Mr. Hephephobias

CHAPTER 139 - That Look Again

The question that Lucia raises makes Kelvin recall how and when they first met. At that time, maybe Lucia was not aware of her existence, but each moment was still vividly remembered in Kelvin's memory.

"Even now you're giving me the same look we first met" Kelvin said.

#POV Kelvin's

I never thought it would be this gaze that finally led me to continue to be by her side until now. Still vividly remembered in my memory when I first saw him in a picture frame hidden by his father under a sleeping pillow, in a nursing home, 15 years ago.

That day, I went with my father to visit his father who was already a suspect. Unfortunately the man who was always kind to me was not in a healthy mental state. I accidentally saw the photo he kept behind his sleeping pillow. At that moment, my lips immediately broke the smile looking at the photo of the girl who looked so very carefree holding her father's hand.

I understand why a man who wasn't even his real father loved him so much. She was a girl filled with an aura of happiness and also jolly. Even he looks happy holding the hand of the man who became a father, he continued. The girl who was always cheerful, that was what I thought until my lips broke the smile along with my admiration for this father and son relationship.

Time passed and I began to think about it often. I decided to go see him to see if he was okay. His father is set to be a suspect and also his condition is not healthy, it will definitely be difficult for the girl.

I always thought, whether she lived her life well, whether she ate well, what she could go to school feeling proud of and whether she was still a cheerful girl. But what I saw in front of his house was something I never expected. He hugged his pregnant mother, put on a face full of boredom against a group of men who were rude to him and his mother.

He shouted loudly in a loud voice despite the flowing tears. He stomped his feet violently even though his strength was so weak. He kept trying to fight even though he knew he could never win.

Where did he get that courage?

Where does he keep his fear at the moment?

Impressive girl, that's what I think.

As those arrogant men continued to attack, what was wrong with me? My body ran to defend him, I stretched out my arms against them and also attacked without direction. But, what could I do with my small body back then, I was beaten up.

I think I'm crazy, what I've done to this girl. After the thugs left, he looked at me with a gaze that made me speechless. Highlight his eyes filled with anger, annoyance, sadness, and also despair, all mixed into one.

"Are you okay" he asked me still with that look.

This girl, how could I let her first ask her the question I wanted to ask her. And the stupid answer I said was "Yes, I'm fine". I said it when my body and bones felt like crumbs. Then, it all just ended without giving me a chance to introduce myself.

She lost her home, her mother returned home to her parents in the fishing village. However, he decided to settle down in the city alone to continue his schooling. For me it's impossible, what this girl can do here alone. I asked my father to give me a place to stay for free. My father arranged everything, he asked his secretary to claim to be a good friend of Lucia's father and help him through the hands of others.

Ever since then, I've been going to see him secretly without him knowing. Even I might be called a stalker. Not infrequently I dare to cross paths with him, but ironically we just pass each other like strangers. Does he not remember the boy that the thugs beat for him. But I understand, at that time he must have been very worried about his mother so he wouldn't remember me.

Lucy grew up to be an amazing girl. He was so good at playing tennis that he got the chance to represent his school in so many competitions. When I knew he was going to fight, I had to be there to support him. I sat in the crowd cheering for their school. I thought I was the only one who would cheer for him.

Bouquets of flowers, I finally found something I could give her. I ran back into the building, but immediately I stopped my footsteps and became confused. How do I give this flower to her? What am I gonna tell him? He does not remember or know me. I really don't know what to do. In the end, I asked someone to give the flower to her and asked her to keep it a secret who the person gave the flower to.

Not only that, even when he was fighting for the school exam I was also always with him like a shadow. He studied like a madman, he always went to the library alone. Why would he do that? Why did he study so hard? Maybe he has a dream that he has to achieve by studying? It really makes me not understand.

I couldn't help him so I thought I'd be there enough to keep him company. Again and again I did. I come back every day he's there. The next day I came again, the next day even I made an alarm if it was time I had to go to the library to accompany him.

One day I was late to leave and I ran as hard as I could to get to the lie. Once there as if it had become a habit, I chose to sit in a place not far from him. With the hunting breath I tried to set it. Really, what's wrong with me? Why should I run while he won't care if I'm coming late or even I'm not coming. And I would just always sit in the corner doing nothing, just flipping books randomly without me reading.

Every time he came home too late at night, I also followed him on foot in the back. Step by step I equalized the rhythm of the foot continuing to follow it until I actually made sure it returned safely.

At the graduation of junior high school, his mother was ill and could not attend the graduation ceremony. He seemed agitated and disappointed because he failed to get a scholarship to continue school to the next level. I finally understood why he struggled to learn all this time, not a dream but he just wanted to stay in school.

I came to bring her the most beautiful bouquet of flowers, but unfortunately she did not look happy. While the other students were smiling happily sharing photos with their parents and loved ones, I saw him crying alone. He sat alone staring at how another friend holding a bouquet of smiling flowers got a hug, while he just sat empty-handed with no one present.

I stared at the flower bouquet in my hand. Should I pay someone else to give me this bouquet, or maybe it's time I did it myself. I have to give him congratulations. "Congratulations, you did your best. I wish I could be the only one who would say that. Isn't that what I have to do now when no one is present and tells him that.

I've got to do it. Yeah, I'll do it myself. I also need to know if he really doesn't remember me. I ventured to walk up to him. He was still looking down. Is she that sad to the point of not being aware of my presence already standing in front of her. I swung the bouquet at him. He looked up at me and our eyes finally met.

"Until when are you gonna let me hold this flower". I finally opened my voice to speak to him.

He still did not accept it, then stood looking at me. But, why else have to look at it again. Why look at these eyes again. Highlight eyes filled with anger, annoyance, sadness, and also despair.

"You.." she surprised me.

He looked at me and said a word that made me ask. What's the matter? Does he remember me?.

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*** to Be Continued ***