Is My Life Ordinary? - Chapter 143

I looked around a bit and noticed Lily standing beside the small pond. Alone.

I walked up to her and by the time I reached her my packet of chips was about to get finished. As a result, I had to throw the wrapper away but I don’t want to lose sight of her. So I placed the wrapper in my pocket for the time being.

“What are you doing here?” I said as I approached her from behind.

“Ek!”

She took a step back as she let out a cute voice. And even lost balance that she fell on the ground.

“Are you okay?” I extended my arm to her.

“A-Allen! You scared me?!” she screamed.

I thought by this time her bodyguard might have come out to help her but mysteriously they were acting as spectators only.

“They won’t be coming to help me. They know about you,” Lily said as she shrugged dust from her frock.

“Sorry about that,” I apologized as I felt guilty about it.

“Anyway, what are you doing here?” she asked me.

“Nothing just wandering around,” I replied. “What about you?”

“It’s kind of hard to explain.” She said with a saddened face.

“I certainly don’t have an appointment and leaving aside the fact that I have to throw a rapper in my pocket in a dustbin I think I can help you out.”

What am I saying? Does that sentence even make sense?  But I suppose the meaning behind the words did pass on to her.

“This was the place when I lost my closest friend,” she said.

I think I have heard this story from someone. I looked around and noticed that man again. He was the one who told me about this story but it wasn’t very detailed.

“Is that so? Was? Isn’t that person with you now?” I asked.

“He is there but out of my reach and maybe also I don’t want to approach him. I still have lingering feelings of getting rejected again.” She said, “Sorry. It doesn’t concern you. I shouldn’t have said something so weird all of a sudden.”

“So? If he had already rejected you, why care?” I said as I tried to locate a dustbin to throw this rapper.

“Huh? Didn’t you hear me? He was the closest person to me.” Her voice was a bit vexed.

“Aren’t you the one who isn’t listening? He ‘was’ and ‘is’, there is a difference. I am not saying you reject those feelings, there is a thin line that separates both of them. And unfortunately, you are clinging to the ‘is’ side more.”

“What do you mean?”

“If he isn’t with you then it’s his choice and not yours. You can’t do anything about it. But your choice is whether to dwell on the past or to move ahead of it. If everyone were to dwell on the past would people be happy?”

“So am I supposed to forget about him?” she asked me.

“I never used the word ‘forget’, you have to accept reality and live with it. You don’t expect the world to bend your ways do you?”

Ah-ha. I located the dustbin on the other end of the Park.

“B-But” she was still acting like a little child. A child who got obsessed over a long broken toy.

“Lily, you can’t force your ideals or dreams on other people.”

“…”

“Alright enough with the ideal talks. What happened with the President and his secret friend?” I asked her.

“You sure changed a serious conversation instantly.” She said, “I talked with the President but he wouldn’t crack up. Even in the slightest bit.”

“So any lead till now?” I asked her.

“Although the President told me his direct relation with the Girl, I did get to know that she isn’t that introvert as I thought she turned into.” Lily said, “Frequently she would go out at night time.”

“Night time? Any special reason?” I asked.

“None. Before I could ponder any further you blasted the bomb.”

“… So what’s the next step?” I asked her.

“Maybe we can tail her?” she suggested.

“But we don’t know when she leaves the house.”

“Well that’s a problem then. But I will dig further. Till then why don’t you look for yourself rather than for her?”

“Sarcasm?”

“You think?” She looked at me with a dumbfounded look.

…

With that we parted our ways. She went to her grand mansion and I to the dustbin.

TO THROW THE RAPPER OF COURSE.

As I pondered about how I should get back at the Council I remembered about Iris. Isn’t she supposed to be collecting some information on the Council? If she has done some work I would ask her tomorrow. But if she had already found something then she would have reached out to me but she hasn’t. Does this mean she hasn’t?

Let’s look for it in the morning.

…

I walked around the Park for the time being. And tried to waste time as much as possible. If I were to sit ideally in the house I would only worry about something again and I don’t want to.

