Chapter 20 A misunderstanding?

"I hope she gets better and wakes up soon." I stand upright and look at my friends. Eclise looks frightened, not by our teacher who laid on the bed with her burnt face. His eyes stare at me. "You guys. Don't look so scared now. Her whole face might not look good but she's still our teacher."

Another flash of thunder darkens my body and the rumbling sounds of rain take over.

Dew cracks, "How does that face not scare you, Sain?!"

"You kids should keep it low."

I've heard this voice before.

Mr Xeno walks into the room.

"You are the inspector Ms Yana was counselling with." I spoke.

He must've been in the hospital. Considering that its raining and he isn't drenched.

He trudges and steals a few glances at her almost lifeless body. "I've come to fetch you kids. You cannot stay in this room for so long."

Dew hastily walks out. "Yeah right. We should leave."

I follow after Dew while the inspector talks with Eclise.

"Hey kid.. are you in there? Did her face scare you so much?"

Eclise twitches and replies. "Its not her face that I'm scared of. But his!"

"Who?"

Eclise glances at Xeno with his widened fear filled eyes. "S-"

A nurse comes and interrupts. "Visitor time ends. Please exit this room."

Xeno sighs. "Let's talk outside."

I raise my head to see them walk out of her room.

I saw the nurse entering that room. I wonder what they talked about.

"Sain."

"Mr Xeno?"

"How ironic. She met with an accident right when I was interrogating her about you."

I gasp. "What do you mean?"

"Yesterday at around a quarter past 3 pm where were you?"

"I was studying in the library." I wince my brows.

"Really now? I've heard from Ms Yana that the library remains open until 3. Are you trying to tell that you were there past 3?

"Yes. Last day. I along with Eclise and Dew, borrowed the library until 3:30. We requested the librarian because we need to study for our exam."

Mr Xeno glares at Dew. "Is that true?"

"Ye.. yes." He stammers. "We were indeed in the library."

He looks at Eclise but Eclise doesn't look like in a condition to say something.

I add. "If you don't trust me or my friends you can ask the librarian. I'm sure there are cctvs in the library as well."

Mr Xeno smirks. "I see. So you have multiple alibis."

I exhale. "I don't even understand why you suspected me in the first place."

"But.." he looks up at the ceiling. "I do wonder what happened to her face. The doctor said it was an acid reaction."

"Who could've thrown acid on her face?"

Dew mumbles. "It wasn't only on her face."

Eclise asks. "Is it okay if you told us how she met with the accident?"

Mr Xeno stands silently for a while. Sure he doesn't look very interested in sharing but he tells us regardless.

"At around 3:15 Ms Yana was run over by a car in the traffic. The car owner brought her to the hospital and is compensating with the hospital bills. According to his statement Ms Yana, herself, ran into his car. She looked like she was clenching her own face."

We say nothing. It is disheartening to hear such story.

Mr Xeno continues. "Since we were in the middle of some investigation regarding Sain it felt obvious that Sain would do something."

It is on the tip of my tongue but I can't say that to an inspector.

You suspected me because of your gut feeling!

We wait for the rain to stop pouring at the entrance of the hospital. Mr Xeno, carelessly just left in the rain. And Dew has his house close by. In the end I and Eclise are stuck in the rain.

"Are you upset Eclise?" I ask him.

He remains quiet for a while before saying. "Yes. I am upset."

"You look different from before." I touch his shoulder and he flinches. "Is anything wrong?"

"Say.. Sain. Why did you smile back then?"

"Back when?"

"When you saw Ms Yana in that horrible condition."

"What are you saying? Why'd I smile then?"

"That's what I'm asking."

I giggle. "Come on. You are scared over something so trivial that didn't even happen. You must've seen wrong."

"I saw wrong?"

"I mean look at me." I smile. "Did I look this way back then? Of course you had me wrong. Do you not trust your friend?"

"I trust all my friends."

I smack his back. "Then stop worrying. I'm sure Ms Yana will be just fine."

"Okay."

The rain makes me late and I arrive home at night. I stumble upon uncle Mins and his sons.

"Uncle? Are you leaving?"

"Sain! My sons are taking me away! Away from this home where my wife used to live!" He grabs my shoulders.

His younger son comes and shoves me away. "You better not involve yourself in our family matters."

"Sain! Tell them something!"

"Father! You're bothering him."

I relax my shoulders and softly tell. "It is your sons that are asking you to move from this place. I'm sure they are right."

"But-"

"There, you heard it from your favourite person, dad. Let's leave now."

"We can exchange contacts if you want uncle Mins. I bought a new.."

The elder son stops me. "It isn't required. I thank you for all these days and goodbye."

They take him away and I wave at them while softly smiling. "Goodbye."

With them gone we are the only tenant in this two storey building.

I unlock the door. "Wah! Mom! You're clinging against the door again! Were you hearing our conversation?" I slam the door