A Deadly Smile and a Crazy Plan

I stared at Ishan as he explained how his sister got injured.

“That’s also the reason why I departed earlier from the dungeon mission, since I had to visit my sister…also” he swallowed hard, his breath a little unsteady.

“I shouldn’t have treated you like that the last time, I was just so overwhelmed with emotions and your behaviour kept on reminding me of Ela, so I got frustrated. I shouldn’t have screamed at you, no I shouldn’t have judged you for being a demon, just because of my memories I–”

He couldn’t continue his words. Instead his eyes were locked on mine, a concerned expression formed on his face. He reached out his hand toward my cheek.

“You are crying,” he said as he wiped the tears from my eyes.

Ishan you…

“I’m…”

I bit my trembling lips and swallowed.

“I-I’m so sorry Ishan!” I sobbed.

The tears flowed faster than before. I frantically tried to wipe them away with my hand, only for Ishan to catch them.

“You aren’t supposed to say sorry here! You didn’t even do anything wrong! I am the one who treated you terribly, also…” he furrowed his brows, while wiping my tears away gently.

“... I shouldn’t have called you a demon. I should have talked things out with you earlier but I left you restless. Making you worry about whether you belonged in the squad. I–” he swallowed.

“Pointy ears stop apologizing and just hug it out!” Tannie tapped him.

“Hug it out?” he asked, confused.

I sniffed my tears away and opened my arms.

Ishan looked at me perplexed.

“Come and let me comfort you!” I said.

“No, you don’t need to–”

“No, come here already!” I said as I pulled his arms. Tannie shoved him from behind. He lost his balance and found himself in my embrace. I placed my hands gently on his back.

“I’m so sorry Ishan, if I had known how much the demons traumatized you, I would have acted carefully. But I-” my voice faltered.

“Meilyn?” he asked, trying to pull away but I tightened my grip.

Idiot, don’t just try to look at my face right now! I can’t talk if you stare at me.

“I…”

“Hey? What is it?”

“Pointy ears, don’t interrupt her! She is trying to tell you something right now but she doesn’t have the courage to look at you!” Tannie said.

“I know it’s hard to believe in a demon, but I–” I swallowed and breathed hard.

“B-but I really am a good person, really! So please don’t hate me anymore!” I cried out. My vision went blurry, I could only feel my hands tightening around his back.

Desperately trying to hold on to him, while I breathed heavily.

“I already told you I don’t hate you, hey?” He carefully patted my back.

“No, It would make so much sense for you to hate me! You have all the right to hate me for being a demon but still-”

“Hey listen to me-”

“Still, would it be too much for me to wish for you to trust me? I really want to get along with you but I feel like that won’t be possible anymore.”

“Hey…” his voice called out softly.

I felt his hands gently holding on to me.

“I already told you that I am the one who is sorry, why are you apologizing?”

“Because if it weren’t for demons then none of this would have happened!” I wept.

“Still, you are different, you are not like them and even though I am far too late in realizing that, I know that now,” he whispered, still carefully caressing my back, in soothing small circles.

“You, not only your sister but even your friends…” I trembled as I clung to his shirt.

“It’s alright you don’t have to say anything,” he said, his voice mellow.

“I should be the one comforting you, not you me! I, I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry, I-”

“Don’t be sorry, Meilyn. Are you always so apologetic? Where is the girl who usually fights back?”

“She is hiding in her room,” I replied while sniffing.

“Then bring her out already,” he whispered.

“I don’t think that’s possible!” I cried out.

“It’s alright. I told you all of this because I didn’t want to have any more misunderstandings between us, also…”

“Also?”

he cleared his throat, then he continued.

“I-I also want to get along with you from now on. Besides, Ela would absolutely love you.”

“Your sister, why?” I sniffed.

“Because you are exactly the same, really!” he chuckled softly.

“She is just like you. A little troublemaker, with a chaotic nature!”

Suddenly his body trembled, he started to burst out laughing while holding on to me.

Wait, wait! What’s with the change in the mood?

“That really sounds like another Meilyn,” Tannie who silently watched over us until now, added with a nod.

“Hey, why are you teasing me now?”

“Sorry!” he said as he loosened his grip and held on to my shoulders.

“I really didn’t think I would laugh like that.” he said as a smile formed on his lips. A smile so bright as if he finally was able to let go of everything that burdened him, as if he was free. A soft yet calm smile.

“Smile.”

“Hm?”

Danger

D-D-D-Danger!

Dangerous, what is this?

Did he turn into an angel? Why is he shining?

Deadly smile, deadly.

Handsome, deadly.

I felt my mind go dizzy, blinded by the killer smile.

“Eh? Meilyn?!” Ishan said as he kept holding on to me.

“Damn, you really are too handsome to fall for!” Tannie said.

“What?” Ishan asked, confused.

“Deadly smile..shoot.” I mumbled.

“What is happening to her?” he asked Tannie who simply flinched at the sight of the bright shining Ishan.

“Sorry Pointy ears but your gaze is deadly.”

“Deadly? What should I do?” he asked, genuinely concerned.

“Just let go of Meilyn before she collapses!” Tannie answered.

“Let go?” he slowly let go of me and placed me gently on the backrest so I wouldn’t fall down.

Breathe Meilyn!

Breathe.

Take a deep breath and think about food.

Strawberries.

Watermelon.

Pudding.

Handsome…

No!

My mind is a mess, I am screwed!

I felt the warmth in my cheeks rush in.

But wait a minute, wasn’t there something I forgot?

Ishan said his sister inhaled dark mana and no one could heal her…

Wait, obviously they couldn’t!

They needed a demon in the first place.

I heaved loudly for air, my whole body standing up with the shock.

“Hey are you fine?” Ishan asked, worried.

“Ishan!”

“Yeah?”

“Take me home!”

“What? To the demon territory? No, I am not sending you back there!”

“No, I mean your home! Yours!”

“Mine?!”

Finally my head is clear.

“Yeah,” I took a glance at him then I pulled his hand.

“I know how to save your sister! Let’s go already.”

“You…” his voice crumbled.

“No time for crying. Prepare your brightest smile and watch my miracle healing treatment!"

“Miracle what?”

I tightened my grip and felt my body slowly relax.

Then I looked seriously into Ishan’s eyes, making him visibly flinch.

“It’s the irony of fate but all you needed was a demon to heal her. You just needed someone who could cleanse her from the dark mana and as you know, I am the greatest one in terms of that.” I explained.

He watched me in silence.

“So, will you take me there, to Elaine?”

He tightened his grip.

“Yeah, let’s go meet my sister!”