Episode 4: Our Relationship
<Elliot Amaryllis (♂)>
The first memory I had of Elliot ♀ was that of waking up to a new day.
Perhaps remembering the shock of that day, every morning since then, I unconsciously associate waking up with this odd feeling of anticipation.
I opened my eyes, shut my phone up, and stretched my arms in the air.
I turned towards the window, the light diffusing first through the sky-blue fabric, illuminating the room in a beautiful ocean hue.
I then glanced up towards the bed.
There on top was the other me still tucked in the blankets.
We never bothered to alter our sleep schedule. So, our phones rang at the same time.
But today… her alarm didn’t ring for some reason.
I recalled yesterday. The events that transpired right after the culture festival.
The tears she cried.
The heartbreak she experienced from her first official rejection.
Thinking about it made my already blurry head blurrier. The shock was probably much worse for her than it was for me.
I had already gotten over my crush on Ellis. And even if I hadn’t, there was no turning back since I was the one to initiate the breakup long ago.
My situation was different from Elliot’s ♀, who instead initiated a confession that wasn’t met with a reply until now.
Somewhere deep down perhaps she still hoped for her love.
“Elliot, morning—”
I shook her shoulders.
“Morning—”
She uttered but didn’t try to get up.
“You still plan to sleep—?”
“Mn…”
She replied with a murmur.
“Alright. I’ll take a bath first then.”
Grabbing my change of clothes, I left the room.
As I touched the bottom of the stairs, I was hit by an incredible smell coming from the kitchen.
What’s this?
Curiosity over breakfast bubbled up.
Whenever dad was home, mom would prepare some of the most extravagant meals.
I moved to the kitchen to investigate. The sound of something sizzling in a pan became increasingly apparent. I saw mom and dad, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with matching kitchen aprons over the cooking counter.
“Morning mom, dad.”
I greeted languidly.
“Oh, morning son.”
“Morning Elliot dear.”
They looked so happy.
“The other you is not awake?”
“She said she wanted to sleep a little more.”
“Ara… something happened yesterday didn’t it?”
Of course, mom would’ve noticed. Mom is mom after all.
“Yeah. But I think she’ll be alright.”
“Yes, yes. Of course. You’re her after all.”
That sounded weird.
Weird-weird kind of weird.
I peeked at the ingredients at the counter.
“Wow, so burgers?”
“Yup son. Burgers.”
“And cheese.”
“And pickles.”
“And onions.”
“And love.”
They looked at each other, and then burst into laughter. A heartwarming sigh of my parents getting along as a cute couple.
I had a hunch that Elliot ♀ would threaten to kill them if she saw them like this.
I left the kitchen after a glass of water before going to the bathroom.
…
Elliot ♀ and I stared at each other.
Half-open pyjamas, her bra and panties were showing.
Why don’t I find that amusing I wonder?
She wasn’t saying anything, so I thought maybe I should speak?
“Why didn’t you lock the door?”
I asked.
Blinking, she seemed to struggle to answer.
I didn’t expect to find her here in the bathroom, didn’t she say she wanted to sleep in? Worse yet, in the middle of taking off her pyjamas.
Was her head not working straight? Didn’t I say earlier I would be taking the bath first? She should’ve known better than to cut the queue right?
Or was my head not working straight? The normally open bathroom door was closed, yet I didn’t knock when forcing the door open.
Her eyes swam around for a bit before she proceeded to take off the rest of her clothes. Stripped down to her underwear, she looked at me again.
Now I was even more confused.
If I were a girl, I wouldn’t do this.
As a guy, even I’d hesitate to show her my upper body.
She was ‘me’, right?
So why was she acting out of place?
Should ‘I’ be embarrassed?
If she wanted a compliment, then shouldn’t she be already aware that her body figure was not bad for a girl her age…
“I forgot.”
Forgot?
So this is her answer?
What the hell?
“Nevermind.”
I turned around and walked out of the bathroom.
I saw nothing.
Click.
The door was locked the instant my foot left the partition.
I walked a few more steps and smashed my head into the nearest wall.
“What the fuck…”
Did I actually just walk into that bullshit?
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
The juices practically oozed from the patty.
My oily fingers crumbled into the heavenly-smelling sesame seed bun.
Overflowing with the essence of beef, onion rings, cheese, pickles, white sauce and garlic powder.
With the juices quite literally spilling out from each bite, working through the succulent burger was both a mess and a delight.
A mighty favourite of our household. Mom’s take on the American burger.
Of course, this ain’t America.
Anyways.
Jasper, my little brother, was eating the burger with a fork and knife. His excuse was that he didn’t want to get his hands dirty. Probably the weirdest person sitting around the table right now.
“Jasper, you can just wash your hands after this, you know?”
“I’ll wash my hands even after using utensils.”
He wasn’t buying into mom’s persuasion.
“Hey, how many burgers do we have left?”
I asked.
I wasn’t blind to see that there were three more burgers.
“Three.”
Elliot ♀, probably catching the hidden meaning behind my words, said with a suspicious smile.
“Then let’s make quick work of them.”
“You take one, I take one, mom take one.”
Elliot ♀ and I quickly finished the current half-burger in our hands, then reached for one more each.
“What?! No! Mom! I’m reserving that for me!”
“Fufu. First come first serve as they say.”
With her signature yandere-like laugh, mom touched her cheeks with one finger and picked up the last burger.
“NOOO!!!”
Eating burgers with a knife and fork was nice without the mess. But it had the compensation of speed.
“Open your mouth dear.”
“Um, okay… ah…”
Mom affectionately fed dad with her hands. Sticking her fingers in and out of his mouth then puts the saliva-coated finger into her own mouth.
Seeing Jasper in absolute horror as he watched the situation play out in real time made for quite a pitiful spectacle.
But uh…
We both lost our appetite seeing our two parents flirt so…
“Here. I was just joking. Two was enough for me.”
