"Ouch!"
I winced, instinctively clutching my shoulder.
What the... who threw that?!
That actually hurt.
I quickly turned around, scanning my surroundings.
Nothing.
The area was quiet, almost too quiet. No one in sight. No movement.
"Rahina."
I froze.
Did I just hear something?
"Rahina."
There it was again.
My eyes darted around until finally I spotted him.
Up on a not-so-tall tree branch, casually leaning against the trunk like he had all the time in the world.
"Seriously?" I placed a hand on my hip, looking up at him. "What are you doing up there?"
It was Almi.
Of course it was.
He didn't answer.
Instead, he simply jumped down from the branch with ease, landing lightly on the ground. Then he walked straight toward me.
Step by step.
Until he was right in front of me.
Then he just stared.
Straight into my eyes.
I blinked.
Then stared back.
Okay… this is weird.
I studied his face for a moment.
He's… actually handsome.
But I quickly shook that thought off.
So what if he's handsome? What's the use if he turns out to be a cheater? I don't even know if he's boyfriend material or not.
"Hey," I waved a hand slightly in front of him. "What's with you? You just appear like that and then stare?"
Without saying a single word.
He turned around and walked away.
"Excuse me?!" I called after him, completely thrown off.
But he didn't even look back.
"Rahina."
I closed my eyes for a second.
There he goes again.
"What?!" I snapped, turning toward him.
This time, he was smiling.
Just… standing there with that quiet, almost amused smile.
It was lunchtime.
I had just started eating when suddenly he sat down beside me.
There were plenty of empty seats around us.
And yet he chose to sit next to me.
Why here?
I glanced around, then leaned slightly toward him, lowering my voice.
"There are so many empty seats. Why sit here?"
Instead of answering, he looked at my food.
"What are you eating, Rahina?"
I pointed at my plate.
"You figure it out."
If he wasn't going to talk properly, then I wouldn't make it easy for him either.
He lifted his own plate slightly.
"This is my meal. Dried fish with hot rice. It is one of my favorites."
He paused for a moment, then added "If I were to choose between dried fish and grilled chicken… I would choose grilled chicken. It tastes better."
I stared at him.
"That was supposed to be a joke?"
It was so bad.
And yet a small laugh slipped out of me.
At the worst possible time.
I almost choked.
I coughed, grabbing my cup of water and drinking quickly.
"Seriously," I said after catching my breath, shaking my head. "You were so quiet earlier, and now you suddenly drop a joke that isn't even funny."
He didn't respond.
He just continued eating like nothing happened.
Am I talking to a wall?
We ate in silence again.
No conversation.
Just the sound of wooden spoons against plates.
After a while, he finished his meal.
"I will go ahead," he said simply, standing up.
I glanced at him as he walked away.
I was still halfway through my food.
Of course… I eat slowly.
"Phew…"
The sky was still faintly lit when I stepped outside again.
The horizon was painted in soft shades of orange.
Dusk.
I stretched my arms slightly, looking around.
"Hmmm… what should I do?"
I walked aimlessly for a bit, kicking small pebbles along the path.
Then I picked one up.
"Should I just knock myself out with this?" I muttered jokingly, raising the stone slightly, then laughed at myself.
"Yeah, no."
Instead, I crouched down and started drawing on the ground.
A hopscotch grid.
Simple.
Childish.
But familiar.
Once I finished, I stood up, tossed the stone onto one of the squares, and started playing.
Hopping.
Balancing.
Laughing quietly to myself when I almost lost my footing.
The ground was a bit sandy, so some lines faded as I played but I didn't mind.
As long as I could still see them.
I kept going, letting myself get tired.
Letting time pass.
Without realizing it, night had fallen.
I paused, catching my breath, then looked up.
"Oh."
I should head back.
I still have work.
When I entered the kitchen, the prince's meal was already prepared.
All I had to do was deliver it.
I carefully arranged everything on the tray and made my way to his room.
As I stepped inside it was dim.
I reached for a lamp and lit it, placing it on the table to brighten the space.
Soft light flickered across the room.
After finishing the setup, I stepped back.
Then from the shadows, the prince appeared.
"Join me again."
There it was.
Another order.
"Ah… yes, Your Highness," I replied.
We sat down.
