A Worthy Villainess

21. Xanadu

Mercury Caduceus will be at where her friends are.

🦋

Horo and Scopus Rasalhague take me along on their trip to a beauty salon. Trying a new look, they say, now that we aren't restricted by school rules anymore.

Horo dyes his hair pink while Scopus dyes his hair purple. In a certain perspective, they will still look like identical twins with the same hair colour. To obtain a stronger impression, to be different from his Brother, Scopus also perms his hair, slightly.

I don't discourage them from doing what they want. They are free to determine their appearance. It still comes as a surprise for me though. I have no idea they want to look different; because I thought they prefer to use identical twins benefit to mess with people.

"I want you to look at me for me, Mercury," Scopus tells me gently, "Not just as a set of two,"

Horo chuckles when I turn to look at him, "This is our way to make you notice us, individually. It won't be good for you to stay indecisive, you know," Horo gives me a somewhat sly smirk

"What brings this on?" I emit my bewilderment, "I... I mean..." are they being serious about this? I never thought of asking them to change. Not even for me. They are fine the way they are, in my humble opinion.

"We thought of taking it easy," Scopus explains, suddenly in a bad mood at whatever he thinks of. Horo gives a troubled sigh as he completes the sentiment, "But then, that guy just had to do that before he left,"

Airport. Confession. Galaxy Pollux.

I stare at the two blankly. They weren't there, so from who did they hear about what Galaxy did? Even so...!

"I thought you two have not forgiven me," I blink at them, somewhat at a loss of what to do if I receive a love confession again. It is out of my expectation to receive any, you know.

"Speaking of that," Horo muses quietly, "I think, mostly, I have forgiven you,"

"I like to be able to talk to you again to stay mad at you," Scopus tells me with a small smile, "Now that I am not angry, it means I have forgiven you!"

"Something like that," Horo agrees cheerfully with a nod, "It means it's okay for us to date now, right?"

"We can be counted as University students by now," Scopus reminds me, taking a step closer to me along with his twin, "If you have misgivings about dating when in High School, we have already graduated,"

"Which means..." Horo smiles at me mischievously while Scopus tries to not smile in glee, "There is no reason for you to hesitate anymore, is there?"

I lean away from them without reservation, wary of what they have in mind for me. Carefully, I tell them, "I will only date someone whom I like. Please respect my decision on this,"

Horo and Scopus pout at me, asking at the same time, "You don't like me?" then giving one another a look for asking me that question together.

"I like you," I say calmly, or as calm as possible in the face of possible disasters, "But only as friends,"

"So, we gotta upgrade our status in your mind," Horo nods sagely, capable of accepting my opinion calmly, to my relief

Scopus releases a sigh, "We will have a lot of work to do, don't we?" after asking Horo that, Scopus blinks and beams at me, "I will make sure you end up with me though, Mercury!"

"You little--!" Horo aims to strangle Scopus, to no avail

I smile slightly at their antics. Inwardly, I am not sure what I should do about what they say. Speaking about love confession, Horo and Scopus had told me before, although I didn't take it seriously. Now, they pointedly tell me they have the intention to...date me. Galaxy, he confessed to me before leaving the Country. Does he intend to date me too?