~*~
Hendery stared at me with his eyebrows knitted together.
"Hendery," I began to say.
"Do you know how worried we were?" He immediately said.
"I uh..." I trailed off.
"What were you doing in the Dark Forest?" Hendery demanded.
"I—"
"Why would you do something like that?" he asked, slowly and surprisingly in a calm manner.
"Hendery," I said under my breath. "Calm down."
"Calm down?—" He breathed in. "That was reckless of you, you don't know what's out there."
"Yeah, you're right, I don't." I replied. "I don't know anything, because you guys don't telling me anything..."
Hendery sighed. "What is it?"
"What?" I said in annoyance.
"There's something bothering you, just tell me."
I glared at him, giving him the are you kidding? face. "What happened last night in the balcony? Why aren't you saying anything and keep avoiding to talk about it?"
Hendery pursed his lips, "what do you want me to say?"
"I don't know, you just don't go around kissing me and then wanted us to pretend that we don't know each other and then danced with me— I know you were confused, and maybe not in your right mind but, that isn't fair for me—"
Then he attacked me by locking his lips with mine. This time, he held the back of my neck to pull me closer to him.
I pulled away and breathed in sharply.
"Don't ever run away like that." He whispered while our foreheads were on each other's. "Just come to me when you have something in mind."
"Did Victor tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"About why I ran off like that?" I said, not meeting his eyes.
"I want you to tell me yourself, why did you run away?"
Part of me is relieved, because I really don't wanna talk about it. Taeyong did something to make me feel better and I don't want to talk about it only to recall what the feeling was like before.
"I— I can't."
Hendery brushed his fingers from my shoulder all the way down to grab my hand. It made me shivered.
I hated it, because it was making me crazy.
"I don't want you to be alone."
"I know," I said under my breath.
"We can't go eat dinner."
"Why not?"
"We need to do something about that." Hendery said, pointing to his face while looking at the cut on my cheek.
~
I looked at the mirror that was right next to the row of beds in the infirmary.
My face was covered with nasty scars and cuts, so were my arms, and legs. I dabbed the cut on my cheek with a towel I soaked with warm water. It stunk like hell and it made me flinch.
"Let me help you."
I saw Hendery's reflection behind me. He slowly took the soaked towel that was in my grip and made me turn around to face him. I watched him soak the towel with more water and squeezed it so it wasn't dripping. He slowly, gently tapped on a wound that was on my cheek.
I cringed so hard due to the stinging pain.
"I'm sorry." Hendery said.
"No, don't be."
"Lucas should be here in a few minutes." He said.
"Lucas?"
"The doctor— substitute doctor. He has mastered the art of healing from the Northern Water Tribe at the age of 16. He is my good friend and is also a very good healer." Hendery said.
"What happened to the real doctor?" I asked.
"He has to go back to his hometown to clear out some business."
It was so odd to see Hendery acting up like this. Before we got here he seemed fine, maybe a bit worried about me, but now he seemed like he was avoiding to meet my eyes.
I gripped his wrist, stopping him from treating me. Yet he still was not meeting my eyes.
"Something is clearly bothering you that you aren't telling me about."
His jaw tightened, "I told you to drop this—I am fine. You have nothing to worry about." He said, like he was threatening me more than making me relieved.
I loosened my grip on his wrist and let him resume.
I needed to talk to Jaehyun. I think I might've known about what's really happening here.
We heard someone cleared his throat and we immediately stepped further away from each other.
"Lucas," Hendery said, his mood seemed to be better.
He walked to Lucas and gave him a quick hug.
Lucas just smiled at Hendery and didn't say anything afterwards. He was tall and his dark hair was pushed back perfectly. He walked over to me and probably was scanning what was wrong with me.
His big bulging eyes finally met mine. "Hi there. I'm Lucas, and you are?"
I stared at him for quite sometime, and hated myself for doing that. "I'm Juli."
His eyes wandered to every inch of my face. "This should be easy and quick. May I ask what happened to you?" He said as he was guiding me to sit on one of the nearest beds.
"I ran... to the Dark Forest."
"For what? A morning jog?" Lucas said as he placed a big bowl of water on the side table.
Hendery snickered.
"Long story." I looked away from him.
Lucas smiled to himself. "Sorry, may I?" He was asking a permission to examine me and I nodded as a yes.
