Chapter 16: Comfortable
I was waiting for either Garett or Charlotte to swing by the Library before I would begin eating.
It's quiet...
My life was surrounded by nothing but turmoil and noise. I thought I would get peace and quiet from a Library. It was all the same...
I soon felt a large tremor and the sound of multiple steps coming this way. I got up to see what the commotion was about. One lone boy with red spiky hair ran into the Library and closed the door behind him. He had clasped my mouth with his hand and pushed me onto the ground.
Ow...
The stampede went over.
"Sorry about that," the boy said as he turned towards me.
His sapphire-colored eyes reminded me of the boy I met in Exurbia Library before...
Wait! It was him! He was the Second Prince of Nariel...I had a difficulty in recognizing him. because he sprouted a whole twenty centimeters and added more muscle on him.
I covered my face.
"It's fine," I said as I quickly went to hide my face behind a book.
For some reason, he kept following me around. I began darting around the library, until he caught me at a dead end.
"You keep running away from me," he said as he pressed me against the wall and slammed his hand beside me.
"It is your imagination..."
He took he book out of my hands.
"I knew it was you, Miss Fairy. Did you change your habitat?"
"I happen to go here..."
"Even fairies need an education?"
"We are burdened by many responsibilities in Fairy Land," I said curtly as I averted my gaze and slipped underneath his arm.
"This game of chase is so fun," he said as he continued following me.
The chase continued on to the hallway. I thought that I would have to run forever, until I saw Garett. I felt the need to hide behind his back. "Whoa!" Garett said as I clung to him from behind.
"...Just for now, could you stay still?" I asked him quietly.
"Who are you to Miss Fairy?" Second Prince Nariel asked Garett.
"Hah? Fairy?" Garett said questionably in an irritated tone.
"He means me," I whispered to him.
"This person is...It is just one after the other for you, isn't it?" Garett asked after a soft sigh.
"I'm sorry..." I said anxiously.
"...I am her Guardian," Garett answered.
"With such a mean look, you mean Guard Dog, right?" Second Prince Nariel said.
Garett seemed more irritated than usual.
"It seems that we have to settle this like men," Garett said as he seemed to drop his shoulders.
"Oho? It seems the doggy has more bite to it than I thought," Second Prince Nariel said as he geared up to fight.
They are not really going to fight, are they?
Garett grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the window.
There was a crowd of girls just waiting outside.
"Second Prince Nariel is alone outside of the Library!" Garett announced in a loud voice.
"You! I will remember this!" Second Prince Nariel shouted.
Second Prince Nariel began running as the girls began swarming in one after the other.
Garett pulled me to his side so that I would not be trampled by the fierce crowd.
"Thank you," I told Garett.
"If anyone else bothers you like that, just come to me again... This method is the best way in getting rid of annoying people like him." Garett is sure dependable...
This sense of comfort I feel towards Garett is a bit unsettling at the same time.
Is it because I have not met many people that I feel comfortable with?
Before I knew it, half a year has gone by since I came to Nariel. Charlotte was doing her gardening club activities during lunch while Garett and I were alone in the library. I was doing my usual watching of Prince Erik from the second story window of the library.
There is one odd thing that I have come to notice...I have never seen Garett associate with Prince Erik. Prince Erik is the light and princely type, while Garett is the stern but kind type. They are still cousins, so expected they would at least say something to each other.
"It seems that even you will have stalker tendencies as well," Garett said as he opened his book. "If you stare any longer, they will feel a hole burrow through them."
I suddenly felt embarrassed.
"Was I staring that long?"
"... You were not particularly slick."
I had only known about Erik from the time he was a child, then his teen years, and adult years. I missed out on knowing about this void period. He changed so much when I saw him again as a teenager, so of course I cannot help being a little curious.
"I was just curious."
"About who?"
"Someone close, yet so far..."
"Prince of Arundel," Garett said suddenly.
I felt as though I jumped out of my skin.
"...What a strange person to bring up?"
"He fits those descriptions."
"Do you know him personally?" I asked as I sat across from him.
Their relationship as cousins seemed to be hidden. I never pried much into their relationship in my first life, but these two do make me curious.
"...No, just as much as the next person," he said as he closed his book and opened another one.
Aloof as ever.
"Prince Erik reminds me of one of those princes within fairytales."
"He is dreamlike then?"
"Yes, an ethereal dream..."
Even in my memories, Erik seemed like the perfect prince for the most part. When we were alone, he would show his true self. I loved being the only one who knew of his true side... "You must be a dreamer then," Garett said.
I felt as though my body snapped back to reality.
"That may be so...I like remembering pretty things and keeping ugly things far away from me. I suppose that makes me a selfish human being as well."
"...I think that most people are like that. We avert ourselves from our own ugliness and try to pass it onto others," Garett said as he closed his book and started on another book. "I was a bit surprised that someone as level as you would also fall for such princely looks like the other girls."
"I actually prefer someone who thinks realistically as well...They are easier to reason with and talk to. Besides, looks will only get you through things for a while before they lose their splendor."
"I do not think you are anyone to talk..."
"Aren't you rather handsome as well, Garett?" I talked back to him.
Ah, slip of the tongue...
I almost sound like I am flirting with him.
I suppose Garett also indirectly called me good looking as well...
Charlotte came in at that moment.
"I am back! Oh my... You two both have your noses in a book. As I thought, you two need me to liven things up," Charlotte said.
Charlotte's natural airhead self is what the world needs.
Praise to her for breaking the awkward silence.☐☐☐☐☐☐