Talk To Me

21. Let Us End This

Todo had been tirelessly involved in the search for Wale, but after a week of looking, they were no closer to finding her since Wale had always been a dab hand at hide-and-seek as Kind had explained to everyone, but they were hardly children anymore. Wale couldn't just vanish into thin air, could he? According to Todo's sources, Wale hadn't left the country, so that narrowed things down somewhat, but where on earth had she gone?

As a child, Wale used to slip away to her parents' house whenever something scared her. It used to send Uncle Frank into a frantic panic, and Kind would often help look for her. Kind found himself wondering how utterly isolated Wale must have felt back then. After her parents' deaths and no one in the family wanted to take her in, not unless they could get their hands on her parents' assets, of course. But no such luck there. Even when Wale was eighteen, there was no easy access to the inheritance. Each relative who took her in promptly sent her back to Uncle Frank when they realised the responsibilities outweighed the financial benefits.

The last time Wale disappeared, they found her at her parents' graves, fast asleep. It must have been desperately lonely. Uncle Frank, at his wit's end, had begged Kind's parents to let Kind stay with Wale for a while, hoping his presence might help. It had been a hard time. Wale was plagued by nightmares, often screaming out in her sleep. When she woke, she'd beg Kind not to leave her. For weeks, she barely spoke a word, and Kind, in his quiet, steadfast way, made a promise: he'd stay by Wale's side forever if only she'd start talking again.

Wale on the other hand wasn't the trusting sort, but after a while, the nightmares eased, and she began speaking once more. That pact cemented something between them, and from then on, Kind became fiercely protective of his friend.

In school, Wale always stood apart. She didn't want to mix with anyone, especially when it came to girls. The more she shied away from people, the more of an outcast she became. Kind, on the other hand, threw himself into sports. If he could become popular, perhaps no one would dare pick on Wale. The plan worked, for Kind became popular enough that everyone eventually grew curious about Wale too. Soon, the boys took notice, constantly asking if Wale had a boyfriend. It gave Kind a strange, bittersweet feeling, watching Wale come into her own wright.

Kind's sixteenth birthday party had been a turning point of sorts. His parents threw him a grand celebration, and naturally, Wale was right there beside him. Among the mountain of gifts was one that stood out: a pink envelope. Inside was a love letter, addressed to Kind. Wale, of course, thought it was hilarious and read it aloud with an absurd amount of dramatic flair. The letter was full of heartfelt declarations, promises of a shared future, of undying love. Kind had felt a flush of heat rise through his body. Part of him wanted Wale to stop reading, but another part of him, deep down, wanted her to carry on.

Earlier that year, Kind had developed a crush on one of the girls from another sports team, only to discover that she had a boyfriend. Kind had never dared confess his feelings, such things weren't exactly accepted in between students. As he grew older, Kind found himself thinking more about Wale and less about that girl, and Wale's habit of creeping into his room after nightmares, crawling into bed beside him didn't make any better for him. Kind would listen to the sound of her breathing, feeling the steady rhythm of her heartbeat. Whenever Wale stirred in her sleep, Kind would hold her close and whisper, "It's okay, go back to sleep." Afterwards, Wale always settled almost instantly.

In retrospect, Kind couldn't help but wonder: if Wale had written that love letter, would he have said yes?

But as time went on, Wale shot up in height and became the centre of attention once again. Guys flocked to her, and Kind quietly stepped back, giving her the space she seemed to need. Puberty had been less kind to Kind on the other hand for his face erupted in acne, and Wale, ever the joker, never missed a chance to tease him about it. By the time they graduated, however, Kind's skin had cleared, and he was just about the same height as Wale. He'd started working out, hoping Wale might notice, but Wale was always busy trying to set him up with girls. That's when Swalha and Cherry entered the picture.

Kind was pulled out of his thoughts by a gentle tap on his temple. Todo stood over him, concern etched on his face. "I'm sorry," Kind said, rubbing his forehead. "I got lost in thought."

Todo bent down to kiss him. "We've had some new information," she said. "Wale got in touch with my team. He wants the search to stop, saying he'll come back on one condition. You have to join her at her hidden location."

Kind studied Todo's face. He could see how much she was holding back, how much this was eating at her. She must really love Kind to even suggest such a thing.

Kind stood up, pulling her into an embrace. "Thank you, Todo, but Wale is no longer my responsibility. Let's talk to Swalha and Cherry so we can let them know she's been found."

"Except," Todo said, her voice tight with frustration, "we haven't actually found her. Wale's been careful and she's using public transportation, paying in cash, and her phone is untraceable. She's also got people helping her. My sources say Wale didn't contact them directly. It was someone named Frank who has been asking after you on Wale's behalf."

Kind felt a surge of fatigue himself. Why hadn't he thought of Uncle Frank sooner? Wale had always stayed in touch with him. "Todo," he said softly, "you've done more than enough. You should get some rest."

Todo shook her head, placing her arms around Kind's waist and resting her chin on his shoulder. "I'll rest when this is all over. Besides, I've got a quick trip I need to make. It'll only take a day or two. When I get back, I'll sleep. Promise."

They stood there in silence, both of them lost in thought. Todo was good at hiding her worries though, but Kind could feel it in the way she held him. This whole ordeal had been keeping them both awake at night. It had to end sooner.

An hour later, Todo was on her way to the airport. As the car sped through the streets, her mind was preoccupied with the future. She'd grown so attached to Kind, but Wale's sudden reappearance was unsettling everything. Something had to give. Soon, she'd confront Wale and settle things once and for all. Kind was hers, and she wasn't about to let anyone, or anything change that.

Just before the plane took off, Todo pulled out her phone. The call rang for ages before someone picked up. "I'll be landing in half an hour. I hope you're ready to keep your end of the deal. We're ending this today."