, you should keep ordering the books" Elin grabs me by the shoulders and starts to move me in the opposite direction.

"But you're the one who works here!" I say angrily.

"Do it as a favor, yes? I'll give it back later"

"But I wanted-"

Before Naomi leaves my sight, I turn to her:

"Naomi, I would like us to... to be friends..."

Elin stops pushing me.

Both Elin and Naomi are speechless.

...

"Alexandria... Of course! But it's kind of weird that you ask for it that way" Naomi responds happily.

I can't help smiling. It's as if it removed a weight from me.

"Thank you! By the way, why do you have your hand behind your back?" I ask.

"Eeeh! It's just... my back hurts!" she grows nervous again.

"Really? It happened to me once, but Xenon's ointment makes magic-"

I stop talking.

'Oh no... I forgot that nobody knows about Xenon. But maybe she thinks it's the name of some brand-'

"Alex? You're good? You went pale in a second" Elin tells me.

'Isn't she nervous about what I said? I should try to get out of this...'

"Yes, I'm sorry. I was saying that Xenon is a very well-known brand... I tried it and it removes the pain as if it were magic... It's not that it's real magic, it's just an expression!"

"Alex, Nao knows about Xenon" Elin says.

"Sorry, I didn't want to-! What?"

"Yes, she also uses magic"

...

"Whaaaaaat! Why didn't you tell me before!"

"I forgot" Elin responds without shame.

"And I was saying all those nonsense..."

"Sorry, it took me a while to catch what you were saying. I thought you were going crazy"

"I hope not... Naomi, do you already know that I am xenon?"

"Yes, Elin told me everything"

"What a relief. What do you think about my magic?"

"Elin told me you still don't know how to use it. That's why I offered to help you"

"Seriously? I didn't know"

"Elin didn't tell you?"

"Whoops, I forgot it too"

'She has no shame! But, it seems she hasn't told her about my fusion... Why?'

"Alex, could you keep ordering the books?" this time, she asks me with a serious tone.

"Sure…"

I turn around and start to walk to the other side of the store.

"Goodbye, Alexandria! Talk to you soon!" Naomi says goodbye to me.

"Yes... Good- goodbye" I say goodbye with a smile.

I get to the books and I keep ordering them.

'I didn't expect Naomi to also use magic... Was she born in Xenon? What magic does she use?'

...

'Why does she know how to use magic? Elin doesn't trust her? Aaah... so many questions...'

*ding*

'She's gone'

Elin comes to me.

"I should start taking notes..." Elin says ashamed.

"Elin... didn't you tell her about my fusion?"

"No. I don't want to involve more people in this. Not her"

"..."

'She's right. I hope it ends soon...'

"Well, I'll go to the bathroom. If someone wants to buy something, tell them to wait a little"

"What? No way! You can close for five minutes-"

"Alex. Try"

...

"Okay"

Elin goes to the bathroom and I'm left alone.

After a minute, I finish ordering the books.

'I will look for something else to read'

I look through several books and novels again.

'This could be-'

*ding*

*ba-dum* *ba-dum* *ba-dum* *ba-dum*

'Oh no, it's a girl... I hope she doesn't buy before Elin comes back...'

I keep flipping through the books, trying to look busy.

'Hurry Elin! Hey? Where is she?'

I lost the girl from my sight.

'She's gone-?'

"Excuse me-"

"Aaah!"

*ba-dum* *ba-dum* *ba-dum* *ba-dum*

'Do they want to kill me from a heart attack?'

"Sorry, I didn't want to scare you!"

"I'm fine-"

'Woah... She's really-'

"Do you work here?" she asks me.

"N- no. She will come back in a minute..."

"Oh, it's fine. Could you help me?"

"Eh?"

"It's a bit embarrassing, but I've never read a book and I want to start doing it. Could you recommend something to me?"

"Recommend you... something?"

"Yes. If it helps you, I really like fantasy, war or medieval anime. Something of romance wouldn't be bad"

'Fantasy, war, medieval, romance... I got it!'

I go to the other side of the store without saying anything.

"Hey? Should I follow you?" she asks me, but I'm very distracted in my thoughts to respond.

I reach a shelf and start looking.

'I'm sure I saw it around here...'

"Excuse me, I don't know if I should-"

"Here it is!" I shout when I find the book.

I turn around and show her the book.

"This was one of the first books I finished. It has everything you mentioned so you should like it. The first volumes are perfect to start reading and as you go they become more complicated, but they are my favorites" I say without thinking.

"..." the girl stares at me.

"Ah! I- I'm sorry, I got carried away!"

"You talked about it very excited. You must like it very much, right?"

