The Extra becomes the Villain's Bodyguard-Chapter 27: ORION AND CLARA

The smell of damp earth and the faint rustle of leaves as visitors meander through the winding bushy paths.

Enclosures lined either with glass or mesh to house a variety of snakes, from the emerald green bush snake to the king cobras.

The sound of children’s laughter and cries mingles with the occasional camera shutter noise. The late afternoon sun casting long shadows.

Amidst this lively setting, a strikingly handsome young man makes his way through the crowd. His short brown hair, neatly styled with a fade, frames a strong jawline and piercing blue eyes that seem to capture the essence of the sky. Dressed in a fitted black turtleneck that hugs his broad shoulders, paired with a tailored brown leather trench coat that flowed elegantly with his every step. His blue jeans perfectly fitted, and his black boots. His presence is noticeable, and there’s a softness and smile on his face that draws people in.

He approaches a woman who is standing near an enclosure, her attention momentarily captured by a coiled python. She has short brown hair that falls just above her shoulders, with bangs framing her face. Her hazel eyes, magnified by a pair of stylish glasses, framed with gold, and freckles across her nose and cheeks. She’s dressed in a cozy, oversized sweater that swallows her frame, its sleeves so long that they completely hide her hands. Her gray sweatpants are casual and comfortable, and her red sneakers add a pop of color that matches the subtle red accents in her sweater.

"Hi," the man says, his voice smooth and deep, carrying a distinct English accent that immediately sets him apart.

The woman turns, slightly startled, and tilts her head upwards to meet his gaze. At 5’6", she finds herself looking up at his towering 6’3" frame. Her cheeks flush slightly as she takes in his striking appearance and his sheer size.

"Hello?" she replies, getting rid of her fluster. She tries to adjust her sleeves to free her hands, but the fabric is too cumbersome, so she settles for pushing her glasses up her nose using the sleeve-covered hand.

"I’m sorry, you just looked familiar. Have we met before?" Orion asks after a long pause, as if he’s searching for something in her reaction.

"Well, have we? Shouldn’t you introduce yourself, mister?" she replies sarcastically.

"Haha... you’re right. My name is Orion," he says with a short, warm laugh, his accent still pronounced.

"Of course, I am. And my name is Clara," she says, stretching out her hand in greeting. Orion takes her hand gently, but instead of shaking it, he brings it to his lips and places a soft kiss on her knuckles. Clara withdraws her hand quickly, flustered and irritated.

"That’s so cringey! What next, are you going to call me ’your lady’? I knew from your heavy accent that you’re a foreigner, but I didn’t know you were so archaic!"

Orion chuckles. "I’m sorry. Where I’m from, it’s considered proper etiquette and a compliment to beautiful ladies," he explains, his tone apologetic yet charming.

"Then I’m sure we’ve never met before because I would never forget you!" Clara retorts, though the compliment doesn’t go unnoticed, and a small smile plays on her lips.

"Neither would I forget your beauty," Orion replies, his voice soft but sincere, his most charming smile spreading across his face. Clara is momentarily stunned, her breath catching in her throat.

He then gestures to the park around them clears his throat and said, "I’m a tourist. Would you like to show me around?"

"A tourist... you don’t look like one," Clara says, her eyes narrowing slightly as she scrutinizes him.

"What do you mean?" Orion asks, his brow furrowing obviously confused.

"Where’s the brochures, shorts, camera, binoculars, and the entourage?" she questions, teasingly..

"Now who has archaic thinking?" Orion chuckles, his English accent making the words sound even more playful.

"Touché," Clara concedes with a grin. "Well, this way, Orion."

The afternoon sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow over the snake park. Clara, now fully in her element, led Orion through the winding paths with an infectious enthusiasm. Her passion for the creatures was evident in every word she spoke, her hands gesturing animatedly as she explained the intricacies of each snake’s habitat, diet, and survival tactics in the wild. Orion listened, his eyes never leaving her as she spoke, though his mind seemed to wander occasionally as if he were searching for something in her words and actions.

"This is the diamondback rattlesnake," Clara said, stopping in front of an enclosure where the serpent lay coiled, its scales glinting in the sunlight. "They’re incredible predators, you know. They use their heat-sensing pits to detect prey, even in complete darkness. And their rattle is an amazing warning. People think they’re just dangerous killers, but they’re not. They only strike when they feel threatened. Most of the time, they’d rather just slither away."

Orion nodded, his hands tucked into the pockets of his trench coat. "You certainly know your snakes," he said.

"I can see why you love them so much. They’re... misunderstood, aren’t they?"

"Exactly!" Clara exclaimed, her hazel eyes lighting up behind her glasses. "People fear what they don’t understand. Snakes are just trying to survive, like any other creature. It’s not their fault humans keep encroaching on their habitats. If we respected their space, there’d be fewer conflicts."

Orion’s gaze lingered on her, a faint smile playing on his lips. "You still are the same, huh..." he murmured, almost to himself.

Clara tilted her head, her brow furrowing slightly. "Huh?"

"Nothing," Orion said quickly, shaking his head as if to dismiss the thought. "Just... admiring your passion."

Clara shrugged, though a faint blush crept into her cheeks. "Well, someone’s got to stick up for them," she said with a grin. "Come on, let’s check out the next exhibit."

As they continued their tour, the heat of the afternoon began to take its toll. They made several pit stops for refreshments, Clara insisting on buying Orion a bottle of water after noticing the faint sheen of sweat on his forehead. "You’re not used to this heat, are you?" she teased, handing him the bottle.

