Prologue

Prologue

"Huu~" In a small, rundown apartment, a guy entered wearing a cashier's uniform.

There were bags under his eyes and his hair looked disheveled, still he had a small smile on his face.

"Thankfully, I was able to get home early. So I won't keep Joan waiting." He mumbled to himself.

He got into his bathroom and washed up quickly before picking out the best clothes he could and fixing his hair.

He dressed up and looked at himself in the mirror and nodded to himself. Taking away the bags under his eyes, his was quite handsome. Sharp square jaw, well shaped nose, thin lips and nicely arching eyebrows. And with his curly hair, he looked very appealing.

He looked outside the window and saw that it was drizzling. It was very light so it shouldn't hamper his plans at all.

He took a breath and got his small phone out and dialed a number. After it rang a few times, Someone picked.

"Hey J, I'm ready, should I start going or not?" He asked cheerfully, however, the response he got made his smile fade from his face.

"Oh Christopher I'm so sorry." The first thing he heard was an apology and his heart dropped slightly.

"It was sudden but I have a horrible cold and my head is banging seriously. I'm sorry but I can't go." Hearing this, the guy, Christopher was silent for a moment.

"Babe?" Joan's voice asked.

"Ah? No, it's fine. It's good that I asked beforehand. If that's the case then I'll come.over and look after you, maybe we can hang out that way." He said again, his voice cheerful once more.

"Sigh. I'm sorry but I'd like to be alone at the moment. Even as I'm talking to you know my headache is getting worse." She immediately replied and Christopher flinched.

"I see. Well, in that case. I won't keep you any longer, please get better soon." He forced a smile and said.

"Thanks a lot babe. I'll make it up to you when I get better." She said and he heard her blow him a kiss over the phone before cutting the call.

The moment she did, Christopher sat on his bed with a dim gaze. Then he closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair with a sigh.

"Damn it. I need to clear my head." The negative thoughts were already beginning to proliferate and he wanted to avoid that, so he got out of his fine clothes and wore a plain shirt and shorts before leaving his apartment.

He spotted his old but functional bicycle and got on it before he began to ride.

He didn't go to fast or too slow, and the number of people on the sidewalk wasn't too much as a result of the drizzling.

The tiny droplets of water as well as the cool breeze blew on his face, making him feel refreshed and reducing his indignation somewhat.

'Well, it is what it is. I can't blame Joan for suddenly getting a cold, it can happen to anyone. Besides, she said when she gets better, we'll properly go out.' He thought and continued to ride.

Christopher, of it wasn't made clear already, was not very well off.

First of all,.he was an orphan, and he grew up in a pretty poor orphanage as well, hence he got the barest minimum for education.

Moreover, the moment he turned eighteen, he was made to leave the orphanage and had to make a living by himself with a small allowance.

Still, since he lived his whole life without a lot, he was able to survive without a lot either. He got a very rundown apartment with a very low rent and after some searching, managed to get the job as a store cashier.

Nothing much changed and he never seemed to progress much despite working his back off, so it was it was inevitable that he faced depression.

While he never contemplated suicide, everyday was a struggle and with each one that passed, he felt himself sinking deeper and deeper into a hole he had no idea if he could get out of.

This continued for 5 years, and by that time, Christopher was still alive, but he wasn't living. He felt like a robot on repeat which was never meant to achieve anything more.

Still, the status quo never changed, and he just kept moving as he always did. And that was when he met Joan.

It wasn't anything special, the virus that shook the world finally died down and people could move freely. Thus, as he was working with his head down, the next person he was to attend to came.

His head was down as he didn't want anyone to see his eyes that had no light in them. So he just kept scanning the items.

"Hey, aren't you going to look at me?" A slightly energetic and annoyed tone entered his ears causing him to flinch.

"S- Sorry." Christopher stuttered, and while somewhat averting his gaze, his hesitantly looked up.

