Veiled Echoes

C H A P T E R 21

took a while but im back!

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HANA

It felt almost impossible to remove the grin creeping on my face. Not only that but knowing the reason behind the grin made me smile even more.

It didn't make it better that Johan had been staring at me for the past five minutes with a soft frown pinching his brows.

"You're...you're scaring me, Noona," he muttered, placing his small hands on my forehead.

I leaned back, tying the final knot of his shoelace, and then flicked his forehead. The furrow of his brows deepened and he wrinkled his nose. I mimicked him. It seemed to irk him further as he puffed his cheeks and walked only a step ahead of me.

His dramatic silent treatment followed us all the way into the elevator and down to the entrance of our apartment complex. But the moment the glass door slid open and we stepped into the world outside, Johan's small, gloved fingers found my pinky, and he moved a little closer.

A smile made its way to my face as we walked down our street.

It was a beautiful day today.

After yesterday's relentless rain that nearly flooded the streets, today's sunlight glistened off the pavements and the few stubborn leaves still clinging to the trees. The scent of rain dew—mixed with the faint pollution that always lingered—wafted into my nose, and I breathed it in like comfort.

It struck me then: today was truly impeccable. The kind of day where I felt like I could run a marathon if I had to.

Even Johan, who had been under the weather lately, was humming a cheerful tune under his breath, his bright eyes soaking in everything around us. If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't have even stepped a foot outside, knowing I had less than two weeks to complete my thesis and submit it.

However, knowing myself, I'd end up disassociating under the stress and let my mind wander off. Particular to what happened yesterday and the unexpected turn of events.

Instinctively, my fingers touched my lips—like it had done multiple times since Aiden and I parted yesterday—and a giddy feeling bloomed beneath my ribcage. If I had been home, I'd drop myself on my bed and giggle into my pillow. Just like how I had done in less than 24 hours.

I schooled my features; I couldn't expose myself like this out in public—even though no one had even batted their eyelash in our direction.

We turned a corner, entering the mainroad and then into the street that was adorned with Christmas decorations. Johan beamed up at me, a new-found sparkle in his eyes as stared at the cute decorations on display of each stores.

The Mid-November had stirred a new kind of excitement in the air. People who had seemd a little dimmer just a few days ago now walked with a renewed energy, their steps lighter as Christmas karols played from every speaker of the restaurants we walked past.

The shops were more decorated than usual, windows glowing with fairy lights and garlands. Everywhere I looked, people carried bag after bag of wrapped gifts and holiday treasures.

And somehow, watching it all—the music, the lights, the laughter—only made the joy blooming in my chest burn a little brighter.

"Can I buy something?" He asked softly, his voice barely audible, but I caught the shape of his word.

I nodded and couldn't help smiling back at him when a grin split his lips. Johan walked slightly ahead of me now, his little beanied head bobbing to some silent tune and I followed him.