El and Ellie

I looked up and saw an unfamiliar guy. Pale white skin and has a tall figure; his hair is dyed blonde with fringe that almost covers his eyes, and he has this pair of sparkling baby blue eyes. The perfect appearance of a prince in fairy tales. He also has a piercing on his left ear, and his overall demeanor made me think he's a foreigner.

"Miss, your foot's bleeding." The man said as he crouched and pointed to my foot while holding an umbrella over me. I know that already. He doesn't need to point out the obvious. "Do you need help?" This strange man was looking at me with sincerity in his eyes, and he used such a gentle tone, but I couldn't say anything as my vision got blurry, and I felt weaker. Is it because I'm losing too much blood?

"Miss?"

I feel sleepy even though I slept well.

"Hey, miss? Miss!"

I gasped for air as I sat back up. I'm no longer sitting in the back alley, and my clothes changed. It took me a minute to realize that I was in another unfamiliar place. Why do I keep getting into strange places? I just want to go home!

"You're awake."

That voice made me turn my head to my right, and my eyebrows furrowed as I saw an unknown guy standing beside the door while holding bandages in his hands. "You've been asleep for the whole day. It's evening now." He said. "Are you feeling fine? Do you want something to eat?"

For the whole day? I wasted my time sleeping in this soft and comfy bed?! But wait a minute, who is this guy? His messy blonde hair and smug face make him look like a playboy, making me uncomfortable. Where did the blonde prince go?

"Uhm, who are you?"

The man pushed his messy hair back, making me see his handsome face and baby blue eyes as he smiled at me. Is he the same guy? "My name is El." I don't think I know someone with a nickname like mine.

"Do I know you?" Does he work for Night too? Is he one of those men ready to capture me?

El placed the bandages on the bedside table as he sat on the chair near. "Actually, no. I don't know the miss either." What? "This might be confusing if you don't remember, but you suddenly lost consciousness outside while it was raining, and I didn't know where you lived. You're also wounded. That's why I brought you to my home."

What? "But you don't know me, right?" El nodded with a smile. W-What? He didn't know me, but he took me into his house without hesitation? Who does that? "Don't you feel scared that I might be a thief or scammer?" This guy only smiled at me as if he didn't understand what I was saying. No, he looks like he doesn't care at all.

"With that pretty face? Even if you scam me, I'll still believe you anyway." He said with that playful and flirty smile. Is this how he picks up girls? Although he literally picked me up, I don't think his trick will work on me. "You can take everything you want from me." It made me cringe as I tried to move away from him, which caused him to laugh. "I'm just kidding. Don't be scared. I won't bite. Unless you want me to."

"That's disgusting; please stop." El chuckled, which made me stop for a moment and think. "Did you kidnap me because of my good looks?"

This guy laughed so much that he even got on the floor while holding onto his stomach. "Seriously? What's wrong with you?" He laughed again to the point of tears coming out of his eyes. It's annoying! He's annoying me, and it feels like I need to escape from this weird guy. Why do I keep getting involved with weird people?

"I'm just helping you because you look like a mess before." He said. "A true gentleman can't leave a pitiful damsel in distress." Hearing that from his mouth annoyed me more than I expected.

El walked out of the room holding a basin with water and blood. Is it my blood? I looked at my foot, and there I saw how I got a new bandage on. My clothes are also new. "By the way, I'm not the one who changed your clothes, don't worry," El said as if he read my mind. Why is he acting so normal? He doesn't even know me, and he's not asking for my name, making it more suspicious.

"Right, what's your name?"

I flinched after the door opened again, and El asked that as if he heard my thoughts. It's creepy! "W-Why would you want to know my name?" Due to my surprise, I said that to him, which caused this weirdo to laugh again. He's creeping me out; I think I need to get out of here.

"I don't want to keep calling you by 'hey' or 'you.' But if you don't want to tell me, that's fine." He said. "Also, don't move around yet. You still got a fever from staying in the rain too long."

I raised an eyebrow at him. Is he telling the truth? How would I know? I couldn't trust anyone by now, but he still helped me. "It's Ellie." Now that I told him my nickname, I realized that this guy might also be using a nickname.

A broader smile forms on his face causing me to feel a shiver down my spine. "Our names match. El and Ellie." He said. He's like a serial killer from those documentaries I often watch before. It's creepy, and he even noticed how similar our names are.

Wait! There's no time thinking like this! I need to go home. I grabbed El's arm, which made him look at me. "I-I need help. I want to go home." He looked at me with confused eyes.

"I thought you ran away from home. That's why you're—"

"No! Please, help me." My voice reeked desperation, and I looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please, I need to meet my parents."

El looked like he was hesitant. "Okay, I'll call my driver. Just wait here." He said as he went out of the room. I unconsciously started biting my fingernails as I felt anxious. What if this is a trap? What if El isn't someone who'll help me return to my home? The door opened. "Should I carry you on my back? It'll be hard for you to talk with that foot."

I was dumbfounded after I heard him say that. I know I'm the one who asked him to help me, but he's really going to help me? "Ellie?"

"Y-Yes. If you don't mind, I really appreciate the help."

El smiled as he went to the closet to get something. "It's still raining outside, so it's cold. Use this." He said as he wrapped me with a warm blanket. After that, El knelt before me and made me ride his back. "Okay, let's go."

I don't know why but my heart's beating so fast and loud that I'm afraid El might be weirded out by it. It's because I'm finally going home. Even though it wasn't that long, my time in that Yamaguchi household felt like years. "My heart's beating fast, not because of you, okay."

El chuckled. "I didn't even say anything."

"It's because I'm finally going home," I muttered.

"Sorry, what? I didn't hear it."

"It's nothing."

The two of us arrived in front of a black and luxurious car. Maybe El is also a son of a conglomerate or something. "Please get in. You'll get wet." A man wearing a black suit said while covering us with an umbrella.

"W-Who is he?" I'm now afraid of men wearing black suits.

El helped me get in the car. "He's my butler, Lorenzo." He answered as he didn't forget to keep me warm. "You know where your home is, right? Guide Lorenzo." I nodded as I told them where to go. Silence filled the car as I looked at the scenery outside, although all I could see was the rain. El's sitting beside me and helping me keep warm while his butler Lorenzo silently drives our way to my home.

"Is this it?" El said, which made me look at our destination. I gulped as my heart started thumping so hard, and I could not speak as I nodded. "Park the car near the gate." He told his butler, and that's what Lorenzo did.

El looked at me. "Should I ask the guard?"

I shook my head. "I'll go with you." El carried me on his back again while Lorenzo held an umbrella for us. We walked towards the gate where the guard house is. I can hear the water on the ground splashing while El's walking. The silence makes me hear the sound of my heart a lot more.

When we arrived near the gate, the guard came out of the guard house and greeted us. It's a different guard from the one we used to have. "What's your business here, sir?" The guard asked as he walked toward us while holding an umbrella.

I didn't know why words won't come out of my mouth, leaving El no choice but to speak for me. "Are the owner of the house home? Their child has come—"

The guard's face made El stop talking; he turned pale and looked scared. "Oh no, young man. Didn't you watch the news that this mansion's owners were murdered?" I felt a lump on my throat as my grip on El's shoulders tightened. "They're a wealthy family, so the media didn't let this news pass them by. Although the young miss's location is unknown to the media." He added.

The guard shook his head. "It was horrible when the police discovered the place. There is blood all over the couple's room."

I felt my lips trembling as I suppressed my tears. "L-Let's just go." I stuttered, and my voice even cracked. It feels like I'll cry if we stay here any longer.