Chapter 195
What those Elders said was true. I looked at my watch and saw that it was nine forty five in the morning. However, it looked like it was still around five to six in the morning. The mist was ridiculously thick! Honestly, I only thought when they told me it would be misty for the next three days, it would be like the mist near my house. However, this mist was even thicker, it resembled smokes.
If it was not for the drop of temperature and the damp feeling I got after standing too long outside, I would think that the forest was on fire.
“What’s going on? Why is there thick mist out here? I thought it’s still early so I went back to sleep.” Tom who had just woken up and cleaned himself asked as he came out to stand near me.
I squinted my eyes as I noticed he didn’t feel cold at all. Here I was wearing thick jacket and even two layers of socks and a pair of thick gloves, but he didn’t even flinch with the cold.
Tom must have sensed the way I was looking at him as he grinned. “I’ll warm you up.” He approached me with his hands ready to touch my face. He had just come out from bathroom, his hands must be feeling cold, but I saw his hands didn’t look like it was cold. I was feeling curious.
I let him put his hands on both of my cheeks and felt surprised that his hands were warm to the point in was almost hot. It was comfortable hot. Usual warm couldn’t warm up my cold cheeks in instant, but his hands had the perfect heat to make my whole face felt warm.
Not because of blushing, but literally feeling warm.
Is he sick? I thought.
.....
“I’m not sick.” He said with a chuckle. He put his forehead to mine and this time I blushed. “After I woke up, I had some encounters with... you know. Then, I gained this hot body.”
I rolled my eyes when I heard the way he said the word ‘hot’; it could be literally hot in temperature, and hot as in sexy.
“Of course, you can only feel the difference when it’s cold. When it’s hot, my temperature will remain like anyone else, only... I won’t feel the heat. It’s more or less the same for me.” He added later on. “Isn’t it great?” He grinned.
Yeah, great. Really great. But, how long would he put his forehead on mine? Was he trying to shoot a song MV?
“Are you two done? It’s misty out there and you two are being all lovey dovey in front of the house?” A lazy voice was heard. It was Sanji’s voice.
“What? Are you jealous? Why don’t you join us then?” Tom retorted back with a mocking smile on his face.
There was no answer from Sanji for a while, but when he did give an answer, I was a bit surprised.
“Sure. Why not? Not that I’m jealous, of course. But two body heats were better than one.” He answered calmly as he stepped down from the house and approached us.
No, he approached me and hugged me from behind. His body heat warmed my back and Tom’s body heat warmed my front. Well, this position was kind of embarrassing, but it felt good. My empty back felt alive as a rush of comfortable feeling filled my heart.
“Well, if someone were to see what’s happening here, I would sue you both for damaging my image.” I reminded both of them that we were hugging in front of the house with abandoned feeling.
“Speaking of which, I haven’t met anyone here after this misty started. I wonder where they all go.” Sanji only loosened his arms a bit, but he didn’t release me.
“True.” Tom nodded.
Could these two men release me first?
The sudden attack from these two men made my heart palpitating madly. As a result, I felt my throat dry and my voice was cracking slightly even when I was just about to make a sound.
But, before the words started to form, we heard a distinct noise similar to a crowd of people in the traditional market. It was so clear and loud that it was hard to ignore it. However, it didn’t come from the market inside the village. Instead, it came from the forest.
The voice was getting louder and merrier. I looked around in the thick mist, but I couldn’t see anything. This thick mist... no wonder people would get lost if they forced themselves to walk in the forest during this time.
“The portal is open.” I whispered.
“What portal?” Both of the men asked in unison.
“I didn’t tell you?” I looked at the both of them with innocent look in my eyes.
The look of confusion in their eyes changed when they heard me asked about that question. A frown formed on their handsome faces as displeasure was hinted in their eyes.
“I think it slipped in my mind?” I struggled to break free from their hugs, but of course, it went in vain. I was trapped between the bodies of two hot men with their eyes shooting laser to me. How could I get out?
“Eh? Both of you make a progress rather quickly, huh?” I deliberately controlled my voice and let out my acting skill.
“Don’t change the subject.” Tom interrupted.
“You don’t want me to expose your vulgar relationship with Sanji?” I glared at him while controlling the laugh that threatened to come out from my throat.
“Stop, Jane. You know very well it’s just your imagination.” Sanji whispered in my ear with dangerous tone.
“What imagination? What am I imagining?” I stepped out from their circle as I glared at Sanji.
Mission Accomplished!
It was impossible for them to answer that question. But, before they realized what happened, I needed to make a run for myself.
With that thought in mind, I ran from them quickly. Siji told me that I could enter the portal, but only for several minutes. I could enjoy the gathering longer if I didn’t have to enter the portal. He would be there to help me manipulate my aura to resemble one of them.
Under one condition; I needed to go alone. And by alone, I meant to hide it from Sanji and Tom. Bringing them with me could increase the chance of me getting found out by them.
However, my stupid mouth couldn’t control itself and let it slipped from my mouth. That damn Tom also had a super hearing ability.
“Siji.” Siji appeared beside me, running like me. “Let’s go!” I nodded at him.
Siji nodded at me in return and touched my hand. In a flash, I was brought into the forest. The mist was still enveloping the place but it was not as thick as the ones in the village. Was it because of the charm?
“Are you ready, Milady?” Siji asked before he started channeling his power to manipulate my aura.
Nodding my head, excitement and nervousness mixed into one. Soon, I was feeling slightly dizzy and my aura changed. It worked!
“The portal is over there.” Siji pointed at one direction.
Walking carefully towards where he was pointing at. On my way there, I would meet with countless of ghosts and Earthlings with different expression on their face. Not to mention, they had different shapes.
It was my first time seeing this much of ghosts in my life. All of them looked like they had been to a banquet, chatting cheerfully and in friendly manner no matter what they looked like. They would pass by me, but they would not even spare me a glance.
Reaching the dark door of the renowned portal, I stopped for a bit. This portal didn’t have any guard? I had not heard any portals were opened without a guard.
However, I was thinking too soon.
Coming out from the portal was a giant body of tiger; not a real tiger, of course. But the one on its back rather picked my interest.
That cold face was somehow familiar to me, but where did I see him?
“You forgot about him already?” Siji asked me with a smile on his face.
Why did I feel that Siji knew this person would be here and purposely lured me here?
The tiger’s eyes met mine. Its cold and dangerous eyes gave a fleeting look at me, but I saw the acknowledgement in its eyes. I had met them before?
The man on its back looked at me. His indifferent gaze remained but I noticed the slightly wide eyes he made when he saw me. It was a sign that he recognized me.
“It’s my honor to meet the Master of First Army here. What can I help, Milady?” The man spoke as I was still trying to remember who this man was.
“Bumi?” I asked carefully. I wasn’t sure since this man was one hundred and eighty degrees different from the one I met back then. The only thing that I thought really similar to Bumi back then was his eyes.
Indeed, they were really different since the one back then possessed a fear in his eyes, but the one in front of me was cold and indifferent, looking down on his surroundings as if they were mere ants.
The tiger heard me calling his name and snorted. “Human, you sure aren’t blind.”
It’s Bumi indeed! And this was the cocky yet helpless tiger back then? The both of them were the guardians of this portal?