Ch 16
The next morning, I started getting ready for school.
But my heart really didn't want to go to that place.
It felt like a restlessness was crawling inside my body,
a tiredness that was slowly eating me from within.
Yet, just like every other time, I wrapped that exhaustion, fear, and anxiety in a thin veil of calm,
and in complete silence, I began preparing for school.
Last night, my brother had given me a "2-minute" sign before walking away, smiling ear-to-ear while talking to someone on the phone.
The sign might've been for just two minutes, but he hasn't been seen since.
The sharp pain and heaviness in my head had eased a little,
but the ocean of unease inside me was still there—
slowly hollowing me out like saltwater corroding the soul.
With a strange sense of fatigue, I began getting ready.
I didn't know how I would face those people again—
whether I'd be able to trust anyone again,
or even look them in the eye.
There was a fear that had taken root inside me,
pulling me gently into the darkness that lived within me.
I put on my uniform,
tied my hair into a high braid,
slipped my glasses onto my eyes,
wore my shoes…
and started walking toward that same school—
the one whose memories had stolen my sleep for the past three nights.
I haven't seen Adri in a while either—
the one I liked.
Maybe he thinks the same about me.
The only difference is,
I haven't yet heard my name tangled in the black-threaded words from his mouth.
I started walking.
Just like every day, the dining table was completely empty for me.
It's not that my mother is trying to starve me,
or that she's the worst mother in the world—
she just does this whenever she's upset with me.
For the past few days, I either quietly eat with the others—
eyes lowered—
or I eat outside.
I haven't spoken to my mom or dad since that day.
They look at me like I'm invisible.
And the only reason is—
I haven't said sorry.
I tried to speak,
but they never let me finish what I wanted to say.
Sometimes I wonder—
why does this kind of behavior happen only with me?
Am I really that bad?
Or is it just… bad luck?
My heart just wanted to go to those stairs—
to walk past them into that open blue sky,
into that flat, peaceful place
hidden behind the red trees…
and disappear into it.
While thinking of that place, I suddenly remembered—
a few days ago, when I had cried myself to sleep,
I had found myself there...
wrapped in a blue hoodie.
To this day, I don't know who cared enough,
who didn't turn away from me.
I never heard that voice again—
the one that brought a gentle calm to the whirlpool inside me.
I've never been someone who can keep something that isn't mine,
so I decided to leave it right where I had found it.
The warmth of that hoodie…
felt just like his.
I don't know what I'm even saying right now,
but I had felt something—
something I simply cannot put into words.
Then I shook that memory from my mind,
and began walking toward school through the crowded lanes.
But today, my feet didn't seem to want to go there.
They were stepping back, slower than usual—
perhaps they longed to walk somewhere else.
Without my consent,
they became their own masters—
leading me toward a different place entirely.
My feet kept walking their path,
without knowing where they were really taking me.
And when they finally stopped,
I found myself back on those same old steps.
There was a deep stillness in the air.
The stairs were aged —
carved out of the stones of that very hill.
They weren't sturdy,
but little patches of green grass had grown between them,
as if nature itself had decorated them.
In the sky, dark clouds swirled slowly.
I kept climbing those steps, one quiet step at a time —
gazing up at the blue sky,
holding the weight of pain in my chest,
a fake calm on my lips,
searching for some lost peace within me.
Then suddenly,
I heard something — voices.
I froze.
At first, I thought it was just in my head —
because barely anyone ever comes here.
But the higher I went,
the clearer the sounds became.
I couldn't make out the words,
but I could feel it —
whoever they were,
they hadn't come seeking peace.
They had come to disturb mine.
I was getting angry —
who was disturbing the peace in my place?
The unease inside me was slowly turning into irritation.
Climbing the stairs,
I found myself in the peace that had been overshadowed by footsteps,
now being disturbed by someone.
The voices were coming from a distance —
from a patch of white-flowered plants and trees,
from the area behind,
where a bench always sat,
shielded under a stone roof.
I had come here seeking peace,
but now, some fools were spreading unrest.
I began to follow the sounds carefully,
and then I heard one voice,
which, when I listened closely,
made me feel as if I had heard it somewhere before.
I will count to three.
If you ask for forgiveness now,
and also rub your nose before that girl,
maybe then I'll consider letting go of pigs like you ….
Hearing that voice, it felt as if I had heard it closely before,
but I couldn't think of anything,
nor did I have any desire to know.
I just wanted those people to leave as soon as possible and not disturb the peace of my silent trees...
Before I could hear anything more,
a loud sound came,
as if someone had thrown something at someone.
I froze, and changed my mind,
and hid among those bulky plants draped in the scent of white flowers,
quietly watching the scene unfold from there.
In front of me, there were five boys,
one of whom had his back to me,
while the faces of the other four were filled with a mixture of fear and anger,
Looking at someone
not looking at me,
but staring at the one in front of me ,
with eyes that seemed to chew him up with raw disdain.
Just then, one of the boys suddenly ran toward the boy standing with his back to me,
but before he could do anything — he froze in his tracks.
