Chapter 4: The Lotus Pad's Magic

It was almost one week since the witch incident happened.

I explained the things that had happened to me after dealing with the assassin to Hashimaru. He seemed shocked when I told him that. He told me to rest first and he’ll just contact me if his assumptions were right. I didn’t know what that was but oh well! 

“You already removed your plaster cast! You sure you’re alright, Jen?”

Ken asked again.

“I said I’m fine already.”

“Whoa, calm down. Everyone’s just worried about you, Jen!”

Nee-chee said.

“Shouldn’t you be worried about the bastard’s condition? He’s been out lately. What’s his deal? He’s pissing me off!”

I angrily said.

“Well. He’s just down because he hasn’t been of any help regarding the witch incident. Please don’t say things like that, Jen.”

Shinsui tried to calm me down.

“I heard from Hashimaru that we will have another mission.”

Nitsuji said.

“Again?”

Shy exclaimed.

“Don’t be like that, Shy!”

“By the way, I’m hungry! Let’s go get something to eat!”

Ken asked everyone.

“Yeah, I’m also starving.”

Ace said.

“You coming, Jen?”

“Ah, no. I have to go to the library.”

“Okay. See you.”

Then, they all left.

“Now, I need to get these books back in the library.”

I stood and carried the books.

“Whoa, you’re all heavy.”

I said after lifting the books in my arms. As I was about to leave the classroom, I bumped into Skipper and others. Well, they were also my classmates, so it’s natural to bump to them. But because of that, the books fell from my arms.

“Hey, watch it!”

I exclaimed.

“Going to the library?”

Reican, one of my classmates, asked. He’s nasty. He’s a company president’s son and they’re renowned.

“It’s the first time I heard you talk aside from answering questions orally inside the class.”

“Yeah. You’re right, Lace.”

Lace and Alexander said. They’re the smallest ones of our section, but they’re both exemplary in Mathematics.

“Yes. I’m going to return these books in the library.”

I answered them as I picked the books.

“You really did change huh?”

Rhianne, the chubbiest one inside the class, said.

P.S. He has a crush on Shy. I saw him sneaking a look at her every time.

“Could you please stop ganging up on me and let me through? You guys are annoying.”

I said.

“Let her go, guys.”

Mike, a real artist of the university, said.

P.S. I think he likes Ken since I used to see different aura when he’s with her.

I really changed. Way back before, I used to snub everyone around even if they’re to approach me.

As I was about to leave, someone blocked my way. 

“Oi! We’re still talking to you!”

Skipper, the bully among my classmates, grabbed my injured arm sturdily.

“Ouch!”

Okay, my shoulder’s not healed yet. I lied and because of that, my injury reopened.

“Don’t touch my arm!”

I threw the books on them.

“What are you doing?”

“Could you grow up? Stop throwing things on us!”

Skipper yelled.

“What happened?”

Alliyah, the president and our top 1 honor student, exclaimed.

“I heard some noises. What happened?”

“Genesis was over reacting again!”

Skipper replied.

“Is that true, Jenivive?”

Alliyah asked.

I kept touching my arm that time to prevent the blood from the injury from flowing.

“Yeah, maybe I was.”

I answered her.

It was then the bastard came and picked the books for me since I couldn’t pick those because I was holding my injured arm.

“She didn’t do anything to you.”

He defended me. Tch, I didn’t need his help!

“You’re helping her, Jairo?”

Reican asked.

“Yeah.”

After that, the bastard brought me to the university clinic. 

“Why did you help me?”

“I didn’t help you.”

He said while bandaging my injury again. 

“The next time you pick a fight with someone, be sure that you’re not in the disadvantaged position.”

He said.

Tss, you think you’re so smart huh? Huh? Huh?

They're the ones who initiated that fught though. How is that my fault? 

***

“Your mission’s all about retrieving a lotus pad. The client is a well-known botanist. Others might have already known him. He’s Ernst Hawkins.”

Hashimaru explained.

“Yes, I heard that name before.”

Ace said.

“I don’t know the details about that lotus pad but if it’s like that, I think there’s no harm. Haha!”

Hashimaru smirked. It's easy for you to say! 

“Are you serious?”

We all asked.

“Yup!”

He replied.

He’s going to meet his end someday! EPICALLY!

Afterwards we went to a swamp by riding the agency's helicopter. 

“I think it’s somewhere around here.”

Nee-chee said.

“I already saw it! It’s exactly in the picture! It’s across that swamp!”

Ken exclaimed.

“What?”

He might not have heard it. 

“You’re just slow at things, Nee-chee!”

Ken exclaimed. 

“WHAT!”

He replied again. 

“Could you two stop arguing?”

I asked them.

“But you and Jairo are always arguing too so I think it’s alrigh—!”

“YOU’RE SAYING SOMETHING, NEE-CHEE?” 

I looked at him so ferociously. 

“Be it injured or not. She’s still as scary as hell.”

He whispered.

“Yeah, I can hear you!”

I said. 

“Okay. Whose group is going to pick the lotus pad?”

Nitsuji asked.

. . . . . . . . . . . silence

“I’ll go pick it.”

The bastard offered.

“GO, JAIRO!”

Nee-chee cheered for him.

“Aren’t you going with him, Jen? You two are partners, right?”

Shy asked.

Oh yeah, we’re partners. I just remembered that. 

As I was about to go with him, he stopped me from coming with him.

“You, stay here.”

He said.

“Are you, by chance, commanding me?”

I was pissed off. 

“You’re staying here.”

He insisted. Everyone kept looking at us one by one.

“I don’t remember taking orders from you.”

I answered him. 

“I am responsible for dislocating your arm before you got injured so leave this case to me.”

He explained. He was guilty. 

“What! Dislocating your arm? You dislocated your arm from way before you were injured, Jen?”

Nee-chee reacted.

“Oh, I didn’t realize that.”

Ace said.

Why did you have to tell them that, you bastard?

The bastard picked the lotus pad.

“That’s a really rare lotus pad!”

Ken said.

Yeah, it looked so different from the normal lotus pads. It was a golden lotus pad. I could sell this in a high price. 

The bastard got the lotus pad.

“Could you hold this for me, Jen?”

The bastard asked me so I took a hold of it.

“Ayieee! So you’re friends now?”

Nee-chee kept teasing us.

“Numbskull. Chump. Useless crap. Scum. Stupid. Moron. Scoundrel. Rat. Rascal. Idiot. Scumbag. Annoying turd.” 

All those word came straight from my mouth. 

“I FEEL INSULTED ENOUGH, JEN!”

Nee-chee reacted. 

Teasing me comes with a huge price. 

“Okay, mission complete!”

Shinsui said.

“Thank you for getting this for me.”

Enyst, the client, said.

“Don’t mention it. It’s part of the mission, Sir.”

Nitsuji said.

What’s with this uneasiness? Was that all of it? This is the very first normal mission that we had!

Oh well. When we got back to the university, I felt dizzy.

“You okay, Jen?”

“Yeah, I’m just a little tired. Don’t worry.”

I took a nap. Maybe because I was too exhausted that time?