“Same.”
Elliot and I decided to be ‘nice’ and put the burgers we took on Jasper’s plate. They were completely intact, we hadn’t nicked them even one bit.
He heaved a sigh.
But the relief didn’t last for long.
“Wait, you expect me to finish two more?”
“Yup.”
“Good luck Jasper.”
“Ugh! You bully!”
Oh yeah, he has a loose tooth too, doesn’t he?
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
It had been three hours since we started our holiday homework. Having not accomplished even half of the additional mathematics exercises, we both became our own lazy potatoes slouching on the sofa.
I received this sudden text from Ellis.
‘Help me with something. Can you check if Elliot is alright? She didn’t pick up my call yesterday.’
“Elliot.”
“What?”
Elliot ♀ looked up from her phone.
“Did Ellis say anything to you?”
“No, why? Did she text you?”
“She asked me if you’re alright. I suppose you’re not, right?”
“I’m fine.”
She thought about it a little more and added.
“Tell her I’m bawling out my eyes and don’t want to talk with her ever again.”
That’s some serious shit.
“How should I reply to her then?”
“Pass me your phone.”
I handed it off.
All she sent was an animated gif of a frog shaking his head very, very sadly.
“What the fuck?”
“Let’s see what she sends back.”
She stuck her body close to mine as we both stared at a single screen.
I suddenly felt self-conscious.
Why did she smell so good? Did she wash her hair today?
A few seconds later, Ellis responded.
‘Okay.’
“What the fuck.”
She cursed. And then her phone rang. It was Ellis’ number.
“W-What the hell?! No, you pick up the phone and tell her to fuck off!”
“Hey?! But she’s calling you, not me. You won’t achieve shit if you keep avoiding her like this!”
“But it’s only been a day since I got rejected! Does she have no sympathy?! Don’t people stop seeing each other immediately if they break up?!”
“Fine, fine!”
I pity this hopeless me…
I answered the phone.
“Hello?”
[“Hello? Elliot?”]
“Yes, this is Elliot speaking.”
Elliot ♀ kept pressing her index finger to her lips. Shush! She says soundlessly.
How desperate.
[“Why are you… isn’t this her phone?”]
“Yeah, but she told me to answer it for her because she’s scared.”
I stood up from the couch.
Elliot ♀ narrowed her eyes.
[“Then where is she right now?”]
“She…”
She’s right here, scowling at me.
“She ran away. So for courtesy’s sake, I picked up to tell you not to worry. She’ll be fine in a few more days, hopefully.”
[“Sorry for calling like this suddenly. I feel bad that I only gave her the answer through a personal letter, not face-to-face.”]
“No, it’s fine. I think you can still do that when you see each other again.”
[“Alright. Help me look after her until then, thank you and sorry.”]
“Got it. Don’t worry.”
[“…”]
“…”
[“Well, enjoy your holiday…?”]
“Y-Yeah, you too.”
End call.
I heaved a sigh.
To think I’d talk to my ex like this.
“So, what did she say?”
“She’ll confess to you when Golden Week is over.”
“Don’t lie to me you fucker.”
“Hey, I didn’t say that confession means ‘yes, I love you’, okay?”
“Wow, you dickhead. Be considerate of my feelings here?”
“You know you don’t mean that.”
“And you also know you shouldn’t treat girls like this.”
“What feelings?”
Interrupting us suddenly was Jasper holding onto his handheld game device, the Switch.
…When did he get here?
“Yeah. Apparently, your brother here just broke up with his ex.”
Elliot ♀ snickered.
Jasper looked between us alternately.
A suspicious raised brow.
A cognitive realisation.
Elliot ♀ pressed her hands to her mouth seconds too late. Trying to downplay the other person, she ultimately screwed herself over.
“You both like the same person?”
It had less of a relation to me as I’m not exactly gay, but a whole different story for Elliot ♀, the lesbian-in-hiding.
Elliot ♀ was in hot soup.
“You better not tell mom about this!”
Meanwhile Jasper… being vigorously shaken by Elliot, seemed rather enlightened by the information.
Elliot’s ♀ threat was nothing before the biggest yuri fan in the house.
“Wow… I have an elder sister who swings that way…”
“Jasper!!”
Yup. He’s a goner.
Dad came down from upstairs all of a sudden. Elliot ♀ and Jasper parted ways as if the fight never happened to begin with.
“We’re going to the buffet on top of Gilgamesh Tower to have dinner.”
He announced.
“Gilgamesh Tower?”
“Yup. It’s been a while since we went there. So let’s enjoy a family dinner.”
Jasper and Elliot looked at each other. One had twinkling eyes, the other looked deranged.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
The buffet restaurant was located on the topmost floor of Gilgamesh Tower’s shopping complex. A popular tourist spot located at one of the highest vantage points the city could offer.
“I wonder if you two are going to eat the exact same thing?”
Outside the buffet restaurant, Jasper asked curiously.
Elliot ♀ looked at me.
“What will you be getting?”
“I don’t know. A little bit of everything?”
“Same.”
“Hm…”
Jasper’s suspicion may be proven true.
“But I’m definitely getting marshmallows and chocolate.”
“Same here. But with ice cream.”
“What? You do that with ice cream?”
“And marshmallow.”
“…”
“…”
Our creative minds were going wild.
“Luna won’t be joining.”
Mom put down her phone and sighed.
“What? Why?”
“She left us all because of a man.”
My mom sighed for a second time.
Left us because of a man…
I think I saw a dark shadow over Elliot’s ♀ face for a second there.
“Dear me, I can’t help but wonder if the man she picked is as wonderful as you, my dear.”
Mom snuggled up to dad coquettishly.
“H-Honey, we’re out in public. You can do this all you want in the bedroom…”
“Promise?”
My mom’s eyes lit up eerily.
“P-Promise.”
I heard my dad gulp.
With a stony face, Jasper plugged two fingers into his ears.
