How to Save a Star [BxB]

X

Chapter Ten

I returned inside, welcomed by a woman who seemed to be in her sixties. Wrinkles lined in her forehead and cheeks. She wore a white shirt partnered with an overly long skirt. "Who might you be?" she inquired, the irises behind her thick glasses sternly observing me from head to toe.

"I'm Ian, I'm−"

"Ah," she interrupted, her mouth slightly parted; her head nodding a few times. "So you were the new roommate Yeren was talking about. Wait for a second..." She left through the door beside the staircase and returned with a key in her hand.

"I heard about you," she paused, giving me an odd look as she handed the key over to me. "But I was told that you'd come later this afternoon."

"Sorry." I bit the back of my lower lip. "Dad decided to come earlier than planned."

"That's okay but..." She smiled, revealing more wrinkles on her cheeks. "Where is your dad?"

"He just left, he has a business meeting this evening," I answered, and saw the immediate awareness lit her eyes.

She nodded. "Too bad, I was hoping to see another good-looking man. He must be as fine as you were when he was young," she said and laughed to herself. I feigned a smile, wondering if she was trying to make up about how she welcomed me. I did my best not to avert my eyes but the effort was futile. Everything seemed out of place.

"Ian!" I breathed out in relief when Yeren descended from the stairs as he called out to me. She turned to him. They grinned at each other. He rushed to me and picked up two of the bags beside my legs.

I grabbed the last one with my right hand. "I can manage," I said, trying to catch another from his hand. He veered away, passing the bag onto his other hand. Then, he held my right hand, causing me to lose my grip. He caught the last one before it fell on the ground.

"No, I can manage," he laughingly said. He took a glance at the woman who had a puzzled look on her face. "Sorry, tita Felly but if you'll excuse us," he said and dashed to the stairs.

I bowed my head a bit to her before hurrying after Yeren. I didn't know what she was thinking but I heard her cussed as I left. That said a lot about her, about the joke she cracked earlier. It was presumptuous of me but I honestly hoped not to mingle with her too much.

Yeren was waiting when I reached the second floor. "You're so slow," he said as he dashed into another floor. There was no urgency to follow. I slowly ascended through the stairs, repeatedly reading the number attached to the key.

"401," I whispered to myself as I slipped it in my pocket. When it dawned on me that it was the room we'd share, my chest began to clatter, like a drumroll. I took successive deep breaths but it was hyperventilating.

Yeren met me before I reached the third floor. "What's taking you so long? I already dropped your things in our room." His words hung for a moment before they finally registered. The warmness on my cheeks held me in place.

"Don't tell me you're being shy," he said.

I didn't answer but I didn't know how he took it as an answer.

"C'mon..." He grabbed my hand and pulled me as he walked on. "I never thought that you were this anxious," he added, which made me realize the trembling of my hands.

"Yeren," I called and pressed my grip on his hand. He stopped and looked back at me. I took a deep breath. "Sure, I'm anxious but I'm also quite excited about it." I wasn't sure how I looked when I tried to smile. But a sigh of relief left my mouth when he returned it and continued to drag me on.