Extra-chapter 35.5

"I have to find him as soon as possible," Rae mumbled as he glanced at the piece of paper he received from Ella, "A day of skipping training would not be that bad, I suppose?"

Soon as the bell rings, he quickly left without Yana's notice. He doesn't want her to know about his plan or else she might get mad and stop him.

"I'll deal with her after this." He said as he went and rode a bus.

After half an hour, he went out of the bus together with other passengers. Soon as he did, drops of water started to fall all of a sudden. Good thing, he has his umbrella with him.

"Oh dear... looks like I forgot my umbrella!" He heard from the man beside him as they're standing in the waiting shed.

"Mr. Valdez?" He blurted out soon as he realized the old man's face.

Then he glanced at the lad, it took him a while before he recognize his face.

"Ah! You're..."

"I'm Rae, Yana's classmate, sir. I've been looking for you." He said.

The old man felt that the lad doesn't seem to have any ill intentions. So he decided not to drive him away.

"Ah, but before that, let's share under my umbrella. I want to talk to you with something, sir." He smiled a little.

The old man stared at him for a moment and heaved a sigh, "It's about Yana, right?"

The lad nodded as they started walking on the streets.

"Are you going to tell me to stop seeing my daughter? Did she send you here?"

The lad shook his head, "I came to do the opposite, sir. I'm here to convince you to reconcile with her."

The old man scoffed and flashed a sad smile, "How? You saw it yourself. She hates me."

"But that doesn't mean you should give up, sir. Even Yana did say she doesn't want to see you, I know deep inside her, she doesn't mean it. She's been lonely."

The old man remained silent.

"Please sir, I don't want you to give up. I know how much you love your daughter. Let that love serves as your motivation. I know I'm overstepping my boundaries, but I don't want her to live in misery and regret forever." Rae heaved a sigh.

After several steps of walking in silence, the old man stopped from his tracks.

"Thank you, I'll consider what you said. This is my house, thank you for sharing your umbrella with me."

"I-it's nothing, sir. And uhm..." He took a piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to Mr. Valdez.

"If you need any help, you can contact me."

The old man smiled, "Thank you. I'm glad my daughter has a nice friend like you."

And with that, they bid their goodbyes.

***

"I... I love the color of your hair!" She suddenly exclaimed.

It was so sudden that it startled him. He never thought she would say those things.

Indeed, she's weird, strange and full of surprises. But her odd personality always caught him off guard that left a loud thump inside his chest.

'W-what is this feeling?' Orpheus thought, 'I shouldn't feel this way! I don't want to have any weakness!'

He blinked few times, "What nonsense are you saying?"

"Y-you said beauty doesn't always have to be what's seen by the naked eye. But I just want to say... you have pretty hair, and I like it!"

After listening to those words, the thump from his heart became louder and louder. He can feel the heat rising from his face.

Embarrassed, he turned his back. But he was unaware that his ears became red as he felt his heart racing.

Her words reminded him of the girl he met twelve years ago. She almost said the same thing to him even it was the first time they met.

'Could it be... they're the same? No, that's impossible... Seriously, what's happening to me! Get hold of yourself, Orpheus!'

"Let's head back." He mumbled and never turned his way on her.

Any more of this or he might do something he'll regret later.

But this new feeling that had sprung inside him, it doesn't hurt him at all. Rather, it's something he wanted to know more of.