His face was overtaken by an expression of intense fear,
as if he had just seen a dead person standing right in front of him.
Just then, I heard the laugh of the boy whose back was to me —
it was laced with disgust and fury.
He was saying something:
"I gave you a chance... but you couldn't handle it,
so now a little lesson is necessary, right?"
Saying this, he started moving forward.
He was very tall, with a good physical build.
Clutching his phone tightly in his fingers, he was walking ahead with a sharp pace.
The boy facing him kept staring —
his face was covered in sweat, his hands trembled, and his eyes were filled with a fearful rage.
Just then, he felt a hand on his shoulder.
Startled by the sudden touch, he grew more anxious and quickly shoved the hand off.
Now he turned to look at the boy with the spine-chilling stare —
but it seemed like it didn't affect the other boy at all.
"I haven't even done anything yet...
Being this much of a coward isn't a good look.
Come on, here's one more chance —
either become everyone's joke tomorrow like a broken toy,
or become the dust under my feet.
You have to choose."
The other three boys were fuming with anger.
"I'll start counting to three, and if—"
But before he could finish, the boy standing in front of him suddenly darted toward the patch of white flowers,
fear written all over his face.
Seeing him,
I instinctively sank deeper into hiding.
He didn't look back —
just sprinted away through the trees and bushes.
The boy who had his back to me probably turned around,
though I couldn't see him.
But I heard his voice:
"Hey! You could've at least let me finish counting to three...
I am not that bad at counting
Anyway, he's gone.
Now, it's your turn
I began watching again from the looks of it all these boys seemed to be around my age.
They were tall, and fighting like goons over something—
disturbing the peace of those trees and plants, who felt like my only friends.
In most of the movies I've seen,
it's always some deserted place where boys end up fighting over a girl. Those movies too always have a certain "gang" and one lone boy.
Maybe this was one of those cases too.
I lifted my gaze again.
He had turned his back toward me once more,
laughing in that same deep, husky voice—and I don't know why, but it made me angry.
On the faces of two of them, it was clear—
they were scared, and one of them looked like he was about to explode.
"If you just apologize to that girl, you can still save yourself… otherwise, you'll end up just like she did a few days ago, maybe even worse… because now, the control is in my hands."
That's when it hit me—I was right. So after all This was about a girl.
One of the two boys—clearly shaken—spoke in a panicked, heavy voice,
"We didn't do anything… we just did what he told us… it was all because of him, please forgive us!"
The boy with his back to me grabbed his hair, lifted him up slightly, and growled,
"You look just about my age… then how come you've got such a weak brain? Someone told you something and you just believed it and agreed to did it ? Wow!"
I thanked god for not having a brain like this .
Tightening his grip on the boy's hair, his voice grew even angrier:
"If you want to apologize… don't apologize to me. Apologize to the one this actually happened to!"
Then he yanked his hand back, letting go of the boy's hair with a jerk, causing him to fall forward, landing on his hands. The two boys were staring down at the ground, their hands trembling slightly.
Then the standing boy spoke, his voice shaky,
"Y-Yes… we'll do exactly what you said…"
The other boy didn't even glance at them—(I thought to myself, He's acting all high and mighty)—and then, walking forward, he said in a cold but firm voice,
"Leave… you're ruining the vibe of this place—and my mood too. Get out before I change my mind."
Both of them nodded nervously and left, just like the other guy had a few moments ago.
Watching them go, the one who had been fuming grew even more furious, and his expression turned fiercer as he began walking toward the boy.
"What do you think of yourself?
You think just because you scared off those rats,
you'll scare me too? Who even are you, huh?"
"I know exactly how to deal with cowards like you!"
Saying this, the boy charged toward the calm one like a wild, raging animal.
I could feel it—this was going to be a brutal fight. I was waiting for that first blow.
But before I could even see anything clearly, I heard a sharp sound—like something hitting a bone, hard.
Right after that, a scream.
When I looked, the furious boy was now on the ground—writhing in pain.
I also hid down. I realized that this boy with his back turned was no ordinary person; a small spark of fear began to grow, filled with irritation and anger.
I looked again.
The boy with his back turned had his foot on the waist of the boy lying on the ground.
"You don't know who I am? You didn't know before, but now you will. Because this name might turn into one of the darkness among the deep darkness of your life. My name is Sean, Sean Wood. You've probably heard of me somewhere.
If you don't, then if you have a sister or a girlfriend which I doubt, be sure to ask them.
Then you will know my whole biography, he scoffed.
I thought to myself, he's acting a bit too high and mighty, like all the girls or people are crazy about him.
"Sean, but I've also heard that name before, I've definitely heard it somewhere. A bell of recognition started ringing in my mind, but there was no memory that could silence it. I could still hear some voices in my ears."
"How dare you place your foot on me?" The boy lying on the ground said with an irritated tone, trying to get up.
Then Sean kicked the boy hard, causing him to fall to the ground.
With a confident and stylish tone, he picked up a nearby stick and said,
"Just like I made you fall now." He placed his foot back on him and added,
"And this is how I keep my foot here.
