The sky was grey, wrapped with clouds as if it wasn't in the mood. On streets footpath roaming an idiot by himself.. Because he thought it would be a good idea..
~ Damn.. It looks like someone wished for not going school tomorrow..
Ender scratches his hair, faint smile curved over his cheeks.
– Yeah.. Pretty much that's the game. So we should head home now?... Like what you want to do?..
Hai inner voice asked, as he takes a step to a narrow alley. Laterns flickering on their stand.
~ Hmm. You remember when you said I don't have a soul mate, let's test it!.
Ender's expression excited as few people around him puzzled what was he thinking.
– What do you mean?. That was just a joke, you retard?... Anyways what you gonna do?.
It asked again as Ender takes a step out of the alley to other big street. He stopped for a moment, sighing.
~ I've heard that there is tarot club next to few streets. Gonna head there to find some answers.
– I don't believe in these things..
~ So do I but curiosity kills the cat.
As Ender starts his journey again..
Moments later..
Standing outside a shop, with a banner of Tarot. Ender heads in as the doorbell chime rang.
DING-DONG!
The first thing his eyes saw was a wooden counter area, two ladies wearing modest dresses and were setting things up, as if they're about to close the shop off. Yet seeing him..
Their expression startled, for a moment there was silence..
"Sir.. Sorry but we're about to close the shop. But you can come other day."
One of the lady mumbled, offering a warm smile.
"Uh.."
Ender murmured, as if it his lips twitches on its own, he sighs and shoved his arm towards his trouser's pocket.
"I'll pay you extra.. It's very crucial for me.."
He takes out handful of 4 yurums, a soft smile curved over his face, eyes closed for a moment. Seeing the money, the ladies looked at each other. Mumbling something.. Then at him.. One of them sighs and spoke delightfully.
"Sir please come with me.."
Few minutes later..
The room was dim.. Not dark, just dim enough that shadows clung to the corners, unmoving. A faint scent of incense lingered in the air, heavy and bitter, as if it had been burning for hours. Candles were placed neatly around a round wooden table, their flames steady.. No wind.. No tremor...
Ender sat calmly on the chair, his posture relaxed, fingers resting loosely on the table.
Across from him sat the woman. She was older, mid-twenties, perhaps. Her eyes were sharp, experienced..
This wasn't a gimmick club, not one of those cheap fortune stalls. She had read cards for years. Hundreds of people. Thousands, maybe. She had never once failed a reading. She shuffled the deck.
The sound of cards sliding against each other echoed softly in the room. Clean. Familiar.
"So.."
She said, breaking the silence, offering a faint smile.
"What would you like to ask?."
Ender tilted his head slightly, as if thinking. His voice was calm. Casual.
"Three things."
She nodded.
"Alright."
He spoke without hesitation.
"Who will be my soulmate?."
"What is my present?."
"And… What will be my future?."
For a brief moment, the woman paused.
Not because the questions were strange,
but because something about the way he asked them felt… Hollow.
As if the questions themselves weren't anchored to anything. She brushed the thought aside. Tarot didn't care about feelings. She shuffled once more, then placed the deck down.
"Let's begin."
First Card — Soulmate
She drew a card. The moment her fingers touched it, a strange chill ran through her palm. Subtle. Easy to ignore.She flipped it over.And froze.The card was blank.
Not damaged. Not old. Just… empty. No illustration. No symbol. No title. Just pale cardstock staring back at her. Her brows furrowed.
"That's odd…"
She let out a small laugh, trying to keep things professional.
"Sometimes decks have printing errors."
She reached for another card.Flipped it.
Blank.Another. Blank. Her fingers stiffened.
The candles didn't flicker. The room didn't react. Everything remained disturbingly normal. Ender watched quietly.She swallowed.
"This has never—"
She stopped herself, exhaled slowly, and forced composure.
"Let's move on."
Second Card — Present
"This one represents where you stand now."
She said, her tone more careful than before. She shuffled again. This time, the deck felt… heavy.As if something was pressing down on it. She drew a card. A Major Arcana.
