“Pick one.”

I said.

“Do I?”

“Yup. Pick one.”

I urged.

“Um…”

Aria cutely scanned the counter. Hundreds of different accessories lined up.

I still remember that time I went to her home during Golden Week. I was completely gobsmacked at the sight of her dress. Fashionable as it was then, I also realised that Aria didn’t often wear hair accessories at school. I thought she could use one to wear on all occasions.

“How about treating me to ice cream instead.”

Aria asked apologetically.

“This one?”

Noticing her dilemma, the seller tried to suggest one. She didn’t look native. Her English was a little off too.

“No, no. It’s alright. Um… how about this one?”

“Ah, yes, yes. This one a lucky charm.”

A pair of earrings with a small silver star and crimson pearl in the centre.

“I’ll buy it.”

“Huh? Wait, I’ll pay for…”

“It’s for someone else.”

“…Someone else?”

For who?

“Thank you Elliot. But how about you treat me to ice cream instead? I’d be much happier that way.”

Her smile… felt distant. And yet my heart felt lighter.

“Alright.”

I stopped thinking too much and went on with her suggestion. In the end, Aria and I got ourselves a coconut shell of coconut ice cream.

“It’s delicious.”

“Surprisingly.”

The flavour was bizarre. It’s a hard-to-describe taste, like a cross between cold milk, almond nuts and traditional herbs, but not quite it either.

“What’s that?”

“Tarots I guess?”

It was a tent with shamanic decorations hanging around it. Many people were coming and going, but no one had stopped to check it out.

There was no sign outside, but the bunch of crystals and beads hanging around quite literally screamed fortune telling.

“Let’s go.”

“Hold on.”

Aria halted me.

“Are you really going to go in? It looks stuffy.”

She was wary for some reason.

“But what if the person inside actually has a fate-type blessing?”

I recalled how Richard-sensei’s nudge helped me resolve my long-broken relationship with Ellis. What if the same happened here?

“Mn… what are the chances though?”

“Scam or whatever, I want to try my luck. Let’s go.”

The interior was cool. We were the only clients when we entered.

“Why is this bigger than the outside…?”

Aria was perplexed.

So was I.

From the outside, the tent looked like it could barely fit a teacher’s desk. But inside… the space looked like a small circus.

Sitting beyond the dimly lit counter was a black-haired lady holding a crystal ball. A mature woman with curly black hair. Her clothes were risque and scanty-looking, resembling those worn by dancers in a faraway fantasy land.

I expected a witch wearing a dark hood. This was something else.

“What an interesting surprise.”

Her voice was alluring. Violet-coloured eyes stared our way, her hazy smile mysterious and ominous.

“What kind of fortune-telling do you do here?”

I asked.

“Palm reading. Of course, that’s only for aesthetics.”

As a fortune teller, she sounded confident enough. I took a seat, Aria followed right behind.

“I’ve been expecting you.”

She said with a twisted smile.

“Me?”

“Ten bucks for a reading.”

Take my money.

“Here.”

“W-Wait, are you serious?”

“I’m paying for her’s too.”

“I understand. Thank you for the patronage.”

“No Elliot but…”

I threw down a 50-dollar bill. Aria’s words trailed off as we watched her struggle with calculating the change—It really ruined the mystifying vibe of this whole experience.

“Sorry. Here’s the change.”

“Thank you…”

“A quick introduction, my name is Liberia. Now, your hand please.”

“Here.”

She closed her eyes and traced the contours of my fingers.

Many expressions flashed past her face. A full minute passed.

Stolen story; please report.

“I see. So that’s how it is…”

“H-How is it?”

“As a precursor, I will warn that I only give short advice. I will, however, not verbalise the paths I’ve seen.”

“So you really have a fate-type blessing after all?”

“Yes, I do.”

She smiled sweetly.

“Then why are you doing this? Isn’t it illegal?”

Aria asked.

“It isn’t illegal if I’m doing my job aren’t I?”

Doing your job?

“Now dear, please hear me out.”

She tugged at my hand.

A serious expression now covered her face.

“Remember what you learnt from your first. Who is the most important person in your world, that should be your priority.”

“What?”

“And, could you help me out a bit later?”

She then looked at me pleading.

“Wait, wait. What do you mean by that earlier thing you said?”

“I won’t be repeating it. The effect has already taken place, it’s up to you to choose. Anyways, stay for a bit. I’ll do her reading and we’ll leave in a jiffy.”

