4

"Where did you get those?" I asked, confusion filled my voice. A bouquet of blue and red roses was placed on our table. There was also a small pink teddy bear beside it. I just woke up and those were the first thing I have noticed in our small living room.

My mother shrugged her shoulders while looking at the flowers. "They are from Simoun. They are so beautiful, aren't they?"

I pouted. I walked over to the flowers and inspect it. They were so beautiful to look at, I admit. But I just can't help but feel a bit confused because this is the first time that Simoun sent flowers. Usually, he will just drop by in our house if he has something to give. And I didn't receive any message from him that he sent me these stuff. 

"Are you sure that they are from Simoun?" My voice was filled with doubt. I opened my phone to type a message for Simoun.

- Did you send flowers?

Just a seconds had passed, I received a reply from him.

Simoun:

- No. Why? Have you eaten your breakfast?

I pursed my lips, staring at the flowers.

"Simoun did not send these, Ma. Are you the one who received it?" I asked my mother.

She nodded. "Yes. From the delivery boy. I just signed it. And he said the name of the sender is Simoun."

"But Simoun told me that he did not send anything, Ma. I asked him." Now, my voice was hard but the fear laced in it was vivid.

Her brows furrowed as she blinked. "W-What? But the delivery boy said that..."

I swallowed as fear crept in my skin. "Why did you receive it? You should have called me."

"I-I did not know, Yula."

"Good morning."

A cold and rough voice made me stopped. It was Rael. He was standing in our door. He put down the gallon of water. His eyes drifted on the flowers but he immediately looked at me.

"Thank you so much, Rael. Please, put it in the kitchen. Come here," my mother said as she left.

Rael stared at me for a moment before he averted his gaze, following my mother inside the kitchen. As much as I did not want to, my eyes seemed to have their own mind as they automatically followed him.

We decided to throw the stuff away because we were not sure who sent those.

But after a few days, I noticed something unusual. While I was combing my hair infront of the mirror, I noticed a small red light coming from the clock which was hanging on the wall. My brows furrowed in confusion as I stared at it more. Slowly, I put down my comb and stood up.

My steps were slow as I walked over to the wall clock, staring at the red dot.

Pulse beating in my ears as my stomach churning. 

I grabbed the monoblock chair and stepped on it to reach the wall clock. My hands were trembling as I stared at it. 

I went out of my room with the clock in my hand. I went to our garden where my father and some of his friends were. They were drinking some beers. Rael was also there. 

"Dad!" My voice shook miserably. My father stood up from his seat immediately as soon as he saw the fear in my eyes. I also noticed Rael stood up.

Dad dropped his gaze on the wall clock in my hand.

"I-It has a camera!" I uttered, voice laced with fear. My father started inspecting the wall clock in his hand.

Rael walked over to us. His jaw was clenched tightly while looking at me. 

My tears were unstoppable. I was hardly breathing. I swallowed as I hugged myself.

Rael took the wall clock from my father and he examined it himself. He started breaking the clock and I gasped when he pulled out a small red light which was connected in a small cable.

It was a small hidden camera.

"What is that? Why is it there?" My father asked in a confused tone.

Rael looked at my father. Suddenly, he snapped his eyes at me. I could not describe the emotion in his eyes but I can clearly tell that there was anger in them.

"Someone put this here. Someone is watching you secretly..." Rael's voice was filled with indignance. 

Terror sucked the very breath from my mouth as pulse beating in my ears, blocking out all other sound.

"W-What?" My voice was numb with shock. Rael's jaw tightened repeatedly as he looked away.

I felt so lost as they continued examining the wall clock. I do not know what to feel. Anger, fear and even mistrust were overpowering me. I could not even open my mouth when they asked me. I could see their lips moving but my ears became numb.

"Yula! Yula! Can you hear me?"

Someone shook my shoulder which made me pulled out from my thoughts. My mother's eyes were full or worry. My gaze drifted to the man beside her.

Rael was silent but his eyes were full of darkness. Even though they have different colors, darkness was extremely strong and intense.

"When did you buy this wall clock." Rael asked in a stern voice. His eyes remained staring into mine.

I blinked as I tried to find answer. "I bought that two weeks ago." My tone was tired and weak.

His jaw tightened mercilessly. He let out a deep sigh.

"I think it is not a camera? It is probably just some sort of design?" my father's friend commented.

"This is a camera. I can't be wrong," I responded in a firm voice.

"But who will put it there if it is really a camera? What is their motive?" My father furrowed his brows.

"Where did you buy this?" Rael asked. His eyes fixed on mine.

"A-At the night market."

Rael pressed his lips together. When he looked away, he stared at the horizon as though he was in deep thoughts.

My mother accompanied me in my room. They already threw the wall clock away. They also had stopped drinking beers. My father's friends had already left and Rael was the only one who stayed. He was talking to my father.

I could not sleep after what happened. My eyes kept on finding a possible small red dot. I was so paranoid. I feel like someone was watching me. I could not even be comfortable in my own room anymore.

I was still lost even in the next morning. The fear in my heart was still overpowering my whole system. I could not even talk to my parents. My thoughts were in disarray. 

I felt someone entered the kitchen. I immediately looked away when I saw Rael. He was holding some plastic bags and he put those down on the table as I continued washing the dishes. My mother asked him to accompany her at the wet market because my brother and my father were not here.

"Can I drink water?" I heard him uttered in a soft voice. I swallowed hardly as I quietly grabbed a glass. I wiped it with a clean towel before I filled it with water. I did not look at him but I could feel him watching me intently causing my hand to shake in discomfort.

"H-Here," I whispered as I put down the glass near him. I did not spare him a glance.

"Thank you..." he said gently.

I just nodded my head slightly before I went back to the dishes. Suddenly, I felt his presence beside me. My heart pounded ridiculously inside my chest. It was so fast that I thought I would lose my balance especially when I noticed our distance. I felt like I was on fire and like I might spontaneously combust at any moment.

I trembled when I felt the warmth of his body behind mine.

"Let me do it," he whispered. I let him washed the glass he used. I did not even notice that my breathing had stopped as I watched him carefully rinsed the glass. He put it beside him when he was done but he remained on his spot.

Slowly, I looked at him. His eyes were tired, I can tell. I swallowed hard. His eyes were weak as though he was in pain.

"How are you?" he whispered huskily.

My lips parted a bit as my heart was beating so loudly I thought he would hear it. 

"I-I am okay." I do not know why his question brought a lot of pain in my heart. It hurts that I wanted to cry.

I saw how his eyes weakened even more. "Please, do not worry about anything."

I could not talk. This feels like a sweet torture.

"Yula..." His voice was almost begging. "Can I... hug you?"

I found myself swallowing nervously. I stared into his tired eyes. But he immediately took a step back, aggressively running his fingers through his hair.

"I am sorry. Just..." He sighed excessively, averting his gaze. "Just forget about it," he whispered before he turned his back on me, leaving me alone.