Hallelujah.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
For our first buffet run, we came back with lobsters, raw oysters, eggs Benedict, cold ham, sausages, french fries in cheese and salad. It was a more Western selection.
For the second run: grilled octopus rings, teriyaki chicken, fried rice, fried noodles, duck meat, dumplings and miso soup. A more Asian-based diet.
And the third was our round-up. Shortcakes, fruits, ice cream, yoghurt, and chocolate-dipped marshmallows.
I was just about to finish the last of the fruit yoghurt when I heard Elliot ♀ burp. She fell back on her seat and groaned while rubbing her belly.
“Fuck. I knew I shouldn’t have competed with you.”
As a girl, she had a smaller stomach.
“Same…”
But well, my tummy wasn’t in too much of a good shape after eating so much either.
We were both in puberty, so we could stuff a lot into our bellies. Yet despite this, we weren’t the biggest eater in the family.
That title would go to mom. She was still going after her 5th plate of green curry.
Dad was already finishing up his meal with some late-night coffee.
As for Jasper…
“How’s your teeth?”
“I plucked it out.”
“Uh…? What?”
“I plucked it out before I came here.”
Seriously?
No wonder he was eating so quickly.
Elliot ♀ took a piece of tissue and wiped the side of his mouth—the ketchup stain. He frowned.
“Ahem.”
Dad faked a cough.
We turned our attention to him.
“Well, how should I begin…”
“Begin?”
“About us?”
“Yes, regarding you two.”
I wonder what he wanted to say? He’s been holding off on the topic since yesterday.
“I’m not talking about if it’s weird knowing that I have both another daughter and son. It’s more a matter of having the addition of a new family member.”
He said.
With two Elliots, it wasn’t a situation as simple as ‘we had become two’. The family had also grown by one.
In that case, should Elliot ♀ be counted as one of my siblings?
“You see, your father and I had wanted a lot of kids for a while now. But unfortunately, your mom’s baby factory isn’t cooperating too well.”
Mom said seriously.
“No, no, no. That’s not what I want to tell the kids.”
“Ara? But I’m really happy that our family is bigger now. Seeing those two together makes me feel like I gave birth to twins.”
“Honey…”
Seriously. Mom and dad never fail to inspire me with their boundless love.
“Oh dear~ Alright, alright. Enough of the jokes, I’ll go get some more food.”
Chuckling after teasing dad, my mom went to get even more food.
““…””
Dad sighed.
“Well, what I mean to talk about is our financial state.”
“Huh?”
“Suddenly having another child adds to the cost. I know some people say it’s too early to discuss family finances with their children, but I want to make clear that I don’t mean to blame anyone. At this rate, I’m not sure if it’s possible to send both of you overseas.”
Elliot ♀ and I was confused.
“Overseas? Why overseas?”
“Dad, can’t we just study locally if that’s the case?”
I mean, it’s not as if we need to study abroad right?
“Oh, is that so?”
Huh? What?
“I thought you wanted to study overseas? You told me about that in the past, didn’t you?”
Where did he get that idea?
Elliot ♀ and I looked at each other.
““Oh.””
Yeah right! That was so long ago! We did tell dad once that it would be nice to study abroad.
But well… the whole studying far away thing became a void idea when we fell for Ellis.
Of course, that wasn’t something we’d ever tell anyone.
Dad scratched his head awkwardly.
““Sorry dad.””
We’ve worried him unnecessarily all this time, haven’t we?
“Thank you for thinking about us.”
“But it’s fine if we just study here. It’s no different actually.”
“It’s not like we really wanted to go overseas.”
“It’s only a childish wish. You don’t really need to follow through with it.”
“Or should we try and get a scholarship?”
“Scholarship for what course?”
“Right…”
Things still feel far off. We were only in our first year in senior high school. There was still a whole year to decide our future path.
“I still feel that it’s my responsibility to provide for your education.”
Dad said with a wry smile.
“We’ll come to it when we come to it.”
“We’re still young after all. Our thoughts might change.”
She was right.
After experiencing what we had, it was quite clear to us that we were still naive about the world. Be it in love, or regarding what would be best for our future.
“You two are legit creepy.”
Jasper said with a scowl.
“Creepy?”
“How so?”
“Jasper, mind your words.”
Dad chided.
“But… I, they… they always say the same things all the time. They’re weird!”
Actually, Jasper might be right.
Though I can’t actually read Elliot’s ♀ mind, to them, it probably looked as if we could since we were in sync most of the time.
Then again, this is just who ‘we’ are.
“Actually, aren’t we really just identical twins? The only difference between you and me is that one got the Y chromosome, and the other got the X right?”
Elliot ♀ said.
“Is it really that simple though?”
I don’t know a lot about genetics, but shouldn’t the change of a single chromosome cause a big variation?
“Crazy.”
In any case, Jasper was probably just exaggerating how abnormal we were.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
When we were younger, Elliot ♀ and I wanted to go overseas provided a certain condition was met.
It was a kind of childish promise we made to ourselves.
The condition was as follows: if we ever acquire a particular blessing that could be useful in busting crime and saving people, we would try and become an SPF.
Much less a proper university programme, it was a polytechnic course.
It was every stupid chunnibyou’s dream to become a superhero. Yes, you heard that right.
SPF is the abbreviation for Special Police Force. Policemen trained for their special abilities, not limited to combat, detective work, or infiltration.
If the word ‘hero’ was actually used as a title for these people, I’m sure half the populace would’ve died from cringe. So, SPF was the realistic equivalent. It sounded much more professional too.
Blessings come in many forms. The usefulness of blessings and the various abilities granted didn’t differentiate between good and bad people.
Thanks to the many film-dramas, manga, documentaries and peer influence as a child, we were somehow inspired to become one of those ‘heroes’ someday.
Alas, the kind of blessing Elliot ♀ and I got had the furthest thing to do with protecting humanity from crime.
