(A/N: This continues straight after where Mastermind finished. I was actually going to put the genres for this story as Romance/Friendship, but then I remembered some of the stuff I have planned for the later chapters... so it's Romance/Drama.)
A gloomy silence filled the antique shop that evening.
The surface of the dining table was cold against Mistel's forehead. It didn't bother him. He knew he would accustom to it, as he would lie like this for the rest of the day…
So when he heard a knocking, followed by the door downstairs opening, his body suddenly jolted upright.
He remained seated, tentatively wondering who it was and cycled through the possibilities in his mind, but as the unknown guest ascended the stairs, Mistel was more surprised that he did not immediately recognise their footsteps.
Whoever he could have expected, it was none of them. The person who entered the room now was that girl with the yellow dress and the sunny disposition; Lillie.
She strode purposefully into the room but since Mistel was staring at her in confusion, her determination sputtered and she stood facing him, silent.
Finally Mistel asked her, "What are you doing here?"
"Oh. I, uh… just got back from work and, well, Agate mentioned that she'd seen you wander off looking upset. And I knew nobody else was with you… so I came by to cheer you up!"
Lillie's explanation didn't help Mistel comprehend the situation at all.
No, no, no, it's all wrong! Even if someone was going to come by to cheer me up… Lillie? That doesn't make any sense! Mistel's face had scrunched up as he tried to think it through.
Reminding himself that he had company, he exhaled lightly to calm and compose himself.
He couldn't make sense of it but decided it was better not to try. He had lost track of all the strings connecting people together over the years. Maybe something had happened with Lillie recently that he hadn't noticed.
"Thank you for your concern, but it really isn't necessary. I'm perfectly all right. I have no need of being cheered up," Mistel said and smiled.
Lillie didn't seem to believe him entirely, for she remained. "You have a record player, don't you? Where do you keep your albums? I'd like to put something on," she said, looking about the room.
Mistel raised his eyebrows in suspicion and asked her, "Why do you want to put on music?"
"Well, I thought we could… um, th-that we..." Lillie looked down to the ground and fidgeted as she mumbled. She breathed in sharply, held out her hand towards Mistel, and said, "Mistel… would you like to dance?"
Mistel could see her legs were shaking slightly, so he was even more confused by her suggestion than he might have otherwise been.
"Why on earth would you force your way into my home to ask if I'd like to dance with you?" Mistel asked.
Lillie returned her hand to her side hurriedly and her gaze fell to the floor once again. Awkwardly, she explained herself, "Um, uh, well… I said I wanted to cheer you up. And I remembered that the last time we danced together… you seemed very happy. I mean, I-I remember you were grinning."
Mistel paled. "...You saw that?" He had been so sure Lillie hadn't noticed his grin. He cleared his throat, trying not to lose his calm. "A-As I said before, I am in no need of being cheered up. And anyway, you seem more likely to tremble in my arms than dance with me."
Mistel smiled brightly again, willing Lillie to leave the room. But she would not give up.
The stubborn girl continued further into the room and spoke back to him, "I'm still going to stay until I'm certain you're feeling better."
She sat down across from Mistel, intending to improve his mood with conversation, but the way he stared at her made it difficult for her to say a word.
Although he had smiled at her, he wasn't doing well to hide the harshness in his eyes. She knew he just didn't want her here.
Lillie wondered what she could possibly say to him to make him feel better and as she thought, she looked up at the ceiling to avoid contact with Mistel's eyes.
Mistel watched her for a few moments, but since he knew it was hopeless and she was not going to leave, he gave up. He didn't feel much like pretending right now.
He slammed his head back down on the table and Lillie was so startled, her eyes snapped back over to him.
"Um… so," Lillie mumbled.
"What?" Mistel moaned miserably, not even bothering to raise his head slightly.
"...You're feeling lonely, right?" Lillie said. Mistel didn't reply, so she continued, "That's why I'm going to stay here with you. If there's anything I can do, just let me know."
"I thought I'd already made it clear that there's nothing you can do," Mistel grumbled back.
"Then at least having someone here is better than being alone, right?"
There was silence for awhile after that, until Mistel lifted his head up to peer at Lillie suspiciously.
"Oh? That's it? You're just going to sit there silently?" he asked.
Lillie was a little startled. "B-But, I thought you just..."
"You said you wouldn't leave until I felt better, right? With how quiet you are being now, I can only assume that means you're hoping to stay overnight!" Mistel snapped.
Lillie's face turned bright red and she shouted back, "NO, I WASN'T THINKING THAT AT ALL!"
Mistel sighed. Not even making fun of Lillie had lifted his spirits.
He leaned against the back of the couch and stared up at the ceiling. Seeing the hopelessness in his eyes, Lillie knew she had to do something.
She allowed herself some time to think before getting to her feet and walking around the table.
"M… Maybe I was hoping to stay overnight."
Mistel's eyes widened and he slowly twisted his neck to face Lillie.
She was attempting to smile and bat her eyelashes at him, but she'd clearly never done anything remotely flirtatious in her life.
After being stared at for so long, Lillie broke down. "...That's the only way I'm going to be able to cheer you up, isn't it? By playing along with the things you say?" she said.
Mistel was stunned. His eyes had grown even wider to the point where his entire irises were visible. He simply could not believe it.
He burst into laughter and when he finally got a hold of himself, he replied, "That's definitely not necessary."
"You're not just saying that so I stop talking, are you?"
"Trust me when I say you are much more amusing when you're embarrassed."
"Well… good. Because I don't think I could ever do that again!" Lillie squeaked, and quickly buried her face in her hands.
Mistel couldn't help but giggle at the sight.
Suddenly, the door of the antique shop opened and footsteps rushed up the stairs.
