His soothing embrace

I blink several times. What may it be? I have never seen before such a peculiar living form. Niji seems to share my thoughts as he points an accusing wing towards it.

“What ARE you!?”

     The little creature doesn’t move, observing us attentively before answering in a calm tone.

“I am Kodama, the protector of Amahara Corporation.”

     Kodama, the main AI of the company? Come to think of that… I already heard this voice before. It is the one which made a report to the director, back in his office. When we met for the first time.

“The protector?” Niji hopped from my shoulder, landing on the floor, near Kodama. “You’d better try protecting the single leaf on your head.”

“I am in charge of the security system of this building.” The AI takes a look at me, ignoring Niji to his greatest dismay. “You have been acting in a suspicious manner. I’ll have to report this to Mr Leafeyorb.”

     I slightly unseal my lips. What would he think if he finds out about our little enquiry? He would doubtlessly think of it as an inappropriate behaviour from the heiress of the Andersen family. Would he be deceived?

“You’re not gonna report it!”

“Reason why?” Wonders with a neutral tone Kodama to Niji’s protests.

     Half-closing my eyes, I avert my gaze while replacing a strand of snowy hair behind my ear.

“I merely wanted… to make him a gift.”

     My whisper softly brushes the air, like the breeze.

     After hearing it, Kodama stares at me for a long moment.

     Then he makes a few steps, walking away down the hallway.

“Hey! Don’t you go like this!”

     The little creature stops, taking a glance back at us. His gaze lingers on me.

“The director likes homemade food.”

     Soon after the words have echoed in the corridor, his silhouette flickers and he disappears in the same way he appeared. Out of nowhere.

***

Sitting in a rest area, I take a moment of respite before the dinner. Niji plays, making small hops on my laps.

“Isn’t it great? Now you know what to offer him! You’ll just have to cook him something.”

“…!”

     To his words I freeze. At this moment, when Kodama shared this information with us, I didn’t realize what it meant. Of course… Homemade food suggests you have to cook it by yourself.

“Hmm? Are you okay?”

“I don’t know how to cook…”

     I never had to cook anything since I usually ordered online or asked the robotic maid that works for me to prepare me a meal. The only time I have ever tried to cook something… I merely put fine ingredients together, but the result had a shape I prefer not to remember.

     Back then I have had a nightmare,.. and the “meal” I prepared crawled towards me, wondering with its dolorous voice “Why… Why did you make me…”.

     A shiver runs down my spine.

     I don’t think that is the kind of homemade food the director likes.

“Aurora!”

     Emerging from my thoughts, I turn my head to behold Aki’s silhouette. As I stand up, my cockatiel soon lands on my shoulder and I make a few steps in her direction. At her sides walks Tenchi. But… Something feels off about him. His gaze, why is it devoid of its usual brightness? He seems to watch a thing that is beyond our grasp. Is he that exhausted?

“Did you have a good day?”

     I focus back on Aki and nod as a reply before pointing an interrogative finger at her.

“Yes. I’ve finished my video game. You know, Cat Attack.”

     She really likes to play video games during her free time. As for me, I prefer to spend my time on the reports, so usually I don’t have much time left for anything else.

     A grunt.

     In a same move, we turn our heads to stare at Tenchi. He grits his teeth, clenches his fists until his hands tremble under the pressure.

“H-Huh? Tenchi, what’s going on?”

     He is not in his usual state. Not even does he answer to Aki before he slowly raises an arm. I can feel there is an emotion waving his arms that should not be there. An emotion that does not feel like being his. An emotion that is out of place. Anger.

     Before the blow flies, I manage to push Aki. Her emerald eyes wide opened, she steps back on a few meters while Tenchi’s fist hits my forearm.

     Feathers rustling and surprised shouts echo in the rest area while I stumble, loosing my balance. I can feel the floor forcefully bashing against my knee, extending my arms to regain control on my moves.

“Aurora!!”

     A quick glance at the void in his eyes, Tenchi making a step forward to kick me, is enough to urge me standing up. Strands of pure white hair flies away after me, following my move, fluttering for a while in the air.

     There is no reason to overreact… The security system will soon activate. I merely have to step back and put some distance between us. Our bearded companion’s behaviour is surely one of these so-called “side effects”. He would never hit me on purpose.

     A faint sound makes me widen my eyes. I realize I have collided with the wall.

     Raising my eyes back on Tenchi, I discern his fist whizzing through the air towards me and prefer to close my eyes…

     Still, the blow does not hit me.

     Instead of it I can feel a firm yet soft pressure against my arm as I am dragged to the side, another hand brushing against my stomach, securely pushing me back against a soft surface.

“Stay in one piece, will you?”

     A gentle voice, the same as leafs rustling in the wind, caresses my ear.

“…?”

     His arm circling my waist, Marygold Leafeyorb holds me tightly against his chest. The warmth radiating from his body grazes my back…

     It reminds me of the old-fashioned wood fire. The kind that heated houses, back in time. There is one such in the place where I live, in Lapland.

     During winter, when it crackles and I settle near it – as useless as this practice may be due to the automatic temperature regulation – its warmth… it is soothing.

     With a slow gesture, I place my fingertips against his forearm, his hand.

     I remember each time it made me feel slightly drowsy. Nonetheless, event at these moments I didn’t let myself fall asleep, just because I wished to enjoy this feeling a little longer.

     For a fleeting moment, a moment lasting longer in my mind than it really does, I forget about everything else. It is strange… And I can’t quite understand why I feel this appeased.

     Though I don’t mind.

     The security system soon activates and a floating disc stands above Tenchi’s head. Then it widens to form a large grey ring while emitting a colourless ray.

     Instantly, Tenshi’s particles stiffen, and he is unable to make any single move as if frozen. Staff members will soon come to take care of him.

“Are you okay Miss Andersen?”

     Releasing his grip on my arm, the director makes a step back and I can feel his hand slip under my fingers.

     Turning to face him, I nod my head slightly. Although I can still sense some discomfort on my forearm and on my knee, it would be frivolous to dwell on it.

“Thank you.”

     In a faint voice, I hope these simple words would reach him. Maybe I should have said them a bit louder?

     A smile soon answers me, sweeping away my doubts. His gaze lingers on mine longer than necessary before taking a brief look at the staff members who approach with rapid steps.

     Meanwhile, Niji lands upon my head.

“Bring him to the medical department and make sure to monitor him until he returns to normal.”

     The director’s attention returns on me.

“How about a little stroll in the garden? Getting some fresh air wouldn’t hurt after what just happened, don’t you think so?”

     Before considering Mr Leafeyorb’s proposition, I cast a last glance at Tenchi. I hope he will soon be back to normal. Are there likely to be more incidents like this? More than ever, I understand why we are confined inside Amahara Corporation until the end of the tests.

     Focusing back on the director, I nod to him.

     As we walk away, I almost don’t notice the flushed cheeks igniting Aki’s features. How long has she been watching us like this? I suppose she’s still under shock from the incident which just occurred.