CHARMED | KaiRain

CHAPTER 10

Kai's POV

It's 5 PM.

Fyang and I were walking back to the resthouse when the air suddenly turned cold, and a thick fog rolled in, blanketing everything around us.

"Seriously? In the middle of summer?" I asked, puzzled by the sudden change in weather.

"It's actually quite common here this time of the year" Fyang replied casually, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"S-sure. Uhm, may dala ka bang cigarettes diyan? This atmosphere makes me feel like—"

"I thought you already quit smoking?" She cut me off, her tone curious but slightly reproachful.

"I-I did," I admitted, the words tumbling out faster than I intended. 

"Pero ngayon lang, please."

She sighed, studying me for a moment before relenting. 

"Fine. Hindi kami usually nagsi-store ng cigarettes sa house kasi nga my parents hate smoking. But I keep a stash sa treehouse."

"Treehouse?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, remember the one na nadaanan natin on the first day? When I was touring you guys around the estate" She said, her tone light.

"Isn't that in the middle of the woods?Are you trying to start a wildfire or something?" I asked, incredulous.

"Maybe" She teased, a playful smirk tugging at her lips.

I rolled my eyes, but she continued, 

"Anyway, there's a telephone dun sa treehouse. You can call if you need anything—or, you know, kung kailangan mo ng tulong."

"Are you seriously trying to scare me right now?" I shot back, feeling a bit annoyed.

"Hey, I'm kidding" She laughed. 

"The place is safe, promise. May mga soldiers and guards sa entrance, so wala kang dapat ikabahala. At naaalala mo pa naman siguro papunta doon, right?"

"Y-yeah. I still have the map." I assured her. I had taken a photo of it on my phone a few days ago, just in case.

"Alright then. Ingat ka" she said, waving me off as she headed toward the house.

I sighed and turned toward the woods, my steps slow and deliberate. Sure enough, there were guards posted at the entrance, just as Fyang had mentioned. They stopped me briefly, confirming my purpose before letting me through.

The fog hung low and thick, muffling the sounds of my footsteps as I made my way down the dirt path. I tried to remember the route we had taken on the first day, but the looming trees and creeping shadows made it hard to focus.

Why am I even doing this? For a cigarette? Really? I thought to myself. 

Maybe I should've just waited until tomorrow. Or asked someone else to grab them for me. But something about the idea of escaping into the quiet solitude of the treehouse tugged at me, a strange comfort I couldn't explain.

It felt like forever before I finally saw the treehouse. By now, the sun had set, and the darkness was creeping in. Thankfully, solar-powered lights flickered on automatically, illuminating the steps that led up to the entrance.