Chapter 114 [Club House Competition] [2] [Stadium]
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Click.
As I stood beside the door, leaning against the wall, the door softly clicked open, making me nce at it.
Christina walked out, closing the door behind her.
She halted, looking at me, before gesturing for me to follow her.
I walked beside her silently before she asked in a soft voice, "...Were you listening?"
"..I didn''t mean t—"
"Stop lying." She interrupted, ring at me. "..What were you doing close to the door then?"
"...You know," I mumbled, looking at her as we walked through the hallway, "...Your father isn''t wrong."
"About what?" She asked, not particrly interested in what I was saying. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
"...About not getting a second chance. Sometimes things don''t work out," I replied, making her halt and turn around, her eyes fixed on me.
She walked closer towards me, her cherry-like fragrance engulfing me.
"Close your eyes," she instructed, her face inches away from me.
"...Why?" I asked, doubtfully.
"Just do it." She insisted, taking another step closer. "I won''t do anything bad."
"...Okay." I mumbled, closing my eyes gently.
[...You are not ready for this.]
''..What do you mea—''
p!!
A crisp sound echoed, followed by a dull pain on my left cheek, jolting me awake.
"Never say anything like that again." Rubbing my cheek, she whispered softly, ring at me.
"The fuck!?" I cursed, rubbing my cheek as she continued to walk. "What did I do?"
"Don''t worry too much." She waved her hand nonchntly, replying, "That''s my lovenguage."
"Beating someone?" I asked, quickly moving beside her, ring. "What kind of lovenguage is that?"
"You can do that as well if you want; I won''t mind," she replied, showing her cheek, her eyes closed while her hands sped behind her back.
"..No thanks," I grumbled, shaking my head.
Opening her eyes, she smiled softly before she continued, "Anyway, go have some rest now. Thepetition will start soon."
"Yeah," I agreed, separating from her and moving in a different direction.
"Az." Halting my steps, I looked back as she called me.
"What?" I asked, tilting my head.
"...Nothing," she replied, shaking her head before walking away.
...What''s with her?
[...Did you not notice?]
''..What?''
[...Any essories?]
''...I mean, she wore earrings and a bracelet.''
[...I see.]
''...What are you mumbling about?''
[... Aren''t you going in the wrong direction?]
''Nah, I need to check the stadium first.''
I mused in my thoughts as I walked through the hallway leading towards the opening of the stadium.
The stadium itself is huge, but there were small entrances for teams.
I was just trying to find one of them.
''Huh?''
But as I moved, a group of boys standing in a circle caught my eye.
And well, I recognized all of them.
"What are you guys doing?" I asked, walking towards them, making them turn around.
"Come here." Gesturing for me to walk faster, Oliver insisted, and so did Aimar.
Ethan and Chubby also stood beside them. Chubby made way for me, but Ethan stood firm.
"n?"
Frowning, I mumbled, looking at the young boy standing anxiously, around the age of thirteen, with blue hair like his sister and eyes of the same color, ring at me.
"Here is your brother-inw." Patting my shoulder, Oliver said with a wide grin, "You were trying to find him, right?"
"...What happened?" I asked, looking at him as he instinctively stepped back.
"S-stay a-away from my sister!" He stuttered, ring at me while trembling slightly.
"Huh!?" Folding his arms, Oliver bent towards him, asking, "What did you say, you little brat?"
"Who do you think you are?" Aimar did the same, ring at him.
"...Father doesn''t like you being around her!" Grabbing his pants, he screamed, a hostile look on his face, "Stay away from Christina!"
"Aye, Seth, pick up that stone." Pointing towards the decorative stones ced on the side, Oliver ordered.
"The small one?" He asked, confused.
"We are not ying here!! The big one!" Oliver eximed, ring at him.
Chubby picked the biggest stone before passing it to him.
"Now, what were you saying?" With a bright smile, Oliver asked, both his hands holding the stone.
"..Where are you going, boy?" Aimar walked behind n as he tried to step back. "You aren''t going anywhere before getting spanked."
"Aye, Aye, Aimar, don''t let your fantasy out," Oliver scolded, looking at him with disgust.
"That''s not what I meant!" He rebuked, ring at him.
