Chapter 59
After the New Year, I noticed a change in Alison. She often seemed lost in thought, her vibrant spirit vanished. She resembled an elderly person nearing the end of their days, devoid of hope.
I was puzzled by her behavior. She refused to communicate with me, shutting me out.
Later, she took a two–week leave. Whenever
I had time, I lingered downstairs at her apartment. Surely she would come out, and I would see her, right? I wasn’t sure. I didn’t even know what I was waiting for.
What if, simply, she didn’t want to see me?
While I was indecisive, I felt her gaze. I looked up, but instead of seeing her, I saw a young man, bare–chested and with a disdainful expression, watching me. He didn’t look for long. Noticing I saw him, he quickly drew the curtains.
But isn’t that Alison’s room?
When I saw Alison again, I noticed she had lost a lot of weight. Her school uniform hung on her like a large, fluttering curtain, as if it might blow away at any moment.
She led me to the materials room, and I had no idea what she intended to do.
Just as I was about to ask her, she began to undress, one garment at a time. I was too stunned to stop her, and my gaze was drawn to the array of scars, old and new, and the red marks across her chest.
I recalled the rumors at school and the man who should never have been in her bedroom, shirtless.NôvelDrama.Org: owner of this content.
My heart ached for her–the girl whose eyes once sparkled with the promise of the world- now struggling in unseen, darkened depths.
Her distance suddenly made sense.
I knew it took immense courage for her to reveal everything. I struggled to remain calm as I draped her coat over her shoulders. I waited by the door while she got ready, watching her leave.
I remembered my own naive insistence that she focus on her studies, never questioning why she was growing thinner. I wanted to help her escape her family’s constraints, but would she still want to be with me?
I wasn’t sure.
I kept a close watch on her, noticing her grades improving steadily. I followed her every day, seeing her safely home.
I knew she had applied to the university we had talked about, and with her abilities, she would surely be accepted. But should I choose that school too?
Was she ready to see me?