Star-crossed: A Game Of Fate

Chapter 11: Bringing Home A Stray Cat

"Get in," said Leyon, opening the door to his apartment.

Hikari slowly limped inside barefoot, holding her pair of heels in one hand. She heard a soft click from behind as the door was closed. The light bulb flickered at least two times before the room was fully illuminated. Hikari scoured the room with her eyes, studying every detail she could possibly find. It didn't turn out to be either an extravagant room or an ordinary apartment room like she had expected. To think a person could survive living in a cramped place like this was beyond her level of comprehension.

The room was extremely tiny. The bedroom, the kitchen, the bathroom, as well as the living room were typically combined into a single space. On top of that, it was horrifyingly messy. The guy probably didn't care anything about hygiene. Was this person really Leyon?

There were clothes strewn all over the floor and on the bed. The room didn't even have any space for a chair. What seemed to be his school books were all jammed into a wooden shelf that also had clothes hung all over it. A person had to squeeze in to get between the bed and the wardrobe. Unwashed dishes, empty cups of instant noodles, and other packets of junk food were scattered on top of the kitchen counter. The dustbin was overflowing; it looked like the trash hadn't been taken out in ages. The room was slowly turning into a breeding ground for insects and other harmful bacteria.

Hikari almost wanted to gag at the awful stench that was lingering in the air. The smell of wet clothes mixed with dirty ones gave off an intense odour that would make anyone entering that room run away at the drop of a hat. But Hikari was different. Living with her alcoholic father for more than seventeen years had taught her a lesson or two about these things, so she wasn't at all intimidated by the horrible condition of his room. Instead, she sympathised with the unknown stranger. All those years, it seemed he had nobody to take care of him, nobody to rely on.

"Hey? Do you regret coming here? Want to go back?" Hikari heard the stranger ask. She immediately turned to look at him, and their eyes locked. Those eyes of his were so distant. Hikari then noticed something. Due to the bright light illuminating the room, she could see it even more clearly as she looked at him. There, running down the left side of his temple was a faint scar. There was no doubt about it. He must've gotten that scar from his encounter with her father back in the past. There was no way she could be wrong. But then, why was it that he looked so identical, yet so different from the Leyon in the past? Could she have mistaken him after all?

This person, no matter how many times Hikari looked at him, reminded her of Leyon but that cold, inexpressive gaze he held, looked and felt so different from her Leyon, who always used to smile whenever he saw her in the past. She did not recognise this person at all. Nevertheless, she was not going to give up, not until she fully confirmed his identity, not until she proved he was not the Leyon she was searching for.

Giving him a warm smile, Hikari tore her gaze away from him and stepped further inside, coming to the centre of his room. With the heels out of the way, her feet felt a lot lighter. Walking was a little difficult, but she was grateful that her ankle wasn't broken.

"Wait... Have we met before?"

Hikari stood frozen on the spot, hearing those words. Her heart beat rapidly inside her chest, and she fought back her thoughts from running wild. Was he Leyon? Did he recognise her? Did he remember her?

"Nevermind. It must be my imagination. Anyway, suit yourself," Hikari heard him say and her heart immediately dropped. She went and settled down on the floor at the small coffee table beside his bed. Right after she sat down, a loud growl erupted from her stomach.

"Are you hungry?" Leyon asked and Hikari immediately hid her face in shame. "I don't have anything good to offer you, but there might be some instant noodles in the kitchen. I'll go heat up the water for you."