'She isn't replying anymore. Did something happen?'

At first, Teren was casual about it...

One hour later-

He was curling on his bed.

'Did I do something wrong? You wouldn't just leave the convo that fast, right?'

Two hours later-

He was in his meditative posture.

'Maybe something really happened to her. Should I check her out? Would that be right?'

Two hours and thirty minutes later-

Bzzz*

Teren who was doing push-ups immediately jumped onto his phone when he felt its vibrations.

Hurriedly, opened the message.

[Sorry for the late reply.]

"That's all?" Teren frowned.

"Should I ask? Maybe I should."

[Did something happen?]

There was a long pause that Teren was about to do push-ups again, to relieve some stress, when-

[Nothing...]

Looking at his screen, his eyes squinted.

[There's definitely something.]

"Oh no! Why did I say that?" Teren snapped out of his daze when he realized what he said.

"I don't get it. My mood is getting bad. Maybe because she's not replying to me? No, earlier, I didn't mind it at all. What is this feeling?"

Teren thought that he had overstepped his boundaries. Meanwhile. at Iesa's house, after eating and helping around the house, Iesa was under a blanket in her dark room.

She silently stared at her phone.

Until now, she could hear some of her "parents" thoughts.

Tears finally dropped from her eyes. Her vision became watery and pushed her to type.

[I hate this house.]

Teren's face twitched when he read this. Before he could reply, Iesa sent another text.

[I especially hate my father.]

After calming himself, Teren replied.

[Why?]

[He's a pervert.]

Back to Iesa, she wiped her tears, thinking, 'What am I doing, telling this to Teren? We just talked for a while but I'm already like this... what if he thinks I'm weird? Everyone does.'

[He's a pervert?]

Even though Iesa felt like she was doing something wrong, she couldn't hold back herself. She had been keeping it to herself all this time. Now that someone's asking, how could she stop herself?

'But what is my proof anyway? It's not like I can tell him I can read minds. On the outside, my father seemed caring and loving. Only I know...'

[I'm just adopted. Maybe it's just my imagination but recently, he's always... staring at me.]

'This one is true even if I can't hear his mind.'

Iesa waited for a while before she received Teren's reply. A cold reply.

[Go on.]

'Go on?'

Iesa frowned but that was enough for her to tell.

[When I'm home, mom is always at home too. There was never a time when I'm alone with my father. But tomorrow, my mom will go out for a business trip. Even she didn't know how long it will last.]

'I've said everything... well, except my psychic ability. But I've said it.'

Iesa didn't want to admit it but she felt a lot better. She just worried that she's a chore in the conversation.

[Sorry for telling all of you this. That's just the reason why I hate this house.]

After sending that, Iesa still didn't feel right so she sent another one.

[I'm sorry if I'm weird. I shouldn't have told this.]

After that text, there was an instant reply.

[No]

'No?' Iesa frowned, 'No to what?'

[You're not weird and shouldn't be sorry. Did you forget why I gave you my number in the first place?]

'If I need help, I'll reach out to you...' Iesa smiled but replied.

[No, this is a personal problem. Actually, even if you don't give me anything, it's fine already. I'm just a coward that's why I got scared by you.]

[Stop]

Iesa frowned again.

[Stop calling yourself weird or coward. Don't forget that I'm a guy the police are chasing right now. If you call yourself weird, what am I then? And getting scared of me is very natural since I'm the true weirdo.]

Reading this made Iesa giggle.

[No, I'm weird. You're just super weird.]

[Okay, I'll take that.]

[You're fine with it?]

[Yeah, not to brag but being weird is why I'm stuck in this situation.]

'This psychopath.' Iesa giggled again. Shen then received a follow-up from Teren.

[If you want my help just say it. Don't worry, I won't kill your father. Just beat him to death.]

Iesa stared at this and gulped.

[That's killing him too, though.]

[Then I'll beat him before his last breath.]

Iesa dropped her phone and curled.

'If another guy said this, I would just scoff at them. But it comes from Teren. He will definitely do it.'

'Am I scared? Why is my heartbeat getting faster?'

[You'll really do it?] she slowly typed.

[Of course. Why wouldn't I? He's a pervert.]

[I really want to see that pervert got beat up. But he's still my father so just hit him once, okay?]

Back to Teren's house, he smiled widely.

"Once? That's more than enough to bring him to his last breath."

[Sure.]

Iesa giggled again. She then texted.

[Okay. But it's already time. I'm going to sleep now.]

[Okay]

But Iesa felt it has something missing so she sent another one.

[Goodnight, see you tomorrow.]

[Okay, goodnight. See you as well.]

Iesa put down her phone and closed her eyes. Meanwhile, Teren's pupils were spiralling as his face reddened.

"She... she said goodnight... so... so sweet. Ah! I can't take it!"

Teren looked at himself in the mirror while clutching to his chest. After a while, he calms down. His face turned dark.

"A perverted father, huh... Of course, I'm not only going to beat him up."

Afterward, the next day came. It was Thursday.

When Iesa got out of her house, she saw that her mother was already preparing to leave.

She left the house in a sour mood.

After several minutes of walking since the street she was living in was near Mershen High, she reached her destination.

She entered the classroom and glanced to her left.

'He's still not here.'

Iesa looked around and saw that there are only a few people present.

'Well, I don't want to stay in that house so I got out early.' she thought.

Only when the first period was about to come that Teren entered the classroom.

'He's here.' Iesa was about to ask him why he was late but when they made eye contact, she closed her mouth and turned her head away.

'Wait... what? Why am I suddenly embarrassed?'