♠ 𝙄𝙆𝙄𝙂𝘼𝙄 ♠ | F4 Thailand

十六

"Thyme is your neighbour?" she said confusingly. She was walking home after school when she encountered Glakao, Gorya's brother, on the way. He was able to convince her into buying him snacks before going home. She absent-mindedly poked the banana milk with the paper straw while thinking over his revelation. Wouldn't Thyme's mother find out he wasn't sleeping at home? She had to admit, Thyme was far from what she had expected when she first met him. There were still some aspects she read well, but she hadn't expected him to be such a devoted lover. Since some robberies had happened in Gorya's neighbourhood, he bought a house next to hers so he could protect her. But did he even know how to manage a house? did he know how to cook, clean, do laundry? He could always learn after all. Taking into consideration how hard-headed he was, he could learn anything if he put the effort. But why hadn't Gorya mentioned it at all? Maybe she had been too busy or maybe she had told her but her head was in the clouds at the time.

She waved goodbye as Glakao closed the front door of their house. Gorya was still at work, so the boy would be alone for a couple of hours with his newly obtained snacks. She walked down the street with her earphones on but no music playing so she could pay attention to her surroundings. It wasn't safe to walk outside alone while the sky was dusking, specially in an area suspected of being high crime. She kept a close eye on the people and cars that passed by her. She'd rather be paranoid than be a victim of crime. She jumped as her phone started ringing. She clutched her chest to soothe her rapid heartbeat before taking a shaky breath. Jeez, that was scary. 

"Yes?" she asked, realizing afterwards she hadn't checked the caller id. She played with the keychain on her crossbody bag while she waited for whoever was calling her to speak back. 

"Miss Haruka, I was calling to make sure whether or not you needed a car to fetch you" said Min. She had taken a detour before going home and was later than the time she said she was going to be. The sun had started to set and it was getting darker and darker. Min was concerned, considering the girl had insisted on walking home and not get a ride. 

"I'm fine, there's no need for a car" Frankly, she regretted saying those words. She didn't like being out while it was dark, but she knew Min was off the clock and didn't want to bother him. The twins deserved a rest from work. She wasn't a fret to the boys but sometimes she called them to fetch her with no warning beforehand. And besides assisting her, they also worked with her father. They were busy most of the time and deserved to enjoy their evening without her intervening in it. She ended the call and pocketed her phone. The gold luminescence of the streetlights and the gleaming moon ignited her dark path. She felt an air of kenopsia within the place. An area normally bustling with people and vibrant sounds was suddenly quiet and empty, and it made her feel unsettled. Familiar but surreal at the same time.

The screeching of tires made her jump out of her skin. She hadn't heard the vehicle approach until it was right beside her. She stepped away impulsively, squinting her eyes due to the blinding shine of the headlights.

"It's not safe to be out at this time! What were you thinking?!" said the voice. She looked over at him. It had been a while. The familiar angular jawline, thin lips, kind eyes, dark long-haired locks. MJ. He had an unreadable expression on his face.

"What are you doing here?" She asked confused. Why was he in the area? Had he visited Thyme's new place? She wasn't close to Gorya's house any longer but he must've taken the same route as her. He hopped off the bike and hastily approached her with a serious look on his face. He looked her up and down making sure she was okay and sighed.