Her back, which had been slightly hunched over, now straightened up. The irises that were as beautiful as the night stared intently at the surroundings.
There was no one here. If Aric wasn't waiting for anyone, then what was he doing here?
Rheana closed her wide-open mouth. "Don't tell me you smoke?" Suddenly Aric smothered Rheana's lips. He placed his index finger in front of her lips.
"Don't say anything carelessly, Rhen! We're still minors. It would be very dangerous if any of our school students heard about it."
Rheana nodded in understanding. Of course, it was dangerous. Even if they were the children of a donor, if they made a fatal mistake, they could still be expelled. This school strictly prohibits students from smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages.
"Then why are you here? There's no one here."
"There was Illis here." Aric looked the other way.
Rheana's eyes rounded fully. "Then where is Illis now?"
"She left with her boyfriend," Aric explained simply. He wasn't going to tell her what he had seen. That would only make Rheana anxious.
Rheana let out a long breath. She was late. There were so many things she wanted to ask Callista and express how worried she was about the girl.
Rheana shrugged her shoulders. "Well, since I'm already late, I can't do anything. Illis really shouldn't linger in a place like this. She has just recovered and should get a long rest."
Rheana tapped her forehead lightly. "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that. Ms. Sisil is looking for you right now, Aric."
Aric nodded slowly. "Alright, let's go there."
***
The white cotton in the sky allows the sun to shine. Cold birds are now warm and flapping their wings happily. The sleeping plants straighten themselves to follow the light of the sun.
It was no different for the other living creatures called humans. They had stepped out of their houses and returned to their usual activities. Accompanied by the wind that waved the strands of hair.
However, this does not apply to hospital residents. Those who are called patients must continue to lie on the bed. They cannot do daily activities.
His eye circles were slightly blackened, but that did not make him divert his attention from the girl who was closing her eyes in the slightest. He doesn't know how many hours he remained in his position. Repeatedly kissing the palm he was holding. Hoping that the girl would wake up after he did so.
"Wake up quickly, Illis."
Kenward bowed his head. He closed his eyes which were stinging. It was as if his head was holding a very heavy weight. However, he could not put to sleep the contents of his head that kept buzzing. Plus the regret that rushed into his heart.
The delicate eyelids slowly opened. She was silent for a while. She looked around. How surprised she was when she saw a man she knew very well closing his eyes in an upright sitting position. Moreover, one of her hands was clasped tightly by the man.
Callista immediately closed her eyes again when Kenward was about to look at her. She didn't want to wake up in an awkward atmosphere like this. It was better for her to pretend that she was still unconscious and wake up when Kenward was away from her.
"No need to pretend. I've already noticed your movements." Kenward smiled wryly.
Callista who heard that immediately opened her eyes and gave a sharp glance.
"Can't you pretend not to know? You're making me very embarrassed."
His right hand reached out to touch Callista's hair. Kenward styled Callista's slightly messy hair with great focus. He was correcting his girl's hair with great care.
"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Illis."
Kenward looked deeply at Callista. Callista was made awkward by that gaze.
"I am sorry. I'm very sorry."
Both of Callista's eyebrows were raised at that statement. She hadn't heard wrong, had she? That crazy psychopath was saying he was sorry! The psychopath who took human life for granted was now expressing regret. Don't say that the man would also say the word sorry.
"And forgive me."
Instead of feeling touched, Callista got goosebumps. All her hair stood on end from hearing those three words. What was wrong with that man? Was this one of his new tricks to give his prey hope and then break it right then and there? Don't tell me that Kenward still intended to torture her. Here? In the hospital?
"N-no, I'm the guilty one. I apologize!" Callista said forcefully. Her palms were trembling as she remembered the painful moment when Kenward tortured her. Her eyes were closed in fear of Kenward's response to her words.
Kenward immediately took the frightened girl into his arms. One of his hands moved to stroke Callista's hair.
"Never come close to another man. That's an order, no, that's my plea."
"I did nothing wrong. It was the drunken man who tried to touch me first. And I felt breathless as your subordinates viciously punished them," Callista explained as she was.
Kenward ended his embrace. Both hands cupped Callista's face. "That kind of thing won't happen again. I will always be with you."
Callista nodded her head. Whatever the man said she would answer with a nod, this was better a thousand times over than her being subjected to painful torture. Regardless of the meaning of the man's words, Callista only grasped that Kenward was now in a stable emotional state.
"I don't know what exactly is going on with this psychopathic man. Should I take it in the direction of a good change?" she thought.