That child is strange - 8

Frank's eyes traced the governess disappearing into the manor hallways. As soon as she was out of sight, he kicked the door shut and ran over to the collapsed pile of books.

"Miss Julia? Are you still there?"

He slowly started moving aside the books, afraid he might bruise her if he went too fast.

Popping out her head suddenly and almost scaring Frank with that surprise, she smiled.

"Thank goodness, you are alright...."

Frank was sighing out of relief when he spotted that girl's two ash grey eyes starring intensely at him. He blushed for a moment and then awkwardly looked away.

" Pfft.."

Julia sneered and pulled Frank's cheeks.

"You know, Frank, sometimes you look like a wild cat."

Frank lowered his head as he was trying to hide his red face from her.

"Is that so? I hear that a lot."

Julia's expression grew serious and she asked," Why did you do that?"

"Huh.. do what?"

" Why did you say it was you? The governess was right, you could seriously have gotten into a big trouble."

"What do you mean trouble? I already trifled with that woman anyway. It's not like......"

" Frank. Look, Miss Murray didn't seem to be someone who would wrongly accuse anyone. She let you off because she knew you didn't do it. But it could have become really scary if it was someone else. Do you even know you could have been accused of listening to the Marquis' official conversation with his subordinate. You could have been treated like a spy! I think you were lucky it was just the governess."

"Now, it... it does seem a bit scary."

" Right? So don't do such reckless things again."

" O.. okay, I am not that careless usually. I just did that on a whim. I couldn't think what else to do."

Julia smiled and happily said," For that, thank you, Frank."

"I.... You don't have to thank me."

"Um.. Frank, would you mind pulling me out of these books? It's getting stuffy here."

Frank flustered and mumbled about forgetting the position Julia was in as he helped her get out of those books.

After putting the books back in the shelves, they both sat down leaning against the wall.

Frank suddenly spotted his chocolate bar that he had dropped when the governess came in. He stood up and went to pick it up.

" What is it, Frank?"

Julia looked curiously towards.

" Nothing, Mr Higgins gave me this before. Thank god it was wrapped or it would have been spoiled."

He sat in the corner near the door and looked at Julia.

Why isn't she asking? Frank was restless. Julia had not said even a single word about that light from his wounds before when the governess touched him. He had no idea how it happened but Julia not asking anything about it was troubling him.

Did she not see it? If you won't ask me I can't even make any excuses.

In the end, he decided to ask her himself.

"Um.. Miss Julia, about that light before, did you....."

"I won't tell anyone, so don't worry."

Julia answered before he had even finished his question.

"Huh?"

"You and Miss Murray didn't seem to be wanting this to go out. So I won't tell anyone."

Frank sighed with relief and said," Thank you for that."

But does it not bother you? Frank thought but let it away immediately. It's good like this if you just don't bother about this.

"But in return, Frank, you have to share that chocolate with me."

Frank smiled and unwrapped the bar.

"I'll break it into half for you."

"I don't want half."

"Do you want the whole, then?"

"No."

Frank looked confoundedly at Julia as she walked over to him.

Leaning over Frank's left hand which held the chocolate bar, she pulled her bangs behind her ear with her fingers and looking into Frank's crystal blue eyes, said," I just want a bite."

She pecked at the corner of the bar and within a second, disappeared through the door.

For some time, Frank just cuddled in that corner, in a daze.

What just happened?

He peeked at the chocolate that he had tumbled behind himself and went red.

Why! Why! Why! Just why did she do that!?!

"Ha!"

He sighed and mumbled. 

It would be difficult to keep my distance for me if things are like this. At this rate, I'll be done for.

He peeked again at the bar. He drew it near his mouth and took a bite.

Guess it's okay for just one day.

It's sweet.

        ************************

Hannah sat on the bed and fell back.

She was tired like hell.

First that long journey, then that exhausting talk with the Marquis and then, that brat.

She looked at the ceiling, the walls, the furniture......it was overall, a decent room.

"If it's going to be this tiring everyday, I might die before I even get caught."

But something was indeed weird about Frank. Somehow she unconsciously used magic to heal his wounds.

'Was it because I was worried? Nah! It's not like I'm a healer or something.' Plus, that brat had pissed her off pretty good. There was no way she would be worried about him......or perhaps she was (?)

'Let's think about it later.'

She stood up and went near the window. 

'A garden. There is a pretty large garden behind the manor.'

She opened the window and looked out. The scent of flowers flooded in the room.

'Nice. This is refreshing.' Hannah smiled and closed her eyes to enjoy the scent.

Suddenly she heard someone running towards her direction. She immediately tucked behind the curtain and peeked at the person.

'Wait, why am I hiding?' A sudden moment of self realisation and she immediately felt ashamed. She was too used to hide from people who chased after her that she instinctively hide now.

'I am really so damn pathetic.' She sighed and peeked out again.

'A girl... brown hair..... and ash grey eyes. Ash grey eyes!

It was her! The one that was evesdropping.'

'Wait, what is with that flustered look and blushed face.

Don't tell me... This girl and that brat..... Pfft...... hahaha.'

Hannah softly closed the window and drew the curtain.

'So he was protecting this girl.' Hannah sneered and chuckled.

"So we have puppy love here, huh?"

Hannah stretched over the bed and fell again in her thoughts.

For some reason she remembered her father's face when he was about to die.

" Run Jenny, please run and be safe. Don't become like me."

Those were his last words.

Agnito Illea, that was her father's name. He gave her the name, Jennifer Illea.

" My little Jenny is a fairy. Father would always look after you."

'Bullshit.'

Hannah frowned as tears rolled down her eyes.

'What is the point of giving me a name if there is no one to call me with that.'

She looked at window.

"I wish that brat is normal. If he is something like my father, things might turn painful. What seems to be a wonderful emotion now might become the worst memory later."