Chapter 5: First Date

Aria's POV:

My mind is saying no but my heart didn't think twice when he asked me to take his hand to go with him to an unknown place. I know it's wrong to go with a stranger but why do I have a feeling that I've known him for so long? He may be dangerous but why do I feel safe when I'm with him? He's not even that charming, I mean he is not that good-looking compared to other men, but why can't I say no to him?

Is he using some kind of spell on me to lure me into his lair? It's a bit scary and yet exciting at the same time and almost electric, impossible to ignore. Like that inexplicable feeling of compelling pull between two magnets, we are drawn together in a way neither of us may understand. I am somehow bound to him.

I held onto his hands and the next thing I knew is that we were somewhere out far from the medical center where I am admitted.

"D-Dylan, where are we?" I curiously said to him while looking around and searching for a familiar face. "Are we still in Crescent Hill Valley?"

"Look around Missy, we are at the festival!" he cheerfully said to me. For the first time, I saw his genuine smile. "Today is the festival of the dead!" he added.

"Festival of the dead?"

"Yes, let me show you around and explain to you what it's all about." He grabbed my hand and dragged me around the flea market. "First things first, we need to change and dress up for the occasion. We need to blend in so that we will not look like a bunch of weirdos lurking around the place and to avoid getting too much attention from the crowd," he excitedly said to me and gives me a wink.

We go around looking for festival clothes similar to a kimono style. He took some floral hairpins for me to wear and some cute zori sandals. After we finished selecting all of the clothes that we are going to wear for the festival, we went to the counter to purchase them.

"It's five ninety-nine only, Sir," the teller said to Dylan.

Dylan looked at me and look back seriously at the teller then said, "Would you like me to grant you a wish in exchange for these clothes?" he whispers to the teller.

My eyes widened and were shocked by how stingy he is. I almost give him a knuckle blow on the head. My face turns red with so much embarrassment. "Dylan, we use the money to pay not wishes," I reminded him and took out my wallet to pay for the clothes. "Here, I will pay for all of these clothes," I said to the teller and hand him over the money.

"Where did you get the money?" he curiously asks me.

"I inherited it from my grandma. The hospital head administrator is giving me a weekly allowance as part of the last will of my grandma," I said to him.

"Why are they the ones who are handling your money?"

"It's because they are my legal guardian. My grandma had left me under their care before she passed away along with the money to pay for my hospital bills and my weekly allowance. I can have all of my money once I turn eighteen according to the last will," I carefully explain to him.

"Where are your parents?" he continues to ask questions. I know that he did not invite me for a real date. He wanted to know more about me and what happened between us after we made that kiss. To be honest, I wanted the same too, to get to know him more and find out the reason why I feel connected to him.

"They are gone. I never had the chance to meet them," I sadly said to him.

He noticed that my voice sounded low and lack of energy while answering and he decided to change the topic and stop asking questions.

"I see, well I will pay you soon. But for now, can you pay for the rest of the expenses on our date?" he shamelessly said to me. I can't believe that he dares to ask me out on a date with no spending money.

"Can you just use your power to produce money?" I irritably ask him.

"My power doesn't work like that missy. As much as I wanted to, I can't grant my wish," he murmured. I feel empathetic when I saw the sad look in his eyes and felt the desperation in his voice.

"If you are given a chance to make a wish, what will it be?" I ask inquisitively.

"My freedom," he whispered softly but enough for me to hear him say those words.

He may be a Supreme Being who's acting all mighty and happy but he is empty deep within. He may look so cool from the outside but he is lonely and alone from the inside and trapped in a job that he didn't like. I know how it feels because I am trapped too in a body that is weak and unable to do anything I desire. But all these changes when I met Dylan. He made all these things possible because of the kiss.

We both have a moment of silence and a few minutes of awkward moments staring at each other until I decided to make the first move and break the ice.

"I'm starving. Can we go and grab something to eat?" I suggested to him.

"Sure, but we need to wear these clothes first," he said to me and gave me a sweet smile.

We put on our matching festive outfits. I take my time to doll up and fix my hair with the floral hairpin that he chose for me. I even bought a lip tint and powder without his knowledge to make myself pretty at least for tonight. When we got out of the fitting rooms we are both static while looking at each other.

"Aren't you going to say something nice to me?" I tease him.

"Is that a requirement on a date?" he sheepishly said while scratching the back of his neck.

"Nevermind!" I pouted my lips and roll my eyes.

"No, wait!" He stops me from leaving. "You look like a human in your dress," he shyly speaks. I can't even tell if he is admiring me, complimenting me, or insulting me. He is just making things worse.

"Well, you look undead with your festive clothes," I sarcastically said to him expecting that he will be insulted, but his reaction is the exact opposite. His eyes sparkled with joy and his face almost ripped with a wide smile showing all those pearly white teeth.

"Really? Thanks!" he cheerfully said to me. I have forgotten that he is a spirit and already dead. He will think that my comment is a compliment.

To be honest, he does look cute in his clothes. His aura is warmer and lighter compared to the black suit that he normally wears as if he is going to a funeral or collecting a debt. He looked very intimidating before but now he looks friendlier and approachable like a normal human being.

"That was supposed to be a joke, you idiot," I said to him.

"I like your sense of humor," he quickly replied giving me a flirtatious smile. "Shall we go?"

He grabs my hand, and we go to where the food trucks are parked. He was holding my hands the whole time acting as if he was my boyfriend. I find it sweet that he is guiding me throughout our date but at the same time, this brazen Djinn has been ordering different food from different food trucks as if he has money to spend. He has no shame at all.

We try out the breaded octopus topped with pancake sauce and dried seaweed or popularly known as takoyaki, the traditional sushi rolls where all the ingredients are wrapped together in seaweed, fried noodles, chicken skewers, savory pancakes, and apple candies. He just watches me eat all those food alone. He is a spirit after all.

"I thought that the festival for the dead is a little bit somber judging from its name but it's quite the opposite," I said to him while we were walking along the busy street.

I saw people lighting paper lanterns and hanging them in front of their homes and on doorways to help and guide the spirits home. They also create an altar for ancestors where they place food offerings and small memorial tablets.

"It's a happy and joyous festival filled with dancing, street foods, flea markets, and celebrations," he explains it like a professional tour guide then pointed his fingers to where a group of people who are performing a traditional folk dance around the large bonfire and the streets are decorated with beautiful lanterns.

Everything is so perfect that we felt a strong wind that almost blew the lanterns out. I heard sad, weeping sounds not far from where we are. An eerie landscape and unsettling fog are forming into human-like figures. They have these piercing eyes that are red as blood, watching over me, like they are waiting for the perfect moment to attack.

I sensed that something was wrong…