The salmon-haired boy reached the doll from the high shelf for the little girl. Before he could even hand the doll to her, their eyes got locked on each other. Nasu felt some kind of weird instinct. As for Nashi, she just stood there in a direct eye contact with the stranger who's staring at her. Since Nashi is too young to be aware of such feelings and thoughts, it was only Natsu who finds it weird to feel like attached to a stranger. He kept on studying Nashi's face, thinking that every angle of its face is very similar to someone he knew.
"Thank you, mister." Nashi smiled at him and took the doll from his hand.
That smile...
He knew that smile! He is just not really sure if his thoughts are right. He wondered where did she got that kind of smile? Little did he know, it was one thing she inherited from her father. Her smile, what more? Her hair. They had the same hair color, and exactly the same shade of pink. What does this girl have with her, anyway?
"Hey, mister!" Nashi waved the doll in front of his face. "You alright? Have you seen a ghost or what?" She giggled. Natsu was suddenly awakened from thinking deeply about a stranger kid. He blinked his eyes several times and shook his head lightly to get back his mind back to normal. "Oh, h-hey, there. Y-you're welcome." He said, his eyes still studying her face. He just couldn't take his eyes off the little girl.
Nashi explored every part of the doll. She wanted to take it home. Well, who wouldn't? It was a unique type of doll, the reason why she liked it. If only she could go buy it for herself or ask Jellal to buy it for her, but she knows what her mommy said. "Are you gonna buy that?" Natsu asked. "Where's your mother?"
"Oh, I'd want to. But my mommy told me that I should not buy toys for the meantime because my grandpa is at the hospital. My mommy is at work, I'm just with my- uncle? He's at the meat section." She explained.
"Is that so?" Natsu nodded slowly. "What happened to your grandpa?" He asked all of the sudden. "And, to your arm?" Then, he pointed her casted arm.
"I almost got hit by a truck that lost its brake, but luckily grandpa managed to grab me so it lessened the risk of my own life. Grandpa is at the hospital, sleeping for one week already."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I hope your grandpa gets well very soon. He must be a very good person." Natsu said. If only he knew who was the little girl's grandfather.
"I hope so." Nashi sighed, then her eyes went back at the doll she really wanted. Natsu noticed himself that the little girl absolutely wanted the doll. After years, he felt his heart becoming soft for once again because of the little girl. "You can have it." He told her. Nashi looked back at him. "I can't, mommy told me-"
"I didn't say your mommy have to pay for it." Natsu cut her off. then, he knelt down in front of her so he could level with her small height. "I own this mall. So...that means everything in this store is also mine. And, I'm allowing you to take it home with you- for free." He forced a curve to form in his lips.
"Really?!" Nashi gasped.
"Yes."
"Oh, thank you, mister!" The little girl unconsciously jumped on him for an embrace.
Natsu was surprised from the kind of reaction he got from her. It is normal. She's kid. Yes, they are easy to make happy. But, he felt something unusual again when Nashi was embracing him. "You're welcome." He said calmly, still feeling weird. Unaware of his actions that are carried away by his weird feelings for the kid, he just embraced the kid back. When he did so, the unusual feeling that's been lurking in his mind and heart was tripled.
Nashi unclasped her arm from him. "Thank you, mister, again. I won't forget you."
"Umm, what's your name?" Natsu asked.
"Oh...I'm sorry. Mommy told me not to give my name to strangers." She said.
"Is that so?" Natsu sighed, and stood up from kneeling. "Your uncle might be looking for you already, and I still have some stuff to do in here. So...I guess this is a goodbye."
"Yeah." Nashi nodded with a smile. "Goodbye, mister. I hope we'll meet again someday, and I'll introduce you to my mommy. And, I'll take care of this doll. You won't regret giving this to me for free."
"I hope so."
"Alright, goodbye, mister!" Then, Nashi started skipping merrily away from the toy section. Natsu just stood there, still feeling weird with her encounter with some stranger kid. He felt like he is somewhat connected to the kid. And, it is so unusual for him to have be so kind and soft-hearted for a stranger.
He liked the kid's personality. It reminded him of himself before everything in his life started to shatter. Then, he wondered,
"Will we ever see each other again?"
Ooooooooooooooooooo
A/N: This is probably the shortest chapter I've written in my whole life, i know XD I'm just really busy that's all. This is just the second part of chapter 8. My other intention of splitting a chapter in two parts is because I want to leave a cliffhanger xD don't worry, when i find time, i'll give you all a satisfying and long update.
Please post a review and let me know what you think of this crappy chapter :D
Thanks for those who posted reviews on the previous chapter *hugs and kisses*