Again.
And again, silence.
Only the faint sound of wooden utensils filled the air.
Honestly… I was already full.
But because it was his order, I still ate.
This feels unfair.
We're only given limited portions. No refills. If we want more, we have to buy and cook our own food.
And here I am… eating like this.
I glanced slightly in his direction, though the dim lighting made it hard to see him clearly.
I don't even know how old he is.
It's hard to tell just from his voice.
Maybe I should ask around sometime… if I remember.
I just waited for him to finish as usual.
Kaysan's POV
Once again, I found myself unable to start a conversation.
I did not understand why.
Each time I tried, something held me back.
Was it hesitation? Embarrassment? I could not tell.
So instead I let her sit with me. Let her eat with me.
And I observed.
Perhaps that was enough… for now.
After the meal, I changed my clothes and stepped outside.
The night air greeted me.
Cool. Quiet.
"The sky is beautiful again tonight," I murmured, looking up. "So many stars… and the moon shines brightly."
As I walked toward my usual place, I noticed a figure in the distance.
A woman.
Rahina.
She must have heard my footsteps.
"Almi?" she called out. "Why are you still outside? The guards said no one should be out at night."
I stopped a few steps away from her.
"And why are you here?" I countered. "You are a woman. At this hour, you should be resting."
She waved her hand casually.
"Don't worry. Where I'm from, even with curfew, as long as you're of legal age, you can still go out even at four in the morning."
I frowned slightly.
"I do not fully understand what you are saying. Can you explain?"
She shook her head immediately.
"Nope. I'm not good at explaining things."
Then she tilted her head.
"Where are you going anyway?"
I pointed ahead.
"There."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"Wait... you go there too?!"
I started walking again.
She followed beside me, matching my pace.
"You know," she said, looking up at the sky, "I never used to go out at night like this. I was always busy with my gadget. I never appreciated this kind of vibe."
Her words… were unfamiliar.
Strange.
"Rahina," I said after a moment, "there are times when I do not understand your vocabulary. Where are you from?"
She glanced at me. "Do you want to know?"
I nodded.
She smirked slightly.
"You wouldn't believe me anyway. So what's the point?"
"What is so unbelievable?" I asked. "Even if it is a story that seems impossible, I will try to believe it." She yawned softly.
"Maybe next time. I'm getting sleepy. If I start now, we might end up talking until morning."
"I see… then I will wait."
We continued walking.
"Do you come here often?" she asked.
"Yes." She smiled faintly..
"Then I guess we'll run into each other here sometimes. I'm not always here though. And hey, don't report me for sneaking out at night, alright? It's boring without a phone. I've got nothing to help me sleep."
"Boring? Phone? What are those?"
She laughed. "Modern words, bro. Words that don't exist here."
My curiosity deepened. Everything she said felt… foreign.
"Look at the sky," she said suddenly, pointing upward.
I followed her gaze.
"That one there, that's the Big Dipper. And near it, the one that looks similar, that's the Little Dipper." She scratched her head lightly.
"Honestly, even though it's smaller, I notice the Little Dipper more." I stared at the stars.
"Did you invent those names?"
She scoffed lightly. "Of course not. Those are scientific. Over there, that's Cassiopeia. And above it, Cygnus. Then farther out, Lyra." She pointed again, her voice softening just a bit.
"And that one… that's my favorite. Taurus. It's a constellation, and also my zodiac sign."
I felt… overwhelmed. None of it made sense.
Yet she spoke with such certainty. "I know you're confused," she said, glancing at me. "And I can't blame you."
"Were these taught in a school?" I asked.
"I'm not sure if schools here even teach that. I've never stepped into one here," she replied. "Like I said… I'm from somewhere else." She smiled faintly. "But where exactly, that's a secret."
"You are… quite mysterious," I admitted.
She laughed.
"I don't have magic, okay? Don't start thinking I'm performing miracles." Then she looked up at the sky again.
"But I like this moment. It's nice having someone to talk to."
I hesitated.
"Is it alright for you to talk to me?" She turned to me with a playful grin.
"Of course. You don't look like you bite."
Then she added, lightly nudging my arm. "And I know self-defense. So if you try anything weird, better prepare yourself." She laughed.
And for the first time, I found myself smiling too.