“What?”

What?

What the fucking hell?

What did I learn from my first? Is she referring to Ellis? And who is the most important person in the world?

The fortune teller Liberia took Aria’s hand and read her palms.

“Ah, I see… quite unfortunate.”

“Unfortunate…?”

Aria panicked.

“No, no. Please don’t be sad about it. Your courage is commendable. Now, for your reading, Aria—”

We never told her our name so how in the hell…?

“—Leave the nest, and be free. Don’t hesitate to rebel, a tyrant, be true to yourself, unforgiving, selfish and fight for not merely in what you believe in, but that of what you wish to believe.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

Aria understood?

“Oh, you did?”

Even the fortune teller was surprised.

“Yes, I completely understand… except for the front part. I can’t leave the nest.”

“A chance will present itself, don’t worry.”

“I thought you said you wouldn’t give hints?”

“That’s if the hint doesn’t mess up the intended effect. Now then.”

She suddenly stood up.

“Elliot, I need your help.”

“Uh… huh?”

“Can I ask you to accompany me to the resort lobby to take the phone back?”

“Phone…?”

“Yes. The phone you found at the beach. It’s really important.”

“Is it your phone…?”

“No. It’s a criminal’s phone. I’ve been stuck here for a whole week trying to get a reading on its location, I finally got it through you.”

She patted my back.

“Good job.”

“Wha…”

“And if it satisfies your curiosity, yes. I’m a special agent, an SPF. You’re welcome.”

“…”

She took a coat and wrapped it around her body before leaving the tent with us.

Then she planted a wooden sign on the ground outside that said ‘toilet break’.

“Let’s go.”

““…””

This wasn’t a fortune teller.

This was a scam.

──•~❉᯽❉~•──

“Thank you! Thank you!”

“Wow… that’s… real?”

“Yup. Pretty cool right?”

Liberia only needed to show the concierge her gold agent tag, and the phone was procured right away.

It was amazing how effective the badge was.

“Well, now I don’t need to sit there crossed-legged acting all voodoo anymore. I can finally lay back in my armchair, yay…”

She looked so happy. I felt kinda pissed.

“Elliot, we’ll cross paths again.”

“Huh?”

“But that depends on you. So, please choose wisely.”

She left her last words coolly walking off without turning back.

“Choose wisely…?”

Before I could process her words…

“I’ll be waiting for you tonight Elliot.”

Aria said.

“Huh? Tonight?”

“I… have something I’ve been meaning to tell you. Before you change your mind again I… want to tell you how I feel so… let’s meet each other at the area where we found the phone.”

“…”

“Thank you, Elliot.”

She lowered her head and… walked away.

With heavy footsteps.

I…

“Aria, I’ll see you there.”

She turned around and looked at me with a bitter smile.

“Right.”

──•~❉᯽❉~•──

At night out on the sandy beach, the bonfire was warm, and the air was kinda humid. It was unsurprisingly unpleasant, considering how the summer heat was now going to ravage our holidays.

Anyways, I reeled in a toasty marshmallow on one end of the stick and took a whiff of the burnt part.

It smelled like… toast.

I plucked the marshmallow with my fingers and shoved it into my mouth. It still tastes like marshmallows. Except worse because of how gooey it was. Now my fingers were covered in white stuff.

Ew.

I took out a wet tissue from my bag and wiped it off.

There was still this marshmallow packet here that the class left behind. And chocolate biscuits.

You know what? Since it isn’t the time Leon appointed yet, let’s make a bunch of fake s’mores. Melted marshmallows between two thin chocolate biscuits, they didn’t taste too bad.

Each class had their own mini-bonfire, so I didn’t have to compete for space. Moreover, it didn’t seem like anyone was interested in roasting stuff. I had the whole primitive oven to myself.

I made a few more s’mores, then raised my head to find a bunch of my classmates missing. That included Aria and Elliot ♂.

Mn.

Good luck ‘me’.

I looked towards the ocean.

The cold breeze was finally coming in.

I think it was about time.

Just like him, I too had an appointment to make.

Stabbing three more s’mores into the wooden skewer, I left for the umbrella table Leon and I talked about yesterday.

Along the way I found myself distracted by the nighttime menu of the stalls. The food smelled absolutely delicious.

“Huh?”

The fortune teller’s tent is gone. How odd.

“No.”

Let’s not get distracted here.

From three down to two, I chucked a smore into my mouth. And finally, I reached my destination.