And naively, back when we were with Ellis, we knew that if we went overseas, we’d miss her a lot so… we kinda just gave up on the whole idea.
We can still be beneficial to humanity in some other field. Well, just maybe not as a mechanic.
“Dad, maybe call the tow truck.”
“I don’t think anyone here knows how to fix the wheel back.”
We were on the way back after a filling dinner when one of our tyres completely blew up.
It wasn’t the normal kind of ‘pop’. Rather, this one entire section of the rubber came right off. What the hell did dad even drive over?
It was late, it was dark. Our only saving grace was that dad managed to pull over before we got into an accident.
We had a spare tyre, car jack, and cross-wrench in the bonnet, so dad tried to perform self-repair.
My phone battery was running out, I don’t know how long we could keep its flashlight on for.
“Dear, give me a try.”
“Sure…”
My dad wiped the sweat off his forehead. A black smear now decorated his skin.
Mom nudged the cross-wrench with her wrist. Once in position, she forcefully stepped on it.
Crack.
“There.”
The bolt had come loose. Dad fell sullen.
She wiped her forehead. Just like dad, now had a black mark on her face exactly where dad had it.
“Oh dear… don’t be sad.”
“I’m not sad.”
“But you’re avoiding me?”
“Not on purpose…”
“I love the imperfect you dear.”
Dad raised his head timidly to look at mom. She patted his head. Both looked into each other’s eyes for a while and…
…Fuck this flirting bullshit I want to go back home and sleep.
“One of six bolts down…”
Mom muttered.
As dad was trying to loosen the second bolt, a fancy car pulled over.
Suddenly, a man wearing a suit came out. His uniform was adorned with various badges.
All of us raised our guard.
Many cars just sped by without paying any mind. So why did this guy stop?
“Excuse me, you seem to be in trouble?”
“Um, yes, as you can see. Flat tyres…”
“Yes, I see that.”
I don’t know if my eyes were pulling pranks, but I thought I saw the shadows solidify into some odd mass.
“Could I try?”
“It’s fine sir. Thank you for your help, but we can probably manage things…”
One by one, using the cross wrench the bolts came off magically.
“Can I have the spare tyre?”
“Umm… huh…?”
My dad couldn’t say a thing after seeing that. He just rolled the new tyre over.
The tyre, held by the shadow hands was put into place, the bolts were sewn on swiftly.
“You might need to check with a mechanic, but for now I think this should be enough to get you home.”
“Um, your name sir?”
“Oh, I’m Sirus. Sirus Wells.
“Thank you, Sir Wells.”
“You’re welcome. It just happened that I was passing by. I couldn’t just leave a stranded family in the middle of the road so late in the night can I now?”
Beep. Beep.
His watch flashed red.
“Looks like I have to go. Take care on the road.”
Quickly, he left with a dashing smile.
As we stood there dumbfounded while his car drove away, I couldn’t help but think how amazing it was to have his blessing.
“He must be a SPF.”
“Probably.”
Lucky us.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
“You hear anything?”
“No.”
“That’s good then.”
“I’m not taking my earbuds off though.”
“Me neither.”
““Hallelujah.””
Both of us were wearing cotton earbuds, but our voices could still be heard slightly.
We returned home fairly late, so I doubt that those would still have the energy to do ‘that’ right? RIGHT?
Well, in case something like that does happen, then the earbuds will serve to protect our minds from mental damage.
Our room was dark, the only light being moonlight pouring in from the window.
We used to have a night light in the past. But after it broke, we simply got used to sleeping in pitch-black darkness.
“Elliot.”
“What?”
It seems that both of us couldn’t really sleep after what dad told us after all.
“Do you regret it?”
“Regret what?”
“This blessing. Me.”
Do I regret it?
I should be the one asking her.
“No.”
It can’t be helped that what we hoped for, an ability to kick butt, didn’t happen. But even so, there was nothing unhappy about having another companion that completely understands you.
“Thank you.”
“I should be thanking you.”
“Then what do you want to be when you grow up… now that becoming an SPF isn’t possible?”
“Well, I don’t know. You?”
“Maybe a full-time housewife.”
“What the hell?”
Her saying that was completely out of my expectations.
“I’m joking, I’m joking. I don’t know what I want to do either but… if you happen to find something, do tell.”
“You’re thinking if one of us finds an interest in one career, the other will too?”
“Most likely. We are the same after all.”
We are the same.
Maybe one day in the far future we would think back to this moment and laugh at just how absurd it was for us both to know each other like the back of our heads.
I’m sure as we progress in life, we’ll split in our own ways and eventually become our own different personalities.
I wonder what kind of person she’d become?
The thought of it felt… kind of melancholic for some reason.
Knock. Knock.
“W-What’s that.”
Elliot’s ♀ body sprung up from the bed.
“Hm…”
I got up sullenly and made it to the door. Elliot ♀ remained seated with eyes locked in my direction.
“Who is it?”
I asked.
“It’s me.”
It kinda sounds like Jasper.
I opened the door.
“Hello.”
Oh, it is Jasper.
Him, his blanket, pillow, and oversized carrot plushie.
“What’s wrong?”
“They’re too noisy.”
““…””
Oh, so the earbuds were effective after all.
Hallelujah!
“So you two actually sleep like this?”
“Like how else did you expect it?”
“I was hoping to catch you two in the act.”
Wow, what a jerk.
“Can I sleep here then?”
“No way.”
“Whatt…. please??”
We were joking. But take that as a lesson never to say lewd stuff about me and Elliot ♀.
Jasper took the futon side with me.
With him around, Elliot ♀ and I couldn’t continue our conversation.
Well, whatever. It wasn’t like we were discussing anything of grave importance.
“…”
“…”
“…Aren’t you guys bothered by the noise?”
“I don’t hear it.”
“We’re wearing earbuds.”
“…Crazy.”
