Four of them

____Eula____

"Julie!" Eula ran and continues on following her friend. But Julie just keeps on running away from her. "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?!" Eula tried to reach her hand but she just ran away more.

"WHAT DID I DO TO YOU?!" Eula can't stop herself from shouting to her friend. She doesn't know why Julie is being like this or why her friend is running away from something. She knows that Julie isn't running away from her. She is running away because something or somebody is hunting her but who is it? What is it?

"Y-you did nothing Eul-la... D-devoree did..." then she stopped on running and sobbed between her palms.

"Devoree? My grandmother? What did she do? She is gone but what does it have to do with her?"

"Nothing has to do with her. She has something to do with me!" Julie ran again but the sound of the wind made her step back and the last thing she saw was the wind already taking Julie from this world.

"JULIE!"Eula was already catching her breath when she woke up. The dream never left her mind. Does that have anything to do with why Julie wants to get the journal? But why?

Eula immediately got up and went straight to the library inside the mansion. She went through the books there and found what she was looking for.

“What are these things for?"Eula whispered and looked at the pictures one by one inside her grandmother's journal.The last picture caught her attention. Except for the age of the paper used, what causes her to focus on the picture is that the woman in there has the same looks as hers.

Devoree Huego...

"Nothing has to do with her. She has something to do with me..."she repeated what Julie had said in her dream. She did not know but that dream seemed like a big thing and she could not ignore it. Dreams supposedly the opposite of what may happen but it is bothering her. Eula knew there was nothing she could do but find out what was in that dream. She closed the journal containing the photos and went to the room.

The next day, Julie and Eula met early in a nearby cafeteria. As usual, Julie always arrives early at the meeting and is happy waiting for her. Julie waved her hand as she stepped inside. The smile never left her lips that Eula found comforting. She always wants to see Julie’s smile because she is aware how life has been for her friend.

"What's that on your head?" Eula pointed to the ribbon that Julie’s wearing on her head. This is new, she is not wearing anything colorful and so cute before.

"Oh, nothing. It makes me look young, I think."and then there's the cue for her to give the journal and the dream of hers bothers her again.

"Here. Promise that you will return it tomorrow, Julie?" Eula couldn't help but tremble as she handed Julie the journal.She still had the dream in her mind and she knew it was impossible that something bad would happen to Julie when she found out about her grandmother.

"Won't you still tell me what that is for?" Eula averted her gaze from her friend and she could feel the sweat on her forehead.

"Hey, Eula. You look so pale. Are you sick?" Julie pressed her palm to Eula's forehead. "You have a fever. Do you want to go home?" Eula turned her attention back to her friend as Julie tapped her on the shoulder.

"Yeah, I should go home. Probably, there's no one around there so I can have a peaceful rest." using a handkerchief, she wiped the sweat off her forehead and Julie also stood up to bid goodbye but Eula can’t stand anymore and lost her consciousness.

"EULAA!"

_____________

"There's nothing wrong with bringing her here. As long as she won't stay here for long or else, my dad will wonder why I'm bringing so many women here-ow!"

"I can't let her stay in the hospital since she has a phobia there. It would be better if I brought her here after all she has no one in their house and no one will take care of her."

"Nice thinking, Julie."

"Hey, this woman looks like your gal? Nice, Jayden. You've caught a large fish!"

"Shut up, Simon!"

"Every woman who comes here fainted. Is my house already cursed?"

Eula cursed her headache but could not deny that her ear was also hurting because of the noise around her. She knew one of the people there was Julie and a voice that is familiar to her but she did not know when she heard of it.

"She's up, man." Eula looked across the room and realized she’s not home. "You are in Simon's house, Eula. I know you are afraid of the hospital so I brought you here." Eula didn’t have the time for confusion and smiled when she saw Julie's face.

"I will not leave you alone in your house because I know no one will take care of you, you said your mom is out, right?" Julie continued but she just pressed her finger on her temple to ease the pain then she looked around and turned to the man next to Julie. One is sitting on a wheelchair-waving his hands at her, the other one is looking at her with his arms crossed. Eula recognized that it’s the same man she saw outside not so long ago.

