Bookstore

[Zephel]

Thanks to his sudden lack of money, Zephel shortly found himself applying for a job at the local bookstore in the shopping centre. Granted, it's a part-time cashier job, but having a job is better than not having one at all at the moment. He has a dragon, a fire-lizard, a dog and a brother to feed...sometimes even forgetting his own mouth to feed.

'Ah well. At least it's my kind of profession,' he thought with a shrug. Bookstores are quiet, orderly and most of all, Anthony-less. Plus, all Zeph needs to do is to sit by the counter, and he's even allowed to read some of the non-wrapped books there to pass the time, thanks to the kind owner. He works in the evening shift, right after his last period. Hikaru also proved to support him when the boy offered to take care of Ryo and Zi-Fi for extra hours.

Flipping another page, the silver-haired adjusted his reading glasses as he crossed his legs in his cashier seat, seeming to be absorbed in reading a black-encrusted book with gold prints of leaves and vines around the title. It's been a while since Zeph actually reads a story book, so he's quite enjoying every minute he's spending here.

[Maki]

Maki wandered through the shopping center, searching for a bookstore in hopes she might find a specific potions book she couldn't find in the library. She eventually found it and, upon entering, immediately noticed Zephel standing at the cash register. She stared at him for a moment before walking in, looking at the books on the few display tables in the front on her way to the aisles of books.

As she reached the register, she turned, noticing again with slight surprise that Zephel was there. "Hello Zephel." She said plainly before glancing down one aisle and taking off into it, searching the rows of books for the title she had memorized.

[Zephel]

Zephel didn't even hear the door chime that signals someone is entering the bookstore as his eyes trailed the words in this book he's so focused on reading. It's only until somebody greeted him that he glanced up from his book, "Oh. Hey Maki," before returning to his book. A few seconds later, he took a second glance, now with more exposure of emotions, "Maki?? What are you doing here? Oh wait, don't answer that. Bookstore. Of course."

He slipped a bookmark there on the page he just read and closed the book, setting it aside near the computer on his right. Noticing Maki seeming to search for something, Zeph removed his reading glasses as he called for her, "Hey, if you're looking for a particular book, you can tell me the title. I can search if we have any stocks of it with the computer."

[Maki]

Maki was quiet for a moment, as though she hadn't even heard him. And she hadn't. She came around from the shelves after a moment, carrying a few books on potions. "I'll take these." She said, handing them to Zephel, a blank look still on her face.

"There's not a very wide selection of potion books here. These three I haven't yet seen in any library though." She added, not usually explaining her reasons without being questioned, though supposed she might as well to him.

[Zephel]

Zeph hangs his spectacles to the neckline of his shirt before taking Maki's books off her hands ans set it on the counter. The silver-haired simply nodded when hearing Maki's reasons as he checks the books' titles and typed something on the computer's keyboard with one hand. The other hand is busy checking the pages of the books for any damages.

"I'll let the owner know of what the bookstore lacks. Thank you." He said, now facing the cash register, entering some digits. "The total price if a hundred and thirty five. Oh yeah, the store's giving out free bookmarks for every book purchased." He turned around to search for something at the racks behind him, then finally faces Maki, spreading 8 or so different-coloured bookmarks on the counter, each with its own designs and ribbons tied at the top. "Take three of them."

[Maki]

Maki glanced down at the bookmarks, unsure of which to pick. She thought for a long moment before pulling three out and placed them atop her books. "Though I don't often use bookmarks.... I tend to remember the page number." She uttered quietly with her eyes on them before fishing into her bag for her wallet.

She pulled out a delicately designed blue wallet and pulled the money out in cash, handing it over to him. "Thank you, Zephel." She said plainly, looking up at him.

[Zephel]

"Remembering the pages? Well, now I see the problem why your brain refuses to remember people." He accepted the money from her, place it inside the cash register, pulls out a plastic bag and carefully occupy it with Maki's books. Right after that though, Zeph gasped slightly as he was attacked by a sudden chill from nowhere. His spine tingled as he tightens his shoulders. He looked around for a while, turns to look at Maki, then calmly said, "Maki, it seems like you have a stalker."

Sure enough, a spectacled figure entered the bookstore, his presence seemed to have an effect on Zephel as the young cashier grabbed any available sharp object nearby - at this moment being a pen - and tries to stab himself. 'Poor boy...' thought Anthony Reinhardt, the teacher of both Zeph and Maki, 'Too astounded by my elegant aura that he wants nothing to do with life anymore.' He caught Zeph's glare, and that's enough attention for him to strut his way to the counter.

"Why, hello there, gummy bear. Fancy seeing you here." The man put his arm around Maki's shoulders, smiling triumphantly at Zeph's growing annoyance. Enjoying that shade of anger in his snobbish student's face, he then suddenly trace his other hand down towards Maki's legs and picked her up, bridal-style, then sticks out his tongue at the young man behind the counter.

"I have gummy bear, and you do-on't!" he sang.

One of Zeph's eyes twitched, though his expression doesn't seem responsive. There's one rule the shop owner stressed about the moment he sees the sword strapped on Zeph, to never ever get in a fight during his working hours. His fists clenched at his sides, restraining his rising anger.

[Maki]

Maki just looked blankly over at the person who had just picked her up. She blinked a couple times. "Who are you?" She asked in a plain tone, not seeming to care much that her feet weren't on the ground.

[Zephel]

Instead of his expected breakdown, Anthony flashes a twisted grin at the girl in his arms. "I don't mind if you remember me or not, gummy bear. Because I just realized I can use your faulty memory as an advantage..." With that, he leans in close to Maki, his spectacles shines add the exact same time, blocking view of his eyes.

It wasn't surprising that the about-to-be kiss was stopped by Zephel, who is now leaning on the counter, a hand smacked on Anthony's face. Their faces was so close to each other that he could feel the warmth of both Anthony and Maki's breath. "Don't make me hurt you."

"Why, Zephel?" questioned the teacher, his voice muffled under Zeph's palm, "It's not your right to interrupt my life or her life."

His eyes didn't show it, but bits of memories of Anthony's attempts to woo Maki entered the element-wielder's head, and each time he ended up being beaten by Zeph. Slowly, realization dawned onto him... Maki didn't ask him to do it. He just acted that way automatically because of his own reasons, because of his detest of mushy attachments, because of his obsession in respect. It wasn't his right to do so... If Maki doesn't like it, she can stop it herself...

He slowly lets go of Anthony, then glanced his way to Maki, "I cannot tolerate such acts in this store, please leave." Lifting up the plastic bag with Maki's books in it, he handed it to the girl, "Thank you for purchasing. Please come again." His voice is empty, more empty than his usual tone. Then, he sat back on his stool, staring blankly at them both, then carefully picked up the book he was reading and continue where he left off.

In fact, Zephel didn't act as himself at all...

Anthony blinked, never expecting Zeph would be this easy to pass. He shrugged anyway, as he grinned down to Maki, and exited the shop happily. "Now what do you have to do, gummy bear? Your barrier is no where around you now..."

[Maki]

Maki stared after Zephel, her mind blanker than it had ever been. She slowly realized that she was getting further away from him and absent mindedly reached weakly out towards the store entrance where she had seen Zephel.

However, after he was out of her sight, she looked at her arm, unsure why it was reaching out anymore and dropped it. She noticed her bag was clutched tightly in her other hand. She didn't hear the voice of the person who held her. She just started to try standing off out of his arms as though she were climbing off a bed. No emotion visible on her blank face.

[Zephel]

Anthony walked off further from the store, his grin slowly fading as he stares at Maki. No matter how perverted his mind is, he's still human. And most humans is able to notice Maki's actions as a sign of something... 'Too bad Zephel isn't one of those humans. .....Oh well, my luck.' That stupid grin was plastered on his face again as he merrily carried Maki away, when suddenly...

He tripped.

On the smooth waxed floor, he tripped on thin air. ""WAAH!!!" He fell forward, dropping Maki in the pocess. But there is no possible way he just tripped like that, his movement is graceful. And then...it occured to him that while he's falling, Maki's magically floating. Anthony smirked, 'Zephel, you are one hell of a shocker.'

Swore to not cause violence inside the bookstore, Zephel could be seen standing right inside the glass-made double doors of the store, extremely focused in his telekinesis. His hands are stuffed in his pockets, his red eyes stared sharply at the two dots far off, smirking slightly that he's able to perform his telekinesis perfectly even at this distance.

He carefully places Maki on the floor on her two feet, then giving her back the plastic bag he saved also. Before he turns around and get back to his book though, he managed to float one of the bookmarks Maki chose in front of her face. A blue colored ribbon and a sketch of a dragon adorned it. A note with a sort of hurried handwriting could be seen at the back of it:

'Maki. Thanks for being the only one who talks to me, you won't believe how grateful I am. In return, I'll protect you, I guess...since it's the only thing I'm able to do for you. Later then. -Zeph

P/S: Thanks for remembering me. Appreciate that greatly.'

[Maki]

Maki took the bookmark delicately in her hands. As she read, without even realizing it, her eyes were somewhat watery as a couple unknown droplets of water streaked down her face. She didn't know what had caused this or who was the center of these emotions. She looked at the name written but could not picture a face but knew it was someone she had to remember.

Maki placed the bookmark in the bag again and turned swiftly, briskly walking out of the mall. She hurried, trying to get back to her dorm as quickly as she could, not sure what brought on this strange surge of emotions that she couldn't understand. Everything that happened in the mall just now seemed blank. The person she had spent days talking to had disappeared from her mind. Who was it she had forgotten that she needed so desperately to remember?