You’re the crazy one for not preparing safety measures to safeguard your mind.
A few seconds passed in silence. Jasper suddenly got up and threw his carrot plushie down in frustration.
“Give me the cotton earbuds.”
He demanded.
“Beg for it. Twerp.”
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
It was the morning of the next day.
“Morning boys… and girls.”
“Morning.”
Our parents were already awake by the time the three of us got up.
Both of them looked completely… sparkly.
Ugh.
Dad’s blessing was the ability to alter the weight of a chosen object.
It’s somewhat related to gravity yet not? The matter structure of the object themselves doesn’t get affected by the ability, so it was safe for him to alter the weight of a living thing. That includes me.
Of course, his blessing had nothing to do with his career as an event planner.
As for mom… her blessing was rather peculiar.
Simply put, she’s a half-succubus.
And by that I mean she has both the sex drive and dream-weaving ability you’d expect from a race like that. Dad told us once that when she’s really ‘into in’, her tails, fangs, horns and wings would appear for a brief period. It seems to be something involuntary. Mom can’t consciously materialise them.
Of course, there were other nuances to her blessing like difficulty in getting pregnant and the passionate love she shows at times.
But with that said, I think dad was pretty lucky to have mom be completely enamoured by him.
I’m just curious how he does it with her every night? Mom is an exception, but wasn’t dad just a normal human being? And to leave not a single trace of their act in bed the very next morning… was suspicious.
“Yes?”
Mom asked with all smiles.
“N-Nothing.”
Yeah… I’ve mentioned it once, I’ll mention it again: some things are better left in the dark.
Yep.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
“What in the world? Then doesn’t it mean the guy could literally end the world if he wanted to?”
“But they said there were limitations to what he could do with reality right?”
“Yeah, but the limitation is that an equal and opposite probability would happen. So say if he shifted the probability of living to a bullet wound to 100 percent, then the cost should be the decrease in his probability to live past fifty to 0 percent.”
“Or, what if the weight of the probability depends on the situation itself? Like, the difference between the probability of a meteor hitting Earth and the probability of a coin flip. They can’t be the same.”
“But he wouldn’t know what probability was deducted right? What if the weight of the situation itself doesn’t matter? And there’s no guarantee that the negative probability is a negative thing. Like, say the probability of not getting married?”
Elliot ♀ and I was discussing the documentary of a student whose blessing-cum-ability was shifting probability.
The idea of shifting probability was itself vague. I mean… what does it even mean to shift probability? Does it also entail the probability of something irrelevant like… the probability of a talking frog?
Also, this was an example of a blessing under the ‘problematic’ category.
“I suppose it’s people like them that the SPF need to keep a lookout for.”
“Right.”
Say in an extreme situation where he uses his blessing to conduct massive culling at the cost of his life as compensation, we’ll need someone to save the world. The SPF should have members of certain blessings capable of countering.
From blessings that allow a person to predict earthquakes, to the ability to stop time. It’s often people with ‘problematic’ blessings that become SPFs.
It’s for this reason that we find them so interesting.
In fact, our ability was part of the ‘shifting reality’ category. Two realities, mine and Elliot’s ♀ had to merge to make our current reality possible. It wasn’t as simple as summoning a pet dragon.
Heck. I wouldn’t be surprised if there existed someone who had messed with the timeline. Giving birth to what we were experiencing today.
“Hey. Elliot.”
Elliot ♀ called out to me.
“Remember how that officer asked if we wanted to attend the special school?”
“For problematic blessings?”
“Yeah. What do you think about the proposal now?”
Recalling a few months ago when the officer gave us a choice to transfer schools… we denied it, didn’t we?
Even mom had to check in on our decision a couple times. After all, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to partake in the special program.
Not only that, but it’s because we rejected it that dad thought we still had intentions to go overseas. Because once you’re part of the program, it’ll be much harder to enter foreign universities built for normal people.
That said, being part of this ‘troublesome’ category ain’t all sour plum and pineapples. School fees are borne by the government here. It’s also a shortcut to becoming a locally trained SPF.
And… you get to live high school like college thanks to the way they planned the curriculum. Well, I’m pretty sure Elliot ♀ just wants an excuse to avoid Ellis.
Or was she seriously considering going?
I mean… Isn’t it kind of stupid that we’re denying such an opportunity just because of…
“You’re thinking about Aria, aren’t you?”
Elliot ♀ sighed.
“Yeah…”
“Hey, what if it all goes to shit either way? We may like Aria, but the chances of taking the relationship beyond high school is… you know. Low.”
“…Right.”
It wasn’t like I’ve never entertained the idea.
Elliot ♀ was just repeating my own words back to myself.
“What if we evolve our blessing and by some unruly luck develop a branching ability? We may be able to join the SPF, it’s not like all hope is lost. ”
“You mean telepathy?”
“You never know right?”
Yeah. No way. What if our minds suddenly merge and we become a single consciousness controlling two bodies. That’d be scary as heck.
“Don’t speak the impossible…”
“Then, what if one day one of us disappears?”
“What? Disappears?”
“Right.”
Elliot ♀ looked me right in the eye.
“If someone with an anti-blessing touches us, what would happen? Or, what if one of us dies? Would both of us die?”
“Why would you think of that all of a sudden?”
“There’s so much we don’t know about this blessing. Don’t you think it would be a much better idea to learn all we can than to be… ignorant?”
Elliot ♀ was seriously considering changing schools.
Why?
Why would she change her mind?
Oh, right.
It was because of Ellis and Aria.
She feels that there’s no chance with either of them.
I mean, frankly, if I knew getting together with Ellis and Aria was an impossible development, I’d readily jump ship. After all, it would give us more opportunities in the future.
Hell, why didn’t I think of this?
In this case, Elliot ♀ was being considerate of my feelings. My decisions.
I would’ve never considered this point of view because I was still sitting on the fence.
