Escort Service (Mio)

Mio never assumed the possibility of her being in a grandeur castle filled with glamour and nobility. If you could see her in a dress, you would probably swoon for her beauty that can bewitch most men. She wore a silky, glittery, pink dress that illuminated under the moonlight. She wore a pink corsage on her right wrist and heart-shaped earrings that glistens with gold. Sadness wrapped her soul when she remembered something from her realm that seemed similar to what she wore tonight. "I...wore a similar dress for our 2nd Christmas Party in Habataki High School." she reminisced, only bringing her a breeze of melancholy as she walked to the carriage.

Unlike most girls, Mio doesn't fantasize that much with prince-like archetype love stories. She doesn't know how to act and react to romantic gestures. To put it bluntly, she is very dense ad thickheaded with the opposite sex. She only enrolled to an all girl's academy until her High School, so her interaction with boys has kept minimum to an extent. And there the job has hired a perfect girl to pretend as a date, which probably, she never considered this job a DATE, but rather as a job at hand.

She was in her carriage as she reminisced her memories of her and Arashi (her lover in the other realm). They were dancing in a Christmas party ball, and she was almost wearing the same trend of the dress. She danced gracefully and lively with Arashi, and the two of them seemed to smile with joy and love. Even the dense Mio knew herself she is in love with someone, forever and always, only Arashi.

She woke up only knowing she had slept throughout the ride and was nearing the entrance of the castle. She prepared herself. "The castle look pretty amazing." she thought. She went out of the carriage and calmed herself before entering the ball. "I just need to accompany a noble, that's all." she uttered to herself, as she entered the castle and appeared a crowd of nobles.

She didn't know where her partner was. She nearly panicked when she heard someone "Hey, I didn't know a mage could be so blind". It was her partner - a boy that appears to be the same age as Mio. He was handsome and charming - most girls would probably wish they took the job. "Come with me. Don't even think of uttering how displeasing and rude I am to you. Most nobles already said that a million times." he said, taking Mio's hand.

If Mio was an aggressive girl, she wouldn't let her noble partner hold her hand or even the slightest skinship. If Mio was any typical normal girl, she would've flustered and blushed while he was holding her hand. Make Mio different - she was not flustered or aggravated. She is too thickheaded to see that maybe her partner has taken her hand for a reason or because he was bewitched with her beauty. Nonetheless, they went to eat some of the delicacies which would make anyone's mouth water and stomach growl.

"My name is Richard Ashford. Remember that." he said, looking at Mio's brown eyes. "I am Mio Arizawa. Nice to meet you." Mio said while standing and doing a proper bow to Richard. Richard blushed a little from Mio's elegance. "Do you have a fever?" Mio asked. "Your face looks red. Or maybe you're just hungry?" Mio added. "Nevermind me, mage. The dance has almost began. Do not make this evening worse with your dance." he rudely said.

The music began to play. Violins were streaming the tune; Trumpets were soothing the melody; Windpipes were flourishing the rhythm. It was a perfect melody for a ball. "As expected from a noble gathering." Mio uttered to herself. The two stood facing each other, looking into each other's eyes. Richard reluctantly looked into Mio's eyes, in which Richard has noticed sadness and sorrow. The first tune played, and they held their posture. They held hands and danced gracefully.

Mio's dance was superb. If she was in a dancing competition, she may already have won. She was as graceful as a swan, as elegant as a rose, as lovely as a dove and as beautiful as the moonlight. Richard was in a trance of admiration. His mind went blank, looking into Mio's eyes as if it was capturing his very heart. "You dance quite good. Who taught you such gracefulness you possess?" Richard asked. "I'm not actually fond of dancing, but my mother always said that a girl should know how to dance." she replied. "Elegance is a girl's foundation for beauty. Gracefulness is a girl's passion for serenity. Dancing enhances a girl's innate beauty, as much as love does to her soul. That was what mother always told me." she added.

"You're mother must be a great woman." Richard replied. "Yes, she is. I wonder how happy she would be if she can see me now." Mio implied. "Where is your mother? Is she off a continent or somewhere far?" Richard asked. "Yes, she is somewhere more than far. It is somewhere I cannot see her smile anymore, but only my sorrow and sadness." Mio said, her eyes starting to tear. "We're the same. My mother passed away when I was 8, so it was a very hard, bumpy road for me." Richard confessed.

"Sadness turns into sorrow. Sorrow turns into torment. Torment turns to anguish. Anguish turns to disillusion. Disillusion turns to incredulity. And the final path is from incredulity to hatred to oneself and others. That was what my mother said before she passed away." Mio implied with her eyes full of sorrow.

Suddenly, Richard remembered a flashback of her mother, lying on her chamber bed. "Richard. Can you think of anything eternal?" his mother asked. "Love! Mother! Love is eternal!" Richard said. "Yes, Richard. What a clever boy you are. Love can be eternal, yes, but it can be changed into something along the way." his mother replied. "Mother, what is it?" Richard asked. "Love can change to hatred, my son. Always remember, never let your love for me change its path to hatred for yourself and everyone. Instead, flourish your love into something that can make the world rid of its hatred. As you see, nothing is eternal. Some cease to exist forever, but some that can exist forever changes to something else. All is destined to end, my son. Even me." his mother said with tearing eyes and Richard wondering what it means.

The music stopped playing. It was the time to say farewell to Richard. Richard smiled at Mio, with his eyes ridden of hatred. "Thank you, Mio. You made me realize how much of a kid I was the whole time." Richard confessed. "You really helped me realize that I should not change love to hatred. Now, I can change what my mother said that all is destined to end. Right now, I won't let my love change to hatred, but I'll make it last forever. Thank you again, Mio." Richard said.

"Anyway, Mio. Do you have a current relationship with someone?" Richard asked. "Relationship? I guess, I have a good relationship with my guildmates. Or people I always meet. I almost have a good relationship with others." Mio replied. "Th-that's not what I meant, Mio!" Richard said, blushing. "I mean, a relationship that is roman-" Richard said, but Mio intervened. "Your face looks red again. You do have a fever. Rest now before it gets worse. Anyway, farewell." Mio replied, with Richard petrified of how dense Mio could be.