The Unbreakable Thread Of LOVE

Chapter - 11

WEEKEND~

The weekend had finally arrived, and the dorms emptied as everyone scattered back to their respective homes. Liminne, full of excitement, had left for another date with Elphis, while Simera accompanied Karayami to her apartment—a quiet place she lived in alone. The two girls had planned to spend the weekend together, a much-needed break from the usual bustle.

Karayami glanced at the bags they'd carried in and spoke up, her voice calm and efficient. "Simera, go freshen up. I'll unpack our bags and arrange our clothes," she said, already moving towards the luggage.

Simera smiled warmly, already feeling at ease in her best friend's apartment. "Alright, I'll take a quick bath first. Then I'll help you with the clothes." With that, she disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Karayami to her quiet organization.

ON THE OTHER SIDE~

Meanwhile, Damian was making his way through the streets towards Karayami's place. Bored out of his mind and with no particular plans for the weekend, he had decided to drop by for a spar. He and Karayami lived close to each other, and it had become a routine for him to invade her apartment whenever the mood struck him—whether to eat her food, spar, or just annoy her for fun. To Damian, Karayami was more than just a sparring partner; she was his only real friend, even if he'd never openly admit it. Her presence grounded him in a way no one else's did.

Without bothering to knock, Damian let himself in, as usual. After all, he had a spare key, though how he'd gotten his hands on it remained a mystery even to Karayami. He headed straight for the kitchen, making himself at home as he always did, and helped himself to a cold drink from the fridge.

Karayami, in her room unpacking, heard the familiar sounds of her front door opening, followed by the rustling in the kitchen. She didn't even need to check. Only one person entered her house this way—Damian. She sighed but didn't bother acknowledging him. His routine was as predictable as ever.

In the kitchen, Damian gulped down the drink, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before strolling into the living room, intending to crash on the couch and watch some TV before challenging Karayami to their usual sparring session. He was already planning how he'd take her down this time—surely, this time would be different.

Suddenly, the bathroom door swung open, and Simera emerged, wrapped in a towel, completely unaware that someone other than Karayami was in the apartment. As she walked out, Damian, lounging on the couch, turned his head at the sound, only for his eyes to lock with Simera's.

For a few agonizingly long seconds, the two just stared at each other, their eyes widening as the reality of the situation set in. Damian's drink slipped from his hand, splashing down onto his shirt, soaking him. Simera, caught off guard and utterly mortified, turned bright red.

"Look away, idiot!" she yelled, flustered.

Damian immediately whipped his head to the side, equally embarrassed. His usual confident demeanor faltered as he stammered out, "I-I apologize... I didn't know you were here." His voice, uncharacteristically gentle, caught Simera by surprise.

Simera, still indignant, snapped back, "What do you mean by that, huh? Why wouldn't I be here? This is my best friend's apartment!"

Damian, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor, shrugged, trying to regain his cool. "I just meant it's unexpected to see you here. Karayami never brings anyone over, and I've never seen you here before," he muttered before casually sitting back down on the couch, turning his attention to the TV as if nothing had just happened.

Simera, ready to retort, began, "You—" but before she could finish, Karayami entered the room with a smirk on her face, carrying a fresh pair of clothes for Simera.

"How long do you plan on standing there like that, Simera? You'll catch a cold if you stay in just a towel," Karayami said, her voice dry but amused. She handed the clothes to Simera, who quickly snatched them and hurried off, still flustered.

Once Simera disappeared into the other room, Karayami's attention turned to Damian, her usual stoic expression returning.

"What are you doing here, Damian?" she asked as she sat beside him on the couch, fixing him with a calm but piercing gaze.

Damian scoffed, crossing his arms defensively. "What? Can't I come visit my sparring buddy for a fight? I've been itching for a strong match."

Karayami's face remained unreadable. "Not today. Simera is here."

Damian rolled his eyes. "So what? What difference does it make if she's here? It's not like that little squeak could do anything about it."

Karayami's lips twitched into the slightest hint of a mocking smile. "I didn't realize your memory was that weak, Damian."

Damian raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Karayami leaned back slightly, her expression still perfectly composed. "You've already forgotten what happened the last time, haven't you?"

Damian's face twitched, his annoyance growing, but he didn't argue. Before he could respond, Simera re-entered the room, fully dressed, her expression flustered but calm enough to confront the situation.

Simera called out, "Karayami, Shin's here. He brought the things we asked for, so I'll go and grab them." With that, she made her way to the door, leaving Karayami to her paperwork.

Karayami, always meticulous, barely glanced up as Simera left, only offering a brief nod before resuming her work. Meanwhile, Damian, now alone in the living room, scoffed to himself. He had no interest in the bustling around him and decided to head toward the guest room to take a nap. As he strolled lazily down the hallway, something caught his eye.

Through the slightly open door, he saw Simera standing at the entrance, chatting with the guy called Shin. She was smiling—brightly. Her expression was full of warmth, something Damian had never received from her. His eyes narrowed as an irritated thought crossed his mind. "Of course, that sweek only has a problem with me. Look at her smiling so brightly... pathetic." He rolled his eyes and turned away, muttering under his breath, heading toward the guest room for his so-called beauty nap.

Karayami, from her desk, glanced up for a moment, raising an eyebrow as she caught the scene herself. Her usual stoic demeanor barely shifted, but there was a flicker of curiosity in her gaze. However, before she could dwell on it, her phone buzzed with a notification. She sighed, glancing down at the screen, and a small, rare smile played at her lips.

It was from Liminne. The message was accompanied by a picture of her and Elphis on their date. Liminne had typed, "My date fell asleep halfway through... but look at our camera guy!"

Karayami blinked as the next image came through. It was of a guy cycling nearby, someone Karayami didn't recognize. But the text that followed made her roll her eyes, "Found him while cycling... and he's super hot. All the girls around are practically drooling over him."

Karayami knew exactly why Liminne sent that picture. Her lips twitched, but she sighed instead, trying to brush it off. Yet, as she stared at the photo a little longer than she intended, her ears turned slightly pink, betraying the cool exterior she usually maintained but she couldn't as it was Roshik after all.

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