Hey guys! First of all, thanks for the reviews! They really make my day. It sounds cheesy, but it really does make me happy. I'm sorry for taking so long to update this story… I've been pretty busy lately and was also suffering from writer's block.
I hope you enjoy this chapter!
This chapter is for all the passengers on the Sewol ferry.
Present day, Death City
Soul Evans was currently staring, stumped, at a display of books in Death City's biggest bookstore, Reaper Books. He scratched his head, contemplating which books he should give Maka as an I'm-sorry-I-broke-into-your-apartment-let's-be-friends gift.
Would she like romance over action? Or does she like classics more than modern books? Actually, she looks like she would like textbooks the most. He smirked, quietly chuckling as he eyed a hefty chemistry textbook.
After five more minutes of contemplation, Soul just sighed and dug his cell phone out of his pocket. He typed in a number and brought the device up to his ear, tapping his foot as he waited.
"Hello, Kid Death is speaking."
Soul sighed in relief.
"Kid! I have no idea what book to buy Maka… Her father said any book, but I really need to get back into her good graces. I kind of… messed up."
"Already?"
"Well, she was a lot angrier than I thought she would be at the fact that I broke into her house… she threw me out and slammed the door in my face. If that doesn't scream pissed I don't know what does."
"Well. Recently Maka has had a soft spot for mystery and historical novels. I trust your taste. Just go with your gut, Soul. Remember, Maka can be a very forgiving person."
Soul raised a brow. "Can be?"
"I'm confident that you'll soon get back on her good side."
"Alright. Thanks, Kid."
Soul turned back to the display, hesitating a second before grabbing a mystery novel that looked promising and another one about Britain's monarchy. He prayed that this would do the job.
Maka was currently debating whether she should call Soul or not. While it was totally out of place to break into her apartment and act like it was his and make a total mess, he couldn't have known about her secret enough to be sensitive with his words. Truthfully, Soul dismissing her as a potential lover kind of hurt, but she did not expect anything else. Men would always choose girls like Tsubaki or Liz over her. Ironically, the only intimate relationship she would probably ever have with the opposite sex was her job as a sex slave.
Maka looked down at her hands which gripped her smartphone. She turned it over and over before sighing and setting it down. It was probably best if I kept my distance from Soul. I can't become close with him and have him also snooping around me like Liz and Kid.
As soon as she set the phone down, it started buzzing. She looked at the caller ID and frowned when she didn't recognize the number.
"Hello?"
"Maka! It's Soul… Kid gave me your number. Look, I'm really sorry. I wouldn't have entered into your apartment if I knew you would react like that. Kid said it was okay, but it was still uncool of me!"
Maka didn't take Soul for one of those guys who got flustered easily. He must really feel bad if he was like this. She sighed. She might as well relieve him and forgive him.
"It's okay Soul. Just… give a little warning next time."
Truthfully, she wasn't all that mad at him for entering her apartment without permission. She was more upset at his comments, but she couldn't explain that to him.
"Okay." Soul sounded relieved. "Actually, I'm outside of your apartment right now if you want to let me in. I have an apology gift for you."
Maka heard a knock right after Soul finished speaking. She hung up and made her way over to her apartment door. She found Soul with a bag with the slogan 'Death City Books' plastered across it in red printing. He smiled sheepishly at her as he held out the bag for her to take. Upon looking at the contents, Maka gasped.
"I've been wanting to buy this novel for a long time! I just never had the time to go and buy it!" Maka exclaimed excitedly. She was also pleased to see a book about British royalty which was always an interesting subject.
"Thank you, Soul." Maka said as she beamed at him. Soul flashed a sharp-toothed smile back at her.
"Did you want to come inside?" She inquired after realizing that she was probably being rude by letting him just stand there.
"Nah, it's okay. I was just going to grab some dinner. Unless you wanted to come with me." Soul said, raising a brow in question.
Maka hesitated a little before nodding her head yes. She didn't want to get too close to Soul, but just a dinner together wouldn't hurt. Besides, she was famished.
They ended up going to a diner that Maka frequently visits for dinner. After Soul ordered his burger and she a ravioli, she turned to him and asked, "So, why did you move back to Death City?"
"For a job. Kid's father relocated me to work alongside Kid here instead of in Shibusen." Soul took a sip of his Coke before continuing. "Actually, I'm glad that he moved me here because I got to reconnect with Black Star and Kid."
"Oh, that's right! You guys are childhood friends, right?" Maka has always secretly been curious about the infamous Soul whom Black Star would occasionally speak fondly of.
"Yeah."
Maka frowned a little before saying, "You know, you must have moved right before I moved to Death City. I would have remembered meeting you before."
Soul stopped fiddling with his straw wrapper and looked at Maka. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the arrival of their food. They famished pair then proceeded to dig into their food.
"Ah, I'm stuffed!" Soul said with a satisfied look on his face. Maka nodded in agreement and leaned over to take the black booklet their server just set down on the edge of the table.
"Nah, I've got this Maka." Soul said, waving her hands away as soon as he saw her actions. "You really don't have to Soul! I can pay for my own dinner. You already bought my books…"
Soul just shook his head and put his credit card in the booklet.
"Just think of it as me apologizing more. Besides, this was nice. I liked it. I was curious about the infamous Maka Albarn whom all my childhood friends except for me know."
He smirked as the server came and took the check away before Maka could protest further. "Alright. Well then, thank you for dinner, Soul" Maka said with a little smile.
"It's no problem."
They gathered their belongings and stepped out of the restaurant and into the cool night air.
"Well, it this was nice. I'll see you around… Bookworm" Soul smirked and proceeded to saunter away.
Maka just rolled her eyes and headed the opposite way towards her apartment complex four blocks away.
"You were right, she did forgive me easily." Soul said, smirking a little.
He was slouching in a leather chair in Kid's office while Kid was working on some paperwork.
"I told you she would. I have no idea why you were worried so much."
"I wasn't worried that much! I just didn't want to mess up too much as soon as I started this assignment. And I don't want to get on Maka's bad side. She's scary when she is… She was laid back whenever I went into her room unannounced, I thought that maybe she changed."
Kid stopped reading a report and shifted his eyes over to Soul. The white-haired man looked a little melancholy and slightly confused. Soul felt Kid's eyes on him and lifted hid to meet Kid's golden stare.
"Why doesn't she remember me, Kid? We were best friends! I know you told me that she doesn't remember me and to act like I just met her, but I don't get it."
"I don't know, Soul. Maybe the trauma of what happened caused her to wipe you out from her memory completely. Her father's accident did scar Maka quite deeply and he was transporting your family on that plane. It is possible that in order for her to protect herself, she just wiped out her memories of you and your family. Trauma can do that. And now instead of losing multiple people she has loved, she just lost one. You were also in Shibusen when the accident occurred, so she could forget you easily."
Soul digested KId's explanation and sighed, rubbing his face with his hands.
"Secretly, I wish she would remember me again."
Kid looked at Soul as pity flashed briefly in his eyes before returning to his work.