After all, if she went, I would have to follow. And that would mean… leaving Aria behind.
“We’re… practically inseparable huh?”
Wow. To think I never realised the weight of such a simple fact.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
‘Elliot, how are you doing?’
“Huh…”
What’s this? Aria is asking me about my holiday?
‘I’m doing alright. Still have a bunch of holiday homework left to do though.’
She responded almost immediately to my text.
‘Me too.’
Uh, uh? What should I reply to her?
‘Elliot, do you want to do the homework together?’
What?
‘Together? How?’
‘I’m not forcing you or anything like that.’
‘Since I’m the only one at home, I can invite you over?’
She’s the only one at home…
And she’s inviting me over?
What?
Just what is this all of a sudden? Elliot ♀ and I just talked about her earlier and now she…
‘With Elliot?’
I asked.
There was a short pause before her reply.
‘Sure! Let’s get our homework done together.’
‘When?’
‘How about Wednesday morning at 10am? You can stay until whenever. Since it’s lonely being the only one at home.’
“Elliot. Aria invited us to her home.”
“…What?”
Elliot ♀ who was doing her homework instead of procrastinating, turned to me with a stunned expression.
“Wednesday.”
“W-Why all of a sudden?”
Her expression hardened.
“I-I don’t know…”
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
“You plan to visit a friend’s house this Wednesday?”
“Yeah. She invited us both, is it alright if we went?”
“And what will you be doing there?”
Dad scratched his head.
“She said to do homework.”
“Homework?”
“Holiday homework I guess? But I feel like we’re probably just going to hang out or something.”
“Well, if she’s alright with it then I don’t think there’s any problems? Just remember to be respectful in front of her parents.”
“We’ll keep that in mind.”
I don’t know if they’ll even be around to begin with.
“Elliots, one more thing okay?”
Mom suddenly interjected.
“Don’t forget to bring contraceptives.”
“…”
“…”
Alright, mom. Point taken.
No threesome.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
“Elliot. Do you still feel anything for Aria?”
“Hm? Why do you ask that?”
“Because.”
Because…
“I wonder why Aria suddenly invited us to her home.”
“I wonder that too.”
And it was an invitation through ‘me’.
It’s perhaps my self-delusion but… could it be that Aria only wanted me to come today?
Even if that were the case, I’d be too chicken to go alone.
A girl and a boy in an empty house? You know what kind of business is going to happen if it actually happened.
“Do you think it’s because she’s trying to hint at something?”
She asked.
“Like what?”
I wasn’t dumb. I knew what she meant.
“You still like Aria.”
“I won’t deny that.”
“Then it’s probably the same for me.”
“Yeah.”
“Sigh…”
It’s really confusing.
If we both like Aria… how are we supposed to mutually come to an agreement?
Aria is a topic of conflict between us. And maybe because of it, she unwittingly becomes less and less a part of our lives.
“Do you have intentions to do homework there?”
I asked.
“But if we can copy her answers, then that saves a lot of time.”
“Right.”
“Oh yeah, one more thing.”
“What?”
“Did you bring contraceptives?”
“What the fuck?”
Of course not!
Eventually, we arrived at the address Aria sent us.
“What in the world…”
A gated estate with a wide grass plateau that seemed to stretch on forever. In the centre of such a grand vista was a lone mansion.
We knew Aria was the daughter of some wealthy family but… wasn’t this too extreme?
At the front gate stood a guy wearing a suit. An old man with a refined white moustache.
Yes.
A butler.
I never thought I’d ever see one in person.
He noticed us made his way over with an elegant gait.
“I beg ye pardon, could you be Elliot?”
“Yes… we’re Elliot.”
He performed a bowed.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you two. I heard a lot from Aria. I am Sebastian, a butler who manages this estate. Allow me to carry your items if you’re fine with it?”
The hell is with the coincidence of his name? Are all butlers called Sebastians?
“Ah. N-No it’s fine. We can carry them on our own.”
“Wait, but this—a souvenir.”
Elliot ♀ handed him the fruit basket we prepared as a gift.
“How thoughtful of you. I thank you for the gift, this way, please. Aria is waiting inside.”
The mansion was as fancy outside as it was inside.
Carpeted floors, granite pillars. The entrance was wide with a grand stairway leading to the first floor. A chandelier hung above, while a small lounge area was created just underneath.
We followed him, feeling like two pigs being led into a butchery.
“It’s the first time the lady had invited anyone to her home.”
He said.
“Really?”
First time?
With a house so big, I kinda expected her to hold some big birthday parties in the past.
“Yes, we host parties every year. Most of the guests are friends of the lord and lady.”
Friends of the lord and lady? What is this? 18th-century aristocracy?
Putting that aside, what is this unsettling feeling I’m getting? We’re not going to die, are we?
“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”
He placed his hands on the double doors.
“Aria, your friends have arrived.”
And then pushed it.
“Elliot, good morning!”
We saw her smile…
And was momentarily dumbstruck.
If there was such a thing as a modern-day princess, I think this scene encapsulates it perfectly.
An elegant red silk dress and loosely bounded crimson hair flowing—tracing the shape of her exposed neck and shoulders.
Her smile looked forced, and awkward. She was really trying her best to accommodate us.
““G-Good morning…””
Elliot ♀ and I greeted her like a broken parrot.
“Enjoy your time.”
Gently holding the basket of fruits, Sebastian bowed and went out after leaving with a few kind words.
The door shut with a click.
It was now just the three of us.
This place looked like a mini library doubling up as a study room. Teas and snacks have been prepared, books could be seen neatly piled up on one end.
Aria then suddenly stood up.
Her strides were gentle yet elegant, every footstep left a heavy imprint in my mind. I felt my heart race.
“I-Is it uncomfortable?”
She asked, fidgeting.
“It’s… um, a little bit?”
“Your house is… really big.”
“Isn’t it?”
She smiled bitterly.
Her appearance and aura may have changed, but her essence was still the same.
