The video became a topic of conversation everywhere. It turned out that not only students in Runa's class received it, but all students in the Sunbrillo Business department. Despite being in the negative spotlight, Arden looks fine. In fact, it was Runa who felt bad. She couldn't help but look at Arden every chance she got, and it seemed like Arden had noticed it. Arden always looked back at her and when he did, Runa quickly looked away.
When Runa came to her secret place this afternoon to smoke and enjoy a bottle of beer, she half expected to find Arden there as usual. How disappointed Runa's heart was when she saw the sofa that used to be Arden's resting place was empty.
Runa stopped in front of the door, and was silent for a moment while observing the old, empty sofa. It felt like… something was missing.
"Missed me?"
Arden's deep voice made Runa jump. She turned and jumped back, and her stomach somersault when she saw Arden standing in front of her.
"No!" Runa's negation just sounded like a denial of her feelings.
Maybe it was almost fifty times that Runa had observed Arden today, so his appearance now felt right and filled the void that Runa had felt just now. Arden wears a white t-shirt that is stacked with a black short-sleeved shirt. He left the shirt unbuttoned. The hem of his shirt hangs over the waist of his ripped jeans. He carried a black backpack on one shoulder.
Arden stood quietly in the doorway while looking at Runa with no expression on his face. It was as if this was the first time he had actually seen Runa. After he was satisfied looking at her until it made her awkward, Arden glanced at Runa's feet and looked at her face again.
"Finally, you followed my advice," he said.
"It's already healed."
"Ah… of course." Arden cracked a mocking lopsided smile, then he walked over to the storage cupboard and grabbed a box of cigarettes and a bottle of beer.
Runa followed him and protested. "Who do you think it belongs to?" She grabbed the cigarette Arden had placed on the table but failed to save the beer that was now halfway down Arden's throat.
Still, in a position to drink beer, Arden saw Runa out of the corner of his eye for a moment, before closing his eyes and drinking the beer until it was barely left.
Runa took the lighter, then opened the cigarette case and took a cigar. For a moment she hesitated to light it, even though she had tucked the cigarette to her lips. Then suddenly Arden grabbed her hand and slipped his fingers into the tips of Runa's clenched fingers. Gently, he took the lighter that had been tightly gripped in Runa's hand.
Arden lit a cigarette in his mouth, then thrust the lighter that was still lit to the cigarette on Runa's lips and lit it until coals and smoke appeared.
Runa blinked and pinched the cigarette with her thumb and forefinger before pulling it away from her lips. "Thank you," she said, softly. She lowered her head, her eyes on the floor. She couldn't look back at Arden, who was standing in front of her.
Arden's scent filled Runa's sense of smell. A mix of rosemary, cloves, and tobacco, and a misty forest. What Runa smelled was the same as what she felt every time she saw Arden. Pure but dangerous, and mysterious.
Arden did not reply to Runa's thanks. He simply said, "Let's sit outside." Then turned away, out of the house.
On a small terrace with a sloping roof, with rotting support posts, were two metal chairs that squeaked whenever someone sat on them. Runa didn't enjoy sitting there because the chair was hard. She prefers to sit on the edge of the terrace whenever she wants to enjoy the afternoon here.
And Arden has the same thoughts as her. He had taken his place at the end of the terrace overlooking the ravine. Runa sat next to him on the wooden floor, which was dull and partly destroyed by termites.
For a few minutes, they were just silent while smoking cigarettes and enjoying the view and the afternoon breeze. Until finally, Runa couldn't restrain herself from asking.
"Are you the man on the video?"
Arden turned around while tilting his head. "You think?"
Runa didn't answer right away, because she knew whatever answer she gave would affect their relationship in the future. She had to be careful with her words.
Runa caught Arden's figure from the corner of her eye. She saw the piercings in his ear, then the tattoo on the inside of his wrist that was holding a cigarette. Only this time, Runa realized there was a tattoo there.
Runa was quiet, giving a gap of silence for the two of them to enjoy the chilly afternoon, accompanied by a plume of smoke that filled the air and their lungs, providing warmth that could not be replaced by anything.
Runa's gaze returned to the scene in front of them. The forest is getting shady and darkened by the sun's fading light, the ravine that rumbles the sound of the river at its bottom. The clouds turned into a thin layer of purple.
