Chapter 55 [Li Ying]

Apartment, Early Morning.
Lina.

I wake up the next morning feeling groggy, with a sore in my back, I grunt as I try to open my eyes, looking at the window, the sun still set, my line of sight move to the alarm clock; 6.00 a.m. What happens last night was not something prepare, Li know about my power and I manage to avoid talking about it with her last night.

Last night when I finally left in my room, I couldn't help myself but cry as the old memories begin to flood in my mind like a dam was broken, sadness and happiness overwhelmed me as I saw Haru last night; I was happy to see him but that doesn't last long as I saw what he had become. 

I need to stop him for sure tonight.

I get out of the bed slowly and head to my wardrobe; picking the blandest color cloth, I quietly wear them. I stand in front of my mirror and I could see my eyelid swollen and redden from the crying last night. Determination filled my heart while I clench my fist tightly; this time, I will make sure that nothing will stop me tonight.

Opening my room door slowly, I took a few light steps toward the front door, as I was about to pass the kitchen. I heard someone scream and suddenly, from the kitchen; Li with her pajama on, jump from the counter and on top of me.

Instead of pushing me down, she barely moves me an inch. Her arm wraps around my neck as she dangles from my shoulder.

I heard she let out a grunt in pain before speaking.

"You like a brick wall. Ouch... I think my nose hit your shoulder"

"Li what are you trying to do?" I ask; my right eyebrow raised.

"Trying to get an answer out of you!" Li exclaim; grunting while trying to hold me, preventing me from walking away.

I sighed before asking "if I answer your question will you let me go?".

"Pretty much" Li answer.

"So what do you want to know?" I ask; Li let me go grinning then she took a seat on the stool near the counter.

"Why didn't you tell me you have power?" Li ask.

There a long pause, my eyes wander as I try to think of an answer for Li question.

"I grew up in a small normal town, I love my normal life, I love my normal mom... And I love him" I said; one of Li eyebrow raised as she just heard my statement.

"I don't want that to change, do you understand?" I ask.

"I dont.," Li answer.

"Normal people have always treat powered people differently, either treat them badly or with too much kindness. I just want to a normal girl who wants that special someone to be at my side" I said; Li still look confused.

"I never tell you what am I because of this right now, you either gonna fear me or put me on a pedestal because of what I can do"I continue.

"And I hate that treatment" I confess.

"So you hide your power from me because you just want us to be regular best friends. I am offended by your statement, you know?" Li said; she turns her head away, my eyes wander to my feet as I hear her words.

"I'm sorry I lie to you if you don't wa—" I was interrupted by Li.

"You have known me for three years, do I look like a regular best friend? No, I'm your B.F.F, best friend forever, and do you think that having power gonna change the way I treated you, girl you are so wrong, I'm Li Ying and you Lina Johnson, that its. No amount of power gonna change that!" Li exclaim.

I look up and my eyes meet Li gaze, she smiles at me as she takes hold of my hand. Her warmth hand meets with mine, I have always known that Li is a good friend since I first met her, she has always been a straightforward person and open mind girl. I'm glad that I could be her friend.

"Thank you, Li. I couldn't ask for better Bff" I said; extending both of my arms, I wrap both of then around Li body and pull her close.

"Too tight but so soft? how come when I hit you. Your whole body become hard like a brick but when you hug me, it felt so soft like a pillow made out of clouds," Li said; I release her and shrug my shoulder at her question.

"Life mysteries I guess, say why are you up so early and wearing those clothes?" Li points out.

"Why are you in the kitchen so early?" I ask back.

"When we arrive home, you were kind of in an emotional wreck... And I know you need your personal space, but sooner or later you will need a shoulder to let you're feeling out... so I thought that I would wait for you here until you ready to talk to me about it" li said.

"You waited for me from last night to morning?" I ask.

"Yeah" Li answer.

"Now I feel bad because I was about to sneak out of the apartment," I said.

"What? Why?" Li exclaim.

"It's a long story.." I said.

"Does it got to do with the guy you fought last night?" Li guessed; I nodded toward her guessed.

"Want to talk about it?" Li worried.

"It complicated," I said.

"I understand... If you want to talk about it, I'll be here" Li said.

"Thank you," I said; li smiled as she heard my gratitude.

"So what you gonna do now?" Li said.

"I gonna find the man last night and bring him back" I stated.

"While in that cloth?" Li said.

"What wrong with my cloth?" I said.

"Geez Lina, do you want the whole world to know you?" Li said.

"What? I wearing bland cloth to hide my identity" I said.

"That not how you hide an identity. Follow me. I have just what you need" Li said then she started walking to her room, I follow her from behind.

Entering Li room, she immediately went to her closet, start searching for something in it, I feeling confused; walk toward her bed and take a seat on its edge.

"How do you hide a secret?" Li ask while still searching.

"Hmm...by keeping it a secret?" I joked.

"Haha, the answer to my question earlier is by showing them that you have nothing to hide!" She exclaims; turning to face me, she held a gold and white tight latex suit that seem familiar to me.

"Is that?" I ask.

"Yes, it's your super suit design, I found the blueprint in your sketchbook. First and foremost, I'm sorry, I went through your sketchbook" li apologize first; I look at her with my eyebrow furrow out of a slight anger.

"I have another thing to confess, it's always a dream of mine to make a suit for heroes," Li said.

"You know this just gonna be a one-time thing after I capture the man who attacks us last night then I'm going back to being a normal girl," I said.

"Even if it a short time, it would be an honor to me for a powered to be wearing the suit I made," Li said.

I let out a breath and said: "Fine give me that!" I snatch the suit off Li hand, she is grinning side to side as I grab the suit away from her.

"Oh wait here, a boot, your glove, and a cape. I will be waiting outside of the room, come out when you're ready!" Li said; after she places all the stuff she mentions in my hand and walks out of her room; closing the door behind her.

My gaze falls on the suit, I another long breath, groaning after I think about it for a few seconds, I decide I have no choice but to wear this stuff.

5 minutes later.

I come out wearing the suit that Li made for, stopping in front of the full-body mirror in the room, I look at my self; the suit almost the perfection recreation of my sketch superhero suit, the white color one-piece swimsuit looking super suit with a long sleeve and gold line from my shoulder to my hand, gold glove, gold long boot, a gold color mini skirt to cover my private area, and gold cape even the bare leg showing is the same design as I imagine it years ago.

I never thought one day I could wear it, my eyes wander to my shoulder; she even put the upside-down triangle symbol on my biceps.

"The suit is probably my masterpiece the entire fabric is made from kevlar-like material mix with some heat resistant material, the same one that the superhero used back in the days and to top it all off" Li said, she extended her hand toward me, looking on her hand; I could see a gold eyes mask in her hands.

Taking the eyewear, I wear it; the mask only covers around my eyes and the bridge of my nose, it even covering the little bit of my freckle. 

Suddenly, the mask emits a gold bright light, I close and cover my eyes from the light when I open it again my long wavy brunette has changed its color to fully gold.

"What?.." I let out.

"The mask change the hair color of its wearer, awesome right?!" Li exclaim; a smirk appeared on her face.

"Where do you even get this stuff?" I ask.

"I got it from Garry the guys who work at the grocery store," Li said.

"Garry?" I said.

"Yes, Garry!, he also sells Stoalium batteries for this one customer of his, he also is the one that sells me the fabric for your suit. He said he got it from old superhero costume that been long forgotten and it comes with the mask. Very chill guy" li said.

"Okay.." I said.

"Let go!" Li said.

"Where?" I ask

"To test the suit out!" Li said; with a giant grin on her face.