Page 300 of Light Leech

But I still couldn’t accept that reality.

Keiro had died. Tevon had died. Deleon had died. Ali betrayed us–though it was temporary, it still left scars. Cut betrayed us. Ralia had almost died. I could keep listing the tragedies but none of them compared to the plague that forced me and my family to harm others for our longevity. Add that to the target major companies and organizations had on us and you had my pitiful existence. That did not match the joy I was now feeling.

Yet it was real.

I was dating Naoma.

I stroked the back of her hand with my thumb, checking again if it was true. She rubbed her shoulder against mine.

She stopped at the back of the line leading around the corner of the building.

“You’re just going to wait in this?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Might as well.”

“But they’re going to make a show of you when you arrive, right?”

“I never said that they will for sure.”

“But you still think it will happen?”

She nodded.

“Then why wait?”

“Because by the time we get there, there will be fewer people.”

“You know it doesn’t matter. Look at all the people just passing by. They’ll be here regardless of the time.” I gestured to the people on benches and sidewalks, admiring their prints of 3Rochi as well as the blind box merch they opened and showed off to one another. “Are you procrastinating?”

She leaned her head from side to side. “I’m trying to figure out how to approach them. It’s been a while, Pet. Nichley was a different battle and even though I’m going back to familiar territory, that was with Reef controlling me.”

“Do you think there’s much else you can do to prepare yourself?”

She leaned her head from side to side again.

“The best way to control the situation is for you to just walk up there. Don’t wait for them to reveal you, take a hold of their attention and walk in with confidence. Catch them off guard.”

She nodded, taking a moment to contemplate before saying, “Are you ready?”

“What do I have to worry about? You’re the one putting yourself back in the public eye.”

“I was in it enough in Arabasia.”

“Well, this is you putting yourself back into your throne with full control.”

“If anything, I should be more confident.”

“Exactly!”

She strutted forward, catching glances followed by whispers as we neared the front of the building. I heard her name echoing around me with gasps and exclamations. As people started to shout her name, she tossed her hat and any remnants of a disguise she had worn.

Amidst their gawking, she stared at the storefront with determination. Her charisma did not waver. In place of a stern glare, she held her smile triumphantly, just as she would before a concert audience.

The storefront was transparent with a slight violet tint radiating outward from the violet grid that lined each floor. The bottom level store front took up the first two floors. The store was all visible, save the end of the line on the second level, which was obscured by a giant screen playing 3Rochi music videos.

The voices from the crowd amplified as the uniformity of the line struggled to hold.

“Is that her?”