"What help, Dear Moon?" At first, I hesitated but later I directly walked to the point.
"I wanna know about that guy who we protected in the past."
"A guy? We protected in the past? What do you mean exactly, Moon?"
"Oh, Carl! I mean the fatty boy we saved from Khisae."
Carl suddenly hit himself in the past scenes. Found himself being bullied rough by Khisae and her members in the elementary school. There are still a few burn marks on his back, feeling the hardships he faced at such a young age. I pulled down my face in guilt for being helpless and couldn't save him from all those… nasty marks…
"K-Khisae is b-back." He abruptly exclaimed and held his ears tighter. Oh no…, I shouldn't have picked up Khisae's name. With little steps at him, I squatted down and put my palm on his head, saying, "This time I'm there for you, Carl. I…, Yeran, and Tangwen will protect you. Trust me for this time, Carl."
He looked at me dumbfounded and… quickly hugged me pushing back.
"Your girlfriend and my girl are watching us, Carl."
I whispered and he immediately left my body with a fake cough. Literally, he has such acting talents, hah."You don't have to worry about my boyfriend, Moon."
"Sure! Sure! My girl isn't so interested in taking care of your man, Yeran!"
Tangwen… Here comes my girl. The one who was maintaining forbearance. I smiled and patted her head. "It's okay, Dear Tang. Calm down." Caressing her hair the most she loved being acting as my pet cat. In fact, I'm so trained while brushing Milo's hair every day. That's the good thing, care more before Yeran says this…
"Down your lofty attitude, Tangwen!"
"Yeran, please do not mind Dear Tang's say. She's still a growing cat."
My lovely and naughty cat. "Fine. Fine. Let's clarify your doubt, Moon."
"Yes. So, did any of you recall the fatty guy from the past?"
"I remember his face but I have no idea about his name. Let me check my school album."
With those words, Carl stood up to a straight long closet and swiftly opened. What if it had broken, huh?! My eyes were now on the pictures on the wall– it's all about them. I smiled to myself and rounded at Carl, who was walking to me holding a dusty book.
Since how many years has that album been locked in there? Can it be 20 years or further? Who does have a sense of it? Not me in the first set.
A sudden fall of the book on the floor raised the smoke of dust. "Cough! Cough! Let it off!!"
All were coughing harder until the windows were stretched out. As the album opened, Carl began pointing his figure from one picture to another until he gasped.
"What happened, Carl? Did you find him out?"
"No! I found your picture, Moon." F**ker!
"Do what I said, Carl! Better if I do my work by myself. Give it to me!"
On the least of the pages, there were the most pictures of me, Yeran, and Carl together… Only if I could know the truth behind Yeran's anger I would've been enjoying my days instead of being this sad over the things that might matter for now but in the future for sure. Those beautiful days hurt me after now…! You should've kept those scary looks low. I'm scared of you, Yeran. C'mon, leave those matters for now.
I skipped. Skipped. Skipped. And skipped the pages but I couldn't find him. Unexpectedly, I spared a glance at a picture written 'Fatty' down there… again written… What the f**k?! Is this sh*t honestly true?! The name is Millou! MILLOU!
My heartbeat skipped on the spot. I clenched my chest, being truly unbelievable to the point! The guy I don't want Tangwen to admire! The guy I barely like! The guy who can't stand without seeing Tangwen! Is all one now! Millou…! I wish…I wish I had known before…
"Did you find him, Dear Moon?"
I nodded and pointed my finger at the last photo of the least glanced and touched the page. All leaned in and the most astonished was Tangwen. Not by the picture but by his name.
"Millou?! Is the fatty boy…Millou?!"
"Calm down, Tang. I'm so ᴅᴜᴍʙꜰᴏᴜɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏᴏ."
"ᴡʜᴏ ɪꜱ ᴍɪʟʟᴏᴜ, ᴍᴏᴏɴ?" ɪ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴄᴀʀʟ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴩᴏɪɴᴛɪɴɢ ᴍy ꜰɪɢᴜʀᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴩɪᴄᴛᴜʀᴇ ʙy ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɪ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴀɴɢᴡᴇɴ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴡʜᴏʟʟy ꜱᴜʀᴩʀɪꜱᴇᴅ. ʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ʟᴀyᴇʀᴇᴅ ʜɪꜱ ꜰᴏʀᴇʜᴇᴀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ ɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟʟy ᴀᴅᴅᴇᴅ.
"ɪꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴏᴜʀ ɪɴɴᴏᴄᴇɴᴛ ᴍɪʟʟᴏᴜ? ɪ ʜᴀᴅɴ'ᴛ ꜱᴇᴇɴ ʜɪᴍ ꜱɪɴᴄᴇ ʜᴇ ʟᴇꜰᴛ ʀʜᴇ ᴄɪᴛy?"
ɪ ɴᴏᴅᴅᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ ʜᴇ ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇʟy ɪɴqᴜɪʀᴇᴅ. "yᴏᴜ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʜɪᴍ?"
"ʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ɢʀᴏᴡɴ ᴜᴩ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴡ ʜᴇ ɪꜱ ᴛᴀɴɢᴡᴇɴ'ꜱ ʙᴏyꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ." ᴍy ᴇɴᴇᴍy ᴛᴏᴏ…! ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ɴᴇɪɢʜʙᴏʀ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ᴏɴᴇ ᴅᴀy ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴍy ᴀᴅᴍɪʀᴇʀꜱ ʙᴏyꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɴᴀᴛᴄʜ ʜᴇʀ ᴀᴡᴀy ᴍᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ʀᴀɪꜱᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ꜱᴇɴꜱᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀᴛ…ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ᴛɪᴍᴇ. ʜᴀʜ.
ʜᴇ ᴠᴏᴡ ɪɴ ᴀᴡᴇꜱᴛʀᴜᴄᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ʙʟɪɴᴋᴇᴅ ᴛᴡɪᴄᴇ ɢᴀᴩɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ᴛᴀɴɢᴡᴇɴ.
"ᴍɪʟʟᴏᴜ ɪꜱ yᴏᴜʀ ʙᴏyꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ!! ᴜɴʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴀʙʟᴇ!!"
yᴇʀᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀʀʟ ᴇxᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇᴅ. ᴏꜰ ᴄᴏᴜʀꜱᴇ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴜɴʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴀʙʟᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴜy ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴀꜱ ʀᴇᴄᴋʟᴇꜱꜱ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅꜱ ʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴅy. ᴏꜰᴛᴇɴ ᴀᴄᴛ ɪɴɴᴏᴄᴇɴᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴀ ꜰɪɢʜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀɴyᴏɴᴇ. ʜᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ɢᴜy ᴡʜᴏ ᴀʟᴡᴀyꜱ ʀᴇʟy ᴏɴ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ꜰʀᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ ʜᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ʜᴇ ɢᴏᴛ ꜱᴜᴄʜ ʜᴀɴᴅꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴜɪʟᴛ ʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴅy ᴠᴇʀy ᴡᴇʟʟ. ʜᴏᴡ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɪ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴏɴ ɪᴛ? ʜᴀɪᴢ, ʜᴀɪᴢ!
"ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ꜱᴏᴏɴ ɪɴᴠɪᴛᴇ ʜɪᴍ ꜰᴏʀ ᴅɪɴɴᴇʀ ɪꜰ yᴏᴜ ɢᴜyꜱ ᴡᴀɴɴᴀ ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ʜɪᴍ."
"ᴍᴀʀᴋ ɪᴛ!!!" ᴛʜᴇy ᴀʀᴇ ꜱᴜʀᴇʟy ʟᴏᴜᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ.
ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ qᴜᴇꜱᴛɪᴏɴ…ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴩʟɪᴄᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴏɴᴇ ʀᴏᴜɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴍy ʜᴇᴀᴅ, ɪꜰ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪʟʟᴏᴜ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴩᴀꜱᴛ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴡʜy ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ʜᴇ ʀᴇᴄᴏɢɴɪᴢᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴡᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴍᴇᴛ ᴀꜱ ɴᴇɪɢʜʙᴏʀꜱ? ᴡᴀꜱ ʜᴇ ɪɴ ᴡᴀy ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴅɪꜱᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ʜɪꜱ ʟɪꜰᴇ ꜱᴀᴠɪᴏᴜʀꜱ? ɪꜰ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴛᴏ ɢᴏ ᴀɢᴀɪɴꜱᴛ ᴋʜɪꜱᴀᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴀy ᴛᴏ ꜱᴀᴠᴇ ᴍɪʟʟᴏᴜ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴍy ʟɪꜰᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ɢᴏ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ꜱᴜᴄʜ ᴅᴇᴍɪꜱᴇ ᴩᴏꜱꜱɪʙɪʟɪᴛɪᴇꜱ!
ʜɪꜱ ᴀʙʙʜᴏʀ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀɢᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ꜱᴜᴄʜ ɪᴍᴩᴜʀɪᴛɪᴇꜱ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴍᴇ– ᴠᴀɴɪꜱʜɪɴɢ ᴍy ᴇxɪꜱᴛᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ʜɪꜱ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴇyᴇꜱ. ɪ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴡᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ɴᴇɪɢʜʙᴏʀꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ʀᴏᴜᴛᴇꜱ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴀᴄᴄᴇᴩᴛᴇᴅ ᴏᴜʀ ʟɪᴠᴇꜱ ʜᴀʀᴅꜱʜɪᴩꜱ ᴛᴇᴀᴄʜɪɴɢ ᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟᴠᴇꜱ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴄʀᴀꜰᴛꜱᴍᴀɴꜱʜɪᴩ– ᴅᴏʟʟ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴊᴀᴩᴀɴ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴅᴀʀᴜᴍᴀ. ᴏɴ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɪ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢʟy ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴜᴩ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʀɪꜱᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴅᴏʟʟ.
ᴀɴᴅ…ʜᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ᴛᴀᴜɢʜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴀʀɪꜱᴇ ʀᴇꜰʟᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴍy ꜰᴀʟʟꜱ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴜᴍᴀ ᴅᴏʟʟ.
ʜᴀʜ…, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪꜱ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴅᴏʟᴏʀᴏᴜꜱ ꜱᴇɴꜱᴀᴛɪᴏɴ? "ᴡᴇʟʟ…, ᴡʜy yᴏᴜ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ʜᴇʀᴇ, ᴍᴏᴏɴ?"
"ɴᴏᴡ ꜱᴛᴏᴩ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙᴜʟʟɪꜱʜ*ᴛ ᴀᴄᴛ, ᴍɪʟʟᴏᴜ." ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴀᴄᴛ ʙʟɪɴᴅ. ʜᴏᴡ ᴄᴀɴ ʙᴇ ᴀʙꜱᴇɴᴛ-ᴍɪɴᴅᴇᴅ?! ᴀꜱ ɪꜰ yᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴩᴇᴏᴩʟᴇ, ʜᴜʜ? ʜᴏᴡ ᴄᴀɴ yᴏᴜ ʙᴇ ꜱᴜᴄʜ ꜱᴇɴꜱᴇʟᴇꜱꜱ?!!
"ᴍᴏᴏɴ, ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ. ʜᴇ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ʙᴇ ꜰᴀᴄɪɴɢ ᴅɪꜰꜰɪᴄᴜʟᴛy ɪɴ ʀᴇᴄᴀʟʟɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴀᴄᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴜꜱ."
ꜰᴀᴄᴇꜱ? ɪꜱɴ'ᴛ ʜɪꜱ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀy ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴩᴀꜱᴛ ꜱᴏ ᴇxᴄᴇʟʟᴇɴᴛ?
"ʜᴏᴡ ᴄᴀɴ yᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ʙᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴀʙꜱᴇɴᴛ-ᴍɪɴᴅᴇᴅ, ᴍɪʟʟᴏᴜ? ᴀꜱ ɪꜰ ᴡᴇ'ʀᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇʀꜱ, ʜᴜʜ?" ɪ ꜱʜᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴄᴀʀʟ'ꜱ ᴡʀɪꜱᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴡɪꜰᴛʟy ʀᴀɪꜱᴇᴅ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴄʜᴀɪʀ ᴛᴏ ʜᴏʟᴅ ʜɪꜱ ᴄᴏʟʟᴀʀ. ᴍy ʙᴀᴅ ᴇyᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʀᴇᴍʙʟɪɴɢ ʜɪꜱ ᴇyᴇꜱ, ꜱʜᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅʀɪɴᴋɪɴɢ ʜɪꜱ ꜱᴀʟɪᴠᴀ. "ɪ'ʟʟ ʙᴜʀy yᴏᴜ, ɪꜰ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴀᴄᴛ!"
"ᴍᴏᴏɴ! ʙᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ, ʟᴇᴛ ʜɪᴍ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ." ᴄᴀʀʟ ꜱʟᴀᴩᴩᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴍy ʜᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴩᴜʟʟᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ. ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴍɪʟʟᴏᴜ ᴡᴀꜱ ʜᴜꜰꜰɪɴɢ, ᴄʟᴇɴᴄʜɪɴɢ ʜɪꜱ ᴄᴏʟʟᴀʀ ᴛɪɢʜᴛ. ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ yᴇᴛ ɢʟᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ʜɪᴍ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ʜᴇ ɢɪᴠᴇ ɪɴ ᴀꜱ ʜᴇ ꜰɪɴᴀʟʟy ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀɢᴀɪɴꜱᴛ ʜɪᴍ. ᴀ ᴩᴀʀᴀ ᴏꜰ ɢʟᴀʀᴇꜱ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɢɪꜰᴛᴇᴅ ʙy ᴜꜱ.
ᴜɴʟᴇꜱꜱ ʜᴇ ᴏᴩᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴜᴩ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ, "ɪ…ʀᴇᴀʟʟy ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ʀᴇᴄᴀʟʟ…, ɢᴜyꜱ-"
ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴇɴᴅ ʜɪꜱ ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ, ɪ ᴩᴜɴᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴍy ꜰɪꜱᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ. ᴜɴꜰᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇʟy, ɪᴛ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴍɪʟʟɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏɴᴇ ᴩɪᴇᴄᴇꜱ, ᴅᴇꜱᴩᴀɪʀɪɴɢ ɪɴ ꜰʀᴏɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴍy ᴇyᴇꜱ– ʙᴏᴜɴᴄɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ. ɪᴛ ꜰᴀᴜʟᴛ ɪɴ ɢɪɢᴀɴᴛɪᴄ, ꜱᴩᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴇyᴇꜱ ᴏɴ ᴍᴇ.
ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛʀɪᴠɪᴀʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ʀᴀɪꜱᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴍy ꜱᴇɴꜱᴇ ᴏꜰ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ɢᴜɪʟᴛy. 4 ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀᴡᴇꜱᴛʀᴜᴄᴋ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪᴠᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴏᴅꜱ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴍy ᴀꜰʟᴀᴍᴇ.
"ᴀ-ᴀʀᴇ yᴏᴜ ᴀʟʀɪɢʜᴛ, ᴍ-ᴍᴏᴏɴ…?"
"ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ yᴏᴜ ꜱᴛɪʟʟ hit yᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀɪᴇꜱ, ᴍɪʟʟᴏᴜ?!! ʜᴜʜ!"
"I…I…I'm starting to recall… the scenes, M-Moon." He sputtered due to the recent venture. If you had called this sentence before then I wouldn't have to assemble such a mess, Dear. I jerked my hand behind me and settled down with criss-cross legs.
I don't know what happened to me suddenly that I began feeling a sudden excess ache in my little finger!! "Hey, Moon. Your hands' bleeding!" Carl clamoured and swiftly raised my hand. I was wholly thunderstruck to see my little finger bleeding exclusively! Gosh!
"Excuse me, can we have a first-aid box?!"
"Here, Sir. And our table…"
"We will pay!!"
ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀɪᴛᴇʀ ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇʟy ʙᴏᴡᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴀɴ ᴏꜰꜰ. ɪ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴄᴀʀʟ– ʜᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ꜱᴏ ᴩᴏʟɪᴛᴇ ᴏɴ ᴍy ᴡᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇᴀʟɪɴɢ ᴍy ᴩᴀɪɴ. ɪꜱ ɪᴛ ᴏᴋᴀy ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴀᴛ ʜɪᴍ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ? ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇ ʜᴀꜱ ᴀ ɢɪʀʟꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ, ᴍᴏᴏɴ. ʟᴇᴛ ɢᴏ yᴏᴜʀ ᴄʜɪʟᴅʜᴏᴏᴅ ᴄʀᴜꜱʜ…ʜᴇ ɪꜱ ɴᴏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ɴᴏᴡ…
"ʜᴏᴡ ᴄᴀɴ yᴏᴜ ʙᴇ ꜱᴜᴄʜ ʀᴇᴄᴋʟᴇꜱꜱ, ᴍᴏᴏɴ?! ꜱᴇᴇ, ʜᴏᴡ ʀᴏᴜɢʜʟy yᴏᴜ ʙᴜʀɴɪꜱʜᴇᴅ yᴏᴜʀ ʜᴀɴᴅ! ʜᴏᴡ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɪ ʙᴀʀᴇ ɪꜰ ᴀɴyᴛʜɪɴɢ ʜᴀᴩᴩᴇɴꜱ ᴛᴏ yᴏᴜ?! ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ!"
"ᴄᴀʀʟ…?" ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜱᴏʟᴇʟy ᴍᴏᴠᴇᴅ ʙy ʜɪꜱ ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ. ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ᴏʀ…? ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ. ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ ꜰɪɢᴜʀᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ ʜɪꜱ ɪɴᴛᴇɴꜱɪᴏɴ, ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴩʟᴀᴄᴇ.
ɪ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ɪɴ ꜱɪɢʜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀɴɢᴡᴇɴ. ꜱʜᴇ ʙᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ʜᴇʀ ꜱᴋɪʀᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴡɴ ʜᴇʀ ꜱɪɢʜᴛ ᴀᴡᴀy ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴍɪɴᴇ. ᴏʜ, ɴᴏ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱʜ*ᴛ– ʙy ᴛʜᴇɴ, ɪ ᴩʀᴇᴄɪᴩɪᴛᴏᴜꜱʟy ɢᴏᴛ ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜᴇᴅ ʙy ᴛʜᴇ ᴇxᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇᴅ ᴠɪꜱɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ yᴇʀᴀɴ'ꜱ ᴇyᴇꜱ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴄᴀʀʟ'ꜱ ᴜᴩᴋᴇᴇᴩ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ᴀʟᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴀʟᴇᴅ ᴍy ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ.
ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀᴍ ɪ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ? ᴡʜy ᴀᴍ ɪ ʟᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ʜɪᴍ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ɪ'ᴠᴇ ᴍy ʜᴀɴᴅꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴋᴇᴇᴩ ᴜᴩ?
ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴅɪꜰꜰɪᴄᴜʟᴛ…ɪᴛ'ꜱ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴅɪꜰꜰɪᴄᴜʟᴛ. ɴᴇɪᴛʜᴇʀ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ɢᴏ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ɴᴏʀ ʟᴇꜰᴛ! ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ, ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ꜱʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ɪ ʟᴇᴀᴅ ᴍyꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴛᴏ?! ʜᴀʜ…, ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪꜱ ʟᴇꜰᴛ ᴏʀ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇꜰᴛ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪꜱ ʀɪɢʜᴛ.
ɪᴛ'ꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇ ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴅᴅʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀꜱᴛᴇʟᴀɴᴅ, ᴄʜᴏᴏꜱɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴡᴀy ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛᴡᴏ. ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ᴇxᴩᴇᴄᴛ ᴀɴyᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ᴜɴᴩʀᴇᴅɪᴄᴛᴀʙʟᴇ. ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ʙᴇ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴇxᴄᴇʟʟᴇɴᴛ ᴅᴇᴍᴏᴄʀᴀᴛɪᴄ. ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ᴍyꜱᴇʟꜰ! ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ᴍyꜱᴇʟꜰ ꜰᴏʀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪꜱ ꜱʜ*ᴛ!!
"ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ! ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ᴅᴏ ɪᴛ ᴍyꜱᴇʟꜰ!" ɪ ꜱᴄʀᴇᴇᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴇɪᴢᴇᴅ ᴍy ʜᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴡᴀy ꜰʀᴏᴍ ʜɪᴍ. ʜᴜꜱʜ! ᴡʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ʟɪᴛᴇʀᴀʟʟy ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴇ? ᴡʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴍᴇ…? ɪ ꜱᴀɪᴅ…ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ꜰᴜʀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴜꜱʜᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏꜰᴇ ꜱʜᴏᴩ. "ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ꜱʜ*ᴛ ᴀᴍ ɪ?"