The Last Chapter ✔

Eleventh

Joong

I was trying to avoid Nine as much as I could although the result wasn't that satisfying yet I needed to put the distance for my own good.

"Nine careful." Pavel scolded him when he tried to jump over a rock.

Even Pavel had grown protective of him even though he barely even knew him, then again how much did I know to compete with Pavel?

But still probably this was it. It was natural to care for him, or feel like protecting him.

And I knew this was not all but I wanted to believe this, only this because other than this I didn't have any other explanation for my sudden beating heart, when he is close to me or when he smiles like that as if trying to wash away all the gloom, all the pain, all the loneliness which I had hugged to my chest all these years after Mia's death.

"And why is that? Are you falling for my smiles?" He joked laughing out beautifully not aware of the inner battle that I held.

How could I have told him the truth that his allegation wasn't all false? That looking at him smiling I've been feeling something strange, something that I don't want to call feelings overpowering me, towards him. That he was replacing the images of Mia in my head with himself. That I was affraid of breaking my promise. That I was affraid of that smiling boy who was threatening to break down my wall. That I was affraid to fall again.

"Nine if it's not personal can I ask you something?" Pavel asked Nine and as if on instinct all my concentration went to their conversation just with the mention of Nine's name.

"Sure go on." Nine replied turning around to face Pavel in an angle that I could see his face too.

"I heard from Joong that both of you met when you were running away from your home. Why were you running?" Pavel asked hesitantly.

Although I had the fainest of idea but I was as much curious as Pavel staring at Nine to see his expression.

Nine smiled sweetly before speaking.
"I had a dream to go to the mountains the one covered with snow. I had always felt like it was calling me and I dreamt of making a home there." And I quickly realized the meaning of that glass model that I had accidentally broken.

"Home?!" Pavel confusedly looked at him.

"Yes home. I want to make a home there. There will be a small cottage where the word 'Home' will be engraved on the door." He said in a dreamy voice.

I scoffed at that making both of them turn their focus on to me.

"You can't make a home just by putting a signboard in the door. A home is not what you can make either. You need to find your home not make one." I said softly padding my way past them.

"I know a home is not something you can make. I know how it is. You can call something home only when you find your comfort in that. And I'm trying to find that only." Nine argued angrily.

This was the first time he sounded pissed or desperate about something. This must be something really precious to him. And that rage in him stopped me in my tracks.

"So won't you miss your home?" Pavel interrupted in our argument.

"I miss her everyday." I wanted to turn around and ask him what he meant by 'her' but I didn't have that much courage.

"Her?!" It was Pavel who asked for me.

"Yes my Grandma. She's my home." The answer stunned me. I forgot how to move and if Pavel hadn't pushed me to walk forward I would have probably been still standing there looking awestruck.

I didn't expect Nine to be so sensible. I didn't knew he could talk so deep. It felt like I was watching different shades of Nine in this short period of time.

"And we are finally here. Yeah." Pavel announced when he reached the summit and instantly Nine started jumping in delight. I just stared at him blankly.

How many shades did he have? How many colors was he able to show? Once he felt stupid and once so mature, once emotionless and once so emotional, once so desperate and once so vulnerable.

He was messing with my mind as well as my heart. He really was a storm who came in my life to destroy everything in its path.

And I was not stopping him, not trying to block the entrance, not trying to defend.

Or maybe even if I tried he wouldn't stop. Even if I tried he wouldn't go away.

Or perhaps I wanted the storm to destroy the hard shell around me.