A kind, considerate soul.
She walked up to us and grabbed both our wrists.
“T-This way.”
This feels weird.
WEIRD!
Elliot ♀ and I felt our faces burn up.
Contrary to the antique feel of the room architecture, the books were all of modern times. I even saw manga on one of the shelves.
We came to the corner of the large mini-library, and there, Aria pulled at a lever disguised as a book.
The unsuspecting bookshelf turned into a spinning door that led to a secret passageway.
What the hell?
“This way.”
“Is this…”
“No way…”
“Yes way.”
Aria chuckled with her head held high.
“…Where are we going?”
“Um… well…”
But her excitement soon turned into embarrassment as her words erred.
“I’m sorry.”
“W-What do you mean?”
“For making you uncomfortable…”
She’s over-doing it!
“It’s fine Aria, it’s fine… thank you for your consideration.”
“Y-Yeah. Just like she said… huh?!”
The shelf-door shut behind us, plunging the room into darkness. The sounds of our asynchronous breathing and the tightening of her grasp. I felt heavy, the kind of feeling when you’re inside a rising elevator.
Then it stopped.
Ding!
“This way.”
The door opened up on the other side. Aria led the way towards the exit.
A giant canopy bed neatly folded, a cabinet full of trophies and awards, a dedicated shelf for plushies, a hanging photo album, a cute study desk with post-it notes…
We found ourselves in a spacious bedroom.
“This…”
“I didn’t mean to create trouble. I just thought it would be better if we studied here.”
Aria turned to us and said with a bitter smile.
Here?
Here is… her room?
In her room?
Where it’s supposed to be off-limits?
Elliot ♀ and I looked at each other, and swallowed at the same time.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
On the low round table, Aria sat between us.
Elliot ♀ and I couldn’t concentrate on homework thanks to the many unsettling questions spinning in our heads.
But, with the bonafide academic prodigy by our side, we couldn’t just fool around either.
She had completed her homework and was now guiding us on some of the questions we had a harder time answering. Especially so for additional mathematics.
However, most of the time, she just silently waited.
Neither Elliot ♀ nor I had the guts to ask Aria to let us copy her answer. Not when she was being so nice.
Knock. Knock.
Our focus was interrupted.
“I’ll go get it.”
Aria stood up slowly and made her way to the door.
“This is… nerve-wracking.”
Elliot ♀ muttered.
“You could say that again…”
My heart was beating like mad.
Is Elliot’s heart also beating like this? How about Aria? Her smile had always been languid, but it was a slight difference today. It felt a little more tense.
Aria returned with a tray.
“How about we take a break?”
She placed the items on the table.
“What’s this…”
“Cake?!”
Not only were there nuts, fruits, and drinks, but three slices of crystal-like blueberry cheesecake.
“It’s the least I could prepare. I’m glad you two could come to visit me.”
She said with a smile.
““Thank you!””
Oh damn, and the cake is delicious!
“Where did you get this?”
“I’m not too sure. Sebas might know since I told him to get the best cheesecake in town.”
Best cheesecake?
With so much effort put into the taste and appearance, I wonder how much it costs?
“You aren’t eating the cake?”
Elliot ♀ asked.
“Oh, I will. I’m simply eating the nuts first. It helps prevent the sugar spike that comes with eating sweet things.”
Crunch. Crunch.
She looked at us innocently as she chewed on the cashews.
“Um, then should we have eaten the nuts first too?”
Wasn’t she too young to think about her health like this? No wonder she refuses to buy set meals in the cafeteria that don’t have vegetables.
Thinking along those lines, now I was beginning to feel health conscious.
“You can eat it together with the cake.”
Elliot ♀ grabbed a handful and chucked it into her mouth, I did the same.
Aria suppressed a laugh seeing our actions.
Only after a dozen or so of the cashews did Aria begin indulging in her cake.
The pastry was certainly delicious, but her expression didn’t change much from it. She was rather indifferent to food, come to find.
“Aria. Are your parents not home today either?”
I asked.
She shook her head.
“They’ve been away for a month now. I’m not sure when they’ll be back.”
“They didn’t tell you?”
“They’re busy.”
A lonely smile on her face as she spoke the hard truth. I wonder what it was like to live in such a large home all by herself? Alone, devoid of the care and love of her parental figure.
“Then, when your parents are here… normally what do you guys do?”
“Well… mother and father don’t have the best of relationship so they don’t come home at the same time. I’m either with one or the other.”
Aria looked uncomfortable as she tried to put her explanation into words.
“Father normally brings me to amusement parks, the aquariums, museums… or any place nice.”
“Mother on the other hand likes to buy me gifts. Like this dress… it was something I got for an event.”
“But there is only one occasion when they’ll meet each other each year, and that’s on my birthday.”
So could we say that her parents dote on her?
They may not have good chemistry between them, but from the way Aria spoke of it, couldn’t it be that they’ve decided to stay together still for Aria’s sake?
“Speaking of birthdays, when is your birthday Aria?”
“November 2nd.”
“November 2nd…”
I better remember that.
“Do you plan to come to the party then?”
“Party?”
“Every year, my parents host a party for me. Of course, it’s not like it’s done for only fun. It serves mainly diplomatic purposes. So it might not be the kind of party you’d expect.”
A world of the super-rich I might not be able to understand…
Using Aria’s birthday as an excuse to invite influential people over to connect…
“But… it’s not as if we can’t join the party right?”
After all, wouldn’t it be better for Aria if she at least had someone to accompany her?
“Right.”
Elliot ♀ too agreed.
Aria’s smile grew weak.
“Then I’ll ask my parents for permission.”
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
<Elliot Amaryllis (♀)>
“Do you know where the washroom is?”
Elliot ♂ asked.
“It’s just down the corridor.”
“Alright.”
“Do you need me to guide you?”