"There we go." However, when he saw the wide, innocent smile on the most beautiful face he'd ever seen, he felt like he'd just stared directly at the sun and was star struck for a moment.

"Well why're you looking all gloomy?" She tapped his head snapping him out of his stupor.

"I- Well-..." Christopher stuttered like a broken recorder causing the girl to giggle.

"You're cute, what's you name?" She smiled and asked.

"... Christopher." He answered after hesitating. He'd never spoken to anyone this long other than his boss.

Thankfully there wasn't anyone else in the store, so they weren't taking anyone's time.

"Hmm. It matches you face." She hummed and Christopher blinked. Was that supposed to be a compliment?

"Anyway, I know I don't have the right to pry, but I can't just look at someone who's not happy and be on my merry way." She said and tapped his head again.

"My name is Joan. I don't have a whole lot to do, so why not hang out with me after you're done?" The offer caught him off guard and he blinked.

"But my shift doesn't end until a few hours." He said and glanced at the clock.

"Then I'll wait." Her reply surprised him.

"... Why?" Why was she even talking to him, why was she being nice? She could clearly see that he wasn't well off. Doesn't she have other things to do?

The 'why?' had a much deeper meaning than he let on.

"Well, like I said, I don't really have much to do, and you seem pretty lonely." She said freely.

"Way to say it straight." He mumbled but she still heard him.

"Haha, there we go. Now that's a proper reaction." She laughed and Christopher stared at her. She seemed so genuinely pleased with getting him to react that he didn't know how to respond.

At that moment, another customer came in and she saw them.

"Okay then. I won't bother you much more, so I'll be outside, okay?" And in a flash, she paid for her tjings and was out of the store.

Christopher was rooted to his spot for so long that it was until the customer caught his attention that he remembered what he was doing there.

The next few hours went by and he was done with his shift. As he put on his jacket, he thought to himself.

'I wonder if she actually waited. Probably not, she has better things to do than entertain a bum like me.' He shook his head and left the store. However.

"Finally you're done!. I thought you'd be there forever." Christopher's eyes widened when he saw the girl, Joan again. She actually waited for him?!

"You seem surprised. Well I'm just saying it now, unless I absolutely can't, I don't break my promises." She said and smiled, her eyes closing and forming crescents.

At that very moment, Christopher felt his heart pound inside his chest and his cheeks flush. It was a foreign feeling, but one he'd read about enough to know what it meant.

'I'm smitten.' He didn't really know how to feel about that. But what he did know, was that even if he tried to lie, he knew, that he liked this girl, and he liked her presence.

'Even if she's just playing me. Let me feel this way a little longer.' He thought.

And from there, things popped off.

Somehow she figured out his schedule and continuously came to meet him at work. And each time he finished, they'd walk with each other until they reached the bus stop.

This continued, and slowly, Christopher could feel the darkness in his heart recede. However, he didn't truly realize until one day.

"Man, I'm spent." Joan stretched and yawned. It wasn't surprising considering that it was 11 PM.

"Should I walk you home?" Christopher offered and she shook her head lightly.

"Nah, I'll be fine." He blinked and just nodded and then the two kept on walking in silence for a bit.

"Hey." Joan suddenly called out without them stopping.

"Yeah?" He answered.

"I like you." She said in one breath.

"Oka- Wait." It took a moment for Christopher's brain to register what he just heard.

"You… what?" He blinked, the sheer level of disbelief in his eyes nearly comical.

"I said I like you." Joan said it again as she turned to face him, she had her signature smile, though her cheeks were tinted pink.

"S- Say it again." Christopher still though his wasn't hearing properly.

"I like you." Joan replied once more.

"Again." He started to tremble.

"I. Like. You!" She mouthed every word and Christopher's mind went blank. She, was being serious.

He was so stunned that he didn't even notice her went she came right up to his face, and when he did, it happens.

Her soft lips pressed against his and he felt as if a star had exploded inside his brain. Emotions flooded through him and his body became rigid like a rock.

