Bab 35: Looking like what?
As the sun began to set, Lily and I decided it was time to head back. We strolled leisurely, savoring the final moments of our afternoon together. The warm glow of the evening light painted everything in hues of gold and orange, and I felt a strange sense of calm despite the unexpected twists of the day.
"Thank you, Jade," Lily said, her voice soft as she looked up at me with gratitude. "I had a really wonderful time."
I smiled at her, feeling genuinely pleased. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was... unexpected, but fun."
We approached the Fairy Tail guild hall, the large building now casting long shadows across the cobblestone streets. As we stood before the entrance, Lily hesitated, looking a bit shy.
"Well," she said, shuffling her feet, "I guess this is where I say goodbye."
I nodded, feeling a bit awkward again. "Yeah, I suppose so. Thanks for today, Lily."
Before I could say anything else, Lily stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. I froze, taken aback by the sudden gesture. Just as I was about to reciprocate, Lily pulled back slightly and, with a cheeky grin, planted a quick kiss on my cheek.
"Bye, Jade!" she chirped, turning on her heel and running off into the night, leaving me standing there, utterly speechless.
I stood there, mouth agape, completely frozen as my brain struggled to process what had just happened. Did she just kiss me? I wondered, feeling my face grow hot.
It was only when I heard the sound of familiar laughter that I snapped out of my daze. I turned to see Gajeel and Juvia approaching from the shadows, their shoulders shaking with mirth.
"What are you two laughing at?" I demanded, crossing my arms and trying to sound stern, though I was still flustered from Lily's unexpected farewell.
Gajeel grinned widely, pointing at me. "Nice look you got there, Jade."
Juvia giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "Yes, very... bold."
I frowned, thoroughly confused. "What are you talking about?"
Instead of answering, Gajeel just shook his head, his laughter unabated. As they walked past me, he slapped my shoulder. "You'll figure it out," he said with a wink.
As they headed toward the guild entrance, Gajeel paused and turned back to me. "Oh, by the way, Mira and Elfman already headed home. You might want to catch up with them."
I nodded, still a bit baffled by their behavior. "Uh, sure. Thanks."
"Goodnight, Jade!" Juvia called, waving as they disappeared inside the guild.
I stood there for a moment longer, trying to shake off the lingering embarrassment. With a sigh, I decided it was time to head back to Mirajane's place. The day had been long enough without adding more confusion to it.
The walk to Mira's house was peaceful, with the streets growing quieter as the town settled into the evening. The stars were beginning to peek through the darkening sky, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves in the trees, adding a serene backdrop to my thoughts.
When I arrived at Mirajane's house, I took a moment to compose myself before knocking on the door. Almost immediately, Elfman answered, his expression instantly breaking into a wide grin as he looked at me.
"What's so funny?" I asked suspiciously, feeling like the butt of a joke I wasn't in on.
Elfman chuckled, stepping aside to let me in. "Oh, nothing. Just didn't expect you to come home looking like that."
"Looking like what?" I pressed, exasperated.
Elfman didn't answer. Instead, he just shook his head and led me inside. "You know you don't have to knock, Jade. You're welcome here anytime."
"Thanks," I said, slipping off my shoes and stepping into the warmth of the house. The comforting aroma of dinner wafted through the air, making my stomach rumble in anticipation.
As I walked into the dining room, my eyes widened at the sight before me. The table was laden with a spread of food that looked like it had come straight out of one of Mira's recipe books. There were steaming bowls of hearty stew, plates piled high with roasted meats, freshly baked bread, and colorful salads that would have made anyone's mouth water. A large pot of Mira's famous seafood paella sat at the center, its delicious scent filling the room.
Mirajane stood by the table, arranging the last of the dishes with her usual graceful efficiency. Her back was to me, but when she turned and saw me, her expression shifted ever so slightly. Her eyes narrowed just a fraction, and her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Jade," she said, her voice carrying a hint of something I couldn't quite place. Was it... irritation?
"Hi, Mira," I said hesitantly. "Dinner smells amazing."
"Thank you," she replied, her eyes fixed on me with an intensity I hadn't expected. Her gaze was locked onto my face, and I shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny.
Elfman, who was standing off to the side, was doing a poor job of hiding his amusement. He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying whatever was happening between Mira and me.
"Did you have a nice day, Jade?" Mirajane asked, a slight edge to her voice as she began setting plates on the table with a bit more force than usual.
"Yeah, it was... eventful," I said, still feeling the remnants of the day's surprises. "Lily showed up out of nowhere, and—"
"Oh, Lily," Mira interrupted, her tone a little too sweet. "I'm so glad you had such a... delightful time with her."
"Uh, yeah," I replied, not quite sure where this was going. "It was nice catching up."
Mirajane's eyes narrowed slightly, and she wiped her hands on a towel a bit too briskly. "I see. You two seemed to have quite the connection."
I blinked, sensing the underlying tension but unsure of its cause. "Well, it was just a friendly thing, you know?"
Elfman let out a chuckle, causing Mira to shoot him a look that silenced him immediately. I watched the exchange, puzzled.
"Jade," Mira said, taking a deep breath and walking over to me, "before you sit down to eat, I think you should take a look in the mirror."
"Why? Do I have something on my face?" I asked, touching my cheeks.
"You could say that," Mira replied, her lips pressing into a thin line, though a hint of amusement danced in her eyes. "You've got a lovely new accessory."
I frowned and headed to the hallway mirror, curious about what she was talking about. When I caught sight of my reflection, I saw the bright red lipstick mark standing out boldly against my skin.
"Ah," I said, realizing why everyone had been laughing earlier. "That explains a lot."
"Yes, it certainly does," Mira said from behind me, her voice laced with a mix of annoyance and something else I couldn't quite identify. "And it might be good to wash it off before dinner, don't you think?"
I turned back to her, feeling a bit sheepish. "Yeah, I'll do that right away."
"Great idea," Mira said, her smile a bit too tight as she motioned toward the bathroom. "And while you're at it, maybe take a nice, long shower."
I raised an eyebrow, sensing there was more to this than simple hygiene advice. "Uh, sure. I guess I do need to freshen up."
"Excellent," Mirajane said with a nod. "We'll wait for you to join us once you're... spotless."
I nodded, unsure of why I felt like a child being sent to their room. Elfman gave me a thumbs-up as I made my way to the bathroom, clearly entertained by the whole scenario.
In the bathroom, I quickly scrubbed away the lipstick mark, chuckling to myself at how oblivious I had been. As I showered, I wondered what had gotten into Mira. She seemed unusually tense, but I chalked it up to a long day.
When I finally emerged, feeling refreshed and free of lipstick, I found Mira waiting for me in the hallway. She eyed me critically before nodding in approval.
"Much better," she said, her tone now lighter but still holding a hint of something unsaid.
"Thanks, Mira," I said, offering a smile. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting."
"Don't worry about it," she replied, her expression softening slightly. "Let's just enjoy dinner now that everything's back to normal."
"Sure thing," I agreed, grateful for the chance to sit down and enjoy the meal without further drama.
As we made our way back to the dining room, I couldn't help but feel a bit more at ease, even though I still didn't quite understand what had transpired between Mira and me. But with the promise of delicious food and good company, I decided to let it slide, at least for the time being.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone