"Jerk!" I muttered as Howl disappeared upstairs "how do you even manage to live with him?"

Markl, who had been standing open mouthed, shook his head and replied, "you should know one thing about Master Howl. He hates it when Calcifer is threatened or- either of us."

"Well then," I finally said "I suppose there is a lot getting used to. Calcifer!" I turned to the blue-green flames "Howl is gone now. I will throw water on you if you don't obey and I don't care what the old wizard has to say."

"You are the one lacking manners here," a voice came.

Knowing who it was, I turned my head to see Howl leaning against the stair case.

"You bastard!" I shouted picking up the pan and running towards him.

Immediately Howl went running upstairs like any two year old kid. I grunted and turned to Calcifer. Roughly, I placed the pan on him. But surprisingly he didn't jerked it off.

Howl's POV

Laughing like an idiot, I closed my room door shut. I laughed hard at what had just happened. Wiping my tears, I sat on my grand bed and smiled.

Who exactly is that girl? I wondered. No body has ever made me laugh like that. And that girl- she is different. From all the others I have met and broken hearts of. That girl somehow seems hard to get and she is prettier than them all.

I glanced at the ceiling, shaking off the thought that was coming over me. Break her heart, my inner self urged.

Urgh! If I had ever known what would being heartless be like, I would have never given up my heart. I held my head in my hands.

"You can't help it Howl," I told myself "it is what being heartless means. Breaking hearts is the only thing you can do."

I thought about the mad girl downstairs. (Y/N), her name is. I actually would have found her interesting if she wouldn't have threatened to throw water on Calcifer. Now I'll have to be careful.

"Wait," I said to myself "what was that!"

It suddenly felt like there was a presence. A presence of something magical. I slowly walked out of my room. Yes! The presence felt stronger here. Is there another magical being in the castle, I wondered. Who could it possible me.

I raced my fingers through my hair. (Y/N) I thought, perhaps she could be the one. But no way! Her? Magical? What is she exactly. Looks like any grumpy old witch to me.

"Calcifer must know about this," I told myself as I entered the bathroom "I am never mistaken in telling whether there is something magical around me. Is (Y/N) really some magical being? I need to find out."

I closed the door behind me and went to fill the bathtub.

(Y/N)'s POV

"Markl!" I announced "the breakfast is ready. Please set the table."

"Sure" Markl said running towards the dirty table.

He pushed aside piles of book and placed plates and spoons on the table. He had also placed a few cups for tea.

A soft tapping of feet grabbed my attention. I stared as Howl came downstairs. His hair were wet and he wore a beautiful perfume that filled the room. Quickly, I looked back at the pan on which four bacons and eight eggs cooked.

Something brushed against me that made me freeze in my place. Howl was leaning across me and staring at the pan. His face was close to mine and that made me blush. I could feel the heat of the bath and smell of freshly washed hair.

"Who's the fourth bacon and egg for?" he breathed on my cheek making me blush harder.

"Calcifer" I said in a tiny voice.

What is happening to me, I thought. I shouldn't be like that around a guy I hate. But Howl was so close.

"Calcifer, eh?" he said making a sudden grab for my hand that rested on the pan's handle. I immediately pulled it away as Howl stepped forward.

"Calcifer doesn't like being cooked on by anyone else except me," he told me "and he does not have such proper meals. He will just eat egg shells or something like that."

I could not answer to this. My heart was beating very fast.

Howl looked at me from the corner of his eye.

"You better go upstairs and wash up," he advised looking back at the pan "the bathroom is right in front of my room."

"And where exactly is your room?" I asked "in front of the bathroom?"

"Yeah," he answered "the bathroom is right in front of the most grandest room you see. You'll know it once you come to it."

"Sure" I said sarcastically as I turned to walk upstairs.

Just as I took the first step Howl called in his merry tone "don't mix up any potion" he warned. I did not answer to this and walked upstairs.

"Howl was right" I whispered to myself as I sure did recognized his room once I reached it. The door was a big one and made me curious about what was hidden inside. But I decided not to check out. If he really did stole girls hearts, he would not hide them in his room. Would he?

I turned around and went into the bathroom.

"Oh my God!" I cried as I entered the bathroom.

"Forgot to warn you about that" Howl shouted from downstairs. I stared at the mess the bathroom was in. The walls were colourful from potions and the bathtub was filled with water. There were many jars on the shelves.

"Like any girl's toilet" I said to myself "he really does use all those to enhance his features."

I had lost my appetite by now. I closed the bathroom door and went towards the sink. The mirror was broken but I could still see my awfully hurt face. The bandage was still there and since I had to wash my face, I pulled it off. The bleeding had stopped and the wound looked a lot better. What had he used on this wound? I thought as I started washing my face. Carefully, I cleaned my wounds. They did not need bandages so I left them untouched. Even after washing, I felt uncomfortable. I knew I smelled bad and I hated that. I wanted to take a bath. I looked at bathtub and without further ado, I went running into yet.

"Yahooo!" I cried pushing my fist up happy to be in water.

I heard Howl saying downstairs "weird girl!"
**

After getting dressed, I went downstairs. I felt a lot more cheerful and fresh. As I reached the landing, I found Howl and Markl sitting on the table staring at the food.

"Finally," Howl said looking up at me "you had enough sense to take a bath. You smelled terrible earlier."

"You are a bully, Howl" I said playfully to him.

Howl looked surprised by my sudden change. How could I explain to him that I actually was a cheerful girl.

"Come join us, (Y/N)," Markl said eagerly. I nodded as I sat at the table in front of Howl and right next to Markl.

It surprised me to see that their food was untouched.

"Why haven't you eaten yet?" I asked them.

"We were waiting for you," Markl informed "Master Howl said to do so."

"No I didn't," Howl snapped suddenly.

At this, I couldn't help but grin. We started eating our breakfast. It was good or perhaps that was because I was really hungry. I often saw Howl looking up at me then looking back at his food. He somehow looked uncomfortable.

"Is something that matters?" I finally asked him. He shook his head.

"No, not at all" he said tightly. I wondered whether it was because of my rudeness earlier.

"Hey," I said gaining up my courage "I am sorry."

"About what?" Howl asked taken aback.

"About earlier," I said nervously staring at my food "I am not usually like that. So yeah- sorry. It was just that I felt sad because of my family."

I looked up to see Howl laughing loudly.

Markl and I stared and waited for Howl to stop laughing. With a smiling face, he looked very handsome.

He finally looked back at me "oh dear! You really are a weirdo." I could not understand what he meant by this.

Suddenly Howl stood up. He took his plate towards Calcifer and threw the rest of the food towards him who ate it hungrily.

"I am going out, Markl!" he announced in such a way that he wanted me to know it as well "make sure (Y/N) don't get carried away."

Markl nodded. Before Howl could leave, I blurted out "you would not mind if I clean the castle, would you?"

Howl stopped, his hand resting on the door knob. He turned his face towards me, a warm smile on his lips.

"Do as you please," he said "but don't get carried away. And-" he said turning the door knob and opening the door, revealing nothing but darkness "this is not a castle. It is only a house."

With that the door suddenly shut as Howl jumped out into the darkness.

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