Andrei continued discussing the process of exorcising a ghoul, his voice steady as he explained the necessary steps to his younger brother. However, despite his composed demeanor, his gaze kept flickering toward the door.
'Why wasn't she here?'
Again.
It had been three days since Friday, and Rahiya hadn't shown up even once. He shouldn't care—he didn't care—but the thought of her absence gnawed at him. Was she avoiding the church? Did what happened that day affect her that much?
He pushed the thought aside, refocusing on the lesson.
"Brother, do you think Miss will come back?" Dylan suddenly asked.
Andrei glanced at him. His little brother looked like a lost puppy, his usual energy dampened by disappointment.
"I hope not." Andrei's response was cold, immediate.
Dylan's head snapped up, his brows furrowing in anger. "Why are you so rude to her?"
Andrei sighed, flipping the page of his book. "Let's not talk about her, okay?"
But then—slam!
Dylan's small hands struck the table, his face twisted in frustration. "What's wrong with talking about her?!" His voice wavered between anger and desperation. "You know why she's not here, don't you?"
Andrei tensed.
He had let his guard down, forgetting just how sharp Dylan could be. The kid noticed everything.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Andrei said firmly, keeping his voice even. He refused to let Dylan get tangled up with someone like Rahiya. "Let's not fight because of her, okay? If she doesn't come, then let her be. This isn't her field, Dylan."
Dylan's shoulders sagged. He looked down at his table, his anger fading into reluctant acceptance.
"…Fine," he muttered.
But deep inside, Dylan wanted to know more, and was curious what had happened between Rahiya and his brother that day.
~~~
While the two wandered around the food court, arguing over what to buy, Rahiya remained at their usual table, reserving it for when they returned. She tapped her fingers against the surface, staring at nothing in particular. The mall was noisy, full of life, yet she felt strangely detached from it all.
A few minutes later, Wyndel and Zandro finally returned, their arms full of food—and, as expected, still bickering.
"Stupid greasy beef," Wyndel grumbled, plopping down beside Rahiya with a large container of fries. His pout was evident, his disappointment unmistakable.
"Just eat the grass outside, Goat," Zandro shot back with a smirk, setting down trays of shawarma rice and wrap. He then wordlessly handed Rahiya a burger and a pack of nachos.
She took it without question, raising a brow. "So…no salad?"
"No," Wyndel huffed, crossing his arms. "It's that stupid shawarma again."
"Well, too bad for you." Rahiya shrugged, popping a nacho into her mouth, the crunch oddly satisfying.
Wyndel's glare sharpened as he caught sight of Zandro's smug grin. "You knew it was a shawarma stall again, didn't you?"
Zandro burst into laughter, barely holding his food.
~~~
As they ate, their conversation drifted between random topics and academic discussions—ones that only Zandro seemed to fully understand. Rahiya, who had been lost in her thoughts earlier, now found herself distracted by their banter.
For the first time today, she wasn't overthinking. She wasn't questioning herself or drowning in unwanted emotions. She was here, at this moment, listening to Wyndel complain about the shawarma stall and that it would be nice to have a salad stall for once, while Zandro smugly chewed on his food.
Feeling full, she suddenly stood up. "I'll buy some drinks," she said, stretching a little.
Neither Zandro nor Wyndel objected, still busy arguing over food choices. She took that as her cue to leave and headed toward the drink stalls.
As she walked, scanning the options, her attention was drawn to something unexpected—a flower shop.
She blinked. That wasn't there before.
It used to be an accessories shop, didn't it? She remembered dragging Wyndel inside once, making him try on a ridiculously expensive watch while Zandro stood by, unimpressed.
Had it changed while she was in the church?
She shook the thought away and focused back on the menu. A few minutes later, she received her drinks—three milk teas in a plastic bag, since she can't carry it in two hands.
Before she could return to their table, someone suddenly stepped in front of her, holding out a sunflower.
Rahiya froze, caught off guard by the unexpected gesture. Her gaze slowly traveled from the bright yellow petals to the hand holding them—then up to the face of the stranger before her.
A guy, around in his mid 20's, with striking red hair and piercing blue eyes, smiled at her.
She blinked, processing the scene.
"...Huh?"
The guy's smile didn't falter. "You looked like you needed something bright today." His voice was smooth, casual, as if handing flowers to strangers was the most normal thing in the world.
Rahiya frowned. 'What?'
Her eyes darted between the sunflower and his face. At first, she thought it was some weird joke, but he looked completely serious.
That made it worse.
"What a creepo," she muttered under her breath, stepping back.
His smile widened as he heard her, but instead of looking offended, he seemed amused.
"Not a fan of flowers?" he asked, tilting his head.
"No, not a fan of weirdos handing flowers to random girls at the mall," she shot back, holding her arm.
The red-haired guy let out a soft chuckle. "Fair enough." He twirled the sunflower between his gloved fingers, then, without warning, stepped closer.
Rahiya stiffened. 'What is he—?'
Before she could react, he gently twisted the stem, snapping it shorter before tucking the flower behind her ear. "Maybe it'll grow on you."
And with a last smile at her, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.
Rahiya stood there, dumbfounded.
She touched the sunflower tucked behind her ear, her fingers grazing its soft petals.
She hated how bold he was. Hated how effortlessly he had walked away without waiting for a response. And yet…
She thought it did feel kind of nice.
"…What the hell just happened?"