She could feel it. Her hand trembled slightly as she turned it over. Nothing. Not blank this time. There was simply no image to perceive. Her eyes refused to focus on it,as if the card rejected being observed. Her stomach twisted.
Tarot could read chaos.. Tarot could read madness.. Tarot could read death... But this?.. Her lips parted..
Ender leaned back slightly in his chair.
"Is something wrong?" he asked, genuinely curious. She didn't answer immediately.
Her fingers clenched the card harder than necessary.
"This doesn't make sense…"
Third Card — Future
Silence stretched. The incense smoke curled unnaturally straight upward. She hesitated. Every instinct screamed at her to stop.
But pride... Or professionalism.. Pushed her forward. She reached for the deck.
The moment she touched it.. The cards slipped from her hands.
They scattered across the table. Every single one landed face-down. Her breath hitched..Slowly, trembling, she flipped one.
White. Another. White. Another.All of them. No symbols. No fate. No meaning. Her face drained of color.
"This isn't void… "
She whispered.. Ender's eyes remained steady. Tarot didn't fail like this. Void still had form. Nothingness still had interpretation.
But this.. This was absence...
She pushed her chair back slightly, heart pounding.
"You…"
Her voice cracked.
"You have no trajectory."
Ender blinked.
"Oh."
A pause. Then, calmly.
"So.."
He said, glancing at the deck.
"Should I shuffle again?."
He was still not convinced, puzzled. His lips twitches, quivered as he asked.
"Is this a joke?. Are all of your cards imprinted?."
His eyes narrowed, towards the deck. Then at her..
"N– No.. This is the first time.. I'm encountering this case.. I have been doing this for years.. For Thousand of people.. Everyone have different symbols, it was rare when we have imprint errors. It can't happen to all of them."
She replied, her tone curled in awe. Ender gets up.
"So what does it mean?. My present. My future.. They don't exist.. Am I going to die?... Or.."
He said in darkened tone, Continuing.. Sosme intrusive thoughts were lingering over his head, unreadable expression. As he say out loud..
"I don't exist.. I never existed.. Is this what it mean?... Pathetic.."
He sneered, the woman was completely quite, her eyes down. It was valid reaction for someone if he or she encounter something like this, she thought.
Ender clenched his teeth, sighing; trying to control himself as he placed the yurums over the table.
"Thank you for the service."
He muttered way to fast, then silence.. The woman head down, her gaze went over the money then the hand who had just place it, as she turned her upwards.. But strangely.. No one was there..
"Huh?."
She gets up, frightened pushing her chair back. It was no one here now. Just the stack of yurums resting over the table.
"What?."
Her expression filled with terror.
~ He was just here. Where did he go?.
She gets out of the room, but no one was here. She started sweating, then she looked at the table to saw the yurums were still there.
"What could this mean?."
She mumbled to herself, eyes widened.
"Clara!. You done!?. Hurry up!."
Her friend called him as she swiped her sweat with tissue before closing the door..
The 4 yurums resting on the table.. There.. They were there right?.
***
In the bad weather, streets were empty now. Everyone houses were lightened up as windows were radiating soft, warm light. A carriage gently stamping the streets was walking alone. It seems like it was about to rain now..
In the carriage sat the professor and... Uh, a girl.. Leon's gaze which was fixed over the foggy window went over Misha who was lost in her thoughts, her expressionless face turned down.
"You mumbling something?."
Leon asked, grabbing her attention as she was startled, as if she was convinced she didn't say anything.
"No.. I'm just not in mood right now."
She replied before she turned her head towards the window to see the weather.
"Hmm. Let me guess, this is something about your abnormality?."
Leon said with his usual smirked, hearing those words she became surprised as he guessed it perfectly right.
"Wow how do you do that?."
She said with excitement, curiosity.
"It's just experience.. And you won't have that blank face because of others.."
He said delightfully. As for a moment silence shrouded them before she sighs.
"Well.. I'm just worried that how it'll affect me and people around me."
She said with a low voice, concerned. Leon chuckled, crossing his one one leg over other.
