"You're saying you didn't even know you have that kind of power?"
"Mhm, it just happened suddenly in the middle of the night 2 years ago. After that, it started happening frequently until I learned how to control it with Gahyeon's help."
"So, no one knows?"
"Nope, only you and Gahyeon so far."
He stops asking any more question since he knows JiU wouldn't be able to answer them as she also doesn't know where her power comes from.
Her power doesn't seem like it gives any harm to her body so it could be a great help in time of needs.
To be sure, he asks, "Is it safe? You know, no side effect or anything?"
His over-caring gesture makes her giggle and deactivates the White Lotus ability which she doesn't know the name yet at that time.
"Now that you asked, it makes me feel weak if I use it for too long. It's kinda hard to walk now," she lies, holding his arms with both hands.
He wants to support her standing but hesitates to grab her shoulder. She lied so don't you dare touch her, Geoul. You don't have my appro—
He softly holds her waist after taking a deep breath while JiU happily purses her lips to hide her giddy smile.
... Goddamnit...
"Don't you need your cast back? Your arm isn't fully healed yet," he asks as they reached the stairs to the second floor.
It was quiet, no sign of those spidery creatures so far. Those they killed, were they all of it, Geoul and JiU thought in unison.
"I can move my arm a little bit and feel like we will be in action again soon so I don't need the cast, it limits my movement."
When they were about to step up the stairs, Gahyeon emerges from her shadow and nods. "The second floor is clear, just the webs sticking everywhere."
"Thank you, Gahyeon," she told the spirit as Gahyeon smiles.
"The situation is dire than we expected. Our priority is to find Instructor Jinae and we will discuss what to do afterwards. Got it?"
Her firm and resolute order affect him for a little bit as he stutters out, "Y-yes, ma'am."
"And Geoul?" She looked at him, smiling. "I have enough strength to walk now so you can let go of me. Unless you don't want to, I don't mind."
He instantly let go, rubbing the back of his head. "Y-yeah, sure. I'll go first." He leads them up the stairs, at the same time hiding his red face.
*****
Somewhere in the building, inside the security room where there is footage from cameras to monitor and see what is going around in a specific area, a woman was watching their every move since they stepped foot inside the school ground.
The room was dim, the same as the rest of the areas. Also covered in webs on the floor, walls, and ceiling like a jungle filled with thick old vines and plants.
"What do you gain by watching them from inside this room. When they can't find anything, they will leave and call for backups then you're screwed," said the other woman behind her, tied up into a sticky cocoon, dangling upside down from the ceiling.
The observer's long silky black hair spun around smoothly as if she was in a shampoo commercial. "You're one of them, right? I don't think they will leave before they found you. It's what good guys always do, saving their friend no matter what."
The other woman sighed as she looked at her enchanting but dead-looking eyes. She couldn't look down to avoid them since she was already upside down. Looking up to the floor would hurt her neck for sure.
"This position is tiring," she complained. "Why don't you go get them yourself? This security room is kinda hidden so they might miss it."
The observer burned a hole into her eyes with her stare. "That makes sense. I'm also tired of waiting. I need to absorb White Lotus as soon as possible."
She walked to the mic beside the monitors and turned it on as it screeched for a few seconds before she made an announcement that could be heard throughout the whole building.
"Hello, this is Aranea, the counsellor of this school. If anyone still alive and normal, please come to the rooftop immediately. Only the rooftop is free from those human arachnids. I humbly request your cooperation and stay safe."
The mic once again screeched and died.
The dangling woman chuckled loudly. "Really? What a plain and soulless announcement. No one would buy that," she mocked.
Aranea shot a web from her hand to the woman's mouth and ordered the two remaining human arachnids waiting at the corner of the ceiling to carry the woman to the rooftop.
They obeyed and rushed out of the room as she followed from behind.
*****
"Did you guys hear that?" JiU asked, stopping at the end of the 2nd floor after they finished checking all the rooms. "That sounds sus as fu— hell."
"I call dibs, she's the woman in charge," Geoul spoke while having his full attention on JiU, knitting her hair into a single bun with the hairpin.
'Holy... How can she be so beautiful just by doing that?' he thought, not even blinking.
She noticed his stare after a while and smiled. "Yes?"
He saw that beautiful smile and that’s all it took for him to fall in love with her all over again. Now she probably would always come into his dream.
"He's hypnotized by your beauty, what else?" Gahyeon chimed in, making him flustered as she walked past them, climbing the stairs first.
JiU giggled, displaying the cutest eye smile ever, killing me on the spot. "Ah~ Is that so? Thanks."
He was about to stutter his reply again when Gahyeon stepped in for the second time and she looked annoyed.
"Can you please stop flirting for 5 minutes! You make a lot of single people out there jealous." She crossed her arms and stomped up, leaving them.
"Hahaha, the baby is angry. Let's go before she gets louder."
He gestured for her to go first and when she did, he followed close behind.
JiU was an important asset for Baphomet and if this case has anything to do with them, he needed to keep an eye on her all the time.
This time, he wouldn't be careless. He already lost one person who cares about him and that is enough, there wouldn't be a second time.
On the other hand, he absolutely had no idea that JiU thought the same as him.
He was hunted by their enemies and she protects him not because of that, she protects him because he is precious to her.
*****
Cut! Have you guys heard Handong's Special Clip? I am addicted to her voice and to remind you guys, she has a freaking cute cat! Thank you for reading.
Dream out.