Don't Fall in Love! (English Version)

CHAPTER 13

Narrated by Erix

9 years ago...

ㅡMom, will you tell me a bedtime story? ㅡ I asked and she looked at me with her affectionate look.

ㅡ I will, son, but let's have dinner first.
My mother went to the kitchen, but the power went out a minute later. My father came out of the room with a flashlight and sat down on the couch. We did the same.

ㅡThis is the third time that the power has gone out in this building. We have to move urgently.ㅡMy father spoke and my mother nodded.

ㅡDad, can we live near the beach? It must be really cool to be able to see the sea every day. ㅡ I grimaced, thoughtfully.

ㅡOf course, son. But your mother and I have to work hard to be able to buy a house there. So it will take a little while.

Suddenly, a strange smell passed through my nostrils, making me cough.

ㅡWhat is that smell? ㅡ Mom he frowned and got up shortly after, when he realized that there was something shining in the kitchen ㅡ Jun, fire. FIRE!

I didn't know what was happening, but it all happened too quickly. My mother and father desperately ran to the kitchen, trying to put out the large flame that had formed around them.

Until a moment came when I saw nothing, not even my parents, just fire.

ㅡMommy, daddy? Where are you? Why is everything on fire?ㅡI tried to walk to the kitchen door, but the fire there had already gotten bigger.

Then someone broke down the door and I took a step back, scared. The man, who was dressed as a firefighter, picked me up and took me away.

When we left the building, he set me down and placed his hands on my shoulders.

ㅡ Stay here, little boy, because I'm going to get your parents ㅡ He said and I nodded. However, when he turned his back, a photo fell out of his pocket.

I took it off the ground and looked at the photo. There was a girl smiling and he was holding her hand. She looked to be my age, and she was wearing a red dress and her hair was tied up with two red bows on the sides of her head.

I've seen her somewhere...

I turned the photo over and saw that there was something written:

"Faye loves chocolate and hates sweet beans. Her immunity isn't very good, but she'll get better. I hope I can spend more time with her and watch her grow."

I kept the photo in my shorts pocket to give it to him when he returned.

At the moment...

ㅡIn the end, he didn't come down. My sister got me out of there when she arrived. Alice didn't know anything before, as she had gone to visit grandma with Sarah and was returning home when everything happened.ㅡ I felt tears rolling down my cheeks. I quickly cleaned them with my hand.

Faye remained silent for a moment. She was facing me, which allowed me to see her expressions. I ran my hand through her hair, a little embarrassed by the situation.

ㅡYour hand... It's hurtㅡI said, pointing to the scratch that I hadn't even noticed and didn't even know when it had hurt me.

Narrated by Faye

I lit up the room and looked for a box of bandages. That was Erix's room, and according to him the box was inside the closet.

I looked up and found her near some wooden boxes. I took her out of there and went back to the kitchen.

ㅡGive me your hand.ㅡ Erix did, so I applied the ointment and put on the band-aid right after.

ㅡ Thank you... ㅡ Erix he said, softly. I almost didn't hear it, so I got closer and signaled for him to repeat what he said. ㅡThank you.

I looked into his eyes. They still shined from the tears he had shed, but his look was no longer desperate. For the first time, that look wasn't mysterious.

ㅡ Are you that surprised by my "thank you"? ㅡ He raised his eyebrow.

ㅡNo, it's just... ㅡThe return of power interrupted me, and made us look at the glow of the lamp.

It was then that I asked myself: why did the power only go out at Erix's house and not mine?

ㅡ There must be a problem with the wiring. ㅡ Erix, who seemed to have read my thoughts, said.

ㅡWellㅡI got upㅡI'm going home. ㅡBut before opening the door, I decided to ask.ㅡWhere are your sister and Raya?

Erix stood up and ran a hand through her hair, pulling it back.

ㅡ Alice went on a business trip and took Raya because, according to her, I can't miss classes ㅡ He replied.

ㅡ And she's right. You don't want to repeat your senior year of high school, do you? You've already missed enough. ㅡ Erix he shrugged.

I turned and opened the door, already leaving his house. A cold breeze hit my face, making me shiver. That was a sign that autumn was coming. And that scared me a little, because the months were passing so quickly and I still hadn't decided what to do in the following year.

ㅡWhat happened? Why are you so thoughtful? ㅡ Erix analyzed me, curious.

ㅡNothing much. I'm just scared that I won't have a successful future. I don't want to disappoint my mother... ㅡ I hugged my own arms and looked at the tree, where its branches moved up and down with the force of the wind, making some leaves fall.

ㅡI thought you would be a doctor like your mother.ㅡ He was staring at the tree too. I shook my head negatively.

ㅡ That's what she thinks too. But it's not something I see myself doing. I'm not good at medicine. ㅡ I sighed and lowered my head.

ㅡAnd what do you like to do?ㅡYour question took me by surprise. It was then that I realized I didn't know what I liked.

ㅡI don't know.

ㅡ How do you not know? ㅡ Erix, she tilted her head to the side.

ㅡAnd do you happen to know what you're going to do with your life when you graduate?ㅡI raised an eyebrow.

ㅡNo.

We remained silent, looking at each other.
Soon after, we started laughing like two idiots.

ㅡFayeㅡErix started to speak, after the laughter stoppedㅡ, know that I will be here and I will help you discover what you like if you want.

My heart fluttered inside my chest when I heard that. Erix's eyes shone like the few stars that appeared in the sky that night. Those dark eyes brought me an inexplicable comfort at that moment and a feeling that he was sincere in what he said.

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