“Zico, wake up,” I said, shaking the sleeping boy gently.

“Mm?” Zico said, slowly opening his eyes. “I’m still sleepy…”

“It’s past noon!” I sighed. “Wake up. We’re gonna get you some clothes that’ll blend you in better.”

“Clothes…?” Zico asked, sitting up, his hair even messier than usual. “But I like my clothes…”

“Just come with me. It won't take long,” I said, pulling him off the couch. After a bit, Zico was fed and ready to leave.

“You treat me really well,” Zico said with slightly amused eyes as we walked to a nearby mall. “You’re acting like my noona or something.”

I did kind of see him as a lost puppy, I had to admit. After all, the guy was clueless and acted way too innocent for his physical looks.

I shrugged, “I’m used to it from PO…” I quickly explained, “Childhood friend. Lives on the floor below me.”

Zico nodded with a blank expression, seeming distracted by something.

“You have a fuzz on your sweater,” Zico said, reaching out for my arm. As his fingers made contact, a sharp zap ran up my arm, accompanied by a loud crackle.

“Ow!” I gasped, rubbing my arm. “Jeez, that was one intense static shock…”

“Oops, sorry,” Zico said, pulling back his hand quickly. He frowned, looking more upset than he should be.

“It’s okay,” I laughed, tussling his hair. “Don’t look so upset about something like that.”

Soon enough, his sad pout was gone, replaced by a wide-eyed look of wonder.

“Wow! This place’s huge!” he said, looking around.

“This is Gangnam after all,” I laughed. We walked into a store filled with the most recent trends. I grabbed an arm full of clothes and pushed Zico into a changing room with them.

“All of these?” he asked uncertainly through the door. “I have to try all of them?”

“Mhm,” I said, leaning against the wall opposite of the changing rooms. A moment later, Zico walked out, wearing dark wash skinny jeans, a plaid shirt, and low cut sneakers.

Damn was this boy good looking…

“I like it,” I said. “Next outfit.”

Obediently, he went back into the changing room and came out wearing khaki skinnies, a white v-neck, a pea coat, and boat shoes.

And this process of Zico’s attractive fashion show continued for the next twenty minutes or so.

“Ah… I like all of them but I’m not exactly rich so…” I said, twisting my mouth to one side. “Hm…”

“Oh, that’s no problem,” Zico said. “I found a stack of cash in my coat while I was changing.

“You… what?”

“See?” Zico pulled out a fat wallet from his pocket and inside was more money than probably my yearly salary.

“Oookay…” I said, patting his shoulder slowly. “I guess we can buy all this, if you want.”

“I guess I will,” Zico laughed. After buying all the clothes, Zico changed into my favorite outfit: a white and blue sweater, skinny khakis, and blue sneakers.

“Why’s everyone staring at me?” Zico whispered to me as we walked to a café to grab some food.

“‘Cause you’re super ugly,” I whispered back. Yes, I’ve also noticed the interested looks girls gave him as we walked through the busy streets.

“Am I…?” Zico asked, not sounding insulted, just purely curious. “I guess I am.”

This kid was… weird…

“Nah, you’re pretty attractive,” I said, opening the door to a small café. “Just not my type.”

Haha, that was a total lie, just in case you didn’t catch that. Oh, did you forget that I’ve been calling him hot pretty often?

Zico laughed lightly, “So I’m attractive but not to you?”

“Smart kid,” I said, quickly ordering food for the two of us. But before I could pay, Zico handed the girl some cash. I frowned but didn’t say anything.

“So, what were you doing outside so late last night?” Zico asked as we ate.

“Oh, I was filling in for a friend at a nearby convenience store and it was a late night shift,” I lied casually. “I would ask you the same question but…”

“But I don’t know,” Zico sighed. “I know I don’t have a concussion or amnesia… it’s like my memory just disappeared by magic.”

I tensed slightly at the sensitive word. I laughed a little, “You believe in that stuff?”

“Yes,” Zico said, his voice firm and confident.

“Magic, huh…” I said. “What kind of magic?”

Zico shrugged, “I don’t know. I just know it’s real.”

I smiled, “You’re a cute kid.”

As the conversation shifted to something more normal, I began to study Zico more carefully. There was definitely something about him…

Since a few months ago, there had been many cases where people would be found in the middle of the night, their memories completely gone. There was a wizard on the loose, erasing innocent people’s memories just for the pure enjoyment. I had thought Zico was just one of those people but maybe… not? Was he just a normal human? He had definitely seemed it at first but now, I wasn’t so sure. There was a nagging feeling in my gut. Zico was far from normal.

“Leina? Hellooo? Earth to Leina…!” Zico said, waving his hand in front of my face. I blinked hard and snapped out of my daze.

“Huh? Sorry… what were you saying again?”

Zico laughed, “You were staring at my face for a while… Am I attractive to you now?”

I flicked his forehead lightly, laughing, “Not yet.”