The boy didn't stop until the trees changed again.
Different smell.
Different ground.
Different silence.
Only then did he slow down.
Not because he felt safe.
Because he was tired of not understanding anything.
"…Why did she let me go?" he muttered.
No answer.
Of course.
He walked for once.
Actually walked.
Slow steps.
Thinking.
That lasted exactly three minutes.
"…This is useless."
He started jogging again.
After some time, he reached a small clearing.
Grass. A fallen tree. A quiet place.
He stopped.
Looked around.
Nothing.
"…Good."
He sat down.
For real this time.
Back against the tree.
Legs stretched out.
"…Running is getting annoying," he said.
"You say that a lot."
He froze.
Slowly—
He turned his head.
She was there.
Sitting on the fallen tree.
Like she had always been there.
"…You again," he said.
She nodded.
"…Me again."
"…How?"
"You run in patterns."
"…I don't."
"You think you don't."
He stared at her.
"…That's worse."
She smiled slightly.
The boy stood up immediately.
"…I'm leaving."
"Okay."
He didn't move.
"…You're not stopping me?"
"No."
"…Again?"
"Yes."
"…This is confusing."
"I know."
Silence.
The boy slowly sat back down.
"…Fine," he said. "You stay there. I stay here."
"Deal."
They sat.
Not talking.
Just… there.
After a minute—
The boy glanced at her.
"…You don't talk much."
"You do enough for both of us."
"…That's rude."
"It's true."
He looked away.
"…Still rude."
She almost laughed.
"…Why are you here?" he asked again.
She thought for a moment.
"…Because I wanted to see what happens if you stop running."
"…Nothing happens."
"You stayed."
"…That doesn't count."
"It does."
The boy frowned.
He didn't like this.
It felt like he was losing without moving.
"…What's your name?" she asked suddenly.
He froze.
"…I don't have one."
She blinked.
"…You're serious?"
He nodded.
"…That's strange."
"…I've heard that before."
She looked at him for a few seconds.
Really looked this time.
"…Then I'll call you something."
"…No."
"Yes."
"…No."
She ignored him.
"…Runner."
"…That's not a name."
"It is now."
"…I don't like it."
She smiled.
"…Good."
He sighed.
"…People are annoying."
"And yet you keep meeting them."
"…Not by choice."
She leaned back slightly.
"…Same."
That made him look at her again.
"…You don't like them either?"
"…Not really."
"…Then why are you with them?"
She didn't answer.
That silence felt different.
Heavier.
The boy noticed.
But didn't push.
Instead—
His stomach growled again.
Loud.
Very loud.
She looked at him.
"…Again?"
"…It's not my fault."
She reached into her pocket and threw something at him.
He caught it.
Food.
He blinked.
"…You're giving me food?"
"…Don't think too much."
"…I am thinking too much."
"Then stop."
"…I can't."
She sighed.
"…Just eat."
He did.
"…It's good," he said.
"…I know."
Pause.
"…Thank you."
She didn't reply.
But she didn't look away either.
For a moment—
It felt normal again.
Too normal.
The boy noticed first.
"…Why is it quiet again?" he said slowly.
She didn't answer.
Her eyes had shifted.
Looking behind him.
The boy didn't turn.
He already knew.
"…They're here, aren't they?"
She nodded once.
"…Yeah."
The boy sighed.
"…Running was easier."
He stood up.
She stood too.
Not blocking him.
Not stopping him.
Just… beside him.
"…Runner," she said quietly.
"…What?"
"…This time… don't run alone."
The boy froze.
That sentence—
Felt wrong.
Felt dangerous.
Felt…
Different.
Behind them—
Footsteps approached.
Slow.
Certain.
And for the first time—
The boy didn't move immediately.
Because now—
He wasn't sure if running was the right answer.
End of Chapter 19