Chapter 9 - E-mail
Glacian Day. It was a special holiday to commemorate the Glacian, to be grateful of her blessing to Eos, and to hope that she would always grant the beautiful snow in winter. The day was five days before new year, when the snowfall was always particularly heavy on that day. There was no explanation why it was always 27th December, but on that day the snow fell for a day and it painted the world in white heap. Then after that, the snow would rarely fall until the end of January and the beginning of February.
Because it was always especially cold that day, most of Lucian spent a day at home with their families and rarely went outside. But, recently the people celebrate the Glacian Eve by holding a party with their friends or colleagues, then spending the Glacian Day at home with their families. Some religious families would go to the chapel in the morning, praying to the Astrals and asking for a blessing from them, especially from the Glacian. But, after she was killed by the Niflheim Empire years ago, now the praying consisted of the hope that the Glacian would regain her power to protect Eos.
Just like what Eira usually did every year for Glacian Day, she spent this whole day with her family. Basically, sitting together in the living room, and talking about what was going on recently since all of them were usually busy and rarely talked together. They exchanged presents, laughed together, talked about anything while watching the tv and sitting on the warm sofa.
After the dinner, Eira returned back to her room then flopped onto her bed with the phone on her hand. She looked at her wallpaper, the picture of the marshal of crownsguard which was being snapped sneakily by her fellow medic, Stella. There was a grin on Eira's face as she looked at a slightly blurred picture of Cor. Stella took his picture in the small yard in front of the training room, as the man walked out from citadel hallway to cross the yard when he was going to the training room.
Eira took her hugging pillow, staring at her phone still with a smile on her face. Actually, she had a few of Cor's pictures, with a good quality since she took it from some articles on the internet that contained the news about crownsguard and their marshal. The best picture she had of him was the one from crownsguard official website. She could clearly see how the man wasn't impressed about his picture being taken. There was a fierce aura whenever she saw that picture, because both of his steel blue eyes emitted an annoyance and it was captured forever on it. But, even though she loved those pictures, Eira didn't dare to put it as wallpaper or as a lock screen. Cor's eyes were too intimidating, even in the picture. Certainly she didn't want to blush whenever she opened her phone. Therefore, this blurry picture taken by Stella was the best. Also, if someone looked at it for a glance, they would only notice the trees on the yard. Yeah, rather being blurred, Cor in that picture was like a mere silhouette.
Eira didn't realize it that she was currently looking at Cor's pictures in her phone gallery. Biting her lower lips, she pressed the back button then rubbed her face on her pillow. She was being obsessed toward the man, yet still wondering whether this feeling really wasn't a romantic admiration. But, Stella and Raine kept the pictures of their favorite actors or singers, squealing about how they loved them even though they already had boyfriends. So, Eira was sure that this feeling toward Cor Leonis was a mere admiration.
Her mind was now replaying the past, when Cor gave his contact information to her phone. She flicked her thumb on the monitor, opening the messaging application then typed "l" on the To: box, and the suggestion showed " leoniscor11"
Eira chuckled, feeling funny about how he added the last two digits of his birth year on his private email. How many times she looked at it, she couldn't help but giggle about how cute Cor is.
She rolled on her bed, still hugging the pillow and holding her phone with one hand. Staring at the blank text box, Eira held her phone with both hands, thumbs ready to type something but she found it hard to muster her courage.
It was Glacian Day, she wondered what Cor was doing today. Was he alone at his home? Was he going to the citadel and train like what he usually liked to do? She wanted to give him an email, she wanted to receive email from him. It had been a week since they exchanged email, but Eira never sent him any message, and of course, Cor wouldn't send her any.
[ Happy Glacian Day! ]
Biting her lower lips, she didn't know what to type. She erased the whole message only to retype it with the same words and deleted it again.
[ Happy Glacian Day! (◕‿◕｡) It's snowing outside. How was your day? You're not spending your day training in the citadel, right? ]
Eira read her message for many times before finally pressed the send button while closing her eyes. Her hands were trembling and her heart was beating so loud she could hear it. She quickly locked her phone and threw it away on the bed before burying her face beneath her pillow and gripped it while curling her body.
"Uuu," she was embarrassed, couldn't believe that she just sent an email to the marshal. Oh the Glacian, to the marshal, to the immortal, to Cor Leonis!
