{Eizkel's POV}
"I'm sorry." It was pathetic to cry like that, but I couldn't hold it in.Mom's words struck a chord deep within me that I couldn't hide, no matter how hard I tried. The tears flowed like a river, and once they started, they didn't stop.
Kate shook her head. "It's okay. I know why you cried, and hey! Let's forget about all this, yeah? Wanna go on our shopping date?"
I stared at her and really thought about it. She looked seductive wearing my clothes, and I'd much rather do other things, but it was all in due time. Instead...
"How about we practice the lines for the movie?" I was supposed to do it Friday, but... well, we know how that went.
She beamed with excitement, jumping up and down like a child. The things on her chest proved that she wasn't a child by any means, and I lost myself in their physics. I mean, she was really blessed, and how no man managed to get her made me so happy. She was all mine!
"I-I don't mind you staring, but um... can you make it a little less obvious?"
"Haha~, sure, I'll try my best."
"Shouldn't it be just 'okay'?!"
"No, 'cause then I'd be lying."
"S-Stupid!"
"Bleugh~!" I stuck my tongue out like a kid, enjoying every second of this.
Reaching for the stack of papers on the coffee table, I opened them up and urged her to come with me.
"NO! If I read everything, I'll be spoiled! I promised Ophi if the book ever got a movie adaptation, I'd watch it with her!"
"Isn't helping me with the lines a spoiler?"
"No..." She awkwardly turned her head away, realizing the error in her reasoning.
Laughing, I just started reading and let her do her own thing. I trusted her enough because, one, she didn't need to steal — she had money — and two, she had status, so she didn't need to fake anything. With those two things checked off, she could go anywhere, and I wouldn't really care. In the house, let me clarify. I'd feel kind of irked if she went to another country and didn't say anything.
Anyway.
"For you are a dis—"
"STOP! STOP! I can't!" She cried fake tears and ran off into the kitchen.
Bending my head over the couch for an upside-down view, I called after her: "Fine, then how about we just watch a movie? A movie date! This can be our first proper date, not counting our shopping date!"
I really loved that day. Shopping with her and getting integrated into my new life, albeit the emotional turmoil definitely hit late.
She stopped her hiding and moved her beautiful self-back to my side. I threw the script onto a recliner chair and let it rot for now. Whenever she left, I guess that's when I'd practice or whenever Mom got back.
'O-oh, and after we have that talk.'
Kate grabbed the remote with a smile while we cuddled, and she started scrolling.
I didn't have any particular genres I hated besides horror and that was only because it was just goofy, in my opinion. The hurdle of trying to take the movie seriously was too big. Hell, some horror movies were funnier than comedies because of how stupid they were.
"Oh! Want to watch anime?"
"Sure, what genre?"
She shifted a little closer, her shoulder brushing against mine as she tucked her legs up on the couch, settling in like she belonged there.
She contemplated in much thought, the tip of her tongue peeking out slightly between her lips in concentration.
"How about action?"
"Sweet, know any good ones?"
"Yeah! There's this one with a female MC. It's called The Crystal Immortal. It's so pretty, and the fights are relatively unique! I've only watched the trailer though..."
"Does it have a book?"
"No. Zekt said he was writing a book about it, but since the anime came first, the anime came first."
"Oh, dude must be lucky!"
"Yeah, I know! Okay okay, it came out this season, so I haven't seen it yet." She giggled under her breath, the small vibrations from her laughter traveling through where our bodies touched, making it hard not to smile back without even thinking about it.
The show started very abruptly; a slow pan out from a woman's eyes, her gaze shifting color in a harmonious balance as she stared at a burning village. The first line coming out of her mouth...
"I never belonged to them. Let them rot."
The coldness in her voice sliced through the air like a blade, sharp enough to make the tiny hairs on my arms stand on end. A real shiver raced down my spine, leaving a faint chill in its wake that made me instinctively pull the blanket tighter around myself. The voice actress did a wonderful job with the delivery, every word dripping with venom, yet somehow still heartbreakingly human.
'This is talent and passion put together!'
Abandoning the thought of watching just to watch, I took this opportunity to learn. I couldn't physically practice right now, but using this show — and perhaps more — could help me big time. I won't deny that I'm talented in some areas, but I was also smart enough to know when to ask for teaching.
The first episode continued and wonderfully portrayed the main character while also bringing the world to life without over-explanation. A part of me felt it was because the creator hadn't written out a book yet and this was an anime original. But another part of me felt that perhaps he was writing it and stockpiling.
Most people tend to stockpile because it's just convenient.
'Haha~ If my life were a novel, then the author sure just pulls from the sky!' With how random things felt in my life, I couldn't help but laugh.
[I wouldn't say that. I'd say there's a bigger story at play. Not that the universe is a book.]
'What about the Record?'
[The Akashic Record is a bit unique...]
'E-Excuse me?!'
[What?]
'What did you just say?!'
[The Akashic Record — shortened to Record.]
'It actually exists?!'
[It's complicated, but yeah.]
'Holy—'
"Wow~!" Kate's golden eyes stared at the screen, practically sparkling with excitement.
I glanced over and noticed the animation quality had skyrocketed. The crystals the MC used for fighting and the way she masterfully weaved them together was beautiful. She was fighting a black panther, and the whole sequence pulled me into a trance.
I completely put the conversation with Ezryn on pause.