CHAPTER 9

"E-Eloise?"

"Killian."

I would be lying if I said I expected him to be here. He looked so shocked that he picked up the things more quickly and he also snatched the notebook that I had just picked up from the floor. I stood up and looked at him. I can see him slowly getting red from the neck down.

'What is wrong with him?'

I did not say anything. I stood up after I picked up the book that I put on the floor in order to help him properly. Holding it, I stand still, looking at him. On the other hand, he is looking all over the place and seems uncomfortable.

'There he goes again. What is wrong with him? '

Every time he sees me, he always has that look on his face.

Uncomfortable.

Is he still scared of me? But I thought after I apologized the other day, it would be okay.

I stare at him expressionlessly, trying to grasp what is happening.

Does he not want me here? Is he uncomfortable?

"I-I'm sorry-I mean thank you." "He said with a small smile while trying to avoid my eye contact.

Thank you? I was forced to help him.

Well, it's not that it matters anyway.

"Okay." is all I just said.

I turned my back on him and placed the book I was holding back on the shelves. I can feel his gaze around me, but I ignore it.

I am tired. I want to go home already.

I was slipping the book in between the other books on the shelves when I heard Killian speak.

"You read 'The Blade and the Flower?'" he asked.

I turned to look at him. "No-"

"I love that novel! I really loved the part where the female lead saved her boyfriend from the assassins that were sent to him by his evil stepmother. Despite being forbidden to love each other, Thana—the female lead and also a commoner and Dastan—the soft-crowned prince—find a way to have their happy ever after. I don't usually love romance novels, but that caught my interest completely…" He chatters.

I was just watching him talk. The stack of rims of rims of bond paper did not hinder me from seeing his eyes. He is tall enough for his eyes to be seen despite carrying four rims of paper in front of him.

As he speaks, the summer seas I saw in his eyes earlier shine even brighter.

Summer seas on bright days

He must really love that novel…

"…and then the moral of the story is-" he stopped chattering. He must have noticed that I was just staring at him and listening to his chatters. If he had been colored pink earlier,I watch him change color. From pink to literally red in just seconds.

He quickly averted his gaze away from me.

What's with him?

"I-I'm sorry haha…I talked too much-I-I" he stuttered.

He was about to ramble again when I cut him off.

"It's fine." I said with a small smile.

If he keeps talking, I think he might faint, he is so red now.

"A-ah... all right, haha...Well, I've got to go now. Uhm-thank you. " he said still can't make eye contact.

"Hmm." I replied with a shallow nod.

I watch him walk away, but after a few steps, he drops the things he is carrying again. Gasps of people can be heard. This time, I didn't need to be forced to help him. My feet made their own decision. I rushed towards him and helped him pick things up again.

I was picking up the pens scattered on the floor when I noticed that he had a bruise on the upper part of his right wrist. The bone-ney part of his wrist

He must've noticed that I was looking at his hands, so he quickly pulled them away.

He quickened his pace, picking up the things on the floor. I got up first. I handed him the rim of bond papers with my right hand and he grabbed it while saying thank you.

But I did not let him take it.

Instead, I grabbed the other rim of bond papers from him and carried them towards the cashier counter without looking back at him.

I waited for him at the counter, but I noticed that he was not here. So I turned to look at him and saw him just staring at me, his face tinted in a pink hue.

"Hey." I motioned for him to come here and he did.

I watched him put down the notebooks and pens he was holding on the countertop until the things were packed. I was about to pick up the biggest paperbag containing the rims of bondpaper when he stopped me.

"Hey! It's fine, I can handle it! Let me, okay? Thank you so much. " He insisted, shoving me away from the paperbag that was resting on the countertop.

I let him have his way. He struggled to carry it. He tried to carry all the paper bags that were on the counter. I just watched him struggle. Every line of his face makes him wince in pain whenever the sharp edge of the paperbag hits the bruised hand.

He turned around and started to walk away.

'Fine.'

I was just in the back watching him struggle. If he does not want any help, then fine.

However, I feel uneasy for no reason. So I fastened my pace, trying to walk along with him. But my gaze accidentally landed on his hands, and I noticed that he was losing grip again. So before the paper bags collapsed from his hands, I quickly held the bottom part to assist and hold the weight enough for it not to fall on the floor again.

"Ah!" I heard him wince in pain.

"I told you." I snatched the bag with one hand and held his hand with the other one. I checked his hands where the bruise is and saw that this is a different bruise from the last incident in the hallway. That one is on the left and this one is on the right.

This must be fresh then.

And this one looks way worse too. The shade of violet is vividly seen along with green and yellow.

I did not wait for him to complain. I started dragging him…gently across the whole mall to get to the closest pharmacy stall and bought a Kinesiology Tape Kit. It's like a band-aid but for bruises. It helps the fresh blood to run again around the affected area, causing it to heal more quickly.

I made him sit down on one of the waiting benches in the hallways of the mall and gently applied the tape to his bruised wrist.

I made him sit on the bench while I kneeled before him to easily access his hands.

As I am applying the tape, I can hear his heavy breathing. It's like he is stopping himself to make a sound out of pain.

"Haa... ishh," he breathes.

I am concentrating on putting the tape as carefully as possible.

"Ah!" he gasped.

I was startled by that. I look up to see what's going on, only to find our faces so close together.His heavy breaths are fanning the small, thin hairs on my forehead.

I stared at him. His eyes are tightly closed and his jaw is tightly clenched. His long, thin, but bushy brown eyelashes glint when they move due to tears slightly wetting them.

I frowned while looking at him.

I'm treating a bruise, not a gunshot. Why is he crying?'

"Hey." I called out to him.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at me. His cheeks and ears are red, and his eyes are watery.

The moment we locked eyes, I was startled when he aggressively moved away from me. He even pushed me away.

"H-Hey! What are you doing!" He yelled.

I just look at him with my usual gaze—blank.

What does he mean by that? Can't he tell? I am treating his BRUISE.

He is looking at me, his face so red.

"I'm treating your bruise." I said casually.

"Then why are you so close to me?" He said, with a tone as if he was accusing me of something.

I widened my scowl even more.What is going on with him? Why is he acting like that? Is he mad?

I couldn't understand him, so I gave up.

[sigh]

I applied the tape to his bruise anyway. It ought to do so.

I stood up and picked up the large paperbag before facing him, who was still sitting on the bench.

"Listen. I am treating your bruise because your wrist looks like it's about to fall off. And to your question, why am I so close…" I paused and looked straight into his eyes.

"It's normal due to our position and height difference. I don't get it why you are acting that way." I said.

He is just looking at me. I don't know what is going on in his mind…

In fact, I don't know what is wrong with me either… I should just leave and go home instead of helping him. HE is no longer a concern of mine... sigh.

Maybe I am adapting to this new environment I am living in. Maybe this is normal, like I should be expecting since I chose this path.

[sigh]

Silence

I don't know how long we have been facing each other, but, a noise breaks the silence between us.

[Grumble]

I watched him change color, from pink to red real quick.

"Wh-WHAT! Ah-a- " He can't look at me in the eyes. Is he embarrassed?

Why? He is hungry... What's to be embarrassed about that? It's normal.

I backed away pretty quickly when he abruptly rose from his seat and looked at me straight in the eyes with eyebrows frowning and a face so red.

"I am hungry. Let's go eat something." He said and dragged me aggressively.

I just go along with him wherever he drags me.