World After Worlds

"That's not a good thing to say, Love. Killing someone because of jealousy, you sound crazy." Kraig muttered to her after some time of being dazed. When he heard the bell ring, he realized that they had been standing in the hallway for some time.

"Well, I'm basically crazy for you." She shrugged her shoulders. She said it was nothing but that kind of confession never failed to send a surge of voltage on Kraig in his system. A very chilling emotion filled his heart as he forced himself to despite the goosebumps.

They entered the laboratory where their first subject was being held. Kraig placed the books under the table in their assigned place. He was still busy claiming his heart from their conversation that he knew he should not be excited about. But whenever she displayed her vile nature towards him—he was having a heart attack. He really liked the way that she could do bad things just for him, now he did not know if it was her or if it was him who had the problem with his brain…or heart.

He had a glimpse of her and she was occupied reading the instructions written in the book. Although Professor Lena had not come in yet, they were already instructed last week that during the period of their classes they should be able to brew at least fifteen kinds of potions. Today was the deadline and Yanarym was so good at concocting the potions that they were about to finish the entire book of the potions that were given to them. They already exceeded the number of the required potion from the first day. Now they were just doing the other potions for additional merits on their grades.

She was now focused on mixing the ingredients in the small pot, Kraig watched her closely and assisted her whenever she needed something. Most of the time he could all see how she adored him but right now. He could also witness how engrossed she was with potion brewing. Then upon observing her, he thought, including him, she liked potion a lot. What else? What else does she like? He suddenly wondered.

"This is done." She said that it would bring him out of reverie. He looked at the first set of pots she was mixing and looked at him with a smile. "You can activate it." Kraig carefully poured his mana over the pot and because it was activated it glowed. He slowly transferred the content on the vial and shook it to see its purple glimmering color.

"Love, why do you want to become a potion brewer?" A question popped into his mind.

Yanarym paused at mixing the second potion she was creating and turned to look at him, "Because that's the only thing I can do related to the magic." She answered a little bewildered. He was suddenly asking her something regarding her, of course, she would be surprised.

"Why do you like magic? It's not very convenient." Kraig replied, Yanarym washed her hand on the sink and dried it with the towel. Kraig placed the vial on the potion rack and washed his hands as well.

"Not convenient? You say that because you have mana on you. It is much more of a hassle with mana." She softly said and took the rack to place it on the shelves. They were the first pair to finish the potion for the class so they were free for the rest of the time.

"Is it?" He held her hand as they walked into the hallway on the way to the cafeteria where they spent most of their free time. "Lifespan is the exchange of equipping the mana. I like it more if I am blessed with intelligence like my beautiful girlfriend."

"Everybody dies someday, longer life does not mean it was fun compared to a life that was shorter." She answered nonchalantly. "This is done too." He took the pot and silenced it for minutes and looked in her direction.

"I'm curious why you always wear yellow dresses." He said out of context while he was activating the potion. She quickly spared him some glance and returned to measuring her ingredients for the third potion on the scale. She made it look so easy now that he was watching her but the other pairs of the class barely created two portions a day. He tried brewing something for himself but it ended up exploding in his face. It was not really actually easy to make them but Yanarym was able to do it so neatly and fast.

"I have liked yellow since I was young. I always wear yellow and it has become my habit to wear this color every time." She answered and Kraig nodded after transferring the liquid to another vial he stared at her again.

"Did you try wearing other colors?"

"Yeah, but it felt like it didn't suit me," Kraig smiled. "Do you think so too?"

"I think you will be pretty with anything." He said with sincerity because that was what he really thought so. "Do you like flowers?"

"Yes."

"What kind?"

"Dandelions?"

"Why are you asking me?" He laughed at her querying tone. "It's your favorite, you should know." Yanarym was not sure what was going on. Why would Kraig out of the context ask about her interest? It was surprising. Is this how he behaves when he is in love? She thought.

"I like dandelions," Yanarym said because it was what the original really liked. There were dandelions in her room. Matteo always put dandelions and daisies in the vases sitting by her window. She could not remember anything when she was much younger but she guessed Matteo and the original had an agreement on designing her room with yellow stuff and filling her wardrobe with yellow clothes and even shoes.

"What do you prefer, mountains or beaches?" He asked again.

"I'm not sure, but Mother, Marcus, and I went to the mountains every holiday."

"Do you want to go there on summer vacation?" Yanarym looked at him and covered the lid of the pot to let the potion cook with the ingredients.

"What?"

"Let's have a vacation together."

"Aren't you going to visit your family outside of the town?"

"I've been there. I just thought to have some more fun with you before we graduate next year." She stared at him without saying anything.

Yanarym knew she was gaining favors from Kraig not just a simple adoration but a concrete affection. After months of hard work, she could finally say that the fruit was almost ready to rip. However, being too forceful to harvest what you sow at a premature time would just bring the result all to vain. So, she was careful and very patient in handling not only Kraig but the other one too.

Today was one of the days when he was exhibiting his 'in love' attitude to her. It was actually different from when he just 'liked' her. One of the things that she noticed from before and now was when he liked her he would behave so nicely to the point that they would have an illusion that he came from a fiction book—though he was really a fictional character—but had so many peculiarities from a prince charming of a fairytale. Also, he would never ask anything regarding her, he was not curious. Different when he was in love; he always questioned her even on trivial matters, and was too silly that would often reveal his dire tantrums and vile attitude.

In addition, his temperament…Yanarym had long realized that Kraig was a sadist. Although that kind of behavior did not disappear, it had become adorable to her eyes lately. Whenever they were alone he would not waste the opportunity to bully her. It was different from the bullying of a brutal lover or vicious enemy, she could not explain but Kraig just liked tormenting her emotionally. Later after the torturing, he did to her he would be extremely docile like a guilty puppy who gnawed on a slipper and would be very sorry to the owner. Yanarym was not saying it should be acceptable but for her, his way of saying his apology was too cute to resist.

What made her like him a lot was the more he would get close to the state of falling in love the less he was yearning for sexual intercourse. Mostly, he would indulge himself with her with the notions of traveling outside the town together which he would never mention to her in the past. If before he would not mention any travel dates with her. Now, every chance he got, he would ask her out.

She could still remember on their first holiday in a relationship, whenever they were together all he did was have sex with her. Before he seemed not to think of making memories other than in the matters in the bedroom. However, that was not the case anymore Yanarym surmised that Kraig's love language was actually quality time over physical intimacy.