||Koi No Yokan|| Park Seonghwa

||Chapter 41||

"...Do you think I could invite a friend over?"

Phobos stared at her, stoic, for a good three seconds before he answered.

"That depends... who?"

Carys got up from her bed and grabbed the fidget toy to show him.

"That's cute but how is that supposed to help?" he asked.

"Philotes gave it to me in case of an emergency... I think this can be described as such"

"Understandable. Fine, I'll tell Deimos we're about to have company. As long as you don't leave the house, you should be fine."

With that, Phobos climbed down the window and disappeared. Carys went back to her bed, waiting for the right moment to press the button on the side of the toy. When she pressed it, she felt a tingle in her thumb, like the littlest rush of electricity was running through it.

She waited for a few seconds before pressing it again. Still, nothing.

The moment she started asking herself if she was doing something wrong, she heard some voices from downstairs. She looked outside her window: it was difficult to see due to the tree leaves obstructing her view, but she clearly saw three figures standing outside her house.

"Where's Carys? Why are you two here?"

"Well, hi Philotes, long time no see..."

"I'm not really in the mood for it, Deimos, where's Carys? I sense her distress and I bet that's because of you two looming around her house like that!"

"We're trying to do our part. Eros asked us here: he fears that mother might try something while they're at the trial"

"Right...it starts tomorrow, doesn't it?"

"As soon as the sun sets, I fear" Phobos answered.

"Well, in that case...where's she?"

"Upstairs. Don't climb through the window though!"

"I...wasn't planning to"

Carys got out of her room and towards the entrance, opening the door just enough to let Philotes in.

Immediately, she was engulfed in a hug, and she felt at peace for the few seconds it lasted.

"I'm so glad you're here" she whispered.

"No biggie. Now, it's way too late for you to be up, isn't it?"

"I know, but with my boyfriend bringing his mother to court and all... I don't think I'll be able to sleep"

Philotes nodded, then followed her upstairs.

"Is there anything you need to get off your chest?" she questioned.

Carys, who had been trying to hold back her tears from the moment she had been separated from Seonghwa, started crying with her face buried in her pillow, ugly sobbing as she tried her best to explain what she was feeling.

"I'm so tired of all of this, but I know I can't give up now. I can't give up on him, on us... but I'm terrified. He's already gone through so much just to be with me...I just need someone to tell me everything's going to be alright"

"That's literally why I'm here. And I'm not saying it just to ease your mind, I actually think that. You two are so in love that if anyone doesn't see it, then they're either blind or stupid. It's going to be alright..."