Behind Those Eyes | Aonung (Enemies to Lovers)

11. winner

In the distance, a whistle sounded, signaling the end of the competition.

As everyone gathered back at shore, the rain stopped to a light sprinkle.

While looking around, Katiya noticed a few people with bruises, scratches, and minor bleeding. It looked like everyone was exhausted and haggard.

Aonung's gaze caught her afar, and she glanced at the blood dripping from the cut on his arm.

A scar will surely form once it heals.

The sight of her brother's bleeding arm concerned Tsireya as she approached the participants.

"Brother! Your wound..." she gasped, gently holding his arm.

"I'm fine," Aonung replied. In order to stop the bleeding, he tied Katiya's rag tightly around his bicep.

As he looked at Katiya, the image of her underboobs flashed in his head and he quickly shook it out, weirded out by the random flashback.

"It's not fair! The forest girl and Meyta teamed up against me," Nayim exclaimed. "I demand my rags back now, Kukum!"

Katiya assumed the boy leading the competition was Kukum, and he breathed in irritation.

"I'm sorry, Nayim, but Meyta told me a different story," Kukum said.

"Damn, Kati," Neteyam mumbled, standing beside his sister. "That girl never lets you off the hook, does she?"

Katiya rolled her eyes. "I don't click with mean girls. Actually, scratch that. More like crybabies."

"Well, it isn't true!" Nayim shouted, attracting the crowd's attention. "Sakwan was there with me and saw the whole thing."

A stifled giggle from Loak prompted Katiya and Neteyam to turn to him. Neither of them replied, except to exchange confused glances and raise an eyebrow at the younger one.

"Sorry, Nayim, but there were two other witnesses that also saw the fight between you guys. They said you and Sakwan cornered Meyta," Kukum shrugged.

Once again, Loak laughed quietly but obnoxiously to himself. Even though Katiya found Nayim's lies irritating once again, she found her brother's strange behavior even more irritating.

"What's wrong with you? Did you fall off a branch and hit your head?" Katiya asked.

Eventually, Loak burst into laughter, causing Neteyam to roll his eyes.

"No, you don't get it?" Loak said, shaking his head as his laughter subsided.

"Get what?" Katiya's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Yeah, what the hell are you talking about?" Neteyam asked.

"Bro! You guys are so lame," Loak shook his head. "Listen, did you not hear him say Sakwan?"

"Yeah, we did but why is that funny—" Katiya began.

"Because you can Sakwan on these nuts!" Loak exclaimed, bursting into obnoxious laughter.

"Oh, Great Mother..." Neteyam murmured, shaking his head and covering his face in embarrassment. There were multiple people nearby who had heard the joke and were now looking at them.

"One day, I might push you off a branch myself," Katiya sighed.

"What? It was a good one, right?" Loak shrugged, wiping away his tears. "I saw the joke, and I took it."

Fortunately, Nayim and her friend didn't hear him. In dismissing her complaints, Kukum gestured for those with more rags to gather at the center.

Katiya finished second despite fighting with the former champion of the competition, Aonung.