Let Go

The sun had risen when Harris and Brissia arrived at the end of the Flower Bridge. He put the girl down from his back and chuckled. "That was close. Don't ever push yourself too far again, alright?"

Brissia stood next to the concrete guardrail while looking in a direction other than Harris's eyes. Seeing the girl's indifferent face, Harris sighed softly.

"You're not being honest with yourself, Brissie."

"What do you mean?"

Harris took her hand. "Since before we passed each other on the stairs, you must have endured the pain."

Her cynical gaze changed when she saw the smile on his face. It wasn't the playful smile that Brissia was used to see, nor the charming smile that Harris had when he invited her to a dinner.

His smile was as gentle as the morning sky. Even the coolness of the dew was still far less than his gaze. Nevertheless, something had burned in her heart.

She brushed Harris's hand roughly. It not only widened his eyes, but also wiped out his smile in an instant. Plus, the girl was breathing heavily and clenching her jaw.

"I guess I expected too much."

"Eh?" he winced. "Is there something wrong?"

While looking at the river, Brissia pursed her lips.

"Brissie, let's treat your wound fir—"

"You should just go home. Gabriel will be furious if he sees us together."

"Pardon?" Harris blinked his eyes. "But we're both... fine."

As if remembering something, his gaze fell on Brissia's calf and fist. He then placed his palm on his face and laughed bitterly. "Oh, What a fool I am. How could I forget that I was always the trouble maker."

His statement raised Brissia's head instantly.

"Wait, that's not what I—"

"What's wrong with me wanting to help you after dragging you into every problem I have, Brissia Niverte?!"

Harris's loud voice not only caught Brissia's breath, but also caught the attention of the pedestrians around them.

With a sinister look and a wry smile, Harris spoke in a low tone, "I shouldn't have gotten you into all this mess in the first place."

His back shrank in the distance. Brissia couldn't say a word to stop him, especially after seeing his shaking fists.

"And I shouldn't have indulged in my greed to help just anyone."

Right after she muttered so, light footsteps approached her from behind. The man lowered his glasses for a moment before stepping closer and calling out to her.

The girl turned around in surprise at the presence of her boss and greeter on her first day at the editorial office.

"You put on a gloomy face in front of such a sacred, clear river. Is it because the spa is closed?"

Brissia responded to Gabriel's question with a shake of her head. "He kept saying that he often caused trouble."

"He said it to your face?"

The girl nodded while propping her chin on the guardrail. Silence turned her head to the side. She frowned upon the man's gaze, that was heading in the same direction as her.

"Where are you looking at?"

"The direction he left me after I asked him where he had been. I should've punched him right then and there so he wouldn't hurt a woman's feelings."

"No! No... it was my fault, Gabriel."

Gabriel turned to her, confused.

"I pushed him away when he tried to help me because I didn't feel like I deserved it."

"So... the spa thing was completely a lie?"

Brisia looked at Gabriel doubtfully before lowering her head deeply and saying, "I'm so sorry. It was."

However, the snort she heard blinked her eyes. Quickly, she raised her head.

"He used to think that he didn't deserve help as well. What's up with you all young people in this generation?"

Hearing it, Brissia looked away.

"Will he think that he's useless?" she mumbled.

"Depends on his mood. Therefore, leave him temporarily."

Those words etched a relieved smile on Brissia's lips. She returned to the editorial office, leaving Gabriel alone in front of the River of Flower.

"Look at today's generation, Sia."

Gabriel smiled faintly at the tranquil, crystal clear water.

"They are incredibly considerate of their feelings in order not to repeat the tragedy between us," he continued with his gaze wandering somewhere.

***

When Brissia woke up from her deep sleep, she had returned to the modern world. She thought it was a dream until she felt pain in her calves and fists that lasted until the class had begun.

As soon as she got permission to go to the restroom, Brissia walked unsteadily along the corridor. She clutched a small bag containing anti-pain pills and an ointment.

It wasn't long until she met the teaching assistant when she was about to go down the stairs. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her gaze was sardonic, but her tongue was numb as she remembered Gabriel's words.

"Move."

Brissia took a rough breath. "Don't you see why I don't do that?"

"This is a staircase specifically for people going to higher floors. You're the one in the wrong place."

"Ha!"

Her annoyed snort didn't change the man's cold expression.

""If you don't want to help, at least get out of my way," said Brissia as she went down the stairs, nudging his shoulder.

One missed step led her to an inevitable accident. That caught the attention of the teaching assistant. The pupils in those hazel eyes dilated as the girl slumped on the floor, surrounded by scattered medicine. He descended each step carefully as he called out to her.

"H-hey... wake—"

He pressed his lips tightly when he found the girl not moving at all. At the same time, he heard footsteps from above.

"Brissia?!"

Gierra stood at the top of the stairs with a shocked look at Brissia. A moment later, her gaze sharpened on the teaching assistant.

"Don't you dare touch her."

The teaching assistant stopped his hand that was reaching for Brissia's body when he heard Gierra's furious mutters.

"Not even her clothes," she continued.

"So how do I get her to the sickroom?"

"It won't be you who will carry her," Gierra replied while lowering her cellphone.

The teaching assistant glanced at the message on Gierra's cellphone screen that was sent to someone.

Nicholas and another male student came rushing toward Gierra. "For God's sake, what other misfortune has befallen her?!" said Nicholas as he walked down the stairs quickly with Gierra and another one.

"Don't overreact! Help me carry her!" Gierra scolded Nicholas while carrying Brissia.

Carefully, the three brought Brissia down the stairs. As she passed the teaching assistant, Gierra's gaze did not soften in the slightest.

The teaching assistant clenched his fists. He squinted when he saw bloodstains on the floor.

Brissia winced softly as she was laid down on the infirmary bed. The nurse rushed to stop the bleeding from Brissia's calf and bandaged it, then checked the condition of Brissia's other limbs.

"Bris, don't die, please! You've got a lot of blood coming out. Oh My God..."

"Nicho, just get out! Brissia doesn't like your exaggeration as well!"

Brissia squinted, feeling her head throb at the duo's endless chatter, which prompted the other nurses to push them back outside the room.

After a while, all she felt was peaceful silence. She stared at the sheer orange curtains fluttering at the window's side, revealing the bright blue sky.

"Why does the sky shine so bright?"

She turned to the door, finding Gierra entering politely with Nicholas.

"Bris... why didn't you tell me that your leg had a wound?"

Brissia stared unblinkingly at Nicholas, who was sitting on the edge of the empty bed next to Brissia.

Gierra, who stood beside her, nodded with a disappointed look. "Yeah, like, you can ask us whenever you need help, but you're not being as open as usual," she said, making Brissia snort, holding back her laughter.

"However, the teaching assistant looked like he wanted to help you earlier."

Gierra's words widened Brissia's eyes.

"What?"

"You don't remember him calling you?" asked Gierra.

Brisia shook her head. She stared at the door as if he were there. Her memory of his cold face was as suffocating as she recalled Harris's face the last time they met.

How could such a cold man pay attention to her?