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Chapter - 13
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You’re always running away
She arrived at school, her body heavy with exhaustion. The lack of sleep, the stress, and everything that had happened recently weighed her down. Her eyes stung, her head felt light, and every movement took more effort than usual.
As she entered the classroom, she instinctively glanced at Gorya’s seat. Empty.
That was strange. Gorya was always here before her. Even on the worst days, she never skipped or arrived late. A small, uneasy feeling settled in her stomach, but she pushed it aside. Maybe Gorya had just overslept?
Sighing, she made her way to her seat and rested her head on the desk. The moment she closed her eyes, fatigue consumed her. The teacher's voice blurred into the background, and she barely registered anything around her.
Throughout the class, she drifted in and out of sleep, waking up every now and then only to find the seat next to her still empty. With each passing minute, the uneasiness inside her grew stronger. Where was Gorya?
It was lunchtime, and for once, she decided to sit in the cafeteria instead of hiding away. She picked a quiet corner, hoping to eat in peace, though her exhaustion still lingered.
As she quietly ate, someone suddenly sat beside her
She turned her head slightly, expecting just another student passing by, but instead, it was Gorya.
However, something was different. Gorya looked… different. Her usually messy hair was neatly styled in soft waves, and she was wearing makeup—something she never did. Her uniform was ironed perfectly, and there was an unusual air of elegance about her.
She blinked, taken aback. "Gorya?" she asked hesitantly.
Gorya gave her a small smile. "Hey," she greeted, her tone casual, but something about her felt off.
She stared at her friend, confusion slowly turning into concern. "Why do you look… like this?"
Gorya sighed and glanced down at her tray, poking at her food. "It's a long story," she muttered, clearly not wanting to explain.
She could tell something was wrong. Gorya wasn’t the type to dress up, and her expression seemed tired, even behind the makeup. But she didn’t push. Instead, she just nodded and continued eating.
For a while, the two sat in silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was different from usual. After everything that had happened, she wanted to ask if Gorya was okay—but how could she, when she herself wasn’t okay either?
For a while, they ate in silence. The cafeteria was noisy with the usual chatter of students, but at their table, it was oddly quiet.
Then, out of nowhere, Gorya sighed and mumbled, "Thyme kidnapped me."
She froze mid-bite. Her brain took a second to process before she suddenly turned to Gorya, eyes wide. "WHAT?!"
—
Meanwhile, in Thyme’s room, Kevin and MJ were lounging around while Thyme was playing a game with his VR headset on.
Then, MJ suddenly turned to him. "Wait… you kidnapped her?"
Kevin, who had been scrolling on his phone, snapped his head up. "WHAT?!"
Thyme, still wearing the VR headset, casually said, "Yeah, I did. So what?"
Kevin gaped at him. "How could you kidnap her?! Giving her a red card was already enough!"
Thyme finally pulled off his VR headset, sighing dramatically. He stood up and crossed his arms. "You guys don’t get it. I’m going to Ren. He’s more understanding than you two!"
MJ raised a brow. "You sure about that?"
Thyme huffed. "Yes! Ren will get it. Unlike you guys, who are just yelling at me!" He stomped off like a child, muttering under his breath.
*Time skip*
The rooftop was quiet, just the way she liked it. The cool breeze brushed against her skin as she stood near the edge, lifting her camera to capture the stunning view of the city skyline.
The sky was painted in soft hues of orange and pink as the sun started to set, casting a golden glow over everything. The weather was perfect—calm, breezy, and peaceful.
She let out a small sigh, feeling a rare moment of tranquility. No noise, no chaos, no one to bother her. Just her, her camera, and the breathtaking view.
She snapped a few pictures, adjusting the lens to focus on the way the fading sunlight reflected off the tall buildings in the distance.
The rooftop had always been one of her favorite places. Hidden away from the world, it was her escape—a place where she could breathe.
As she lowered her camera, she let the wind play with her hair, her mind wandering for a moment. The events of the past few days had exhausted her, but up here, it felt like none of it mattered.
She turned to capture another shot when she suddenly felt a presence behind her. Her body tensed as she turned around—only to see Ren standing a few feet away, hands in his pockets, gazing at the view with his usual unreadable expression.
She blinked, surprised. She hadn't even heard him approach.
"You like taking pictures of the sky?" Ren asked casually, his voice calm.
She hesitated before nodding slightly. She didn't expect a conversation, especially not with him.
Ren glanced at her camera. "Did you get it fixed?"
Her grip on the camera tightened. She nodded again but didn't say anything.
Ren hummed in response, his gaze shifting back to the view. "This place is quiet. No one comes here often."
She knew that already. That’s why she was here.
A few moments of silence stretched between them, only the wind filling the space. She didn't know why, but unlike with most people, the silence with him didn’t feel uncomfortable.
Still, she wasn't sure what to say. Should she just leave? Or was he about to?
Then, unexpectedly, Ren spoke again.
"You’re always running away."
Her breath caught in her throat. She turned to him, slightly startled, but his expression remained unreadable.
Before she could respond, he added, "You should stop doing that."
Her fingers curled around her camera as she looked away. She wasn’t sure if he was telling her, advising her, or simply stating a fact.
Ren didn't wait for an answer. He simply gave one last glance at the view before turning to leave.
She was about to take another picture when Ren suddenly spoke.
"Do you know how much time it takes to travel from France to Thailand?"
She turned her head slightly, caught off guard by the question. She hesitated before answering, "Maybe… seven hours?"
Ren glanced at her, a small flicker of amusement in his eyes. "If you leave from France at 5 AM, what time will you reach Thailand?"
She thought for a moment before replying confidently, "Uh… 12 PM?"
Ren didn’t say anything right away. He just looked at her for a moment before giving a small nod. Then, without another word, he turned and left.
She stood there, watching his back as he walked away. For some reason, her heart felt a little unsteady.
As soon as Ren left, she pulled out her phone and quickly searched it up.
11 hours… not 7.
Seeing the actual travel time, she immediately facepalmed. Why did I say 7 hours?! She groaned internally, feeling secondhand embarrassment even though no one was around to hear her mistake.
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Hello, I hope you like the chapter. 🥲👍
Lia after telling Ren wrong answer.
Bye! 💓