Mistel twisted his neck around to see Raeger fly around the corner.
"Mistel, I-"
Raeger stopped mid-sentence when he saw Lillie standing in the room. The two of them stared at one another for a few moments in awkward silence.
Raeger looked to Mistel, his eyes asking him, "What is she doing here?"
Mistel responded with a shrug that answered, "I have no idea either."
Raeger turned back to Lillie and said aloud, "Uh… hello, Lillie."
Startled and nervous in his presence, Lillie took awhile to respond, but eventually she said in return, "H-hello, Raeger."
"So… do you have a reason to be here?" Raeger asked.
"I was trying to cheer up Mistel," Lillie explained.
"Well… I'm here now," Raeger said.
Lillie sighed. She knew she couldn't make a difference; not now, anyway. Both Mistel and Raeger were looking at her strangely, like she didn't belong.
"Goodbye," Lillie said quickly and hurried out.
After she was gone, Raeger returned his attention back to Mistel and asked him, "What was that about?"
"I honestly don't have a clue," Mistel answered.
Raeger changed the subject then, to what he had come by for. "Anyway… I sort of heard about what happened from Annie. Are you… okay?"
Mistel averted his gaze and said nothing. Raeger tried to catch his eye, to ascertain from his expression how he felt, when Mistel at last spoke, "I just wanted some time alone so I could wallow in self-pity. What is the matter with you all? Why are you barging into my home like this when I want to be miserable?!"
Raeger knelt beside the couch and put his arms around Mistel, hugging him. "I'm sorry. I'll never let you wallow in self-pity. I'll always be here for you," he said.
"...Damn you," Mistel muttered back, though he didn't struggle against Raeger's embrace at all.
The next morning, soon after Mistel had prepared the antique shop for work that day, the shop's door opened and Annie stepped inside.
Mistel observed as her eyes jumped from place to place and she tried very hard to keep her hands by her side rather than to begin twisting her apron; her tell-tale sign that she was nervous.
"I thought we'd gotten past this awkward stage," he said with disappointment.
She jumped at the sound of his voice, then stepped forward and, having found enough courage, said, "Mistel… You made me confront Elise with my feelings yesterday, as you obviously already know. And… she accepted to go out with me."
"Is that so?" Mistel replied. He had considered feigning ignorance, but in the end he didn't even bother trying to sound surprised.
"Yes. So, I… I was wondering… are we still friends?"
Mistel raised his eyebrows curiously at her, wondering why she would even feel the need to ask that.
After a look at his face, Annie continued, "You said before that you'd be my friend no matter what happened with Elise but… now that it's happened, are you still going to go along with that?"
"Of course! That you need even ask that surprises me. Annie, I care about you far too much to not be a part of your life," Mistel explained.
Annie looked away, her face creasing with worry. "I don't know if we can though… It makes me feel terrible, knowing you still love me. I'd always feel so guilty if you were around… And wouldn't you feel hurt?"
Mistel sighed. "It's no problem for me at all. Perhaps I should have explained myself more clearly," he said, tapping his chin with his forefinger. "Ah, I know! Allow me to rephrase myself now. My feelings for you weren't entirely romantic, so it's easy to push those feelings aside."
"Hmm… Are you certain you're not just trying to make me stop worrying?" Annie asked.
"Quite. Remember, I never said I wanted to date you." Mistel's mischievous smile returned as he brought back this past misunderstanding of Annie's.
"I wonder sometimes what it is you do want," Annie sighed.
"The answer to that is simple. I want you to be happy! If dating me would have made you happy, then I would have gladly gone along with it," Mistel explained, "but I think you will be much happier with me supporting you as a friend."
"I still find the things you say so unbelievable," Annie grumbled.
"So, what do you have planned to do today? Anything in particular?" Mistel inquired.
"Oh, I'm actually going on a date with Elise. I just wanted to talk to you before I headed over there," Annie replied.
Mistel was suddenly alert. "What are you wasting your time here for at all then?!" he snapped.
Annie's eyes widened in surprise, but she began to edge towards the door nervously as Mistel continued pestering her to hurry up.
Just before she reached the door, however, Mistel fell silent. In a wary tone, he asked, "Is that really what you're wearing?"
"Is… Is there something wrong with this?" Annie asked, looking down at her usual dress.
"Didn't you even think about wearing something special for the occasion?"
Annie shook her head, confused. Clearly the thought hadn't even crossed her mind.
Mistel sighed and shooed Annie away. "Never mind. You're fine. Now go! Elise is waiting!"
Over on the other side of town, Elise was sat before a mirror, gazing at her reflection. She peered closely, pushing her hair behind her shoulders and adjusting her jacket carefully. She waited patiently, but each second seemed to tick by slower than any before.
When she heard a knock at the front door, she knew at once it would be Annie. She leapt to her feet and raced her way to the stairs in the entrance of her home.
She took the steps quickly, scampering down in such a rush that as her foot reached for the second to last step, she lost her balance and fell forward.
Crashing in a heap on the ground, Elise groaned. A moment later, two maids had rushed over, prepared to help her back up, but their employer pulled herself up swiftly.
"I'm fine! Forget you even saw that!" Elise snapped at the two maids and continued on her way to the door as if nothing had happened.
She swung the door open and restrained her grin to a small smile as she took in the sight of the girl at the door.
"Hello Annie!" Elise said.
Annie breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Elise was wearing the same outfit she was always in, but even so, she looked more radiant today than usual. Nervously, Annie asked, "You look very pretty! Did you… do something different today?"
"No! I haven't done anything out of the ordinary. I'm not that excited or something," Elise said. Behind her, the two maids shared a glance, both thinking about the ridiculous lie they'd just heard.
Elise shot a look back at them before closing the door and leaving for the restaurant with Annie.