chapter forty-two

Watched

After her revelation Lu Han and Alice’s relationship improved a lot. They were more talkative and closer, because there weren’t lies or secrets any more. She felt way lighter now that she revealed her true self, but just to him.

Lu Han was the only one who knew her secrets. Not Sulli, the other five boys, The Guardians Heaven or her mentor but him.

Even he knew details Alice haven’t told Xiumin or Chen, her closest demon-friends. But she was ok with it.

Finally, there’s someone who she can rely on. Lu Han gives her that vibration of comfort, but carelessness. Due to him, Alice didn’t care what future awaits her, because she’s braver now. Thanks to him, his support and love, she feels more courageous than ever. Even if she made her decision long ago about the possibility of fail, Alice doesn’t feel worried anymore. She doesn’t feel lonely anymore. Because that was her greatest fear; collapsing in solitude.

But she hasn’t thought of the possibility of leaving him alone due to her decisions, yet.

That day, Alice felt uncomfortable, like she was being watched and followed. That emotion vanishes every time she turns around, but comes back as soon as she disgorged and continues with her usual labors.

She couldn’t define that sensation. That uneasy feeling of being analyzed was driving her crazy. And because of that her body felt heavier, like she was carrying a weight she couldn’t bare with; it was like if someone was dissatisfied.

In that moment, she was at the grocery shop with Lu Han. She was looking at the milk’s pack heedlessly. Lu Han’s back was facing hers and he was checking on the yogurt’s expiration date.

Alice was trying to think of who could it be. That presence could be from neither Sulli nor The Guardians. They didn’t posses such a different and mixed auras. And Alice already could identify theirs because of the softness and kind emotions they emanated. Azazel? No, her mentor’s aura was way stronger and heavier. Rae? Alice shook her head slowly by the thought of her. Rae’s aura was weaker and dominating.

This presence feeling…was weird and new. Nothing like she came a crossed before.

“What’s bothering you?”

Alice woke up from her thoughts and turned to face Lu Han, who was still analyzing the yogurt’s dates.

“I feel like something or maybe someone if following me,” Alice answered as she looked at the shop entrance.

Lu Han was glad, but bothered. Glad because the old Alice would have not bothering him by telling what preoccupied her and now she just mentioned her troubled without hesitating; that was an improvement he thought. And bothered because he knew what molested her was something he should not messed with, he should not meddle into those topics, but he was already part of it. When he confessed his feelings he already messed with those.

And there wasn’t a way out for his decisions.

“I felt that sensation too,” Lu Han said with a soft tone, “Indeed, something might be watching you”

Or maybe them. They weren’t sure.

“Be careful,” Alice added wearing a concern gaze that made Lu Han smile. She was still preoccupied by his safety and not hers.

-

“Earth to Alice,” Baekhyun waved his hand in front of her eyes to catch her attention. She was sitting in the couch next to him watching a comedy show, but he noticed her not paying attention to it. Instead, her gaze was blank and confused. And to prove she was distracted he asked a random question, which Alice didn’t respond because she didn’t hear it.

The moment her eyes noticed the hand in front, she woke up. Alice turned towards Baekhyun with a puzzled look. Did he ask her something? Did he need something? Did he wanted to change the channel and he was asking her if it was ok?

Baekhyun smiled with her wondering gaze and sighed. “Sometimes it’s pretty easy to notice something is bothering you”

Alice lowered her gaze and played with her thumbs.

“It’s about Lu Han?” Alice shook her head.

“About demons?” She nodded almost visible.

“This difficult to explain. Please, don’t ask about it further”

But it wasn’t that complicated to explain; her concern of being watched of something or someone she wasn’t sure about. It was a new and overwhelming presence she had never noticed before. A mixture of emotions.

But…she was just not comfortable of telling her worries to Baekhyun. She was still unsure of telling little details of herself to him or the other four boys. Alice wasn’t used to share facts about herself.

But with Lu Han…it was different. All because he saw the little, broken and afraid girl behind her demon disguise. He had seen all her insecurities from the begging and with small steps he got closer and closer to her real self. Lu Han was able to overthrow her walls and see through her crystalline beautiful eyes.

He got to know Alice, the real her. And she was glad he did.

Baekhyun nodded understanding her silence. He knew if she were talking with Sulli or mostly Lu Han, Alice would have talk about her insecurities. But he didn’t feel burden by that. Baekhyun knew she had a special bond towards those two, especially Lu Han. The only thing he could do was given her support and being there when she needs it.

And after the sun hidden that feeling continued bothering her. Even in the moment she was about to sleep, it didn’t vanish.

Sulli noticed her uneasy gaze and acts. And when she asked about it, Alice doubted on telling her at first, but soon she decided to explain her.

She did. Alice told the sensation of being followed and watched, the mixture emotions that presence emanates and her insecurities in that moment. She couldn’t focus on her duties due to that uneasy sensation.

The angel tried to search for that different aura, but she wasn’t able to notice anything off. In that moment, that presence had disappeared. Sulli did notice a weird sensation when she was near her female friend, but she assumed it as Alice’s aura. But it wasn’t hers. Sulli was now sure it wasn’t hers, but someone else’s. And the angel promised the demon to investigate about it in Heaven.

And with that heavy sensation they went to sleep.

But Alice was still being observed in her dreams. She couldn’t sleep properly due to that aura. Alice didn’t sleep any single minute; she was awake the whole night. All the time facing the ceiling.