Stars and Summer Skies (ZB1 Ricky X Female OC) [COMPLETED]

Ch. 33: Return, To Things of the Past

When Ricky finally got back to going to school, Yeoreum's parents were wary. Wary enough that they would be prepping him like parents getting ready for their first child's first day at school.

It almost bothered Yeoreum. But her held-back jealousy was nothing compared to the wariness she herself felt for her friend. Her parents had a point for feeling that way, after all. And she knew that best.

She just hoped Ricky's father wouldn't decide to begin investigating their school again today.

"Take care, and make sure you call if anything happens," Yeoreum's mother bid the both of them as they walked out the door. Though the woman's words seemed to be directed more specifically towards her daughter.

Yeoreum nodded in response, and in no time, she and Ricky were heading to school.

It was almost nostalgic to Ricky, walking to school. Even though it had only been two weeks since he stopped going to school because he was in hiding.

But looking at the places they passed definitely brought back some memories.

The bridge.

The playground.

And the alleyway where he realized he had feelings for Yeoreum.

The convenience store nearest to their school.

And finally, the school itself.

It suddenly seemed smaller than what Ricky remembered. But maybe that was just because, with Yeoreum, he had actually managed to explore all of its areas in the time he knew her.

He looked up at it with an unreadable expression on his face, tilting his head like he was reading something on the main building's walls.

And then Yeoreum tapped him.

"Hey. You ready to go in now?" She asked, her tone gentle and a soft smile on her face.

Ricky couldn't help but think, as he looked at her, that they really had come a long way.

Five months ago, he was so cold and distant towards Yeoreum, and Yeoreum was hesitant and cautious towards him. Now, he felt rather comfortable with this girl, and she seemed more fearless with asking him about the things that made her curious.

And now even her smile was enough to comfort him.

He smiled in return as he took her hand in his. "Yeah. I'm ready."

☆

"We'll meet in the library as soon as break time starts, alright? If ever your father comes to our school, I don't think he'd go inside the library because he'd only end up causing a ruckus. Wait 'til I get there, and when I do, we'll go to the rooftop together to stay out of the radar."

That was what Yeoreum had told Ricky the night before. It was a plan, just to make sure that everything goes well and that he doesn't end up caught by his father. It was a precaution, as well.

But what's a precaution like that for when the man himself had actually finally gone to school to make his own investigations?

Now Yeoreum had to hide, too! Because the man clearly knew who she was. Their eyes met for a few seconds through the window of her classroom when he arrived. His gaze didn't seem friendly at all. But it didn't seem ignorant either. And it sent a shiver down the girl's spine as he broke eye contact and proceeded to enter the school's main building.

"Wait. No!"

The bell rang, all of a sudden. But before the teacher could even properly dismiss the students and leave the classroom herself, Yeoreum had already dashed into the halls, and towards Ricky's classroom.

There's no knowing if the boy knew his father was already inside the campus. Or even inside the same building as him! And knowing that, Yeoreum hurried herself even more as she ran through the halls as it was already filling up with students.

That clearly wasn't a good thing, however. The more Yeoreum ran, the more her way seemed to be getting even more congested.

Eyes were on her as she tried to push her way past. Yet, the more she struggled, the more it became difficult for her to push through the students. Of course, they didn't care that she was in a rush. Nor did they know exactly why she was acting like that.

The place was getting noisier, and it was making Yeoreum more restless as she began to notice just how slow she was getting.

But she was so near! She had to keep going, before Ricky's father could get to the boy. Her only hope was that the man was also caught up in the crowd of students.

Suddenly, a familiar face appeared among the crowd, and Yeoreum breathed in quickly in response before calling out his name.

"Ricky!"

He didn't respond. The halls must have been too noisy, but Yeoreum didn't stop calling nor did she stop trying to get nearer to the boy who was still so dangerously oblivious.

"Ricky! Ricky, over here! Ricky!"

He turned, finally. And his eyes shone with a glint of curiosity as he looked at Yeoreum. He opened his mouth to speak. "Yeo-" But he never got to finish it.

"I've finally got you, boy!" The man's familiar hostile tone greeted Ricky right after he felt a tug at his collar, pulling him almost out of his stance. His eyes widened, and then they shook as he realized that the man that had caught him was none other than his father.

The same exact man he had been trying to escape all along.

Yeoreum froze in her steps when she realized she was too late. And before she knew it, Ricky's father was already pulling the boy away from the place. "No..." she mumbled, before her tone changed into total panic. "No... No!"

"You're coming home with me now, you brat! Did you really think you could escape?!" The man spoke with an angry tone as he grabbed Ricky's arm and started dragging him away. Neither he nor his son could even hear Yeoreum's cries anymore, because now they were just surrounded by students whose attention have been caught by the scene.

"No, stop! Ricky!" Yeoreum continued yelling as she tried to get past the students, but it was definitely getting harder now that a lot of them have appeared infront of her, curious as to what was going on.

Meanwhile, Ricky could barely even think of fighting back as his father pulled him away. His fear had taken over him, and the thought that if he did fight back, his father would kill him right then and there.

Ultimately, he froze, and his eyes remained wide as he was dragged away, all the way outside the main building.

All of a sudden, wind picked up, and a strong snowstorm began outside, signaling what could be perhaps a much worse fate than what anyone had expected.