Wicked Reincarnation

Chapter 158: Mortal World 24

Four days passed quickly and it was the day of the full moon. The past few days, Mil really kept his word of dragging them around the whole country, thanks to Yano's awful teleportation, to feast on everything the Mortal World had to offer. They even went to other places in the world and explored the beautiful landscapes.

Lia had to admit, that in all of her life, these past four days were the most fun, exciting and beautiful she had and now she was reluctant to leave. As Lia sat in her room, exhausted after just coming back, a knock on the door stopped Lia from laying on her bed and wasting the precious last day.

Contrary to her expectation it wasn't Yano who came in but Skyla. In her casual clothes, Skyla sat next to Lia on the bed and smiled, "Everyone's waiting for you."

"Where? Aren't you guys exhausted?" Lia looked at Skyla and saw that she was unfazed.

"We're used to it, as exorcists we have to stay up night and day. And, Yano and I have endured since kids Mil's, let's say, um, rather hyperactive nature."

Lia laughed a bit and held her hand out. Skyla playfully took it and pulled Lia up, "Let's enjoy the few hours left before you leave."

Lia nodded. As Skyla said, there were indeed only a few hours left before the full moon.

"Wait," Skyla stopped Lia, "Let's dress you up accordingly, you can't wear what you wore yesterday right? Go and take a shower and I'll choose something for you."

On Skyla's command, Lia had to refresh herself. The hot water was pleasant on her skin. The millions of tiny drops rolled down and washed away any unpleasant feelings that started to boil.

For a second, Lia even had the panicking thought of just staying here in the Mortal World with them and purge ghosts, to spend the rest of her life here, carefree and exploring everything there was. To spend time with Yano.

But then the nagging feeling of leaving behind Noel and the others got to her. How wonderful it'd be if everyone could just come to the Mortal World and they could forget about the Immortal World and Min.

If only it had nothing to do with Lia, if only Min didn't become the Ghost King, if only if only Thousands of if onlys cursed Lia and she had to turn the water cold to get rid of these thoughts. It was better that she went back. The quicker, the sooner they could set their plan into motion and stop Min.

And once Min's plans were ruined, then both worlds would be at peace and once they were Lia could live happily ever after. If only

After the unpleasant shower times, Lia found Skyla in her room with piles of clothes.

"I got Mil to get you some clothes, you can take them back if you want!"

Skyla took a few and held them against Lia's body to check if they fit her.

"There's no need to put so much effort into it, it's only a small farewell."

For the first time, Lia saw Skyla shocked and heard her gasp, "What do you mean small farewell? You'll leave Yano, don't you want to make a lingering impression? Although I wish he could choke on loneliness."

"Doesn't he act like this with any female?" Lia finally spoke out her doubts she had for a long while.

"What? You don't know? He didn't say?" Skyla threw her hair back and patted Lia to sit next to her, "Of course, there are plenty of enough women crawling after that bast- Yano but he never pays them any heed."

Skyla started to brush Lia's hair, "Only you. You're the only one, don't ask me why, we were all surprised too but I can see why now. At first, I didn't like you much but you're a lovely person and well, you can keep Yano under control and even keep up with Mil's food craze."

Skyla sighed and Lia felt warm inside. She always craved to have female friends to gossip and talk with, just like any other person, instead, all of her years were spent on something foolish.

Skyla's long and soft fingers ran through Lia's hair and each time they made contact with her scalp, Lia involuntarily shivered. Skyla caught her reaction and laughed, "You're really sensitive. Don't let Yano find out though, don't let that bast- him get too close to you, ok?"

Even though Skyla said this, it has already happened. Yano was always, constantly, pretty intimate with Lia.

"I'm so jealous, you've got such pretty hair. It's smooth, shiny and has an incredible black hue to it."

"Thank you," Lia giggled a bit before her eyes widened, "What did you just say?"

Without warning Skyla, Lia abruptly turned around and grabbed the confused Skyla by the shoulders.