"You don't need to worry, just think it as a blessing. Some blessings are form of curses. Some curses are form of blessings. It'll be all right.."
He replied with a smile, seeing this she sighs.
"I hope so.."
She mumbled, as she looked at the window. A faint smile appeared over his cheeks, for a moment Leon sighs and looked at her with a serious expression. Before he shakes his head and turned it over the window.
Moments later..
It was the agency. The rain had started. They had reached now. As soon as Misha entered. She straight goes to the lower hall area to a room where everyone frequently grouped together. To be honest it was her hobby to drink coffee on these events.
At the kitchen she add some powder before opening the fridge to took out some milk and when she closed it.
"What!?."
She got flabbergasted. It was Ender who suddenly appeared as soon as she closed it.. His gaze went over the kettle. Curious and clumsy.
"One for me please.."
He said with a innocent baby face, she was still stressed up as she punches him in his gut.
"Agh!. Is this the price!?."
He back off some steps. Adjusting himself.
"Don't appear randomly everywhere. At least not around me."
She said with a softened expression.
"Ahh.. Will take care.."
He coughs, trying to act nonchalant. As his gaze went over her.. She was wearing a brown cloak which grabbed his attention. Her long dark brown hairs which goes over her neck to her shoulders.
"You look lovely.."
He said gracefully, before he realized his tongue slipped.. Misha gradually turned his head over him, her expression shocked.
~ No way.. There's no way he can just say it. Right?. What's this supposed to mean?. Now.. He sees me.. As a friend..
"Hahaha!. Come on dummy. I meant it as a friend."
Ender burst out of laughter, more like acting.
As his gaze went over the coffee, he went over and moved the statue aside, pouring the coffee kettle into two cups.
He takes his one and sat on counter. He tried to slurp it but his tongue burned.
"Cough!."
Misha was still froze, until now she sighs. Taking her cup as she face herself towards him. Suddenly teb door opened and Ruis and Sara came, seeing them together.
"Is there any coffee left on kettle?."
Sara asked her, which she nodded.
"Ruis!. Add some ice!."
Ender extended his arm towards him as he just pointed his finger towards his cup.. As few ice cubes were in his coffee now whom Ender shook gently before slurping.
Sara poured some coffee for her and Ruis in cups as she gave one to him. As he sat beside Ender in counter. Before they started enjoying, drinking. Silence shrouded them for some minutes.
"Oh yeah.."
Ruis mumbled, his coffee almost finished.
"We have something important to tell."
"What?. You guys are a couple or something?."
Ender said with his usual smirked, ahh man at this point this guy just wants to be a rag doll.
BAM!
The punch of Sara sent him flying with his coffee. All over his shirt with ice.. Her expression serious as she sighs, clearing her throat up.. Ruis sighs before declaring.
"So as I was saying.. The event which had happened with Zack. It's best to say we all must let it slide, but not in that way.. Like we must keep an eye on him and his actions.. But infront of him we must act like the way we did."
Ruis explained, hearing this Misha subconsciously nodded with him. A faint smile appeared on Sara's cheek.
"What do you say!?. I don't listen!."
Ender yelled, getting up on his back. This guy was still smirking.. Ruis sighs and gently shoved his a towards him.
Suddenly an ice spear pierced his chest, as he bleed.
"Wash the blood off when you came back from death."
Ruis stated, his expression calm as ever. Sara eyes bursted before she remembered who they're, she sighs and ignored this with Misha having no reaction.
Ender just gets up, and takes out the spear. His chest regenerate instantly and no blood dropped. As he sighs.
"You're annoying. Taste death yourself."
He said with a cold expression as he throws it over him, Ruis was calm as ever as he just blinked. And before the spear could reached him. It stopped.. Like not a barrier but something more..
"What?. I don't sense any energy barrier or something. What did you do?."
Ender asked, startled and astonished. He asked in his usual tone again. Ruis turned around over him, scratching his hair as he replied in his causal tone.
"Oh.. I just bend the dimension around me."
He shrugged nonchalantly. The ice spear disappeared to thin air. Misha was amazed while Sara sighs as if she had already seen it.