golden glow

You know, I've done many stupid things when I was younger.

Like this one time, when I was about eleven, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to wash my hair with bleach in a desperate attempt to have my hair be as blonde as my Barbie dolls'. Or that other time a few years after when I ate nothing but cheese because I was convinced that it would make me grow a whole meter taller.

Not to mention the time I accidentally broke a window, and thought replacing the broken pieces with shards of broken mirror would make my mother not notice.

But this? Walking around campus near midnight with a genie? This definitely trumps all other stupidity that has ever befallen me during my nineteen years of life. On the night of my birthday, nonetheless.

"Stomp louder, why don't you," I whisper-yell at Cal, who for some reason thought that out of his whole ensemble, the dress shoes just had to stay.

Before we left my room, I made a point that walking around campus in a damn glimmering black suit would definitely attract more attention than I have any more energy to deal with, and thankfully he agreed.

He can use his common sense, at the very least.

Which is why I started making my way to Jaeun's closet to pull out a sweater or something. But when I turned around to give him the clothes that I retrieved, he was already dressed in an oversized orange shirt and slacks. A black jacket hung loosely over his shoulders, and even his damn hair colour changed.

Safe to say that I was bamboozled indeed. If it wasn't for the damn bright blue eyes of his, I might have thought that there's was a completely different stranger in my damn dorm room. If that were the case, I seriously would've screamed the roof off or something.

"What?" he asked when I looked at him with my mouth agape. "You never seen a genie do magic before?"

And here we were, practically tip-toeing our way to who knows where. As part of Cal's new deal, we had to figure out where we could get the most information about the magic repulsion situation going on between us. The sooner we can find the solution to that, the sooner I can make a wish.

And the sooner he freaking disappears from my presence. I don't know what I'll do with the necklace once Cal's back inside it, but that's a problem that I can worry about later.

"I'll let you know," Cal retorts, looking over his shoulder to give me his signature grin, "that I am extremely lightfoot. Although, I do know when to be hard and heavy..."

"Ew!" I hiss back, immediately catching onto his intended innuendo. He lets out a deep chuckle, and it takes everything in me not to shove him or give him a smack on the arm.

Partly because it would make unnecessary noise in this very quiet hallway, partly because I don't want to be sizzled again.

Back in my room, the two of us accidentally brushed shoulders again, and just that small amount of physical contact was enough to basically electrocute us both. Which made us come to the conclusion that we have to never touch again (which works for me, honestly).

Although, it does make me curious as to why this is happening, when Cal could so freely touch my skin earlier. He said something about a higher power, and a spell. Is it something that can be broken, or is there a deeper layer of knowledge waiting to be found?

I guess this is why Cal suggested this new mission of ours, in order for the two of us to fulfill our original agreement. Either way, I don't want this to carry on for longer than tonight - I'm already sacrificing several hours of heavenly sleep. And I have, like, a million classes tomorrow.

Navigating through the dorm at this hour feels kind of eerie. The usual partygoers - like my best friend - know better than to make any peep of noise near here, on the count of how snitching babies lie in every corner. Which is why they usually host and attend them at frat houses on the edge of campus.

At least that's what Jaeun always tells me.

The dimly lit pathways cast long shadows, and the silence that Jimin and I walk in is almost oppressive. Still, as uncomfortable as sudden silence tends to make me, at least I got Cal to shut up for a few minutes. Or something like that.

"Do you even know where we're going?" I ask in a hushed whisper, happy that we're almost near the stairs that are needed to leave the building.

"Yes," he says, matter-of-factly. He doesn't glance back at me this time, continuing his path towards the exit. "I can feel the aura of it the more we walk."

What aura, you may ask? Well, the aura of the Selene Fountain; it's just a few metres away from my dorm building. According to the numerous lectures we received during orientation last year, the fountain was a gift to our university from Lady Isabella Whitman. She was a philanthropist deeply passionate about education and the arts. She was one of Hybe University's founding father's daughter or something.

Apparently, Cal feels some sort of pull to it. He suggested that we go there, because the genie's plans are just the absolute best. I would thank you to tip me for my sarcasm.

