Chapter 32: Chapter 32

Kyle’s Bluetooth earphones are missing.

He searched every corner of the boarding house, but he could not find it. There’s only one place that he hasn’t searched for yet. And that is the school library. The last time he used his earphones was when he read books in the library.

Fear that it might get lost if he would not look for it as soon as possible. Although Kyle has the capability to buy new, the earphones have sentimental value to him. It is because that is the first gift his younger brother gave to him.

Therefore, Kyle woke up at 5 o’clock in the morning.

When he arrived at the school, the gate was still closed.

Kyle isn’t the kind of a person who loves ignoring rules. He never rode a motorcycle without a helmet. He makes sure he crosses the pedestrian lane. But for the first time in his life, he felt the need to violate the school rules.

Kyle is desperate. The Bluetooth earphones are quite expensive, so if someone picks them up, he’s certain that his earphones will be gone forever. So, Kyle climbed up onto the school gate.

He did not know that he would soon regret this.

Kyle arrived at the library. Fortunately, the earphones are still there!

He quickly grabbed it back and put it inside his bag. Then when he walked out of the library, he saw a pink bunny keychain on the floor.

“This is familiar to me,” he uttered.

He remembered that Ryan has the same keychain hanging on her bag.

‘Did she drop this too?’

“I will give this back. If this is not hers, then I will ask the radio club to make an announcement.”

Making an announcement for just a bunny keychain?

That’s how upright Kyle is. If only he did not climb onto the gate, he could be the kindest student in this school.

Kyle put the keychain inside his pocket and continued on his way out. He still did not have his breakfast so he planned to go to the cafeteria soon. He cannot climb onto the gate again, in fear that the guard might catch him.

Speaking of climbing the gate, Kyle saw a woman climbing onto the same gate.

He froze as he stared at the woman.

The stubborn lady hopped on the ground and was stunned to see Kyle.

With widened eyes, the two looked at each other.

“Ryan.”

“Kyle.”

After calling their names out, they pointed to each other and exclaimed the same question.

“What are you doing here?!/ Why did you climb onto the gate?!”

They used different words, but the meaning is the same.

Reeled at this awkward encounter, Kyle scratched his reddened nape.

“I d-dropped my earphones in the library. I sneaked in to get it back. And you? Why did you climb onto the gate?”

“It is because I also dropped something in the library.”

They looked at each other and ended up concluding one thing; and that is they both went against the rule.

In unison, they took deep breaths. They were about to speak again but…

“Hey! How did you get in!? Did the two of you climb onto the gate?!” the guard shouted from afar.

Kyle and Ryan both looked at the guard who was running towards their side.

They have many choices.

First, admit that they are wrong and then ask for forgiveness.

Second, they can run from the guard since he hasn’t clearly seen their faces yet.

If they are in their right minds, they know that choosing the first choice is the best. However, the adrenaline clouded their judgments. Instead of doing what is right, the two picked up their pace and ran away from the guard.

“Waaahh!” the two shouted while running.

They almost got separated from each other so Kyle grabbed her hand and pulled her along.

“Here Ryan!” Kyle guided me.

After the long chase, Kyle and Ryan arrived inside an empty room. Both of them were catching their breaths as they could feel the hard pounding of their chests.

Kyle looked at Ryan whose face was so red and filled with sweats.

“Just a moment ago,” Kyle uttered while breathing heavily. He gulped his saliva before continuing, “I picked up your keychain in the library.”

“R-Really?” Ryan gasped with a smile.

He pointed to his pocket while wiping his sweats, then said, “I put it here.”

Kyle got the keychain and happily gave it to the owner.

“Oh my gosh. I really thought I won’t see this again,” Ryan said in relief.

Now that he gave it back, Kyle thought it was now the time to think about their escape plan.

“What are we going to do, Ryan? The guard caught us.”

“I doubt he’ll recognize our faces. There are hundreds of students in this school. It’s so impossible for him to remember us.”

Kyle thought she had a point. But he still feels anxious about this.

“I couldn’t believe that someone like you would climb over the gate,” Ryan teased. “You don’t look like a rebel type.”

She sat down on the ground while still catching her breath.

Tired and disappointed, Kyle also sat down beside her.

“You don’t look like a rebel type either,” he said, chuckling.

They looked at each other and laughed silently.

30 minutes have passed.

The two of them are still waiting inside the empty room. If they go outside right now, there’s a huge possibility the guard would catch them.

“How was it?” Kyle broke the silence.

“What?”

“When you and Vincent attended the wedding together. How was it?”

“Well, just fine. I ate so much that I had a hard time digesting the food. Last night I farted a lot,” Ryan shared while caressing her tummy.

‘She really loves to eat,’ Kyle laughed inwardly.

He finds it cute that she’s willing to share things like this. But deep inside, he’s sad that Ryan feels too comfortable with him.

