A portrait of the unseen [COMPLETE]

Who

Ryu's recognition caught me off guard, her words sending a shiver down my spine. "Are you the artist Lexa?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

I hesitated for a moment before nodding, feeling a surge of apprehension coursing through me. This wasn't the reaction I had expected—not from Ryu, not from anyone. It was as if she knew me, but not in the way I had hoped.

As I struggled to find the right words, Ryu reassured me, her voice gentle yet firm. "It's okay, Lexa. You're safe here. No one will bother us."

Her words offered little comfort, only serving to deepen the mystery surrounding her true identity. Was she really Ryu, or was this just another piece of the puzzle?

Before I could dwell on it any further, Ryu turned her attention to Rae, her curiosity piqued. "So, how do you two know each other?" she asked, her gaze shifting between us.

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say anything, Rae spoke up. "I'm the one who approached her first," she explained, her voice calm and measured. "I saw her looking upset by the seashore, so I went to check on her. We got to talking, and well, here we are."

Her words painted a picture of kindness and compassion, but something about them felt off. It was as if she was trying too hard to convince us—or perhaps herself—of something.

As I listened to Rae's explanation, a nagging feeling of unease settled in the pit of my stomach. There were still so many unanswered questions, so many pieces of the puzzle left to uncover. And until I had the answers I sought, I knew I wouldn't rest easy.

Ryu's casual remark about Rae's eye for beautiful girls caught me off guard, adding another layer of complexity to an already perplexing situation. "Um, thanks," I managed to say, unsure of how to respond to such a statement.

Rae simply smiled in response, her expression unreadable. "Just stating the truth," she said, her tone light and airy.

As Ryu excused herself, mentioning she needed to help her girlfriend, I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. "Right, of course," I replied, trying to mask my feelings with a forced smile.

Once Ryu was out of earshot, I turned to Rae, unable to shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air.

I asked Rae if she knew me, she said she don't and ask me if I'm really an artist

I ask for her phone but she said it was broken, the screen turn black and she doesn't even remember the pass code so she ended up having no phones at all.

but while I was contemplating she said, she's already convinced that I look so beautiful in her eyes.

that statement made me so confused

Rae's comment about finding me beautiful only added to my confusion. If she could see faces, then where was Ryu, the Ryu I knew, who struggled with recognizing people? As I grappled with these thoughts, Rae's words lingered in the air, casting a shadow of doubt over everything.

"I appreciate the compliment, but..." I trailed off, unsure of how to articulate my thoughts. "It's just, I thought your sister had trouble recognizing faces."

Rae's expression softened, a hint of sadness flickering in her eyes. "How can you say so?" she askedin confusion "Do you know her already?"

Her words struck a chord within me, resonating with a truth I had been reluctant to know.

As we finished our meal, Rae offered to walk me home again. Her kindness was disarming, and I couldn't help but ask, "Why are you being so kind to me?"

Rae looked at me with genuine concern in her eyes. "I can feel your pain," she said softly. "I don't know what you're going through, but I can tell it's something heavy. I just want to help."