He cupped my chin gently and tilted my face. I couldn't help but to study his face too. His darker skin complexion was flawless, almost making me jealous. He was so tall that he was towering over me. His eyes were big and beautiful.
He let go of my face and took a step back. He let out a small vial and it made a plop sound as he pulled the cover open. He did a grabbing motion and glowing water was coming out of the vial.
"Relax, this is a spirit water I got from—" He stopped himself. "Doesn't matter, you need this."
"Why would she need a spirit water just to heal her cuts?" Hendery said as he was leaning his side against the wall.
"They're not just cuts, they're rich of dark energy."
"What does that even mean?"
Both of the men just looked at me like they were trying to tell me something, but decided not to.
"What?" I said to the both of them.
"I have to get those dark energy off of you, so your spirit is not corrupted by it." Lucas said gravely.
"What happens if it does?"
"You will be driven to madness, and want nothing but destruction. You just simply want other to suffer because it satisfies you." Hendery said, like he was speaking out of experience.
I looked at Lucas, hoping he would say more.
"May I?" He said.
I nodded slightly, and he cupped my chin again.
He navigated the water to my face and it covered my entire face except for my nostrils and eyes.
It stunk a bit for a few seconds then the water glowed on my face.
Is this the power of waterbending? The light from the water lit up Lucas' face like he was somekind of a god who's shining on me. I looked away from his eyes uncomfortably.
"That should do the trick." He said as the water vanished from my face as if my face absorbed it.
Lucas abruptly looked up from my face to the entrance behind me.
"Ah, Jaehyun. What a surprise. Can I help you with anything?"
Jaehyun?
I turned my head around to where Lucas was looking at. Jaehyun stood there with an impassive face and was facing Hendery.
"The President requested for your presence at Dinning Hall." He said.
I heard Hendery let out a heavy sigh. "Alright."
My focus shifted to Hendery who was already looking at me. He looked like he wanted to say something but he eventually didn't, and walked away.
He stopped just before he got out of the entrance and looked over his shoulder, "Jaehyun, can I ask you for a favor?"
"What is it?" Jaehyun casually replied.
"Can you make sure Juli got to her room safely?"
"That's ridiculous why would I be—"
"Can you?" Hendery ignored my remark.
"Yeah, sure, whatever." Jaehyun shrugged.
"Thank you."
And with that, Hendery disappeared.
"Come on, Dummy." He turned around ready to storm off. "See ya around, Lucas."
I scowled.
Why am I stuck with him again?
~
I couldn't stop thinking that we actually kissed earlier today.
This guy, who looks like he would beat up a kid without hesitation actually has the heart to carry me to the infirmary. Even kiss me just to distract me.
"Jaehyun," I called his name.
He stopped on his track and turned around to face me with both hands inside his pockets and a judging look.
I had to let out a sigh seeing his face, "you helped me already. I don't think you walking me to my room is necessary."
"I can't let you do anymore stupid stuff." He simply said.
I knitted my eyebrows together and scowled. "Excuse me, you know nothing about what I've been dealing with."
My nose bumped into his chest because he turned around and stopped on his track.
"No one, no one, would go to the Dark Forest. You're lucky you came across Taeyong who helped you get out safely." He said.
I looked at him, a bit confused. Why did he sound like he was so disappointed in me? Why would he care this much?
"I don't know much about this place, I didn't know even know that area was such a big deal, to have caused everyone having a heart attack, okay?"
"I thought you had Hendery and Yuta showing you around? Unless they didn't mention about the dangerous area—"
I kept staring at the floor. Jaehyun was right, they mentioned nothing about the dangerous of this place. So I kinda had nothing to say against him.
"I'm sure they only did that because they don't want you to know about those places and keep you away from danger. But not me." He said. "In the basement, there is a room next to a Restraining Chamber which is locked. Some students managed to unlock it and get in because they know what is inside."
"What is inside?"
"Mirror of Erised. It will show not your reflection but it will show you things your heart most desires. People have gone mad after seeing things from that awful mirror. Some people also starved themselves to death standing and watching the mirror for as long as their bodies can tolerate."
"Have you ever seen it?
"As much as I am so tempted to, I won't. And so should you." He simply said. "You know about the Dark Forest already. It is like a pool of negative and dark energy that will corrupt your soul. And lastly, the Maze at our garden."
