Chapter 167: KENN: Holding You in Turmoil

Kenn’s POV

Her body often tensed up whenever she received even the slightest attention from me. Her eyes widened cutely every time I narrowed the distance between us. And her face turned exactly like a red chili whenever I managed to tease her.

“It seems like your body temperature is rising. Do you have a fever?” I asked in a teasing tone while bringing my face closer to hers.

Moreover, I once caught her running away in tears when she saw me helping Gita, who almost slipped and fell in front of the library. That made me even more certain that she had deeper feelings for me.

After Frel finished serving the punishment I gave her for her careless behavior of daring to enter a restricted area, I asked her to talk with me in private. Besides wanting to warn her to stop acting recklessly and endangering herself, I also wanted to clarify a little about the misunderstanding between Gita and me.

“I only helped Gita and never had any intention of charming any girl. I’m not even interested in any of them, except for the girl standing in front of me right now,” I explained to her in a serious tone.

I also openly showed my feelings for her, but after the scene where Kevan hit me—correction—I deliberately backed down because I didn’t want to make Frel afraid if I fought back. The next day, Frel chose to distance herself from me.

This is what I hate about women: they rely more on feelings than logic. She maintained a relationship even though there were no feelings at all.

Not long after, we grew close again and often went together to comfort Abel after Reno’s death, but it only lasted briefly because a few days later, she easily asked me to end a relationship that hadn’t even had the chance to begin. She said we didn’t need to meet anymore.

“I want us to end this relationship that hasn’t even begun, Kenn,” Frel said in a soft but firm voice.

“I think the reason that I already have a boyfriend is strong enough for you to stay away from me.”

See, once again she chose Kevan over me. Hurting my feelings again. Not only that, she even had the heart to say that she only loved Kevan, not me.

“I repeat it, Kenn. I have never had any feelings for you. I love Kevan. Not you!”

Enough! I finally decided to follow her wishes. To stay away and act as if she didn’t exist.

In fact, willpower can never go in line with feelings. I tried to avoid her and act cold every time we crossed paths, but that didn’t mean I stopped caring.

Secretly, without her knowing, I kept watching her movements from a safe distance. I observed her foolish behavior as if she were torturing herself at school, until finally the news reached me through Tomi. Her grandfather and grandmother had died in a hit-and-run accident. Immediately, I threw away my pride and rushed to look for her.

“Where is she now, Tomi? Tell me the last place you saw her!” I shouted urgently when I called him.

“We lost her trail, Kenn. She couldn’t be contacted after hearing the news,” Tomi replied on the other end of the line with an equally panicked voice.

I searched all the places that Tomi and Dara hadn’t visited. Panic began to take over, until several times I went around in the same area. I cursed harshly, blamed my own stupidity, until one name crossed my mind.

Kevan.

At that moment, I called Mr. Ahmad to ask for Kevan’s address and immediately sped toward his house. There, I was shocked by the truth about Kevan and Frel’s real relationship.

“So, all this time she was your sister? Why are you only telling me now?” I asked Kevan, breathing heavily.

“I just found out too.” Kevan lowered his head, his face looking troubled. “This is complicated, Kenn. Frel hasn’t been able to accept this reality yet. She left in a broken state.”

I should have been happy to hear that their relationship was only that of brother and sister. But no. The first thing that crossed my mind when I heard that news was Frel’s condition. I was sure she ran away from Kevan’s house because she was in shock. She must have been deeply shaken to find out that her favorite model was not only Abel and Reno’s mother, but also her own biological mother. Not to mention the tragic news about her grandparents that she would have to face later.

I searched for her around the area not far from Kevan’s house. If Frel ran without taking public transportation, most likely she hadn’t gone too far.

The rain fell heavily. The rumbling thunder that echoed back and forth made me even more worried and attacked by various bad thoughts. I stopped the car for a moment on the side of the road while messing up my hair in frustration.

“Damn! Where are you, Frel? Don’t drive me crazy!” I shouted.

I cursed while hitting the steering wheel hard. I was confused about where else to look for her. I looked up while closing my eyes, trying to take in as much air as possible and think clearly.

A desire crossed my mind to walk through the small village behind the residential area. Who knew Frel might be deliberately looking for small roads so that her whereabouts would be hard to find. Just as I was about to carry out that intention, I saw a guard post by the roadside. Faintly, someone could be seen bowing and curling up in the corner of the post.

I leaned forward, passing over the steering wheel that both my hands were resting on. While squinting my eyes, I focused on what I saw. In a flash, I started the car and sped toward the post after being sure there was someone there.

My guess was right. A girl was curled up in the corner of the post with her head buried in the folds of her knees. I knew that figure very well.

“Frel?” I called in a doubtful tone. “Frel? Is that you?”

At the second call, she raised her head. When I first saw tears dripping down her cheeks, I felt the same pain as when I saw my mother cry because of my father’s actions.

“Kenn?” she said in a hoarse voice.

“Yes. It’s me.” I couldn’t add any other words, except giving her a smile and looking at her gently.

Her eyes filled with tears. Frel looked at me, then smiled through her tears. She immediately moved and threw herself into my arms.

“Kenn, I’m scared,” she whispered, her body trembling.

I could feel that fear from her violently shaking body and her hoarse voice.

“I’m here now, you don’t need to be afraid,” I said while hugging her tightly.

It felt like I never wanted to let her go again.

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