The stalls were a sensory overload. There was everything I wanted and very little I needed. To move through the crowd means getting closer to other people than I would usually allow, but internet shopping won't cut it this time. I needed to get that limited edition figure.
"Wanna take a break?" Angel asked me. We had both been walking around for hours without sitting down, mostly looking at the different stalls. There was kindness, and gentleness in his smile. It was the smile of someone who laughed easily and recognized the person underneath his behaviour, a soul connector.
All day he had been taking photos with people and having conversations with people he had never seen before. He was one of those people who lived the way he thought people should live as if he were the sunshine radiating only the best sides of those he met, whose flaws were completely invisible to his gaze. But above all, he was my friend.
After pausing for a few seconds, I realized he was still waiting for my answer. His blue eyes stared at me, shining with excitement. I slowly nodded my head, and he swiftly grabbed the sleeve of my jumper and began walking through the crowd of people. His hand held my piece of clothing like a lifeline, scared that if he let go, I'd get lost in the sea of people. I then remembered that Angel lives in this city, so he's probably been here a lot more time than I have and so he knows where all the good places are. He pushed through the people, occasionally looking back to see if I was still there. Eventually, we made it to the entrance of a small food place.
The vivid colours of the food spoke to its freshness and the bold flavours to come. It was a nice simple place, with only a few other people in there and a good variety of sandwiches to choose from. Angel sat across from me, concentrating on his phone. I ate my sandwich slowly, savouring every flavour.
It wasn't long until a person in the room noticed Angel. I could hear the footsteps almost running towards us. Maybe they're a friend of Angels? The footsteps came to a halt and I soon made eye contact with the person standing in front of my and Angel's table. I quickly made eye contact with the person standing in front of Angels' and my table. The individual was a woman, most likely in my age range, and she was dressed as Shizuku. When she turned her entire body to face Angel, the friendly smile that was plastered on her face vanished. She did not even acknowledge my presence. After her entrance, Angel looked up from his phone for the first time. He greeted her with a smile, and she responded,
"Hey! I'm a huge fan! May I take a photo with you?" It was a simple request, and they chatted for a few more minutes after the picture. After that, a few more minutes. When I eventually reached the end of my meal, they had not stopped chatting. I observed the fork in my hand, the ceramic handle bringing a welcome coolness after the heat of the afternoon. I couldn't help but wonder how Angel could so easily speak to new people, how he could just become friends with anybody so easily.
Angel called out to me, "Ariella!" and brought me back to earth. When I looked up, I saw that the other person had left and that Angel and I were alone in the room once more. He studied me intently. The happy faces from a few minutes ago vanished when our gazes met across the table. Angel looks at me, but his expression is one of worry and uncertainty rather than his usual expression. When I tried to make a joke about being "too hot," he snorted and grinned broadly. He remained motionless for a few seconds before turning to face the window, eyes just as still; then he spoke with the same tone I heard him use with his follower, "The train comes in an hour, so how about we take a slow walk to the station?" And with that, he stood up and made his way to the door, with me trailing behind him like a lost puppy once again.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
As the light drained away from the sky Strong black silhouettes decorated the streets. The first sound of the nocturnal animals comes, a hoot of an owl, a rabbit taking cover in the hedgerow. Time passed, enough to steal the last fragments of the daytime and welcome the night.
"Hey, Ariella? Why did you start cosplaying?" Angel questioned me, not taking his eyes off the road. I didn't even have to think of a response to his question, it's been the same reason for years.
"Well, I started because I was bored and I wanted to try something new, after finishing high school I sat in my house and didn't have anything to do. That's when I decided to give it a try and it's one of the only things that I genuinely enjoy doing. It makes me want to meet new people." I concluded, "What about you?"
"Well..." He paused for a moment, "I had an interest in fashion during school, and I enjoyed making clothes and accessories and then adding them to my outfits, for a sense of creativity. One of my friends introduced it to me, and when I started making my clothes, I tried it out. It was also a good break from high school." He babbled. Curiosity got the best of me, and I couldn't help but ask myself what he needed a break from.
"Break?" I whispered to myself more than to him, but he must've heard it
"The last year of high school was..." He chuckled for a moment before continuing, "If I'm being honest? - Which I always am - A certain somebody made it an absolute nightmare, and thanks to them I'll always trust my gut instinct." He sounded unserious, but I could tell he wasn't lying.
"Who was I-"
"Someone I dated," He quickly interjected me. "She was horrible, but thanks to my friends I finally opened my eyes and realised how she treated me wasn't right. I learnt to forget about her eventually, thanks to my new hobby." Angel croaked. That's why he cares so much about his friends
As if it was right on cue, the silhouette of the cafe came into view. Angel stopped walking, and so did I. I guess this is where we say our goodbyes. "You can start walking to the station now, I only have to walk down the road now" I offered him. It was like a switch went off in his head, and he pulled me into his embrace.
In his embrace, the world stopped still on its axis. There was no time, no wind, no rain. My mind was at peace. How could it be that I hadn't noticed this side of Angel before? Pure. Unselfish. Undemanding. Free. I felt my body press in, soft and warm. This was the friendship I'd waited for. I slowly smiled and hugged all the tighter. Finally, I was home
A/N: NEARLY 400?? tysm guys. The last chapter was short so I've, Ade sure this one is over 1.2k. We now have some more insight into Angel's backstory!! DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT
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Little touch of heaven
Romance"I would rather let my heart fill with endless sadness than let it love again, I have to protect it, even if that means letting it slowly break within me." Ariella is an outgoing girl who works at a cafe. She's never had that many friends and she al...
