Faking

"What favor?" I knelt down before her, bringing my face level with hers since she was quite small.

"Ummm... I need a model for my drawing competition. Can I use your... face?" she asked hesitantly, her cheeks flushing with a faint blush.

I smiled gently. "Yeah, of course, as long as it's not for anything bad."

"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with gratitude.

"Do you know what you want to draw yet?" I inquired.

She nodded. "Yes, but... I don't know if I can capture it just from a picture..."

Is she asking me to go with her? I thought, a flicker of amusement in my eyes.

"Where were you thinking of going?" I asked, playing along.

"Just to a nearby street in the city. Would that be okay?" she asked, her voice hopeful.

I nodded, then turned to IM. "You can go home first."

"Seriously? Alright then, be careful," he said, a hint of concern in his voice as he retrieved his motorcycle.

"We will," I assured him.

IM nodded, gave me a quick wave, and roared off on his bike.

I retrieved my motorcycle from the parking lot, and Lenna hopped on behind me, her arms wrapped tightly around my waist. We rode towards the street she had in mind, the cool evening air whipping past us.

The street Lenna had chosen was a quiet, narrow lane lined with old shophouses and colorful street art. The fading sunlight cast long shadows.

"This is perfect," Lenna exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. "The lighting, the shadows... it's exactly what I was looking for."

I parked the motorcycle and we walked along the street, Lenna's eyes scanning the surroundings, her artistic mind already at work. She stopped in front of a mural depicting a majestic phoenix rising from the ashes, her gaze fixed on the intricate details of the artwork.

"This is it," she declared, her voice hushed with awe. "This is what I want to capture."

I followed her gaze, appreciating the beauty of the mural. The vibrant colors, the powerful imagery... it was truly a work of art.

"Alright," I said, taking a step back. "What do you need me to do?"

Lenna turned to me, her eyes sparkling with a creative fire. "I need you to stand right there, in front of the mural. Strike a pose, any pose. Just be yourself."

I nodded, a smile playing on my lips. "Leave it to me."

I stood there awkwardly, wondering why she couldn't just use a picture. Perhaps she wanted to capture more detail for the competition, but it still felt a bit strange to be posing for her like this.

I cleared my throat, trying to dispel the awkwardness. "Um, well... it's not like I pose for drawings every day," I mumbled, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. "Do you need me to do anything specific?"

Lenna shook her head, her eyes fixed on the mural. "No, just... stand there. Let me capture your essence."

I raised an eyebrow, unsure of what she meant by "essence." But I obliged, striking a casual pose with my hands in my pockets, my gaze fixed on the horizon.

Lenna began sketching, her pencil moving swiftly across the paper. I tried to remain still, but the longer I stood there, the more uncomfortable I became. I shifted my weight, adjusted my posture, and even attempted a few different poses, but nothing seemed to satisfy Lenna's artistic vision.

"Hey, Lenna," I called out softly, trying not to disturb her concentration.

"Yes?" she replied, not looking up from her sketchpad. She seemed completely absorbed in her work.

"Have you seen any ghosts lately?" I asked, changing the subject.

She stopped sketching and looked around, thinking. "No...? Yeah, it's been quiet lately, actually."

"Well, I haven't personally seen any lately, but there's always that eerie feeling at the old abandoned house near the river," she replied, a shiver running down her spine. "I always get a cold chill whenever I pass by it, like someone's watching me."

"Hmm, maybe we should check it out sometime," I suggested, intrigued by the prospect of another paranormal investigation.

"Really?" Lenna asked, her eyes widening. "You'd want to go there?"

"Maybe," I shrugged. "It could be an interesting experience."

Lenna seemed hesitant but also intrigued. "I don't know... that place gives me the creeps."

"Well, if you ever change your mind, let me know," I said with a smile. "I'm always up for a good adventure."

She returned to her drawing, her focus unwavering.

I continued to stand awkwardly, wondering if she was even capturing my posture correctly. There's no way she could be finished in just a few minutes...

"I'm finished," she announced, her voice startling me.

Too fast! What the hell!? I thought, my surprise evident on my face.

I looked closer at the paper. It was only a half-body sketch, but it was incredibly detailed. "That's really good... what are you going to do with it?"

"It's for one of my characters in the competition! One of them deals with the theme of self-diagnosis..." she replied, her voice filled with pride.

Self-diagnosis... I wondered what kind of character she was creating and how it would relate to that theme.

Click! A flash went off in the distance.

I flinched and turned around, spotting a girl holding a camera. "Huh...?"

"S-Senior! Don't mind that!" Lenna exclaimed, jumping in front of me, blocking my view of the photographer.

"What was that?" I asked, confused and a little irritated. "Who was that?"

"N-No one important!" Lenna stammered, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Lost in thought, I suddenly remembered the student council's photographer who was always secretly taking pictures of me. That might have been her...

"Lenna, was that the girl from the student council?" I asked, a suspicion forming in my mind.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"So it is true...?" I replied, a hint of amusement in my voice.

The cameraman had already disappeared, running away before we could confront her.

Lenna was still blushing. "I'm sorry, Senior. The photographer just told me to do this... she just wanted more aesthetic pictures of you..."

Why is that photographer so obsessed with me? I thought, a mix of annoyance and amusement swirling within me.

"I'm sorry, Senior... I didn't mean to cause any trouble," Lenna apologized, her voice filled with remorse.

"I'm not saying you were wrong or right," I replied, trying to ease her anxiety. "It's just... a bit unexpected, that's all."

She nodded, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment.

"So, is that all you needed?" I asked, changing the subject.

She nodded again.

"Want me to take you home?"

"Yeah, sure..." she replied, a shy smile gracing her lips.

We walked back to the motorcycle, and Lenna hopped on behind me, her arms once again encircling my waist. As we rode through the city streets, the silence between us was filled with the unspoken tension of the evening's events.

Finally, Lenna broke the silence. "Thank you, Senior Xian," she said softly, her voice barely audible over the rumble of the engine. "For everything."

I smiled, glancing back at her briefly. "You're welcome, Lenna. Just remember, if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

She nodded, her grip on my waist tightening slightly.

As we rode through the quiet streets, I suddenly remembered something about Seers. Could Lenna know about the Seer organization since she was one of them who didn't use her powers?

"Lenna!" I yelled over the wind.

"Yes, Senior!?" she replied, leaning closer.

"Do you know about the Seer organization!?"

"About my family!?" she yelled, her voice filled with surprise.

"Yes! Apparently, there's a Seer organization, but I don't know if they're your family or not!" I replied, keeping my eyes on the road.

Lenna fell silent, her grip on my waist tightening slightly. She seemed to be deep in thought, weighing her words carefully.

Finally, she spoke up. "I don't know anything about that, Senior!" she replied, her voice a mixture of confusion and worry.

I glanced back at her, a flicker of doubt crossing my mind. Was she telling the truth? Or was she hiding something? I couldn't be sure.

"But you said you were a Seer," I pointed out, keeping my voice calm. "Don't Seers usually know about these things?"

"Not all of us," Lenna replied, her voice barely a whisper. "I... I'm different. I never wanted to be part of their world. I don't even know how to use my power, Senior!"

Although she was stating a fact, she was still a Seer, my ancestor's enemy. But she didn't seem like a threat to me, at least not now

***

At WRA Company, Dove sat at her desk, intently focused on the charts displayed on her laptop screen, analyzing the company's profit margins.

"Nice... we're getting more revenue this month..." she mumbled to herself, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.

Yolan stood beside her, a hint of concern in her voice. "Lately, our company has been under scrutiny, you know?"

< Chapter 118 > Fin.