Seeing that stick, the boy who had fallen and I both got scared, wondering what he would do next Then Sean started twirling the stick in his hands, in a light tone, said,
"Ready? Are you going to send it yourself, or should I make it viral for you?"
Maybe he had shown something on his phone,
because upon seeing it,
even the boy who had fallen, like the others, had goosebumps.
His voice had changed into a hesitant one, "Th-This... where did you get this from?"
"Just like that, my magic," he said, laughing.
"Now you have to decide what you're going to do," Sean said, pressing his foot harder on the boy's back. Just then, the boy spoke up, "I'll do what you say, just promise me you'll delete it. " His voice trembled with fear, anger, jealousy, and frustration.
"If I don't?" Sean responded, dropping to one knee and grabbing the boy's hair.
"If I don't,
what you will do, hnn ? you should be thankful that this video hasn't gone viral yet. Now, say it."
The boy's face turned red with fury,
his anger boiling over as I can feel that Sean was looking at him with a mocking smile.
Seeing an opportunity, the boy tried to snatch the phone from Sean's hands,
but before he could even make a move,
Sean stopped him again with a swift push.
His face was pressed against the ground, and I could see a few drops of blood. I panicked, fearing that Sean might not kill him, and my mind raced to think of ways to rescue that guy like an angel from a monster.
Just then, Sean took a step back, and the boy managed to stand up with wobbly knees and aching expressions . little Blood was dripping from his head,
and his face was filled with anger.
But trying to confront Sean now seemed like a dangerous move for him,
so instead, he glared at Sean, his fury obvious,
and began to walk away.
I heard him mutter under his breath, "I'll apologize to her , but I'll make sure I to look for you later ."
Sean laughed mockingly and, in a voice laced with sarcasm, said,
"Well, you should be worrying about your tomorrow."
"And in a husky voice, he said — 'Now that there's something worth watching things like me standing right in front of people … of course people are going to look . and laughed
The boy shot Sean a look that could kill as
he walked away, brushing past the same white shrubs I was hiding behind.
He didn't notice me, and I stopped thinking of ways to save him — relieved,
at least, that he wasn't going to die.
I still don't know who's right or wrong, but I do know this — killing someone like that is never right.
I felt calm again, knowing my trees would finally have some peace.
But that boy — Sean — he hadn't left yet,
and I found myself waiting for him to go.
Still crouched behind the shrubs,
I slowly shifted my thoughts away from my pain and onto him — that boy named Sean.
I began to wonder, where have I heard that name before?
I waited for him to leave, but strangely, I couldn't hear his footsteps fading.
I stayed seated, lost in my thoughts,
when suddenly it felt like someone had sat down just a short distance away.
I was still hidden behind the shrubs,
so he couldn't see me — but I could feel him. I could see him.
He was just a few steps away,
separated from me only by the thin veil of leaves.
He was wearing a blue hoodie and something like jogger pants below.
He sat there with his long legs stretched out,
his slim waist leaned casually against a tree, chest broad and steady.
His shoulders were wide,
and his body looked well-built — tall and athletic.
His hair fell slightly over his forehead,
and his eyes… large and deep, the kind that could pull someone in without a word.
They were green — not the dull kind, but striking.
There was a magnetic pull in them.
His cheekbones were high, his skin pale and smooth.
His nose was perfectly shaped,
almost like someone had carved it with care — narrow and lifted just enough to look sharp.
His eyebrows were thick and precisely arched,
making his eyes look even more intense.
His lips were red like cherries, and his hair was jet black.
And right now,
he sat there — tired, quiet — as if the weight of something heavy was still sitting on his shoulders.
I couldn't believe someone who seemed so wild… could look like that.
Why won't he just leave?
I came here looking for peace, not to fight with some gangster —
and definitely not to get myself killed.
I started getting annoyed just thinking about it.
Why do people like this always seem to find me?
I was scared too —
what if I moved even a little and he saw me?
I don't know why, but I really didn't want to face him.
I didn't want my peace disturbed again.
Sure, it's a crime for guys to raise their hand on girls —
but with someone like him, who knows what he's capable of.
What if he pushed me off this cliff or hill or whatever this is?
Just the thought of it made my heart pound because I don't eant to die like this .
I stayed completely still — didn't even try to move — and quietly started praying that he would just leave.
But it seemed like he had no plans of going anywhere. He was still sitting there.
When I glanced at him again, I saw he was unwrapping the bandage around his hand.
Just seeing that made my fear spike.
It looked like fighting was a regular part of his day —
and my heart started pounding harder and harder.
The sky above was still filled with dark clouds, swirling and heavy.
It was getting darker by the minute — rain could fall any second.
And I couldn't even go home now.
Why isn't this guy leaving?
And then, suddenly...
he turned and looked right in my direction.
My heart nearly stopped.
This is it. I'm done for. Tomorrow's headline: Missing girl. Last seen near forest hill.
But then —
his eyes drifted away just as calmly.
I let out a huge breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
But...
Right then, I felt a weird tickle in my nose.
And the next second—
"Achoo!"