In fact, the only reason I'm here is because he can't be anywhere further than five metres away from me at all times. And I'm cursed with this necklace, because even after removing it five more times, the freaking thing just magically poofs back onto my neck.

This birthday gift is starting to look more and more like the world's biggest headache. It makes me wonder which antique store Jaeun even got it from.

"What are you even going to do when we get there?" I whisper again, unable to smother my curiosity about the matter. I mean, think about it - an hour ago, I was saying goodbye to Jaeun as he was leaving, and now I'm on my way to a freaking water fountain because Cal thinks it's special?

I deserve decent answers, at least. Or another nap; whichever one come first at this point.

"You sure are speaking a lot for someone who said that we need to be quiet," he murmurs, and even though his back is turned to me, I can tell that he is smirking as he says that.

I roll my eyes in response, tip-toeing down the stairs behind him. "Whatever," I sigh back softly, not even surprised at his evasive answer. He has been giving these types of answers the whole night long, even when I lost my cool and yelled at him.

Guess genies don't like disclosing important damn information. Or at least, this one doesn't - I don't exactly have other genies to compare him to, do I?

After a few more quiet steps, we reach the main entrance of the dorm. I slowly press the button of the automatic machine that controls the door, watching it silently pop the door open. Jimin gets a hold of the handle, swinging it open and holding it so for me to walk past.

I frown, somewhat surprised by this act of chivalry. I mean, this is the very person who's been annoyingg me the whole damn night, and who I can't wait to get rid of. Why would he be kind or considering right now?

Am I reading too much into this? Is this what adrenaline and sleep deprivation do to you?

"Are you just going to stand and gawk or are you going to walk through the door?" Cal asks, one immaculate eyebrow raised. The way he's looking at me now is twinged with irritability and slight amusement.

Once more, I roll my eyes, recognising the words of the true Cal, and making my way to the door.

Only, when I reach it, the alarm abovehead starts going off. My eyes stretch to the size of my Nana's gold and white saucers, and I glance at Cal in a panic.

We're supposed to be quiet, and now the two of us triggered the door alarm. How could I forget that the thing makes a noise if the door is open too long?

Stupid Kiama!

"Shit!" I exclaim, grabbing on the first thing I can before yeeting out of the building. I almost trip over the small stone steps outside out dorm, but manage to balance myself midrun due to the thing that I grabbed onto.

Which just so happens to be Cal's sleeve. Since what he's wearing is so baggy, it's easy for me to grab hold of it without touching his skin; without the two of us being burned by one another's touch.

And now I wonder why I grabbed his sleeve in the first place. I mean, Cal has legs, so he should be able to run on his own, right? Ugh, everything is not making sense tonight.

Just let go of his sleeve, Kiama...

But for some reason, I can't get myself to do so. No matter how much I will my hand to let go of the sleeve, it still stays grasping the fabric as if my life depends on it.

This is strange. And it grabs all of my attention to the point where I try to snatch my arm away in a sudden pull. The only problem with that is: I momentarily forget that Cal and I are literally busy running. On stone paths, by the way, because the heavens forbid we run across the grass part of the walkway like normal people.

"Kiama, what the fu-" Cal starts yelling when he notices what I'm doing, but he doesn't get to finish his sentence before disaster strikes. Well, disaster for me, at least.

I've never been the best athletic person - I always left that department to my brother, Hajoon. I meant he was practically collecting sports trophies left and right when we were kids. And now he's a lecturer here at Hybe University in the faculty of Sports Science and Exercise.

Clearly he is on the right track.

But I've always struggled to run a few metres without my lungs feeling like it's on the brink of collapse. And my legs always feelike spaghetti afterwards.

So imagine the speed at which I was flying towards the ground when my spaghetti legs managed to buckle as I was tugging with force on Cal's sleeve. If anything, after I hit the ground, I'd probably look like a pancake on the floor in the middle of the damn walkway a few steps away from my dorm room.

