Chapter 157：Somehow Alike

"Hey, speak up," Shannara said and Kreiss just looked at her the moment he found some matches.

"You'd understand soon," he said as he kept the matches in his pocket.

Shannara sighed, giving up on the topic. "Fine. Now let's hurry up before Sheloah gets harmed," she said and this made Kreiss raise a brow at her.

'She likes Veon but she's more concered about Sheloah? Why's that?"

Kreiss suddenly spoke. "Why are you so concerned about her?"

Shannara scoffed then answered. "None of your business, Mr. Kidnapper," she said as she walked past Kreiss, leaving him behind. Kreiss caught up with her in just two strides then he suddenly held her wrist.

"It's just a simple question. Why can't you answer," he said and Shannara already felt irritated by this point.

"Are you kidding me," she said as she violently shook her arm for Kreiss to let go. "This is pointless, we have other things to do," Shannara said sharply and when Kreiss looked at her, he was surprised to see her wet eyes.

He was stunned for a moment. There were tears rolling down from her eyes down to her cheeks. Shannara was forcing herself to stop crying.

The girl used her free hand to wipe her tears away aggressively and seeing her like this, made Kreiss awkward and guilty for forcing answers from a person he's not close with.

"I'm sorry," Kreiss apologized and Shannara looked at him sharply.

"I fell in love."

Her words had taken Kreiss aback. He did not expect her to say something like this. He felt that he was already invading Shannara's personal feelings so he felt guilty and wanted to stop.

"Shannara, I'm sorry, you don't need to—"

"I fell in love with a guy I was close with ever since we were kids. We parted for a while and only now did we see each other again. Cliché, right?" The girl laughed but there was sadness in her eyes. She continued speaking.

"I fell in love with my childhood friend. But little did I know that he got close with another girl. Turned out that the girl and I are friends, too. You can guess the next one: she likes the guy that I like, too," she added and when the girl furrowed her brows because of frustration, Kreiss knew now where this is going.

"Don't you see? Sheloah is the girl I'm friends with. Veon's the guy we both like," she said finally and this made Kreiss quiet.

Shannara shook her head. "You wouldn't understand. You don't even have to understand. No one could understand anyway," she said and when the girl was about to walk away, she was stopped by Kreiss.

"I get you."

Shannara's eyes doubled in size. She looked at the boy behind her with curiosity.

"I exactly get what you're saying," he said and the girl just stared at him. "You just couldn't give up. Even if you told yourself that it's pointless, you just couldn't let go," he added and his words hit her heart where it hurts.

"Kreiss, just… who are you?"

They both knew that they understood each other well in just a sudden encounter. Even without Kreiss telling her his story, he knew that Shannara would understand.

Kreiss fell in love with Sheloah the moment she inspired him to fight for his dreams. He hadn't seen her in years and now that he did, he realized he really fell for her. Kreiss wanted to know if Veon felt the same way and even if he denied it, Kreiss knew that Veon felt something for Sheloah.

From Shannara's story, Kreiss knew from the start that Veon and Sheloah were happy with each other and that both he and Shannara are out of it.

Kreiss also decided to give up on his feelings at one point but now that she's in front of him, how could he even do that? Sheloah influenced most of his choices and a lot of what ifs—possibilities kept popping in his mind.

He just couldn't forget that person… he couldn't forget that love.

"I tell myself all the time to just let it go, but knowing the person's right there? I just can't," Kreiss mumbled to himself and Shannara's cold eyes warmed up to him.

They realized that they understood each other completely.

"I can't forget that person… I can't forget that love."

The moment Shannara said this, Kreiss was taken aback because he just thought of the same thing. He felt like Shannara had just read his mind and had said it out loud.

Shannara walked away, with the materials needed at hand, leaving Kreiss behind. Kreiss was left for a few seconds before he walked down, following Shannara.

'Trying to forget a person is like trying to remember someone you've never met.'