~Chapter 20~

A woman in red high heels and dress walked out of the airport after collecting her luggage. Her eyes were covered in brown sunglasses and her hair was tied into a tight knot of a bun. When she came out of the air conditioned, cold space of the airport to the humid, natural air space outside of the airport, she took several large breaths as if to channel the natural fresh air within her.

She hailed a cab, gave him an address and drove off. Usually people open their hats after boarding any vehicle but strangely she didn't. Her matching red hat remained on her head. The cab driver was a talkative one, he probably thought her to be a tourist in the little town of Roschend, so he tried to win her favor by stating the tourist spots and it's importance to her. It was evening and soon it'll be dark. The purple hue of the sky mixed with red and blue created a sense of strangeness in the heart of the cab passenger. She zoned in and out of the babbling of the cab driver. Suddenly she made the car stop.

She stepped out making the cab driver wonder if he babbled too much to make her irritated but it turned out she was talking to another woman. The cab driver couldn't hear what exactly they were talking with each other, maybe they knew each other?

"Hi, sorry to disturb your peaceful evening jog but do you know where is the XXX Avenue? The driver is unaware of this I'm afraid."

"Oh sure. If you go right and take a left U-turn, a drive of ten minutes would lead you to XXX Avenue."

"Oh thank you so much, ma'am. Actually I am new here so I pretty much don't know anything thanks a lot for your help. I'd like to repay you if you'd allow me."

"Hahahaha. You're too polite and kind miss. My name is Miss Inlon and I live two blocks away XXX avenue, just ask away anyone about me they'll show you my house. Everybody knows the nurse of Roschend High."

"Roschend High..."

"Yes that's the school of this town."

"Oh alright then, Miss Inlon, it was great to make your acquaintance." The two women shook hands and parted.

When the woman in red returned to her cab, it resumed it's journey. The cab driver unable to hide his curiosity asked; "Do you know Miss Inlon?"

"No not really."

"Oh uhm I-I see…" the cab driver seemed embarrassed at his extra curiosity. "But you looked close hahaha."

"Not everything that seems turns to be actually true."

"Eh excuse me?"

"Nothing. How long is it to reach my destination?"

"Oh." He looked at the digital map. "We're almost there, about 3 minutes now."

"Hmm."

"How do you know Miss Inlon?"

"Ma'am this is a small town almost everybody knows everybody. Miss Inlon is the nurse of Roschend High. Who wouldn't know her? She's very skilled too. She also has her own doctor's chamber and also....."

Exactly 3 minutes later, the cab arrived at the destination. It has already become dark. As the woman in red collected her luggage, the driver felt it weird. The address that she had given him was a correct one as per GPS but it is really in the middle of nowhere! There are no houses or anything in here. Only the mountainous forest that loomed eerily stood like skeletons of ancient history.

When she was giving him the money, he asked; "Are you visiting someone's grave? Should I....."

"That won't be needed. Thank you."

Her heels crushed the gravels and sand underneath as she continued her journey towards the forest. After a while she vanished inside the darkness of the thick trees.

"Maybe she has a tree house in there."

The dark haired lad fidgeted and adjusted the sleeves of his t shirt. He adjusted his sunglasses for the umpteenth time, scratched his finger over his ring, checked his hair in the nearby bookstore mirror before settling down in his place to wait. He didn't have to wait for long for his name was called and when he looked at the direction from where his name was called, he had his breath taken away by the breathtaking view in front of him that made him think what led to all this.

The time for Mrs. Okum's history test that'll determine the student's fate of sitting for the final examination of this subject arrived quickly than anticipated. The exam went on peacefully. A week passed after that and one day after entering the school, there was word among the students that the history unit test's score has been published publicly on the notice board outside the office room of the school. The ones who had failed were asked to meet in the office as per mentioned in the notice board.

Emilia didn't know what came over her when she saw Rio walking ahead of her, she ran up to him to catch on. This time, he looked at her through his bangs and greeted in a low voice; "….morning."

"Good morning Rio. Are you on your way to check out the results?"

"Mn."

"Then let's go together." Without waiting for his reply, she started to drag him towards the notice board.

'What's the point of suggesting when you are already dragging me away?'

There was quite a crowd in front of the notice board. Both Rio and Emilia stopped. They were almost pushed away by a weeping girl who ran by covering her eyes. His heartbeat started to increase, a bitter taste encased his mouth, a nauseous feeling tried to come over him but all of these vanished or rather he'd say stopped when, the girl who was still holding his wrist spoke; "If I get a good score, what will be in it for me?"

Rio looked at their linked hands and then at her face that stared at the notice board without blinking, "Uh I guess no more extra tutoring sessions from me?"

There was a momentary silence from the girl beside him amidst the buzz of the students in front of the notice board. Then startling him, she interlocked their fingers like lovers; "W-wha-what are yo—"

"Rio Sanders," Emilia looked at him with oddly bright eyes. "If I get a good score, you'll have to grant me a wish."

"Okay…a-as long a-as it is wi-within my p-power." At this the blonde girl gave him a sweet cunning smile which made him think that he might've made a mistake.

Few minutes later, the crowd dispersed slowly and the two waiting students approached the notice board. Emilia found her name easily. She scored quite well. Rio scored as usual. He couldn't help but feel proud of her as his student and felt a sense of accomplishment upon seeing her bright smile. Mrs. Okum gave a satisfactory nod while talking about the results and reprimanded that either scored low or failed. He waited for her to tell him her wish but she didn't. Rio thought probably Emilia had blurted about that wish whimsically.

There's no way someone like her could want anything from him anyway.

However, this notion did not stay long.

Emilia was oddly late to the cafeteria. It was so unlike her, she's never late to at least lunch! Luke, Seon Hul too wondered what kept her from coming to the cafeteria? But when she arrived, she something unexpected.

Who knew that Emilia's 'wish' entailed something that'd put Rio in a tough spot!?