I thought that she would immediately freeze when her eyes landed on me, but I couldn't be more wrong.
Her whole body is trembling. Her jaw held so many questions that her mouth slightly opened.
Behind those shaky emerald pearls are thoughts. It tells her that what stood behind her friend is a man, a male. Who can hurt her. Who can torture her. Who can kill her.
After recalling what her… sickness is, I had this type of reaction from her. She sees me as the same person who had hurt her before.
Now, I don't know the man who traumatized you, but you would be disappointed to find out he isn't me, though we share the same gender. If every man were the same person, then everyone would have killed themselves because that is what I desire.
And, even if I am that kind of man, I wouldn't want to do anything to you now. First, Sohee is here. And second, I don't think I'm actually in the mood.
So calm down if you can hear me.
She isn't calming down.
Because Nelly is not a mind reader.
And I haven't spoken a single word since our silence happened a minute ago.
Thud.
That's her foot backing away, slowly vomiting Sohee out of her blanket. Her lips were quivering, and you could see a string of saliva slipping out of her mouth.
"Why."
Nelly mutters.
Her voice is weak.
It is only intended for Sohee to hear.
But her voice fails to do that.
"Why are you doing this, Sohee? Did I do something wrong?"
"Ne—Nelly, listen."
Sohee jerks forward as if trying to hold Nelly so she doesn't slip away.
But Sohee never managed to bring herself up further. Her face is red, and her pink mouth is tight.
The blanket sways. Nelly spins around. A gust of anger blows in our face. The girl in the blanket makes her way behind the door.
She is nowhere to be seen now.
But her voice is still here.
"Please. Don't come here again."
To Sohee she says.
And with that, she pushes the door.
"Wait, Nelly," she pleads, stretching her arms into the gap.
Sohee is smart, but unlike Shizuka, she is kind and considerate. Which, being one, sometimes makes you do something stupid.
First, the can hits the floor.
Clank.
Then, the door hits the flesh.
Smack.
And a girl in her school uniform whimpers.
Her sound is no louder than the others were. It is as if she doesn't want Nelly to hear it.
But she had to hear them, Sohee. Look, she thought it was something stuck between the door, and not someone. So she drives it harder, making the bite on your arm worse.
It is just torture at this point.
I almost feel bad for her.
… Almost?
Why is it… when Sohee, a girl who is always trying to help me, who is clearly in so much pain right now— why is it still empty? Do I have no empathy toward her? Or maybe just anyone?
This is wrong. It is unjust not to feel sorry for Sohee.
Maybe I should help her push the door off her arm.
—No!
A hidden voice tells me the best thing to do now is to stay put like this.
If I favor Sohee right now… we'd die right here and then.
So the voice tells me.
Do I believe in them?
I don't want to.
But my body has already given in to them since I can't move a single muscle.
So I just stay here, watching a girl whom I should care for, sucking up her tears.
"Nelly…"
The person whom Sohee called out is sobbing behind the door. "I trusted you, Sohee."
"Nelly… please understand—"
"You are the same as others. You want me to cry, is that right?"
"No, I—"
"Then why did you betray me?"
"Nelly, I never meant to betray you. Listen…"
Sohee is struggling to keep both her cries of pain and words out.
Hang in there, Sohee, I'm rooting for you. Fight off the pain. Tell her you don't mean to hurt her.
Stop her from chopping off your arm, since I would like you to have two of them.
But Sohee never utters another word again… if she does, I think Nelly would find out what she is doing.
So what are we supposed to do now?
Do we just have to wait?
Wait for what?
Wait for who?
Wait for another savior.
—"Sohee?"
A voice of a girl… no, a woman. One who is sweating as if she just had a fair share of sun today. Blue towel around her neck. A purple sports wrap is on her body. A flat chest.
A pair of green eyes, almost emerald.
Someone who looks like Nelly, but more mature. And not in a blanket. And doesn't look like have been sobbing for years.
As soon as she sees where Sohee's arm is in… she runs to help.