“Maybe not? I’ll see if I can make it there alone, if I can’t find it then I’ll come back and ask again.”
Elliot ♂ left.
Now it was just me and Aria.
My heart was pounding.
I suddenly felt the urge to use the washroom too, but I felt uncomfortable telling her.
You know, maybe I’ll wait until Elliot ♂ comes back first before I go.
“Elliot, are you studying for the midterms?”
“Midterms?”
After Golden Week, the next big event would be the midterms. That was about a month away.
“Isn’t that still far away?”
“It’s better to prepare early, no?”
Seriously?
I groaned.
Thinking about the exams put me in a bad spot. But it also made me curious.
Would Elliot ♂ and I answer the questions exactly the same way? That could actually happen, couldn’t it now?
“I’ll help.”
Aria beamed a bright smile.
I was puzzled by her statement.
“You’ll help?”
I asked.
She nodded.
“You can come to the library during the days when you don’t have track club practice. I’m there most of the time until the late afternoons.”
“You study there like that every day?”
“I don’t have anything else to do.”
Wha… what kind of girl is this?
She’s too studious! Too pure!
What kind of boring life is she living anyways!?
“Alright. I’ll come when I have the time.”
“I can’t wait.”
Honestly, I knew she often stayed back in the library after school but why hadn’t I thought about staying back to accompany her during the earlier school days? All the wasted time and opportunity I could’ve spent with her…
Huh?
“Then about Elliot…”
“He can come too.”
Right.
Of course.
It’s him.
It’s always got to be him…
“Ellis also… if you’re fine with it.”
Aria laughed bitterly.
I had a hunch that she knew what had happened. Maybe damn Elliot ♂ spilt the beans to her.
“He’s taking long…”
Aria turned to the door.
“He sure is.”
“Maybe he’s lost. I’ll take the plates out while I go check on him. You stay here alright?”
“Okay.”
I watched Aria leave. Holding the tray in her hands in such an elegant dress that exposed both her shoulders and back… I’m surprised I hadn’t gotten a nosebleed from such a seductress.
Damn it.
Calm down Elliot (me).
Aria… probably just likes both of us.
If there’s something special going on between the two of them, then it’s synonymous with there being something special going on between us.
“…Right?”
Yet somewhere inside I felt a seed of doubt.
What if the situation were to play out exactly the same as it did with Ellis?
I shook my head.
“Snap out of it.”
I slapped my cheeks and got up.
“Since she’s not here, let’s take a look at what she has in her room.”
I snuck around her pastel-coloured bedroom. A bookshelf of both educational materials and various light novels, a fluffy bed with five cute plushies sitting in a row on top. Her study desk had everything from her timetable, notebooks, stationery and post-it notes.
“Huh?”
I know it was rude, but my hands unconsciously reached out for the drawer.
Inside I saw a thick book. Instinctively, I knew what this was.
Aria’s planner and…
Diary.
My hands trembled.
It was Aria’s diary.
What did she write inside…?
I tried to peek from inside one of the pages… but before I could read anything, something fell out.
I panicked.
I quickly picked up the item that fell…
It was last year’s class photo.
There was Aria in the middle. In just a few short months, she had matured a lot. Her hair was now longer, her baby face now much more refined.
“Ah…”
And standing a few rows behind her was…
It wasn’t me.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
<Elliot Amaryllis (♂)>
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Sebastian bowed.
In the end, I did get lost in the winding corridors.
It can’t be helped since we entered through the secret passage, not the main door.
The hallway was decorated with classy paintings or quotes from famous people. Sometimes wooden shelves displayed one or two antique objects.
For a mansion, it felt otherworldly. As if this were the home of a bonafide aristocrat.
“Aria.”
Sebastian suddenly called, I snapped to the front.
“Oh, Sebas.”
“Please allow me.”
He quickly took the tray from Aria’s hand.
“Thank you Sebas.”
“It’s my duty. My apologies for not noticing it soon.”
“Oh no. I’m merely doing this for my own self-satisfaction. You led Elliot to the washroom, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you. I’ll take it from here.”
“I’ll humbly take my leave.”
Aria watched his back with a wry smile.
Then she turned to me, abashed.
“Sorry but… could you wait outside while I use the washroom? It’ll be over in a jiffy…”
“O-Oh. Sure… no problems!”
“Thank you.”
She lowered her head as she passed by. Awkwardly, I waited.
A thought then occurred to me.
Those towels inside… could it be that Aria had used them earlier? And… everything else too. The shower, bathtub, sink—
Shit, calm down Elliot.
I shook my head and slapped my cheeks.
Deep breaths.
I heard the sound of water flushing. My expression hardened.
Now I felt like a pervert.
Aria came out soon after, looking refreshed.
“Let’s return.”
“Yes.”
We walked side by side. The hall was wide enough to accommodate us both.
I tried to match my walking pace with hers, finding her current gait somewhat slower than my own. I wonder why it felt off.
“Elliot.”
“Yes?”
“The thing between you and Ellis.”
“…What about it?”
“It’s over already right?”
“…”
What was she…
She stopped and looked at me with doubt and worry in her eyes. I was momentarily rendered unable to think.
“You and her are… just friends now, right?”
“…Yes. We’re just friends. No more, no less…”
She looked away.
I took notice of her beautiful dark red hair.
Her hands gracefully traced her bangs over the back of her ears.
I took notice of her eyelashes.
Her shy, fearful expression of uncertainty and anticipation.
I took notice of her face and neck.
Her skin was without a single blemish.
I took notice of her exposed shoulders and chest.
Her titillating appearance tempted indecent fantasies.
I took notice of her silk red dress.
Her appearance today felt both enchanting and out of reach.
Meekly.
Meekly, she glanced at me.
“Elliot.”
I held my breath.
“After the holidays, can you accompany me to the library after class?”
She invited me.
“Let’s study together.”
Initiating the first step.
“Please?”
I… was left with a hard choice to make.