The umbrella of the picnic table was now closed. The view of the sea was amazing.

“I can’t believe he’s late.”

I shook my head.

He’s disappointing all the girls that confessed to him.

“Who’s late huh?”

“Ah?”

I turned around, and there was Leon.

“I arrived 2 seconds earlier than you.”

I counted.

“Yeah, of course, that’s something to be proud of.”

He rolled his eyes.

“Here, want a s’more?”

“You’re really casual about this aren’t ya?”

“Not really…”

In fact, my fingers were trembling slightly.

He exhaled deeply.

“Elliot I…”

“Let’s take a walk.”

Interrupted.

“…”

“That’ll help.”

“Right.”

He took the s’more I gave him and bit into half of it. We headed down the beach area.

“Do you want to run?”

He asked.

“First of all, I’m on my period. Second of all, I just ate a dozen of these things. If I run now I’ll blow my appendix.”

“Suit yourself. I’ll see you up there…!”

He ran ahead. Stinking asshole.

At the distance of a nice rock formation, he sat there as I walked.

I finished the last s’more and broke the wooden stick into eight pieces before tossing it far into the bed of fallen coconut leaves.

“What the fuck did you just throw?”

“The stick.”

“Rules says no littering…”

“If you don’t say anything no one will know.”

I’m littering but who the fuck cares at this point, right? That shit is biodegradable.

I took a seat on an adjacent rock beside him. The moonlight was beautiful tonight.

Perfect weather.

Perfect chance.

So.

Now, Leon.

Give it to me.

The feelings you’ve always wanted to share.

“Elliot.”

“Yes.”

He looked at me right in the eye.

“I like you.”

“I know.”

“And your response?”

My response?

“I’m sorry, I like Aria.”

That was my response.

He took in a breath to process my words—and then choked.

“…What?!”

“I can’t reciprocate your feelings.”

“Wait, wait, wait. Who did you say you like?”

“I like Aria.”

“W-Wha…”

“I’m sorry. I can’t reciprocate your feelings.”

He stared at me for a few seconds and lowered his head. I heard him inhale.

“…I didn’t expect that.”

And then an exhale.

“But.”

He said.

“Thank you.”

With a bitter smile.

“Sorry.”

I lowered my head.

“I lied.”

“???”

“I ‘liked’ Aria you see… but maybe not anymore. I’m still lesbian though.”

“…I-I see.”

“Thank you for telling me your feelings, Leon.”

“Hahaha… it’s alright. I’m sorry for making you feel so uncomfortable…”

“Am I your first?”

“…Yeah.”

“Ah, alright. You know, It’s not in my position to say this but the girls must be so glad to have their revenge.”

“You don’t say….”

We both had a good laugh. In this senseless, silent outdoors where the only sound was that of crashing waves. I saw him wipe a tear.

“It hurts this much huh…?”

“It does. And it will continue to hurt.”

“Damn…”

“But you’ll get used to it.”

“…Yeah.”

Leon stood up.

“Where are you going?”

I asked.

“To break another heart.”

“Oh…? Is it Tility?”

“Tility? Yeah, I think that’s her name? It’s your class president.”

Wow. Bitch can’t even remember her name. What a guy. I’m so sorry for you Tility.

“Thank you for everything.”

He waved.

…His silhouette moving further and further until it was no more. He never looked back.

From today onwards, our relationship has changed forever.

I stared down at the sand, and felt tears trickle down my eyes.

I’m crying.

I know why I’m crying.

Because I know…

I know that my relationship with Elliot ♂ will also change from today onwards.

──•~❉᯽❉~•──

After crying my eyeballs out, I returned to the bonfire. I made sure to erase any traces of tears at the sink before going. And there I saw… Aria? Alone?

She turned around and saw me.

I froze.

My blood felt like it was running in reverse, my lungs were airy. Her crimson eyes that reflected the fire burned, I noticed her eyelids were swollen.

She got up and walked towards me.

“Elliot.”

What…

She grabbed my hand and forced something onto me.

“W-What?”

I panicked.

“Here.”

I saw a single earring. A single silver earring, like a star. A crystal crimson pearl embedded inside.

I raised my head to look at her. On her right ear lobe, was the other pair.

“We’re friends. I don’t want that to change. So…”

“…What about…”

She shook her head.

“You’re much more important.”

Much. Much more.

She hugged me once, and then she left.

My arm dropped to the side,

But the hand clutching onto the earrings refused to let go.