It seemed like an eternity passed, and yet it was only a few seconds. And when Joan pulled back, Christopher found himself yearning for more.

"If you need confirmation again, then I'll say it as many times as you want. I like you." Conveniently, the bus came and she gave him a small wave before stepping on.

Christopher watched the bus get farther and farther away until it turned a corner and disappeared.

He didn't know how long he stood there, his brain replaying the scene over and over again. And then for the first time in who knows how long, a wide, genuine smile bloomed on his face.

Joy he had no idea was within him surged and gave him such a high dose of Dopamine that he nearly stumbled.

"I like you too." He mumbled.

***

Christopher thought back to that moment and chuckled to himself. That was when his life made a real turn around.

He and Joan started dating, and it had been a year since then. He was striving to do better for her, hence he was dabbling in other things that could possibly earn him more money, and while it was difficult due to his lack of education, he was making some headway.

Recently, he'd tried out for a modelling industry and he was actually quite close to making the cut, and the next interview was in a few days.

"Yeah no need to feel down." He muttered and snapped back to reality.

To his surprise, he ended up near the restaurant that he and Joan where supposed to go.

'Guess I rode here unconsciously.' He thought and shrugged. He gave the place a cursory glance while getting ready to leave.

However, he frowned and looked again, slower this time. When he did, his eyes widened.

There she was, beautiful yellow dress that exposed her fair shoulders, her hair done beautifully and her soft smile on her face. And she wasn't alone.

Across from her, Christopher spotted a guy he had never seen before. His looks were slightly above average and he wore an expensive looking suit, a smirk on his face.

The scene caused his heart to drop. He didn't want to believe it. He couldn't, but…

Joan stood up and went over to him, and with their backs to Christopher, they took a selfie. And to his horror, he watched Joan give him a quick kiss on the lips.

It was quick, but it was a kiss nonetheless. Christopher's world shattered.

'Ah.' In that instant, the darkness that had left him before came flooding back and increased twofold.

'Right, when did I forget? I'm a broke bum with no friends, family, or background.' His gaze became dim, and with no destination in mindz he started to ride.

'Why did I think I would be a good match for her?' He thought again and rounded a corner.

'I'm such an idiot.'

***

Joan smiled at the man in front of her, however she felt like puking.

She'd kissed him to satisfy him even though every cell in her body was revolted to infinity.

However, she had no choice. Her background was mysterious to most, but the reality was that she came from a very special family.

It may sound outlandish, but her and everyone else in her family could use magic. Yes, magic was real in this world.

However, it wasn't known to anyone and only a few select individuals could use it. Hence, it was decided that those who could wield magic had to hide themselves from the public eye as who knew what would happen if magic was exposed.

Right now, her parents were pushing her to find a suitor, and she knew she had to entertain some spoilt guys from other families to satisfy them, even if she ended up rejecting them in the end.

She was so pained when the day they'd fixed for her to meet this douche bag happened to coincide with the day she was meant to go out with Christopher. And it was so sudden too.

She felt her heart shatter when she heard his tone over the phone. Still, she had to go through with it as she absolutely couldn't let her family know she was dating a normal human, they'd never allow it. And if they did, she had no doubt in her mind that they'd off him to keep the lineage clean.

So as she smiled at her 'date' she looked at her phone under the excuse of wanting to edit the picture they just took when she in reality wanted to erase it from existence.

However, just as she was about to hit the delete button, her finger paused.

Her gaze left her and the guy's face as she noticed someone in the background. Frowning, she zoomed in, and what she saw made her heart sink.

On his bicycle, she saw Christopher, his face filled with shock.

She looked up towards the spot he had been in. Not there.

"Dammit!" She said through gritted teeth and got up hastily.

"Joan, is everything alr-" The guy was surprised by her sudden action.

"Zip it Marcus!" She snarled at him and ran out of the the restaurant.

She looked left and right and cursed.

