Eli was Kidnapped!
"Hmm... Hmm..."
Both the golden-haired girl and the black-haired girl looked at Eli with amused expressions. Their eyes sparkled with mischief as they watched him eat, his face flushed with embarrassment.
Eli couldn't believe his stomach had betrayed him at the worst possible moment.
'Fuck you!' he cursed internally, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks. With an annoyed expression, he said, "I haven't eaten lunch... that's why."
"Yeah, yeah..." The black-haired girl giggled, her laughter light and teasing. She glanced at the golden-haired girl, who was staring back at her with love-struck eyes, her face softening in a way that spoke volumes of unspoken affection.
'What's... going on?' Ana thought, feeling a flutter of confusion.
She quickly composed herself and introduced herself with a warm smile. "My name is Ana and you are?" as if she wasn't even following yesterday!
"My name is Eli," Eli said, glancing at the golden-haired girl expectantly, waiting for her name.
But,
"Her name is Lily, my friend... and she is nonverbal," Ana interjected, pointing to Lily.
"Oh!" Eli's eyebrows shot up in surprise. The realization dawned on him, explaining why she had never spoken to him.
A small guilt gnawed at his heart for having shouted at her earlier, "I am sorry, Miss Lily," he said, his tone softening.
Lily's eyebrows rose in surprise, but she quickly waved her hand, signaling him not to bow. There was an elegance to her gesture, a silent command wrapped in kindness. But then,
"Still, it's not respectable to follow someone and use tricks," Eli continued, his voice turning stern.
Lily flinched, looking at Ana... who had a shocked expression.
Lily just smiled... a smile that made Ana's lips twitch.
Ana turned to Eli and asked what Lily had done. When Eli recounted the events, Ana's eyes widened in shock, and she glared sternly at Lily, 'Looks like someone is enjoying their freedom too much... and most of all, he was able to withstand her corrupting dark energy... interesting,' she thought, a spark of intrigue igniting in her mind.
Eli soon finished eating, "Thank you for the food. I will consider this as repayment!" he said, deciding to leave. But Ana caught his hand, her grip gentle yet firm, and said, "She wants to repay you, Mr. Eli."
"T-There is no need for that--" Eli began, but Ana cut him off.
"No, no, Mr. Eli, I would surely feel guilty for damaging your uniform! Please come with us!" Ana insisted, her eyes, reflecting guilt.
Eli sighed, feeling the weight of their insistence. He agreed to take the offer, but then Lily caught Ana's hand and removed it from Eli's, positioning her hand in an 'X' as if to say no touching.
Ana was taken aback, not because of Lily's actions... maybe a little, but mostly because she witnessed Lily holding Eli's hand and nothing happened to him.
'H-He is fine?' Ana was shocked, her eyes filled with curiosity and a trace of fear. 'I did get information about him, but... there was nothing about his past,' she wondered, her mind racing with questions.
Soon, Ana led them to a clothing store affiliated with the division. Ana ordered a few sets of uniforms. Then,
"She wants to buy you these," Ana said, pointing to casual clothes and formal black attire.
Eli frowned. He was already getting a new uniform, not just one but two, so he couldn't possibly accept more. Just as he was about to reject her offer, Lily appeared before him, her eyes wide and pleading. They sparkled like a child's, full of innocent hope.
"...O...Okay," Eli nodded, feeling his resistance crumble. Thus, Lily selected clothes suitable for Eli, her choices meticulous and thoughtful. Ana watched with a surprised face. 'Why is she doing this?' she wondered. Lily, who never asked for anything, was now asking for many things from this man she had just met.
'What's going on?' Ana truly wondered, feeling a mix of confusion and intrigue.
Meanwhile,
"Miss Lily, that's underwear..." Eli stared blankly as she placed black underwear around his hips, checking his size. The moment felt surreal, almost comical.
Lily gently winked at him before placing a few more dozens of black underwear into the basket.
'Okay... I am getting it for free, so I cannot be a chooser,' Eli thought, resigning himself to the situation. Lily even picked out a few black clothes.
'Damn, everything is black... just like what she is wearing --- Wait a second!' he thought before asking, "Are you selecting black because you want me to match yours?" His voice carried a hint of scepticism.
Lily blushed, her cheeks turning a soft pink. She averted her eyes, nodding shyly as she lowered her head.
"...." Eli felt a rush of emotions. He wanted to say something, anything, but decided to stay silent... Ana was also shocked, her eyes wide with a mix of horror and disbelief.
She never saw Lily would blush and act shy like a Maiden!
Soon, everything was finished, and Eli was holding a huge luggage, unsure where to put it down.
Lily looked at Eli, her heart aching at the sight of him burdened with the heavy luggage. She turned to Ana, who took a moment to nod in understanding.
Eli then looked at Lily and said, "Thank you for your generosity, Miss Lily, though I wonder if this generosity is too much for me to handle!" His face was weak, his voice tinged with a mix of gratitude and bewilderment.
~Ring~Ring~
Eli immediately picked up the call and answered, "Ania."
Crack, crack.
The air around Lily seemed to crack as she stared blankly at Eli, her eyes slowly filling with a dangerous glint. She turned her glare to Ana, who flinched and quickly created an invisible barrier around them.
"M-Mr. Eli," Ana called, her voice shaky, but Eli was busy talking with Ania.
"Well, I don't mind having a few pieces of luggage since I rarely have any with me," Ania replied from the other side, her voice cheerful and unaware of the tension on Eli's side.
"Oh! Thank you so m-----" Eli began, but before he knew it, his vision blurred.
Ana caught his body as he slumped, putting it around her shoulder with practised ease. She waved her hand, and the luggage disappeared into another dimension. She looked at Lily, who nodded in satisfaction.
"This is completely wrong, Lily..." Ana mumbled before they disappeared from that place.
They say never believe someone who offers you candies... Eli was a prime example of why.
Meanwhile,
A white-haired woman arrived at the place where Eli had disappeared.
"Ara~Ara~ Looks like he was indeed her prey..." Lyra Fox, in disguise, couldn't help but say with an amused face.
Her expression then turned sombre, a touch of sadness in her eyes, "My daughter will be sad now... what should I do?" she mumbled before disappearing from that place.