It was snowing outside but it felt like she was in the middle of a hot summer. She peeked from the beneath of her pillow, to see her phone she threw before. There was no blinking lamp that indicated the incoming message. Well, she didn't hear anything though. Well, she had just sent it a few seconds ago. Cor wouldn't be holding his phone every second for twenty four hours, right?
She stared at it for a minute, then decided to take it to see that the message indeed had been sent but she got no reply, yet. Anxious, she hid her face behind her pillow again. Closing her eyes, she hoped that she would just sleep and not think about the reply.
The room was silent as she waited for Cor's reply. She really wished to sleep and forget the fact that she had just sent a message to the marshal. But, she was too nervous to sleep, and she ended up creating a lot of speculations in her mind for minutes while hoping she would be tired and sink into her slumber.
… until suddenly her phone gave a simple beep that told her that she got a new email.
Glacian Day, huh?
Cor Leonis opened a can of beer he was holding as he stood in front of the calendar on the wall. Staring at the date printed in red ink on it, he sipped his beer while his mind began to wander around.
He always spent this day alone in his home. And when he was bored enough, he would go to the citadel, training by himself until evening, then roamed around the shopping district, and ended up eating dinner in his favorite izakaya which always opened even though it was a holiday. But, today he decided to stay at his home, watching tv, sitting on his sofa, reading some books, and browsing the latest movies in cinema. Movies. Recently, it piqued his interest because a certain young medic invited him to watch it together.
The man then looked at the date written on two rows above today. December 15th. It was Eira's birthday, and Cor didn't have a chance to say anything to her. That day he could only glance at infirmary, seeing Eira was talking with her fellow medics, and just like he usually did, Cor went to the training room. And when he returned back from there, he didn't dare to stop by the infirmary to tell it.
When he offered himself to drive her home last week, Cor was too overwhelmed by her presence and forgot to say it. Moreover, she invited him on a date, no, an appointment to watch a movie together. Also, it was already too late—one week late—and Cor couldn't bring himself to tell her a simple "Happy Birthday".
But, there was another reason why Cor couldn't gather his courage to congratulate her. The young woman never told him her birthday. Thus, if Cor suddenly wished her a happy birthday, surely she would wonder how he knew it, right?
However, when he remembered it, eighteen years ago William sent an email to all of his colleagues including him when Eira was born. Telling everyone that the man was so proud being a father while attaching the picture of little Eira at that time. Okay. Now, Cor felt more guilty because of the fact that he was slightly interested in Will's daughter.
Cor sighed, massaging his forehead before taking another sip of his beer. He told himself for many times, for hundred times, that it wasn't a romantic feeling. This feeling toward her isn't a romantic feeling. Cor chanted those words in his head like a mantra, so that the man could prevent a sinful feeling from haunting him.
He sipped his beer again, but then almost choked when he heard his phone beeped, telling him that he just received an email. A private one, since Cor set a different tone between his private email and his working email.
Cor turned his body, looking at the phone he placed on his bedside table. He rarely got private emails. Promotional mails went to the spam folder and wouldn't ring a notification. So, there was a great possibility that it was from—
He shook his head, cursing himself because he silently wished to receive an email from a particular someone. He felt so foolish now, because his heart began to race, knocking the inside of his chest roughly; it gave unpleasant nervousness to him.
The notification lamp on his phone was blinking slowly, raising the curiosity in his head to see what kind of message he just got. Cor walked to take his phone, stared at the dark display on his front while he struggled to calm his heart down. Gulping, Cor unlocked his phone to see a small box floating on his wallpaper screen with preview of the email he just got. Along with a name written in bold font: Eira Heallint.
Oh, the Six!
Cor almost dropped his phone. He quickly placed his beer can on the bedside table and sat on his bed. His heart thumped faster than before, and it felt so hard for him to move his thumb to touch his touchscreen and open her message.
[ Happy Glacian Day! (◕‿◕｡) It's snowing outside. How was your day? You're not spending your day training in the citadel, right? ]
He almost forgot to breathe. Deeply inhaling the air into his lungs, the man ruffled his own hair. He didn't want to admit it, but he was very happy to receive that simple message. No one told him "Happy Glacian Day!" anymore. His subordinates or his friends didn't find it a must to tell "Happy Glacian Day!" to him. Also, he didn't have family who would give those words to him. And the marshal wasn't a man who sent that kind of messages to everyone he knew.