I looked up in surprise. Did he mean the one that I and Hendery went through?
"Only a few people remember the way to navigate out of the maze. Hendery is one of them."
"Do you know?"
"I don't."
"Then how do you go to Lotus City?"
"Like any normal people do, through the passageway next to our school."
Hendery never told me about that. What if I wanted to see my brothers so bad that I didn't wanna wait for him to go with me? What if I ended up getting lost in the maze. Why would he never told me anything dangerous so that I can avoid getting into trouble?
"Thank you."
Jaehyun raised his eyebrows over his shoulder at me.
"Thank you for telling me."
"And I trust you to not go to those places, again. That's the reason why I told you about those places."
"I won't."
"Sorry for what happened earlier."
"For what?" I asked, confused.
"For uhm... kissing you without your consent. I really didn't know what to do and honestly I was in panic-"
"There's no need for apology, I should be the one who thank you." I said as we stood outside of my room, finally.
"Speaking of which, why were you there in the President's office?"
"It's none of your business." I said, quietly.
"Very well." He said.
What?? That't it? Is there something wrong with him? Why wasn't he insisting answers from me like he usually did? Why is he... so nice??
"Alright. Good night, Juli. See you around."
I watched him as he walked away and eventually disappeared to turn to another hallway.
I thought that he was possessed, or something. That was not the Jaehyun I knew from that night at Lotus City. I guess I really didn't know much about that guy.
I opened the door to my room and stepped inside. I put my robe on the hanger and walked over to my bed.
Jennie were laying on her bed with her head hanging on the side, facing me as I walked. Her body was so petite and slim, it was like she was becoming one with the bed. It almost got me a heart attack because I thought her head was flying upside down.
"Oh hi, dear roommate. Did you have fun with Hendery?" She smirked.
"What do you mean?" I raised an eyebrow at her.
"Jisoo was wondering what taking you two so long and I just told her that you were probably having some priva—"
"Whoa whoa, slow down there, gurl. He brought me to the infirmary to get my cuts healed and get dark energy off of me. And then he left and I was with Jaehyun."
Jennie immediately got up from her awkward position and stared at me, cringing. "Am I expecting beautiful brunette fire babies soon? But from who though..."
I almost choked on my own saliva, "Jennie—"
"I mean both of them are cute, but you know what? I prefer Jaehyun... wait no, I don't want your babies to be cold and have a temper like that guy. Hendery is pretty— wait he's a bit creepy."
"I thought you hated those guys."
Jennie pressed her lips into a straight line. "You're right, they're the least of my favourite individuals in this place, but it doesn't mean that I have the right to limit who you should or shouldn't be friends with."
My thoughts was suddenly filled with Hendery. Was that a confession earlier?
"Hendery kissed me."
I didn't know why I told her that. I wanna punch myself in the face for doing that.
"Wait... I thought Jaehyun did..."
"That was another story... Jaehyun didn't kiss me because he wanted to—"
"WAIT!!" Jennie stood up and stepped closer to me as I stepped away from her. "So you kissed both of them??"
"I didn't! They did!"
"Oh my gods, Juli. this is only your first day of school."
"I know!"
"Why do you think Hendery kissed me twice? Is he—"
"He kissed you twice!" Jennie held her chest as if it was in pain. "And you're wondering why!"
"We barely know each other."
"Juli, you dumb dumb." She said and I narrowed my eyes at the name she called me. "Why are you making it so complicated? If he did that, it only means he likes you."
"Why would he like a person like me?"
"Honey, you are so cute. You are tough, you have a... strong personality..."
If I let her continue, this will be Jennie struggling to compliment me for a minute straight.
I snickered at her comment, "thanks, Jennie."
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder right? Those guys are clearly interested in you, it's just the matter of how you would return their feelings or not."
"I barely know them!"
"Just give it some time. Unless they're making you uncomfortable, just call me and I will kick both of their ugly asses!" Jennie said and it made me feel better.
We both laughed about it.
"Anyway. You should try to sleep as soon as you clean up. Tomorrow, I heard that you will be attending your first ever fire bending class."
~*~
A/N:
HELLO EVERYONE!
I AM OFFICIALLY BACK!
It's getting so cold in my area and I hate it 😩
SO yeah. THANK YOU GUYS AND SEE YOU IN THE NEXT CHAPTERS. CHEERS!