"Oh shi-" I exclaim louder than necessary, putting my hands out to brace for impact. I close my eyes, already anticipating the hard thump, and the definite scrapes I'll accumulate from this stupid stunt of mine. Yet another thing to add to the list of stupid stuff I've done in my lifetime, I guess.

A few seconds pass by. Nothing happens, for some reason. And I'm not on the ground yet, either.

I pop my one eye open, trying to figure out what's happening. Only, when I do, I immediately make eye contact with Cal Monroe.

"What the..." I say, looking at him quizzically. He seems to have grabbed me by my elbow with one hand, and stopped my momentum by my waist with the other. It's a very unorthodox position to stop a fall in, but someone he isn't toppling over as well from the mere weird position either.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" he asks, eyebrows furrowed. "First you dash off grabbing me, and then you pull with so much force that you plummet to the floor?"

I look to the right of me, as well as to the left, seeing that I am indeed still being suspended midair. "How...how are you holding me right now?" I ask, more focused on that aspect than I should be.

"I think you mean 'Thanks Cal, for saving my ass and rescuing me from scraping my freaking knees'," he says, doing a very false impression of my voice. The annoyance on his symmetric face is unmistakable.

But my focus is still not there. It's looking at his hand on my elbow in particular, his thumb digging into my flesh. Not in a gross way, though - more fascinating, considering the fact that it's glowing gold where he comes into contact with my skin.

"My voice doesn't sound like that..." I say weakly, but I'm still not looking at him. My eyes can't seem to look away from the mesmerizing sight of glowing gold emitting from my elbow, especially considering it's becoming bigger and brighter.

"What...?" I hear Cal murmur, now also looking at the sight that I've been focusing on for the last few seconds.

"Cal, what is that?" I ask, tilting my head a bit so that I can see him from the side of my eye. "What did you do?"

"I caught you from breaking your teeth, obviously," he says, still looking confused. "I can't have a Holder with broken bones, now do I?"

"No, I mean what's that?" I says wanting to point at the small golden glow with my other hand, but forgetting that it's on the other side of my body. As I lift my other arm, it comes into contact with Cal's wrist, and the now usual spark of electrocution sparks from that contact.

I jolt in shock, and so does Cal. So much so that he lets go of me altogether. And just like that, I resume my journey back down to the ground.

"Ow," I say when I land elbow first on the stone surface. "That hurts." At least I fell with slower speed than I would've if Cal hadn't caught me.

How was Jimin able to catch me?

"Likewise," he says, rubbing over the spot that must've felt the shock from my arm. He looks equally pissed and uncertain when he looks down at me. "I'd help you up, but there's no guarantee that you won't sizzle me if I do so."

"If only I could sizzle you entirely," I mutter under my breath, standing up with a grunt.

"I'm sorry, what's that?" he asks, raising his eyebrows. "You want me to sizzle entirely?" He's mocking me, isn't he?

"Oh, shut up," I grumble, wiping the dust from my clothes. My heart hammers in chest, but from what, I can't be certain. The run, the fall, the golden glow?

I glance back at my elbow, seeing nothing but my brown skin in the moonlight. I frown again, rubbing over it gently. It's a little tender from the fall, but at least no scrapes.

This night just keeps on getting better and freaking better.

"What was that?" I ask Cal, looking up at him. His blue eyes twinkle bright in the night light, and for the first time I realize how much it resembles the stars. Well, if stars were the type of blue you'd find if you went deep diving in the ocean, I guess. "That gold mist that appeared from my elbow?"

"I...I don't know," he says, looking as perplexed as he did when he couldn't grant my wish back in the room. "Believe it or not, Mimi, this is all new to me to."

He looks around him, probably trying to spot the fountain or whatever. But something else he said caught my attention first.

"What did you just call me?" I ask, glaring at him instantly.

"We've got a fountain to go to," he says, dismissing my question entirely. "Or else your wish won't be granted."

With that, he starts walking off past me, not glancing back at me as he does. I cross my arms, narrowing my eyes at his retreating form. And as if he can sense that I'm still unhappy about his new nickname for me, he calls back with fake enthusiasm, "Mimi."

***