[ (◕‿◕｡) ]
Cor looked at the emoticon she gave. A thin smile passed over Cor's face, amused because he could imagine Eira making that kind of face as she smiled at him. How could a woman be this adorable?
The warmth seeped into his chest, and fluttering butterflies swarmed inside his stomach. But, again, Cor refused to admit that he was actually attracted to her in a path closer to the romantic way.
Thumb moving to the reply button, Cor stared blankly at the white box on his front. The text cursor slowly blinked and he watched it instead of typing his reply.
He didn't know what to say. The man suddenly forgot how to reply to a message in a normal way. He crooked his eyebrows and a few lines creased on his forehead. Cor asked himself how he replied to his past women in messages. Wait, now, he wasn't going to reply to his woman anyway. It wasn't wise to use that kind of experience for this situation. But, the only one who sent him messages to his private email were only his past lovers.
God…
Cor felt so stupid.
A long weary sigh escaped his throat while he brushed his face with his calloused palm before he looked back at his phone. Why would he overthink things? He just needed to reply to the greeting and wrote the answer to her question. It wasn't a hard thing to do, right?
[ Happy Glacian Day. I wasn't training in the citadel. Home all day. ]
Eira abruptly raised her head when she heard her phone beeped. Her heart raised its speed, thumping loudly as it wanted to destroy her chest. Looking at her phone she just threw a few minutes ago, she could feel her entire body was trembling following her fast heartbeat.
She stretched her arm, reaching the phone with her cold hand. It slightly quivered, and Eira was somehow afraid of unlocking her phone. She wasn't ready if it was from Cor. But, she would be very disappointed if at the end it was the message from her friends or anyone else but him.
Shutting her eyelids, Eira took a deep breath. Inhaling. Exhaling. For a few times, until she was ready to open the message.
Her finger was shaking as she touched her phone to unlock it. And when she saw the name on her phone, the tumultuous thudding in her chest sped up its beat.
Cor Leonis.
Eira stopped breathing when she moved her forefinger to open the message. After the display showed Cor's email, she exhaled and tried to calm down her heart, which was impossible after all.
[ Happy Glacian Day. I wasn't training in the citadel. Home all day. ]
"Uu…" Eira flopped her body on her bed, hugging the pillow while staring at his message.
She wanted to scream. But, it was already past nine p.m., and her mom would scold her if she heard it.
Rolling her body with the pillow in her arms and phone in her hand, she grinned widely, happy because she finally got the first email from the marshal. It was a simple message, which he sent because she gave her the email first, and she was sure that he only replied to it because of courtesy. However, it was enough—more than enough—to make her happy.
It was a day she would remember for the rest of her life. Cor's first email. She swore she wouldn't erase it from her phone. Oh, right, she should screenshoot it!
The smile hadn't disappeared from her face even after she saved the screenshot of Cor's email. Her face was burning in heat, and she wouldn't see it but her cheeks were blushing. She couldn't stop staring at those beautiful words displayed on her phone. Oh the Six, she wanted to make it as her phone wallpaper. But, no, she couldn't do it, afraid that it revealed her feelings about Cor to everyone.
Blinking, she had just remembered that she hadn't replied yet. She sat, pressed the reply button, then contemplated what to say. Cor didn't ask her anything, so it didn't actually need any reply, though. But, talking to Cor was addictive, and even though it was through text, Eira really wanted to have a little more conversation with him.
She bit her lower lips, eyes looking at the white wall of her room. Think. Think. Think. She should think of something to talk about.
Ah!
Remembering that they hadn't decided about their plan for watching the movie, Eira looked up the schedule and the seats about the movie they were going to watch. Returning back to the message application after obtaining the information she wanted, Eira began to type, still with a smile that bloomed on her face as she moved her thumbs.
[ Good! It's a holiday, don't spend it by training! (⁀ᗢ⁀) Oh, right! About the movie, how about 29th? Are you free that day? There are good available seats for that day at 2:30 p.m. o(≧▽≦)o ]
As she pressed the send button, Eira lied down again on her bed. Eyes didn't stop staring at his beautiful message, she bit her lower lips still with the corner of it being lifted upward.