"Not at all," Orion admitted, taking a long sip. "But England’s weather, it’s not this intense."

Clara laughed. "I can’t imagine living somewhere so gloomy. I need the sun to function."

They also made a few bathroom breaks, Clara excusing herself with a sheepish grin. "Small bladder," she explained, though Orion didn’t seem to mind. He used the time to check his phone, his expression growing momentarily serious before he slipped it back into his pocket and plastered on a smile as Clara returned.

By the time they reached the end of the tour, the sun was beginning to set. Clara glanced at her watch and sighed. "It’s getting late... I should probably head out."

Orion’s smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "It’s sad to end here, but alright. I’d like it if we met again," he said, his voice tinged with a hint of longing.

Clara rolled her eyes, though her smile betrayed her amusement. " What you’re supposed to do is ask for my number, you dummy," she said, holding out her palm expectantly.

Orion chuckled, the sound deep and warm. "Haha, right. My mistake." He handed her his phone, and she quickly typed in her number before handing it back.

"Well, that’s it, Orion," Clara said, taking a step back. "It was... nice meeting you."

"Likewise," Orion replied, his smile returning. He watched as she turned and walked away, her red sneakers crunching against the gravel path. He raised a hand in a silent wave, his expression unreadable.

The moment Clara was out of sight, Orion’s smile faded, replaced by a deep frown. He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair as he stared at the ground. Disappointment that was what he felt. He glanced down at his phone, where Clara’s number now resided, and his thumb hovered over the screen as if he were debating something. Finally, he slipped the phone back into his pocket and turned to leave.

********

FWIP FWIP FWIP

The door clicked open, revealing a spacious, dimly lit gym. The rhythmic thud of fists hitting a sandbag echoed through the room, punctuated by the occasional grunt of effort. The source of the noise was a striking blonde woman with maroon eyes that glinted like polished beads. Her hair was tied back in a high ponytail, strands sticking to her damp forehead. She wore a sleek black sports bra that hugged her toned torso, paired with high-waisted leggings that accentuated her muscular legs. A pair of fingerless gloves covered her hands, the leather worn from repeated impact. She paused mid-swing, turning to face the door as she wiped the sweat from her face with a towel slung over her shoulder.

"What took you so long? And where’s Clara?" she asked, her voice sharp but with concern.

Orion stepped inside, his expression unreadable as he closed the door behind him. He shrugged off his trench coat, hanging it neatly on a hook by the door. "She doesn’t remember," he said flatly, bending down to unlace his boots.

The woman’s maroon eyes widened. "What?" she asked, her voice rising slightly.

"She wasn’t regressed? We were on the date, and she showed no signs of knowing me or hiding anything," Orion explained, his tone heavy with frustration as he kicked off his shoes and set them aside.

"What, really? Is it because she died earlier?" the woman blurted out, but she immediately regretted her words as Orion stiffened, his jaw tightening. "My bad," she said quickly, her voice softening. "I shouldn’t have brought that up."

Orion exhaled slowly, running a hand through his short brown hair. "It’s fine. I couldn’t even be there for her when she needed me most," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It’s not your fault," the woman insisted, stepping closer to him.

"Is it not?" Orion shot back, his blue trembling in frustration and guilt. "Liz, when I figured out she doesn’t remember, it made me feel... relieved. That feeling disgusted me. As if I was glad she wouldn’t blame me or hate me."

Elizabeth reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It’s okay, Orion," she repeated, her voice steady and reassuring. "You have this chance. We’ll make everything better. We owe it to her... and the others." She pulled him into a hug, her strong arms wrapping around him in a gesture of comfort.

For a moment, Orion stood rigid, but then he relaxed, leaning into the embrace. "Thanks, Liz," he murmured.

*****

After a while, they broke apart, and the tension in the room shifted. Liz tossed him a pair of gloves, and they moved to the center of the gym, where mats were laid out for sparring. They began training in jujutsu, their movements fluid.

"I still don’t understand how I lost to that Gray bastard," Liz muttered as she dodged a sweep from Orion.

"Maybe he’s more skilled than you," Orion teased smirking at the girl.

Liz shot him a glare, clearly offended. "Skill isn’t the issue. I used to win in close combat no matter how skilled my opponents were. You were the only exception," she retorted, her voice tinged with frustration.

"That was when you had mana," Orion pointed out, blocking her next strike. "Besides, everything has its first."

Liz rolled her eyes but didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she focused on her next move, successfully pinning Orion to the ground. "Speaking of firsts," she began, her tone casual but eerie, "this date of yours..."

Orion grinned up at her from the floor. "Don’t be jealous now," he said, his English accent making the words sound even more teasing as it sounded as if e was telling off a little girl.

"I’m just saying," Liz continued, her cheeks flushing slightly, "we haven’t even gone on a date. We’ve been so busy with the mission—KYAA!" Her sentence was cut short as Orion suddenly wrapped his legs around her waist and flipped their positions, pinning her down instead.

Liz stared up at him, her maroon eyes wide with surprise before narrowing into a glare. "Cheap move," she muttered, though there was a hint of a smile on her lips.

Orion chuckled, leaning down slightly. "All’s fair in love and war, Liz," he said, his voice low and teasing.

" How about I keep you up tonight," said Orion as he moved closer for a kiss.