"It doesn't matter what I think about it," replied Runa then. "But one thing for sure… whatever people say, whatever they do to you, don't mind it," she said again, before blowing thick smoke from his pink lip tint-covered lips. "As long as you didn't do anything wrong… so be it."
Runa turned to Arden because the man was silent. And Runa was stunned to find Arden looking back at her with a surprised look. He looked mesmerized. It was as if something had just made his heart stop.
"What?" Rune frowned.
Arden gave her a faint lopsided smile, which Runa wasn't sure was ever there, which only felt like a dream. That smile caught Runa's throat, disrupting her heartbeat and breathing.
Then Arden looked back at the ravine. He took a drag before letting out a thin cloud of smoke like a mist. "Thank you," he said. "You make me wanna kiss you."
"What the hell-"
Runa raised her free hand and was about to hit Arden's arm, but she stopped when they met eyes.
Runa knew Arden's words about the kiss were just a joke, but the way Arden looked at her now almost made Runa drown and forget that Arden is not a man who will easily fall in love with anyone. And even though he is a bad boy, Runa is not sure he is a man who carelessly kisses people.
There's no way he'd do it, right?
The gleam in Arden's eyes dimmed. His gaze turned sad, a smile no longer graced his lips.
Runa swallowed. For some reason, her lips parted slightly. Or is she unconsciously expecting something?
"Looks like you should go home now."
"Ah—" Runa dropped her hand, then looked away and dropped the cigarette on the ground and stepped on it until the embers died. "You're right," said Runa. "I might miss my curfew."
"Yeah. Go home and study hard. You don't want to lose your precious rank, don't you?"
Runa should be angry at Arden's words. It was clearly an insult, and of course, Arden knew he was the one who made Runa lose her rank. But instead of being angry, Runa laughed.
"See you tomorrow," said Runa. She picked up the cigarette butt and stood up.
"Yeah."
Runa's steps felt heavy. She didn't want to leave her place while Arden was still sitting there, enjoying the slowly coming evening alone. When Runa arrived at the door, she took the time to look back once more, looking at the back of the man who gave her a feeling she had never felt before.
---
As long as you didn't do anything wrong… so be it.
Arden recalled Runa's words earlier and he couldn't help but smile.
Does Runa trust him? Arden hopes so. Because the whole campus already believed that the man in the video was him, plus the rumors about him slapping Anna at Merville Beach.
This was the first time Arden cared about anyone's opinion of him. When Runa said that earlier, Arden felt calm in his heart and he believed he would be fine.
For the first time, Arden didn't feel alone.
Arden returned to the dormitory half an hour after Runa left. He didn't want them to leave together from that place, because Arden wasn't sure he could just let Runa go if they were together any longer.
This is ridiculous. Arden knows that. But he found himself getting more and more out of control every time he was with Runa.
This feeling was really dangerous for a being like him. Fallen Angels are not allowed to have any kind of bond with humans. Being bonded to the Fallen Angels is as taboo as adultery written in the bible.
As Arden was still contemplating the day he had passed, his cell phone rang. Arden glanced at it lying on the bed, close to him.
He cursed when he saw the name on the phone screen.
Arden might not pick up the phone like he used to. But he knew he couldn't avoid him forever.
Reluctantly, Arden grabbed the phone and pressed the green button.
"Finally," grumbled the male voice on the other end of the line. The voice is sharp but feels as light as a feather. "I think the demons over there killed you and exterminate you from the universe."
"You know I don't want to talk to you unless it's something important," Arden said curtly.
"Oh? You don't think there's anything important?" said the caller. "What about the classroom building that was destroyed a few nights ago? Doesn't that have anything to do with you?"
Shit. How did he know?
"You must be cursing in your heart and wondering how did I know about the incident."
Arden didn't answer, instead, he said, "You said you'd send the others here."
"Calm down. They'll be here soon." Silence for a moment. "But there's been a slight change of plans."
Arden clenched his jaw.
"I will come with them," said the man. "Looks like this isn't something you guys can solve alone."
"You don't have to—"
"I can feel it, Arden," the man interrupted. "We're so close to our main goal. And you know it for sure. If you succeed, you can go back there. Heaven."