Months ago, she never dreamed of sending or receiving email like this with the marshal. She didn't even imagine that she had dinner with him, having him drive her home, and this time, she would watch a movie with him. Months ago, talking to him in infirmary was a struggle.
Everything changed because of an unexpected dinner in their favorite izakaya. Ah, she was being blessed. Really.
She hugged her pillow again, reading the email from Cor over and over, and she didn't seem to be bored about it.
There were fluttering butterflies in her stomach. There was a pleasant warmth in her chest. She was too happy right now.
Then she blinked when she saw a floating notification along with a simple beep from her phone. It was the reply from Cor.
[ Sure. ]
She muffled her scream with her pillow, hugging it tightly in one arm while staring at a single word sent by the marshal that made her hover in happiness.
Oh the Astral! Oh the Glacian! In the next two days, she would meet the marshal for a movie date. A date. Well, he wouldn't think of it as a date. Eira only offered herself to guide the marshal who never stepped inside the cinema. But, still, it would be only the two of them. She couldn't help herself to think of it as a date.
Moving both of her thumbs to type the reply, Eira sent it to him.
[ Okay~! ヽ(o＾▽＾o)ノ I can't wait for the 29th! 2 pm in Central Plaza? ]
The day after tomorrow, hmm…
Eira abruptly jumped off from her bed then scurried toward her wardrobe. Opening it in a hurry, she dug her teeth onto her lower lips while staring at the dresses she had.
She needed to wear the best dress for this date!
[ Happy Glacian Day. I wasn't training in the citadel. Home all day. ]
Cor stared at his phone for a long time, wondering whether Eira would reply to it again or their conversation would end just like that. But, Cor didn't send a message that demanded for a reply. He didn't ask any question. He just answered her question without initiating any conversation. It wouldn't be weird if Eira wouldn't say anything. Oh, well, he was sure that she just did him a courtesy, perhaps, thinking that it would be impolite for her to not say any greeting for the Glacian Day to him after she got his email address.
One minute. She hadn't replied yet. Two minutes. Cor was still staring at his phone. Five minutes. He placed down his phone and took his beer, taking a sip of it because he hadn't finished drinking all of it, yet.
Beep!
"Hgh!" Cor choked as he was drinking his beer. Just a simple tone from his phone was enough to surprise the marshal who never startled because of sudden enemy ambush.
He coughed, feeling stupid again for many times today. Wiping his lips with the back of his hand after putting down his beer can on the table, Cor reached his phone and swiped the lockscreen to see the message he just got.
His heart fluttered when his eyes caught the name of the adorable young woman who sent him a message. He unwittingly raised the corners of his lips as he opened the email.
[ Good! It's a holiday, don't spend it by training! (⁀ᗢ⁀) Oh, right! About the movie, how about 29th? Are you free that day? There are good available seats for that day at 2:30 p.m. o(≧▽≦)o ]
Eira surely loved emoticons. Cor never got any messages using cute emoticons like that. Oh, unless it was from William. Really, they were father and daughter.
He lifted a corner of his lips then replied with a simple answer.
[ Sure. ]
Staring at the massage which contained only one word, Cor pondered whether it was okay or not to give that simple reply at her. He frowned, wondering whether he should say anything else, yet, failed to do so. Not knowing what else to say, Cor finally decided to send it anyway.
And it took only two minutes before he got a reply from her.
[ Okay~! ヽ(o＾▽＾o)ノ I can't wait for the 29th! 2 pm in Central Plaza? ]
Another emoticon, huh…
Cor smiled then quickly pressed the reply button and typed his reply.
[ Which entrance? ]
It didn't take a long time until he got another reply.
[ South lobby~ It's closer to the cinema. (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ]
A stifled chuckle escaped his lips as he saw another emoticon in her message. How adorable.
[ Got it. ] He replied.
Cor threw his body on his bed, shutting his eyes and placed his arm over his face. He sighed after a while, then moved away his arm and blankly stared at the ceiling of his room.
Eira…
He silently wished that the weird feeling in his heart wouldn't grow into something unforgivable.