Enjoy ^_^
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPTDC8J454
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.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobozpHASBZ
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.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BjdSGXAOy
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.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7c2T4Fmufk
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.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGwj5nLADB
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.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLs3asWoguV
"Are there really people who can smile this widely in the morning?" she muttered to herself, puzzled by the strange boy.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CNK5krHd4
She stepped outside with a slight limp after finishing her preparations.
As soon as she did, she saw the boy waving at her.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaEjc7UwPC
Arthur: "Good morning! Did you sleep well?"
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8O0TRLu1Ax
She didn’t respond but thought… Well, she got about four hours of sleep, which was an improvement compared to previous nights.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWbUVneYOt
His concerned voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Is your foot feeling better now?"
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMhGO9dwL7
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.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgswK6ijPK
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.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVjuQIBO3V
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.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHz8RFFrSOu
He wasn’t that bad… but she saw him that way.
Or maybe she was just convincing herself to push him away.
Who knows?
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWl0JfdSLx
No one knows… except Eileen.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5y2DMnpQaW
Sitting in the back, she could see part of his face and hear the humming he did when he was happy.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2F34SkLBxW
Hearing his simple hums was oddly soothing to her ears.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxmhWXd8no
Wait… since when do I find human voices comforting?
Is he an exception?
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCT9kKoAywd
She didn’t know.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLPiYflyj3
Thoughts began to clash in her mind again.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnJLmc5mda
"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."
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekyK9Ybu7u
Her thoughts grew louder, causing a headache. Her pulse quickened. Her breathing became shallow.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiQCpjW1mk
"We’re here!"
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyakDjjlixL
Suddenly, all the voices in her head were silenced by Arthur's chant —like someone had pressed the mute button.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGpHAc5j9h
"This is the company, right? I didn’t get the address wrong, did I?" he asked, staring at the rundown building.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OzhxxswUV
"Yes, this is it."
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lHJQXpuBL
His bright smile widened at her response.
Standing next to his bike, she also stared at the building.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8XpklHC9m
She turned toward him, hesitating as if she wanted to say something.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHifHjRVnmA
Arthur tilted his head. Do you need something else?
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4m3mxtTI9X
She shook her head, then muttered, "Thank you."
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3wy5ACPNO
She quickly turned to leave, walking with a limp, but his bright voice stopped her again.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUEXLNNxvC
"No need to thank me, neighbors help each other! I’ll come pick you up in the evening too!"
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezoG8fxzBp
And before she could protest, he had already left.
So, she entered, a thousand questions swirling in her mind, all starting with:
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVhLv8u2pa
"Why?"
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppPW709hBB
Why is he kind?
Why doesn’t he hurt her like the others?
Why? Why?
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTlbMFHmlu
She crouched down, burying her face in her hands, whispering:
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQjnAjCMrp
"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."
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tKXFyuq7n
The end of the chapter
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMCEyNxjuO
I hope you liked this chapter!
Share your thoughts on the characters and storytelling.
Sorry for any mistakes.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9w4kdFima
♡ With love ♡