"Y- yes..."

"I wish I had your same feeling... Well, I'll take this one"

"Really?"

We approach the counter to wait for Elin.

"What's your name?" she asks me.

"A- Alexandria..."

"Nice to meet you, Alexandria. My name is Miu"

'Miu...'

"I've never seen you around here. You are new?"

"Yes, I arrived a few days ago..."

"I see. Are you in a school?"

"No... I still don't know if I'll enter one..."

"Really? You should decide soon, the registration ends in three weeks-"

"Sorry I took so long!"

Elin comes back and goes to the counter.

"Will you buy or rent the book?" Elin asks Miu.

"She convinced me to buy it" Miu responds, referring to me.

"Very well, I just need- What? Did she convince you?"

"Yes, you can tell she loves books"

"Y-yes. Here is the book. It includes a bookmark as a gift..." Elin surprised to hear that.

"Thank you. Alexandria, I'll be back when I finish this book. I hope to see you again"

"Of- of course..."

"See you!"

"B- bye..." I say goodbye, without completely understanding what happened.

*ding*

"Elin, you took a lot. I almost died of a... Elin? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Alex. Tell me your secrets. Now"

"You're scary!"

No one else entered the bookstore during the last hour and we returned home just past noon.

*breathing* *breathing*

"We're back!" Elin shouts as she enters the house.

"Idiot, I told you to heal me!" Dai is yelling in his room.

"Dai, as friendly as always- Alex? What are you doing?"

I'm lying on the floor.

"*breathing* I am... *breathing* fine..."

"At least do it inside the house. When was the last time you exercised?"

"A week ago…"

"It's not been long... Well, come in and eat something"

I get up and go into the house. We eat something to satiate the appetite and Elin goes out to see Naomi, while I stay at home, reading Asil's books.

The afternoon passes and the sky begins to darken.

"I'm home! I bring food" Kuno shouts.

'Hm?'

*growl*

'I'm hungry!'

I run downstairs.

"Can we already eat?"

"Hm? We should wait for- "

*growl*

"Your stomach speaks for you..."

I sit at the table and Kuno puts something in the microwave.

*blip* *blip* *blip* *bliiiiip*

Kuno sits and rests his elbows on the table.

"Alex. I have to tell you something"

"Yes?"

"I have to tell you…"

"..."

"I have to tell you that…"

*drink*

"Your pancakes were delicious!"

"Eh?"

"You really know how to cook!"

"Eh... well... thanks... but I think you exaggerate crying"

"Not at all! You should-"

"Foood!" Dai is going downstairs yelling with a monstrous voice.

"Don't yell!"

'...'

"You bought something?" Dai asks Kuno.

"Yes. Ramen"

"Oh yeah!"

'Is this a déjà vu?'

*click*

Elin enters through the door.

"I'm home-! Oh, you're here-"

"Kuno bought Ramen!" Dai shouts to Elin.

"Oh yeah!"

'Definitely a déjà vu...'

We eat ramen as parasites.

"Aaah... Even if it's instant ramen, it was delicious..." Elin says, about to explode.

"Yes! Ah, since today was my turn to cook, I will wash the dishes"

"That's fine with me!" Dai says and runs off to his room.

"Very well. I have to do... doooo... something" Elin also runs upstairs.

"They can run being that full?"

"Don't worry, I'll help you" Kuno says to me.

"It's not necessary... I didn't help you..."

"This way we'll finish much faster"

"Okay…"

I pick up the dishes and put them in the sink.

I open the tap and start to wash them.

"By the way, Alex- What!"

I wash the dishes at a superhuman speed.

"Yes?"

"How- how is that...?"

"Oh, I have a lot of practice because dad always made me wash them, but it doesn't compare to your speed"

"Yes... I was going to ask you, did you practice today?"

"Eeeeh... no... But I was reading Asil's books all afternoon"

"All right. Do you have any question?"

"Actually yes"

I walk away from the sink and Kuno continues to wash them.

'Amazing!'

"I read that Energy is directly related to your physical health"

"So is"

"Is that why I get tired so easily?"

"Hm?"

"I only walked for 30 minutes and was about to faint. The book said that the more energy you want to use, the more resistance you need"

"Yes. The power of your Energy depends on your strength. And the amount depends on your resistance"

"It also said that the more magic or elements are used at the same time, the more energy you need"

"Oh! I understand what you mean. It is logical that you need a lot of Energy to use your fusion, since it uses all the elements. Also, the times you have used it have been totally out of control, it may have affected your body"

"Yes…"

"Then, tomorrow we will start with Kuno's special training!"

"Huh?"