CHAPTER 22: Harsh

She looked mesmerizing; I couldn't take my eyes off her. In that floral dress, she resembled a princess. When I saw her, my breath caught in my throat, and my heart started racing. She asked me how she looked, but I couldn't respond. I was afraid that if I did, she might realize that I liked her, and I didn't want that to happen because I believed I was not the right person for her. 

I asked her what else she wanted, and she said she wanted her family to see her like that. I took her hand and we headed to her parents' house. On the way, she started to feel nervous and terrified; anxiety was taking over. I tried to calm her down by holding her hand and reassuring her not to worry. When we arrived at the apartment where her parents lived, I remembered that they resided just above my floor, so we took the elevator up. As we rode up, Saru spoke in a nervous voice, asking if she could tie her hair up or remove her jewelry. I gave her a serious look and said, "You are looking very pretty just as you are."

As we stepped out of the elevator, Saru hurried toward the door of her house. Instead of knocking, she stood still. I moved closer to her and what I saw terrified me. Her parents were carrying out her funeral. I was shocked, and my heart stopped. I stood behind her, knowing she was shattered into pieces. When she fell against me, I instinctively grabbed her waist, but she pushed me away and ran down the stairs. I could feel her heartache as she cried. I followed her, shouting, "Saru, stop! Wait, Saru!"