Chapter 62: It Was a Low Voice, A Soft Voice, A Sad Voice...

So that's why my feelings and thoughts have been so high-strung lately! Lyra thought self-deprecatingly to herself against Huey.

When she thought about it, hadn't she been panicking a lot more over the past few minutes? It started right from the infirmary after reuniting with Huey. No, thinking back, it started even further—since she woke up.

It was subtle then, but Lyra felt unsure about why she felt a certain way. She had even gone so far as to taunt Tyla and challenge her. Her feelings had also been high-strung whenever she thought about Huey—about how he might leave and abandon her after exhausting her usefulness. Just the thought made her panic and feel desperate.

Then, when Huey showed up at the infirmary and smiled at Tyla while looking away from her, she panicked.

What the hell is this?! And now, here she was.

Her reaction to Professor Hathaway's revelation was also a bit abrupt. And after that...

'Why am I still leaning on him?!'

Lyra's head grew hot as she screamed internally. Wasn't this too much? Wasn't she suffering enough already? When did she get so bold? Was this how it would be for her for the rest of her life—like a teenage girl going through puberty?

The thought of spewing hormones like she was pregnant made her want to scream with embarrassment.

' Uuwaaa!!'

Of course, it was all in her head.

Wh-wh-wh-what should I do? I-i sh-sh-should get off him! Yes! No! I-I can't do that! I've already done this; the deed has been done! If I suddenly back off now, he'll know something is wrong!

Although Lyra wasn't wrong about her reflections, those thoughts and feelings had already existed inside her heart. With the core transplant, those thoughts and feelings had only surfaced a little more.

The rest was all on her.

Rather than realizing and accepting that truth, Lyra chose to blame it all on the influence of the core in her body. Yes! It was less embarrassing that way! Still embarrassing, though...

Huey could feel Lyra squirming and quivering against his chest, but he couldn't relate to her thoughts—well, her actual thoughts.

*She's most likely going through a lot trying to process everything she's heard until now,* Huey lamented in his heart as he looked down at Lyra's head. To think she was just a young woman with a dream when he met her. But everything changed then. *He* changed it.

If *he* hadn't taken her and helped her that day, it definitely wouldn't have turned out this way. *Lyra has been through a lot in just a few days... because of me,* Huey reflected, acknowledging that Lyra would probably want nothing more to do with him after this.

He took a deep breath. *Well, this is fine,* he thought. *I've probably done more harm than good since the beginning, but at least I've given her an opportunity to reach for the distant stars she so desired.*

Huey cast a heavy gaze down on her and restrained a sigh. *When had he ever been so considerate of others before?* Huey sincerely wondered.

Maybe it was because, after discovering his old home, he had come to truly understand the meaning of worth. But did Lyra mean that much to him? Probably not. But the days he spent with her, traveling through the apocalypse, were something he would forever remember.

Cringe, he mocked himself.

Lyra shifted her gaze slightly and snuck a glance at Huey. Immediately, he looked away, and she buried her face deeper again. Dread overcame her.

He knows!!

She had seen the heavy, meaningful gaze he gave her just now.

'He knows! He knows! He knows! He knows! Now he'll think I'm some cheap whore! Ahhh, why? What did I do to deserve this?!' Her thoughts were still on whether to back away or not. After all, she had only done something so embarrassing under the influence of the damned devil inside her.

Yes! It was the Elder God's fault!

'But I can't go back now! And I can't stay like this either! He hasn't even touched me once or done anything since the beginning… does that mean he already knew even before knowing?!' Now, she was in way over her head

She felt like if she continued to lean on him, Huey would see her as a cheap woman and an attention-seeking whore. And if she backed away, she would only be confirming his thoughts about her being an attention-seeking whore! Either way, she felt like she was still an attention-seeking whore!

I want to die!! Lyra cried, unable to hold back her tears any longer.

She's even crying... Huey, noticing the silent tears running down Lyra's face, felt his mind grow heavier. He took a deep breath and let out a small sigh.

At that moment, Lyra shook and her thoughts raced even faster. He's even giving me the opportunity to get off before he throws me off himself... she sniffed painfully, overwhelmed with red-hot embarrassment.

Fine, she bit her lips and, with one final thought, pushed her body off his and took a step back. Then a couple more steps away from him.

She lowered her head to hide her tears and couldn't even bring herself to look him in the face. '

Doing this is me admitting to being cheap! He probably won't ever see me the same way again... not that he ever saw me as anything special!'

Maybe it was about time she realized this might just be another influence of the core.

Huey, on the other hand...was equally as hopeless, as tge delusional lady.

'Does she really want nothing to do with me anymore? She won't even look me in the eyes, he chuckled self-mockingly inwardly. I guess that's fine. I won't bother Lyra any longer.'

With that thought, and without a single ripple in his expression, Huey turned to the professor and said neutrally, "If that's everything, then I'll be back later to continue where we left off." Leaving those words behind, Professor Hathaway nodded.

"I'll explain to Lyra about the other things she should be aware of," he said.

Without much reaction or even a single word, Huey nodded. He turned toward the door and left the office. Shortly after, Tyla quickly followed behind him.

As soon as Huey was gone, Lyra's heart sank.

___ ___

"Hey... Hey. I said hey!"

As Huey was walking slowly down the passageway, he heard a familiar voice call out to him from behind. He stopped, then slowly turned around to see a glaring Tyla with a bandage wrapped around her head.

"What?" he said flatly.

Tyla walked up to him, and only when she was a face away did she stop. She craned her neck and looked into his eyes deeply.

"Are you okay?" she asked in a soft voice.

Huey held her gaze and responded, "I'm fine."

Tyla lingered, then nodded. Clearly, he wasn't fine, but she understood if he didn't want to talk about it. Since the last time she met him in his room a couple of days ago, she had gained a slight understanding—albeit a minuscule one—about Huey and knew he wore a mask.

After all... everyone did.

She also knew he was strong, and if he didn't want to share what was bothering him, then it meant it was something he could handle. She was like that too, so she could easily relate.

As Huey was about to turn around to leave again, Tyla promptly said, "Did you find what you were looking for?"

Huey stopped in his tracks with his back turned to her for two seconds, then kept walking forward in silence. Tyla frowned. Just when she thought she wouldn't be getting a reply, she heard Huey's voice resound from a couple of steps away.

It was a low voice, a soft voice, a sad voice.

His words drifted in the distance as he left.

"I wish I did, I wish I didn't."

Without looking back, Huey continued on. He was going to meet with the Village Head one last time.

***

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

And this puts an end to the second surprise bonus chapter. Again, it wasn't much. And as I've said, I've accomplished all I truly wanted to for this volume.

The last couple of chapters like this, are just used to tie up loose ends and set the stage. For the next arc. So please bear with me if you think it's slow, and unexciting enough. I actually find this slow development refreshing, cuz RED has been driven by a lot of fight scenes that I feel drained.

In any case, I'll see y'all tomorrow then (it's 11:31 am rn here)