"Y-you must be Simon, right?"she pointed to the man standing as she got up. The man next to him widened his eyes and the three exchanged glances.

"Since Julie arrived, many have seen you."said the weird man in the stuffy wheelchair.

"I thought so too. What's going on?"

"Come again?" Eula did not hear what the man in the wheelchair said even the man who looked rude and did not seem to have any intention of repeating what was said for him. "Uhm, Eula? Simon is the one on the wheelchair and the man over there? Who looks sulky, that is Jayden."Julie frankly said.

"What the hell, Julie?!"Jayden yelled at her friend. Eula couldn't stop laughing when she remembered the look of her terror professor in her second year of college.

"Come on, we should eat first." Julie helped her friend stand up and after a while, they all left the room to eat dinner. Eula noticed the man they called Jayden had not yet left the room and the two didn't seem to mind it.

"Are you not coming with us?" The man was obviously surprised when she talked to her but the shock in his eyes was immediately replaced by sadness even though he smiled at her.

"No, I'm fine. You should go." Eula just nodded at what Jayden said. But it left her doubts about Jayden's actions. She felt his sadness.

The two of them stopped looking at each other when Julie pulled her out. Even before the door closed, Eula saw how Jayden let out a deep breath. When she got to the kitchen, Eula still couldn't forget and Jayden was still bothering her.

"Is he going to be alright?" Eula asked in the middle of the table. Julie and Simon looked at each other before eating their food again.

*note: this might be insignificant but in Philippines, people are bothered when someone is not joining dinner. Many families are waiting for the others before they eat.

"Hey, are you with me?" she waved her hand to the two but both of them didn't seem to hear anything. The silence wandered between them for a few minutes until Simon cleared his throat and laid down the cutlery after eating.

"Actually, I was thinking about a midnight picnic." Julie and Eula stopped eating and looked at Simon with a confused look.

______________

"So, you took everyone to sleep then brought us here to eat again?" Eula can't believe this man! He put the maids to sleep and only planned a picnic for himself! Nothing's wrong with that but why does it have to do that? Julie told me that these are the temporary ‘lookout’ on the young man's condition so she is worried that something strange might happen and they will be confused as to who will be called first.

That's why the housemaids are keeping a close eye to his health.

"What are these for, huh?"Eula asked. Julie just put her arm around her and when she looked back, Julie just winked.

What are these two up for?

"WHAT'S HAPPENING--"

"JAYDEN!" Eula glanced at the man who looked so heaven-sent. Jayden’s hair was messy and he looks like he just woke up

"Hey, you two knew the rule, right? I can't be-"

"Shut up, Jayden. Just like before, I sent them to sleep. You can join us to eat.Leave no trace after we’re finished then it is done." Simon said it like it is some sort of a nursery rhyme. Eula can’t follow what they are all talking about so she just sat on the blanket placed on a newly-trimmed bermuda grass then got one sandwich with tuna and mayo inside.

"You should join us earlier so that we don't have to eat late here.It is almost midnight and we may not be able to digest well what we eat later." Eula said in the middle of their meal. Simon just laughed and glared at her. “Just shut up and eat there, lady.”

Eula looked at the three and observed them. Someone may not grow suspicion of their actions when you are raised by a lawyer and observe carefully, it is noticeable in them that they are not comfortable together.There’s something blocking them from the others.

There is also something strange about their actions while eating, it seems that only Julie and Simon get along and understand each other while Jayden does not seem to be used to being with the two. But there was only one thing that calmed Eula down.

It’s been a while since she saw how happy Julie is. Julie looks so happy with them. She didn't even have to smile at all but you can see that she does not feel sad.

"Is there something here that I don't know but just creep me out?" The three just turned to her before returning to their meals. So she did nothing but keep up with their trip.

It's been a few hours and it looks like Simon and Julie are the only ones who are really enjoying it because the two of them have started playing on a mobile game together. They were so excited while killing each other in the game so when she saw Julie's beautiful smile, she couldn't help but to smile too.

Eula remained silent as she ate a slice of apple on the saucer when someone broke her peaceful silence.

"Do you want to drink beer?" Jayden suddenly asked.