Enjoy ^_^
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEhnDInBzf
The sun shone, and its light rebelled for the first time in days, after getting lost among the clouds of December.
It sent its rays through the streets of that cold city, warming and embracing them after harsh nights of storms.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwv4DIsYP4
Its glow reflected in the blue eyes of someone watching its rise, seeing the golden color—so similar to his hair—spread across the surroundings.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6swgYzNkLq
Hurriedly, he put on his coat and stepped outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl who lived next door.
He wasn’t the type to meddle in others’ affairs… but the dark aura surrounding that mysterious girl intrigued him, pulling him in, urging him to uncover her secrets.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwq2alAfnJm
Or maybe it was simply because she was the only one close to his age. In a poor street far from the city center and shopping districts, there were only elderly people—tired of life, choosing to withdraw from its chaos.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwU9rCtw5ui
A bright smile adorned his face as he hummed a lullaby in his soothing voice.
His happiness did not go unnoticed by the one watching the street from her window, spotting that radiant figure wandering around.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYH7E46abCT
"Are there really people who can smile this widely in the morning?" she muttered to herself, puzzled by the strange boy.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioit7jpDNB
She stepped outside with a slight limp after finishing her preparations.
As soon as she did, she saw the boy waving at her.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrYzf9fywo
Arthur: "Good morning! Did you sleep well?"
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpX8Gq8Prq
She didn’t respond but thought… Well, she got about four hours of sleep, which was an improvement compared to previous nights.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0ZDapZnS2
His concerned voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Is your foot feeling better now?"
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3H7DwNBscL
She glanced at her foot before looking back at him, giving a small nod, then attempted to leave.
But luck wasn’t on her side
She has been hurt when she mistakenly put weight on her injured foot.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRvQO1RWtb
She had no idea how she ended up sitting in the backseat of the boy’s bicycle—the radiant boy, as she liked to call him—while he rode to take her to work.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnK0bV8oQGF
The thing was, he simply wouldn’t stop pestering her, insisting on giving her a ride so she wouldn’t strain her foot.
Not that she wanted to accept, but unlike someone, she had no energy for arguments this early in the morning.
And now, here she was—stuck with a boy who had the mind of a child, who loved smiling, talking, and interfering in her affairs.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnd501EVl0
He wasn’t that bad… but she saw him that way.
Or maybe she was just convincing herself to push him away.
Who knows?
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreqUFA0Jox
No one knows… except Eileen.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbIhLA3b7S
Sitting in the back, she could see part of his face and hear the humming he did when he was happy.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zOB5MAawP
Hearing his simple hums was oddly soothing to her ears.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHNs5cXar3
Wait… since when do I find human voices comforting?
Is he an exception?
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZi1P8AvVVA
She didn’t know.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QUXxoh15v
Thoughts began to clash in her mind again.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbBbnVF2lV
"He’s a kind and naïve person… How can someone keep their light and innocence in a world like this? I feel like I’m sitting behind a star… He’s nothing like me—no goal, no person, no life. I’m just darkness, spreading shadows wherever I go. I can’t even compare. I’m useless. I don’t even want to live. Why do I blame those who don’t want me to live? Eileen, snap out of it. Just because he showed you a little kindness out of pity doesn’t mean you should be happy… You’re a nobody, and you’ll always be one."
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXEkVuRVon
Her thoughts grew louder, causing a headache. Her pulse quickened. Her breathing became shallow.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0q0jeOzBy
"We’re here!"
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9j5tkudfi
Suddenly, all the voices in her head were silenced by Arthur's chant —like someone had pressed the mute button.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBYjRxnLs4
"This is the company, right? I didn’t get the address wrong, did I?" he asked, staring at the rundown building.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCQ2Sa9kQg
"Yes, this is it."
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgIEcpAdYr
His bright smile widened at her response.
Standing next to his bike, she also stared at the building.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmPcZ96yKM
She turned toward him, hesitating as if she wanted to say something.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1HPpicfUw
Arthur tilted his head. Do you need something else?
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPe70cqRKdc
She shook her head, then muttered, "Thank you."
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKvLwf2mq1
She quickly turned to leave, walking with a limp, but his bright voice stopped her again.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXHLcatayW
"No need to thank me, neighbors help each other! I’ll come pick you up in the evening too!"
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyIkScLEiN
And before she could protest, he had already left.
So, she entered, a thousand questions swirling in her mind, all starting with:
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0T5V0Pz9sN
"Why?"
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNi3TJpQRa
Why is he kind?
Why doesn’t he hurt her like the others?
Why? Why?
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJPPa41fRP
She crouched down, burying her face in her hands, whispering:
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhI8j2iDPO
"Eileen, you idiot… Fool… Enough, enough! Shut up, stupid brain. This isn’t supposed to happen. You’re not supposed to have friends. You bring misfortune to everyone who knows you. You two are complete opposites. You’re a black hole that swallows every light that dares to approach, no matter how bright it is… And he’s a shining star, spreading joy to everyone around him… You have to stay away, Arthur… I don’t want to dim your light.... sun boy."
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigdbihXM7g
The end of the chapter
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mLKVobNQ7
I hope you liked this chapter!
Share your thoughts on the characters and storytelling.
Sorry for any mistakes.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCnNTRb5eB
♡ With love ♡
