Chapter 264 - § KRAIG §

CHAPTER 011

It was almost midnight and it was raining hard outside. The cold breeze draped against her skin causing Yanarym to regain her consciousness. She sat on her bed and roamed her eyes across her darkroom then yawned. "The weather is going along with me," she mumbled under her breath and after stretching her arms and legs. "It's time to work," everyone in the house was already fast asleep, as Guide-sama had said, so she freely took a stroll outside.

She let herself soak in the rain as she cried her eyes out. She kept on walking and walking and walking until she arrived in front of someone's house. She grinned maniacally. She had never thought revenge would be this thrilling. Sat beside the house, making sure she would be in her most pitiful appearance. She had this all laid out and would strategize for further advancement once she was done with her business in this place. For now, she was ready, she needed to get this man in her grasp. 

She began to sneeze and shiver wildly as the cold started to penetrate through her skin and bones. She signaled Guide-sama to assist her as she made sure she was prepared to commence her first move. After all, she would be facing the one who effortlessly fooled everyone that he was a 'good' guy.

The door creaked as it was being pulled open, revealing Kraig. He was dumbfounded when he caught sight of her. Considering his heavy panting, he must have run to get here. She looked straight into his eyes while the rain grew stronger. She didn't even blink an eye; she just sat there crying. Let's see how phony you are. Yanarym jeered. 

KRAIG was feeling drained. He wanted to sleep but he couldn't. He was too occupied by the occurrence today, he just couldn't get his mind off it. He sat beside his window assuming he might get sleepy. However, it just stimulated his consciousness when he saw a woman wearing a familiar yellow dress sitting outside his house. He recognized who that woman was, before he knew it, he found himself running downstairs to confirm his initial guess. He was right, it was her. 

"W-What the… What are you doing here?" The woman who caused him a sleepless night tonight was still not done making more surprises for him. "Rym?"

"I-I… I'm s-so-sorry…" she confided with her feeble voice, sobbing as she wept. Kraig curiously examined her from head to toe. "I d-didn't mean w-what I s-said… I'm s-so-sorry…" she had the same outfit she wore in school today. She was completely soaked and her skin was exposed to harsh cold rain. He shouldn't be pleased she appeared before him looking so pathetic. But why am I so happy? Kraig was baffled, he was delighted? 

Her skin was pale and her lips were grayish blue from the cold, while her nose and eyes were red from too much crying. She was shaking hard as she embraced herself with her bare arms. She was way different from how fierce she was at the confrontation at the field. 

Kraig knew it. She would not be able to move on from him, he almost believed she could yet it appeared that she couldn't. 

He blinked his eyes, still unable to believe himself for feeling pleased with his conjectures. "What are you doing here? Are you sitting in the rain all this time?" She didn't reply. "—Rym!" He yelled, she almost collapsed on the mud but he caught her. Kraig clamped his lips together. He then took her inside, lit up the fireplace with just a snap of his finger, placed her in front of it, and left her for a second.

She was comfortably sitting at the fireplace trying to make herself warm when Kraig returned with a bunch of things. He gently put the mug beside her and placed the rest on her side. He couldn't deny it anymore. Indeed, it was very upsetting to see her but a part of him was pleased to think that she was here and seemed to be regretting everything she had done earlier. It signified she hadn't moved on from him, right? 

"Since when were you sitting outside my house?" He asked calmly. Again, no answer. She only grabbed the mug and took a sip. Kraig didn't take his eyes off her. "I'm asking you, Rym." Slightly raising his voice, she flinched, almost spilling her chocolate but Kraig somewhat used his magic to prevent it from happening. 

He sighed and rubbed his temples. She couldn't talk right now, she may not be in her rightful mind. How could she stay outside in that weather? It was so cold and the rain was too harsh! She was not wearing anything to insulate her. I won't be surprised if she'll have a fever tomorrow, he deduced. Subconsciously made the fire bigger to dry her faster. In the first place… why did she even wait for him at his back door? Is she stupid? If you're going to see me at least notify me, Kraig grumbled. He peered at her slender trembling arms, her colors were not returning; she was still as pale as a blank sheet of paper. 

He was thinking about how he would send her home with such a heavy rainstorm. Out of the blue, he heard her sobbing. She was hugging her knees close to her chest, crying. Is she sorry about it that much? To do this extend? If she had not attempted to hurt Tiana they wouldn't have reached this far… I only hurt you back to teach you a lesson. I didn't expect you to snap. He sighed and pushed his white plain shirt towards her. 

"Change your clothes first. I'll cook porridge for you." He said before walking straight to the kitchen.

With no Kraig insight, Yanarym grinned as she wiped her tears away. She used the towels to dry herself before changing into the clothes he had given her. And then she sat closer to the fire to feel warmer. This is not as hard as I thought it would turn out, she sipped her drink and looked at the fire. He was treating her so much better than she anticipated. 

After a while, Kraig came back with the porridge he promised and Yanarym ate it without saying a word. He squatted down, facing her, and watched her gobble his dish. 

A smile formed from his lips seeing her enjoying every spoon of his cooking. Discerning his thoughts, he promptly shifted his attention somewhere else then saw her clothes on the floor. Without lifting an arm, he used his ability to tidy those garments. Almost freaked out when he saw her underwear with the wet dress. That means she was not wearing anything but his shirt...

"Thank you," he recovered his senses when she spoke, and veered in her direction. "And sorry for causing you some trouble." She had finished the porridge and was currently playing with the tiger's fur that she was sitting on. She looked embarrassed and uncomfortable. 

Was it because he saw her behaving strangely at the field earlier… After witnessing her as a cold, intimidating smart woman. He found her shy and modest attitude as of this moment so—adorable. 

"How long have you been outside?" Kraig asked, she looked up to him and she looked away again and bit her lips, and chose to answer him with silence. "Why are you sorry? Surely, it's not about your disruption of my night's rest." 

"...sorry." She bowed her head lower than before. 

"I don't want to hear you apologize, I want answers to my questions, Rym." She played with her fingers instead of answering him. Silence reigned between them; only the crackling of the fireplace could be heard as well as the loud drizzle of the rain from outside. 

"I should call your mother to fetch you—"

"Wait!" She stopped him from standing and caught his hand. She stared at him with some tenderness in her eyes, "I'll talk, don't s-send me home." He felt her icy, soft palms, and she immediately let go of his skin before she could warm it up. He returned to sitting and kept on gazing at her.

"How long have you been outside?" 

"Since… I left the academy." Kraig was surprised, she left earlier than everyone. Also, he doubted that she was here by that time but wasn't sure about it. It was past midnight if she had been here since that time—then…

"Why?" Kraig asked grimly, he remembered. 

When she said she moved on, it was very convincing. Her mocking smile, indignant eyes, and her arrogant voice. Those images of her kept on flashing as he closed his eyes. Even though he did not intend to recall—her voice persisted to wring in his ears. She felt so genuine at that time. If she'd say all that, why was she here being like this? To gain his sympathy? To attain his affection? To compete with Tiana? His lips formed into an angry line.. I don't like it, Rym.