After taking a couple around the Park I made an exit on the next way out. On my way I noticed a small girl sneakily looking around, hiding behind a car.

“Hey, mister. Come here for a second.”

“I am talking to you!” she hissed and yelled. But is it for me?

“Me?”

“Yes you. Come here.” She called me.

Since she was just a child I complied with her request.

“What is it?” I crouched down to match her level.

“Can you take a look at that corner and see if anyone wearing a black suit is shanding or not? I mean S-Standing!” Took her long enough to notice that.

“Okay, I will see if someone in black suit shanding or not.” I said.

“D-Don’t make fun of me!” she exclaimed with her cute little mouth.

“Ehh… is this how you treat someone asking for a favor?”

“… Mmm…” she pouted with her small cheeks.

*Touch*

I touched it a little and all air flew right outside.

“Why do you want me to check that? Is someone following you?” I asked.

“No… I am playing with my father.” she smiled.

But isn’t his father a bit irresponsible? Letting a small child all alone? In the park it’s fine but outside isn’t for small kids.

“Why not go with me to check…?” I asked her.

As a responsible citizen I should at least look after her until her father comes to take her.

“But what if he is there and sees me? You know for an adult you aren’t that shart- Oops! Smart!” she bit her tongue. Cute.

“Then why not just take a peek? Since you are this small I believe no one would see you,” I said.

“Rika isn’t small!” she pouted again. And I also came to know her name.

“Okay, Okay. Rika isn’t small. But to act like an adult you have to take some serious steps, you know? To fool your father you need to see his next move.”

What am I saying to this small child? Have I finally gone crazy?

“Hmm…so to win the game I need to outshart- outshart- outsmart! Father!”

I was just about to let out a laugh but watching her try saying the word again and again made me feel like laughing at it.

Still I was also a child, “I guess Rika isn’t that big.”

“No! Rika is big!” she exclaimed.

“Alright then let’s go,” I offered her hand. In response she took her small hands from her pocket and placed them on mine.

You know, Rika, you shouldn’t believe people this easily. Didn’t your father tell you not to go along with strangers?” I asked her.

“Are you a bad person?” she asked me with puppy eyes.

“No…” even I felt a bit reluctant to answer.

“Then there is no problem! I am an adult and you aren’t a bad person so I am good to go!” she said with a confident smug.

She wasn’t technically wrong but her reasoning was a bit twisted. With our hands connected we decided to take a walk to the end of the corner.

She didn’t seem a bit scared.

“Do you see anyone in black shoot-suit!” she again bit her tongue.

“Not anyone with the blck clothes. But I do see small kittens with black fur,” I said.

“Really!?”

Although she was hiding she instantly came forward and stepped in the open. And of course, there weren’t any kittens. It was just a bluff that I played to make her come forward.

There wasn’t one but multiple people in suits and she also didn’t show me any specifics to her father. The last resort was to see her father herself.

“There she is! Rika!” the man farthest shouted.

To which Rika flinched back when she saw the man. For a minute I maintained a close distance from her since I am not sure if he is her father or not.

But fortunately, he was. Because Rika jumped forward and hugged him instantly. I guess she did feel scared.

“Oh thank god, I found it. Rika please don’t let go of my hand when we are outside, okay?”

“Y-Yeah…” she was feeling a bit embarrassed as she tried to hide her face in her father’s coat.

“I am sorry for the trou-” he was stunned for a second but was back to normal soon enough.

“Ah, no problem. Apparently, she was the one to ask for help. If anything I should be ashamed for leaving her alone in the first place.”

“No, no. I am thankful to you. But… have we met before?” he asked me.

“I don’t think so,” I said as I tried to recall my memories.

“That’s right, isn’t it? Anyways I need to get back. Again thank you for taking care of her.” he smiled at me and left.

But his way of speaking and the ling he used in the last part… I remember it from somewhere.

TO BE CONTINUED…