Seaside City

Jem was a little flustered as he was staring at her flawless hand. He blinked his eyes twice. He was hesitating to grab that beautiful hand. It was white; even without sniffing, it smelled good. It was the hand of a girl that mostly from high society, A well-sheltered person. On the other hand, he noticed some blackened dirt in between his nails.

'Will it be alright?' A thought of worry passed in his mind. Also, he couldn't wash his hand this morning because Desty pulled him as soon as he left his room. He also remembered scratching the most censored part of his body after a pest bit on it in the middle of the night.

"Uhm, hello, my name is Jem! Jem Hansen!" he replied nervously and failed to control the volume of his voice. 'Shit! It's embarrassing!' He yelled under his breath. He didn't like his self-conscious attitude. But no matter what he did, he couldn't get rid of it.

He sneaked a glance at the two with him, good that none of them was mindful of it. Secretly, he sighed in relief.

Jem replied but didn't choose to hold her hand. It was for her safety. He didn't want to dirty that spotless hand of hers. However, Wendy did not retreat her hand. Instead, she patiently waited for him to take it. "Hey…" she called out and slightly shook her hand in front of him, indicating that she demanded a handshake.

"....."

Jem hardened his jaw. It was for her good that he refused to do it. But it looked like he had to resolve himself, huh. Well then, she only has herself to blame from hereon.

He unhurriedly moved his hand towards her. Unexpectedly, without waiting for him, she took the initiative and grabbed his hand. He was taken aback and was about to retreat his hand, out of reflex, but it was too late. She already grabbed his hand. 'S-smooth…' his thought upon touching hers. He couldn't even feel any calluses on it.

"My name is Wendy of Lynn family," she repeated her name.

"And I'm Jem Hansen…"

"I mean, I'm Wendy of the L-y-n-n fa-mi-ly," the girl repeated while emphasizing the words Lynn family.

"Yes, yes, and I'm Jem Hansen…" he frowned and wondered why they kept repeating their names. 'Is this how the other people introduce themselves?' He did not expect it. Then he noticed Wendy of the Lynn family fell silent.

"....."

'Eh, now what...' He noticed that the girl was still holding his hand. His mouth opened to form a voiceless laugh.

"....."

'What with this awkward situation?' Jem thought with the bead of sweats taking shape at the back of his head.

For some reason, the girl was looking at him with an expression that couldn't believe him. He also was wondering why she was wearing such an expression on her face. Then they heard a chuckle from Desty. It wasn't just a simple chuckle because the next second, she broke into a hearty laugh. They also noticed tears forming on both sides of her eyes.

"??"

Question marks were floating over Jem and Wendy's heads. It looks like her dramatic period has gone already. It was his thoughts about Desty.

Wendy looked at Desty with questioning eyes. "What is this supposed to mean, Desty?!" She asked while emitting a dark aura over her. 

But seriously, it could be his imagination only, right? Right?

"How does it feel to be not known by someone, Wendy of the Lynn family?" Desty asked smugly and teasingly. Wendy's brows were twitching. A second later, "Humph!" She snorted at her. 

Just hearing their exchange, Jem realized that maybe Wendy was from an outstanding family. No wonder she kept on repeating her name. 

Wendy returned her gaze to Jem and saw him looking at his hand, which she was still holding. She noticed Jem had a troubled expression. And he was using his other hand to scratch the back of his head.

Wendy smirked and giggled.

Not even flustered, Wendy magically produced greenish light particles on her hand and enveloped both their hands. Jem was surprised. It felt so warm and soothing. It was familiar to him. He knew this feeling. It was the same feeling whenever he tried to summon the same energy.

"Ex-Exnergy…?" He whispered while having a surprised face. Well, what's the point of getting surprised now. It was clear that she was also an Ex-Humans like him and Desty. So, it was right to expect that she as well could summon Ex-energy.

Wendy finally released his hand a second after the light particles dissipated. But Jem noticed something astonishing. The dirt in his nails had disappeared?! Never did he imagine that Ex-energy could be employed this way. No wonder she wasn't concerned even though his hand was dirty.

He, on the other hand, could only glow his hand and couldn't release it out. Even Desty could do the same as Wendy. Hmm, maybe it was different from person to person. He thought to ease himself. More important was that he had a body powerful than normal humans. It was one of the characteristics of being an Ex-Human.

Wendy showed smugness at his surprise.

While waiting for the train to stop, he learned a few things about the two with him. He was right, Wendy came from a prominent family the same as Desty. She had known Desty for quite a long time.

After a couple of hours of travel, the group finally arrived in one of the Cities of Blue Nara Region, the Seaside City.

The sea harbors the city's southern area towards the west, and steep mountains encircling the north of the city and west.

The east of the city was a wide-ranged prairie with forest and rivers in some other regions.

Jem once again was astonished. Unlike in the rural areas, the city was lively with people. Wendy said her farewell. She said she had somewhere to go before going to the academy. 

Before Wendy left, she warned them not to use their ability openly. "Jeez! No need for that. I'm well aware of it," Desty replied while raising a brow at her. Jem knitted his brows. He wondered what they meant.

"Well, Desty, it wasn't meant for you." Wendy winked an eye towards him before she left with a smirk. He thought she looked so cute as she did it, but. Also, suspicious.

"Don't mind her," he heard Desty say, then she continued. "Let's go to a store first; I need to buy something," said Desty. He glanced at her before he answered. "O-okay," he nodded and followed her. But soon he realized that he could not enter the store. It had high security that needed a person's identification card to enter. Unfortunately, he had nothing of that sort.

"....."

He had to wait outside. Well, in the rural areas, there's no need for identification cards to enter the farm. He could only scratch the side of his face as he turned his head around him and was amazed by the number of people passing by and heading everywhere. "What a lively place; a complete contrast to my birthplace…" Jem muttered.

In Seaside City, normal humans and Ex-humans were living in harmony. There were no prejudices against each other. Or so he thought it was the case. While waiting outside the store for Desty, Jem heard a crying noise. It was coming from the corner, which he believed led to an alleyway. 

At first, he tried to ignore it, but the crying continued, and it became louder every next second. His foot took a step forward, then it was followed by another. Until he found himself standing in a dark alley, and ahead of him, he saw some kids. Three kids were standing in a circle, and in the middle of the group was another kid.

He was right, that corner led to an alleyway, and now he was inside it. Although the place was dark, the kid in the middle radiated a glow coming from his body and lit up the place.

''An Ex-Human kid?' Jem was surprised when he saw him.

"Hey, what are you guys doing?!" With widened eyes, he yelled to the three kids who were surrounding the lone kid. In their hands was a wooden stick as big as a kid's arm. 'They used it to beat the Ex-Human kid?!' He concluded upon seeing some bruises on the other kid.

The three kids simultaneously glanced at him.

"?!"

But unbeknown to Jem's expectation, the three kids produced a wide grin when they saw him. "Now, you are finished! Ha-ha, an adult sees you in that state! Bahahaha!" Exclaimed the kid who was wearing a yellow shirt. Then he guffawed. The kid in a sleeveless shirt also opened his mouth. 

"Big bro! Punish this monster! Look, he illegally used his beastly power!" Said the kid while grinning broadly.

"What?!" Jem was stunned upon hearing them. "M-Mons-ter? And beast?"

"….."