Sighing, Kyle looked up to the ceiling and tried to think of another thing. This time, Kyle thinks about Vincent.

Vincent wasn’t used to hanging out with women, or either talking with one. Thus, Kyle finds it odd that Vincent is doing his best to befriend Ryan.

‘What’s the use of thinking about different topics when it is all about Ryan too?’ Kyle realized.

Still, he asked her, “I am wondering why Vincent wanted to be with you all the time. Perhaps, he has a crush on you?”

Ryan burst out laughing after hearing Kyle’s guess.

“Pffft...! No way!” she declined. “Something just happened between us in the past. But the most important thing is that Vincent and I are now cool friends. At first, I was not comfortable with him because he was too mysterious. But now, I can figure out what kind of person he is. He will be a good friend.”

Kyle suddenly felt happy after hearing that. And he doesn’t know why.

He nodded his head and hummed, “Hmmm. I see.”

Then, when he lowered his gaze, Kyle noticed that Ryan’s shoelace was loosened.

“Ryan, your shoelace.”

“Ohhh. Right. Wait a mi.. Ahhh!”

“Ahhh!”

Both winced in pain. The two of them bowed their heads at the same time and bumped into each other.

“Ouch,” Ryan uttered while caressing her heart.

Kyle also caressed his head while laughing.

“Just let me do it,” he offered.

He went in front of her, kneeling down. Then, he started tying her shoelace.

While Kyle is busy tying the shoelace, Ryan stared at him

The stare made Kyle nervous that he couldn’t tie the lace properly.

“W-Wait a minute,” he stuttered while doing his best not to meet her eyes. “I will try it again,” he panicked, untying the lace again.

Ryan just smiled and thought how innocent Kyle is.

“You are so kind, Kyle,” she said.

He ceased his movements and painted a smile on his lips.

“I think I heard that a lot from you,” Kyle responded.

“I know. But I wanted to say it again. You are too perfect,” she said. “Sometimes you are overreacting. But that does not change the fact that you are so kind. Now, I am so curious why that b*tch…”

Kyle tossed a quick stare at Ryan when he heard her curse.

Seeing his stunned reaction, Ryan knew that she had to play it nice and calm. Or else, the innocent Kyle would die in shock.

“I m-mean,” she stuttered, “t-that girl before. I am curious why the hell she left you. I think she's not in her right mind to dump someone like you.”

Kyle lowered his gaze as he remembered that Ryan was talking about the girl who dumped Kyle in the middle of the rain.

When he lifted his eyes back to her and stared at her, Kyle felt solemnly nervous.

“Are you saying that just because I am your friend?” he asked with a faint smile.

“Kyle.”

“Hmmm?”

“I really wish that you can find someone you deserve. Someone who won’t hurt you like that.”

“If you were that woman, do you think you would dump me like that too?”

Kyle did not know what’s gotten into him when he asked this. It's just that right now, he suddenly wondered how lucky he would be if he dated Ryan instead of wasting her time dating women who only took him for granted.

Ryan’s eyes widened at his question. She was really surprised. Well, even Kyle got stunned too. He did not expect that he would have the courage to ask something like this.

“Are you asking me if I was the w-woman you dated and you l-loved, right?” Ryan made it clear so there won’t be a misunderstanding.

She’s not 100% right. But Kyle thought it might be best to just agree.

“Y-Yeah. Something like that.”

“Ahhhhh, I see,” Ryan uttered. “That question is hard to answer,” she said while scratching her nape.

“See that? You are not sure if I am really worth it.”

“N-No,” Ryan disagreed. “It is hard to answer your question because as of now, we are only friends. Maybe if…” She took a deep breath before continuing, “if I had to look at you as a man, then I would know that you are kind. And you deserve more.”

Kyle told himself that he had to stop himself from falling to a woman like Ryan. Because from the beginning, Ryan told them that she likes someone else, and that she’s waiting for that man.

However, whenever he’s listening to her sincere words, he just could not fool his heart.

It feels like he’s lost on a highway. No matter how many times he asked for help, no one dared to stop and help. Then when he was almost on the verge of giving up, a car stopped and the owner offered him help.

Kyle knew that Ryan was only being kind. She is like the stranger who offered him a free ride in the middle of the road.

However…

“You know, dude,” Ryan uttered. “Just always remember that even if those b*tches, I mean those undeserving women left you, Slyvester, Vincent and I are always here for you. So, cheer up! Ryan said then tapped his shoulder. “I felt guilty for bringing up that story. So, later, I will buy you a fried chicken. Okie dokie?”

Kyle smiled at her and nodded his head.

That’s right.

Even if Ryan only sees him as a friend, he has no choice but to admit it.

‘I like her. And the pit was so deep,’ he confessed to himself.