"I said your hair's nice?"

"No, not that. Which colour is it?"

"Black?"

"Are you sure?"

"Listen, you might think I'm only a brute but my eyes work damn well."

"It's black it's not blonde?"

"Erm, Kim, you sure you alright?" Skyla looked now worried.

On the other hand, Lia's heart was beating fast, this realisation if it turned out to be true, then how should Lia feel? All this time, she believed she had deceived them but it turned out she didn't.

Why? How? Could it be, it was on that day when she first arrived?

When Yano drew the first circle and it entered her?

No way, has she already been found out? But how? How did he know? Did he know who she was?

Lia needed to be sure. Anticipation, panic and confusion overtook her, "Skyla, describe how I look to you."

"Erm, ok?" Skyla really had no idea what suddenly came over Lia but she did as she was told. And as Skyla described everything about Lia, Lia and not Teacher Kim, tears formed in Lia's eyes.

So, in the end, he has always known. In the end, that was what he meant. Then why didn't Yano tell her?

All this time, she thought he only liked her because she didn't look like herself, because she was someone else.

After all, who had loved the crazy, love-struck girl that ran after a cold guy, who was narrow-minded and didn't care for anything else? Like a villain with her appearance that no male seemed to like.

After all, in her eyes back then it was only Min. And Min didn't like her, despite her beautiful looks everyone praised her about, and in the end, Lia hated, hated, hated how she looked like. She cursed it.

If only she was prettier, more charming, more attractive, she told herself, if only she was more appealing in his eyes then he would love her back but now-

What was she deluding herself into? So what if Yano knew how she really looked like? Did it really matter? Did appearance really matter?

Through the hallways, Lia ran down the stairs, out of the building to the base. Yet nowhere, Yano was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Yano?" Lia stopped a random exorcist, "I've seen him go out but not coming back."

"Where did he go?" Lia's grip intensified on him and he shrugged his shoulders, "One last question, what colour is my hair?"

"Wha- blonde?" the exorcists was as equally confused as Lia. Blonde? Not black, why? Then did it mean she was wrong? Her assumption was wrong?

She let him go and staggered back to the building. Lia didn't understand but only Yano could give her an answer.

Pressing down the suffocating feeling that involuntarily gripped Lia's chest, Lia sat in Yano's room and waited. Waited and waited. After an hour, he still didn't come. It was her last day here, so why was he out? What was he doing not being by her side until the last second?

As a tear rolled down Lia's face, she realised how foolish she was acting again. She didn't even have any feelings for Yano so why was she so desperate to see him? Why did she want him to be by her side, lend her company? Just because he showed her a bit of affection, just because he helped her? Was that enough for her to start falling for him?

That was absurd. Completely irrational. With a cold face, Lia stood up and shook away all of her feelings. Once again they were banned to a place where light could never reach them.

Yet as she approached the door, it opened and Yano came in. Seeing him in person, seeing his ruffled hair, his bright yet deep eyes, the little smile on his lips, the bars confining her banned feelings at once broke open and the chaos inside of her flushed away any sense and Lia ran and then-

Jumped into Yano's arms.

Stunned, it took Yano a while before he hugged Lia back and kissed her head.

"Hey, what's wrong?" his tender tone and his gentle caresses mend her torn heart. Just what was it that Lia felt for him? Just what was it that made her crave his touch? Just what was it that made her feel so comfortable in his arms?

And why was he so gentle, so caring, so loving towards her? Did any of it make sense? Did any of their feelings make sense? Lia didn't know, she has never been in any healthy relationship and so did Yano. So why, why was it that those two people seemed to know what was right for them? That their answer lied in each other?

Yano pulled Lia a bit away and led her to the bed where he sat her down and crouched before her. His soft fingers wiped the tears away that spilt from her eyes, and he pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"What? Missed me that much? Come on, just be honest."

Lia cryingly yet smiling pushed him away and said like usual, "Be quiet."