𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐍' 𝐈𝐂𝐄, kai hiwatari

──seventeen;

Aanya woke up feeling the weight of discomfort bearing down on her. Her head throbbed painfully, her limbs ached as if they had been weighed down by heavy stones. She rubbed her temples in a futile attempt to alleviate the pounding in her head but found no relief. With an unexpected sneeze, her worst fear was confirmed: she was sick.

"Oh, no," Aanya muttered to herself, unwilling to admit her illness. The events of the previous night replayed in her mind, the unusual silence between her and Kai standing out like a sore thumb. It was an awkward departure from their usual banter, leaving everyone puzzled, especially Ray.

But a sudden change of hotels orchestrated by Mr. Dickenson had led to everyone getting individual rooms, and Aanya couldn't help but be relieved about that. She knew her mood wouldn't make her great company today.

Despite her ailments, Aanya summoned her willpower and got ready, even though every movement seemed to take a Herculean effort. She stumbled slightly as she made her way to the main hall, her steps less sure than usual.

To her surprise, when she arrived, she found everyone already seated, including Tyson, who was notoriously late on most occasions. Aanya's eyes widened as she realized she might be the late one this time.

"What?! I managed to be early today!" Tyson proclaimed with a hint of pride in his voice, breaking the silence and drawing everyone's attention.

Aanya could only muster an "O" with her mouth as she plopped down next to Max, feeling both relieved and irritated by the unexpected twist in her morning routine.

Aanya sat at her laptop after having breakfast, finally having some time to herself. She needed to manage her emails and other important tasks. An hour passed in silence, with the only sound being the rhythmic typing on her keyboard.

Then, without warning, Kai's voice broke the silence, catching her off guard. She didn't bother to turn and face him, instead keeping her eyes focused on the laptop screen as she continued typing.

"You're not going outside?" Kai's question hung in the air, and Aanya could sense an unusual tension in his tone.

"Finally someone found their voice to talk again, huh?" Aanya replied with a smirk, her eyes still locked on the white glow of her laptop screen. She expected a snarky comeback from Kai, but instead, there was silence.

Since their return from exploring Las Vegas, both Aanya and Kai had been acting strangely. Aanya couldn't put her finger on it, but something had shifted between them. Kai wasn't snapping at her or acting irritated, but he wasn't his usual talkative self either, with her. It was as if a veil of silence had fallen between them.

Even Max had noticed and asked Aanya if anything had happened between her and Kai, but she had simply shrugged it off. She didn't have an explanation for the change in their dynamics.

Kai's behavior had become increasingly enigmatic. He had been silent when Aanya tried to discuss upcoming interviews or plans for the day, responding with minimal words or a simple nod. It was frustrating, and she had eventually stopped trying to engage him in conversation.

Now, as they found themselves alone in the room, Kai had started talking again, and Aanya couldn't help but wonder why he had chosen this moment. His silence had been disconcerting, and now his sudden return to speech was equally baffling.

"You good?" Aanya finally asked, swiveling her chair to face him. Kai remained at a distance, leaning against the wooden wall with the sunlight casting a mesmerizing glow in his dark eyes.

Aanya met his intense gaze, feeling a wave of discomfort wash over her. He was looking at her as if she were a puzzle he couldn't solve, and the intensity of his gaze was intimidating. She shifted in her seat, but his eyes remained locked on her, unyielding.

"Kai?" Aanya tried again, but still, there was no response. Kai continued to stare at her, and she couldn't help but snap at him.

"Stop staring at me like that, you creep!" Aanya hissed, her frustration getting the better of her. Kai blinked as if he had just snapped out of a trance, his eyes narrowing in response to her words. Without saying a word, he turned and walked out of the room.

Aanya was left bewildered, wondering what had gotten into him. She shook her head, pushing aside her confusion, and turned her attention back to the emails that still demanded her focus.

The room returned to silence, but the unease that lingered in the air made it clear that something had changed between Aanya and Kai, and neither of them knew quite what to make of it.

It's because of the question. i knew it. she thought.