"...Sure you don''t." Shrugging, Oliver mumbled.
"Anyway, what should we do with him?" His smile returned as he nced at trembling n.
"Can you guys stop bullying the kid?" Ethan chimed in, blocking Aimar.
And like he found his savior, n hid behind him, grabbing his shirt.
"Don''t butt into this,moner." Aimar growled, his expression turning serious.
"Can you guys stop?" I asked, massaging my temples. "n,e here."
"Huh?" Startled, he looked towards me in confusion.
"Come here," I repeated my words, making him hesitantly move towards me.
As soon as he walked closer, I messed up his hair.
His body trembled in fear, but I ignored that.
"Don''t worry about your sister." I said softly, "For now, do me a favor and stay close to your father."
"..Why?" He asked, looking up at me.
"Just to be safe." I replied, making him turn around before shooing him away.
"I thought you would join us in bullying him." Olivermented, throwing away the stone in his hand, "Like you always bullied him."
"...I thought that as well," Aimar agreed, nodding his head.
"....."
[...You bullied him?]
''..Well, yeah.''
....Christina cares for her brother.
Maybe it''s because of the guilt she had for trying to kill him.
She makes sure that he is safe and sound.
She even stopped caring about me when I killed her brother.
...That alone is enough to show her love for him.
''I just hope nothing happens to him.''
"Where are you going?" Oliver asked as I started to walk in the opposite direction.
"To have some rest." I replied, waving at them as I moved towards the opening towards the stadium.
"I hate crowded ces." I grumbled, looking around the ce.
The stadium was circr, with tiered seating that rose steeply, giving everyone a clear view of the ground below.
The seats were rapidly filling with an excited crowd, the air buzzing with anticipation.
Four massive disys hovered in the air above the field, each showing different angles.
''Let''s see, the explosion should happen on the north side.''
Remembering the game''s event, I thought, looking at the northern part of the stadium, which was getting filled with the audience.
[...They will die?]
''..Yep.''
And it''s not like I can do anything about it. Hysteria organization will use living bombs that are hard to find.
''..Not to mention, I can''t tell anyone...not when my mother is keeping tabs on me.''
....Anyway.
The explosion will happen around twelve o''clock.
''...And it''s eight fifteen right now.''
...Just after the explosion, they will try to kidnap me or Ashlyn.
[...Why her?]
''Are you forgetting that this event was mainly for her?''
...I can''t rule out the possibility that she will also be targeted.
Not when it''s easy for them to get information about her.
But I know that fucker will make sure toe after me.
[That mad scientist?]
....Yeah. I was his favorite toy after all.
...I wish I could rip him apart.
''...But not right now.''
I don''t have the strength to kill him, not when he always has someone to protect him.
[..So what''s your n?]
''Well, first I need to finish thepetition before twelve.''
...If I could do that, then it will be easy for me to survive in a group.
''...But that would be hard to pull off.''
..I can probably win against most of them, but people like—Ethan, Oliver, and Arianell will be a problem.
[..And if you couldn''t do that, then what?]
"...Then I will just run towards the strong individuals who can protect me."
I mumbled, shifting my gaze towards the upper part of the stadium where Christina''s father sat.
''...But it would be better if I don''t force him to protect me.''
[...Why?]
...I don''t know. I just feel anxious thinking about n.
[Why?]
...In the game, he dies in every route.
If not by my hands, then by some ident or getting caught in something that he shouldn''t be part of, and in the end, his death is always somehow rted to me.
His death is what always broke Christina, giving Ethan the chance to get close to her.
....This made me wonder, what if his death is inevitable?
Something that''s important to separate Christina from me.
[..So, you will let his father protect him without getting close to them and bing a burden?]
''....Yeah.''
But I still don''t know if that will work or not.
[...Then what about you?]
''...Well, I will just rush towards her.''
My gaze shifted once again as I looked at the young woman with mahogany-colored hair standing with the other teachers.
[...Lauryn?]
"..Yeah." I nodded in agreement as her gaze met mine. Those eyes that held anger before now felt devoid of any emotions.
[...Are you sure?]
"..I don''t have any other options."
...Then again.
''....Can I really trust her?''