"Heavens, Guide Me." She muttered and she felt energy flow and enter her eyes.

Right then and there, her vision changed and it shifted. She could see normally, but there were now lines everywhere.

Her eyes shot around and she quickly grasped a dark red line. And without hesitation, she chased after it.

***

Christopher continued to ride.

There was absolutely no thought in his mind, he kept riding.

Slowly, the drizzling started to pick up until it was fully raining. He got drenched and was cold. But his brain didn't even register the feeling. He simply rode.

That was until he suddenly came across a crowd on the side of road.

He blinked and almost didn't register them. He was about keep riding. But then he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

He turned towards it and frowned slightly. There was a little girl crying on the road, and by the looks of things, she was hurt.

He looked at the other side of the road and saw another crowd, though this time, a woman could be seen crying and shouting as she tried to run to the road, but the people were holding her back.

'It must be her daughter.' He noted.

'Why isn't anyone going to grab her.' He thought. Then he heard the horn.

His eyes moved, and down the road he saw a red car speeding down , and right at the kid.

'Crap!' A thought that actually registered in his brain appeared.

In that very instant, he didn't think, he just did.

He left his bike and sprinted past the people into the road. He heard some exclamations but paid them no heed.

He raced towards the girl and swopped her up. However, from the headlights, he knew the car was already upon them.

'I won't be able to get by in time!' He shouted inwardly. Time seemed to slow down and for some reason, his mind became exceedingly calm.

'If I let her go, I'll be able to jump out of the way. With her weighing me down, jumping will get us both killed.' He reasoned. And in that instant, his life flashed before his eyes.

'Nah, I'm not that big of a bum.' With that thought, he used his strength and threw the kid. Then the pain came.

Pain unlike anything he felt crashed sown on him like a tsunami as he tumbled over the roof of the car, feeling a fast majority of his bones shatter before hitting the ground.

His brain buzzed and adrenaline pumped through his body lessening the pain somewhat, still it felt like all of his nerves were on fire.

He couldn't even scream as he felt one of his lungs was punctured by his rib. His mind hazy.

He barely noticed the crowd gather around him, and he turned his eyes as they were all he could move at the moment and saw the woman cradling the crying child.

'Thank… God.' He thought, his mind hazy.

"....opher!" He blinked as a familiar voice entered his ears.

Before he knew what was happening, he was in someone's arms.

"CHRISTOPHER!" Ah, he knew that voice.

He looked up and saw Joan's tear stricken face.

"Please, no no no NO!!" She shouted and hugged him to her chest, ignoring how his blood stained her clothes.

Christopher blinked. You don't react like this to someone you're cheating on.

'Guess it was more complicated than I thought.' He thought. His mind becoming clearer, even though his body was beginning to lose its feeling.

"Y- You'll be fine. Stay with okay!" Joan said while panting.

Feeling her tears, Christopher sighed.

"Jo… an." He barely croaked out. He could make out someone shouting for 911, but he knew it wouldn't be any good. He was dying.

"Yeah? Hold on help is coming!" She breathed and sniffed.

"Tell… me… like… again." Christopher said with his dwindling strength, blood leaking from his lips.

"What?" She didn't understand at first.

"Please." He said and she realized. And amidst her tears, she smiled a painful smile.

"I- I like you." She barely managed.

"Again." Christopher said once more.

"I like you." The tears increased as Joan spoke again.

"A… gain." Christopher wheezed.

"I like you!" She said louder and buried her head in his chest.

"A…" He wasn't able to get the last one out.

"I love you!!" She cried out and buried her head in his chest.

Christopher sighed as his heart slowly came to a stop.

'I guess, I was pretty lucky.' He thought, a small smile creasing his face as his breathing ceased, and his heart stopped.

His eyes became lifeless and his body went limp. Joan felt this and her body flinched.

"Christopher!" She shouted and looked at his face.

"CHRISTOPHER!!!" She screamed and shook his body, but it was no use. Christopher had died.