57. Crazy girl
"Monocle?"
I stared at her face. Despite the haze in her eyes, she looked at me as though peering straight into my soul.
In an instant,
a chill surged down my spine. Goosebumps prickled across my skin as a jolt of fear struck me. I instinctively pushed myself backward, but my hand slipped—
and I tumbled from the tree root onto the ashen ground.
Even then, I didn't stop.
I scrambled away, half-rolling across the earth, desperate to put as much distance as possible between us.
Between me and her.
Or rather... 'He'.
My head spun in a storm of confusion.
What just happened? How? Am I going to die?
No…I had to run.
But how?
How could He be here?
What I thought would be a peaceful vacation had twisted into a waking nightmare.
"No…" I muttered, smacking the side of my head as if I could knock it back into focus. The sting of pain grounded me—barely.
What should I do? What should I do?
Panic cracked through my thoughts like lightning. My breathing quickened. I could feel myself unraveling.
"...ris."
"Chris!" A voice pierced through the fog in my mind.
In a fleeting moment of clarity, I turned toward the source.
It was the same blind girl with golden hair— but this time, she wasn't wearing the monocle.
"STOP!" I screamed, my voice raw as I stumbled backward, watching her approach me step by step.
I was ready to bolt again, but then she froze, just as I'd shouted. And that's when I noticed it. a flicker of concern on her face. Genuine. Hesitant.
Not threatening.
"What game are you trying to play here?" I snapped, trying to sound tough, but inside, I was scared shitless.
Not even bumping into Him in Backlund would've shaken me like this. This felt like getting hit by a damn nuclear blast just as I was taking off my suit—completely off guard, completely exposed.
No, seriously— WHAT THE FUCK?!
My eyes darted around, scanning desperately for a way out.
"I'M SORRY!" the girl suddenly cried, bowing her head low, trying to pour as much sincerity into those two words as she could.
What?
It wasn't that I didn't hear her, but it was just too surreal. What the hell was He trying to pull?
"I'm sorry... it was just a joke," she added, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to explain herself.
"A joke?" I echoed, disbelief thick in my voice as I struggled to grasp the meaning behind His—no, her—words. She seemed a bit relieved by my response and took a cautious step toward me. I immediately stepped back.
"Stop! Don't come any closer!" I warned, voice tight. Even so, I couldn't stop the worry from creeping in.
"Kgh…" She gritted her teeth, clearly regretting her actions.
"I was just joking," she muttered, shifting awkwardly, tracing invisible lines in the dirt with her foot.
"I thought you were always so calm… I wanted to play a little prank on you," she said, trying to explain.
"I saw the future—saw you telling me the kind of things you dislike. So I did exactly that."
Her voice trailed off. "I didn't know you'd react this strongly."
"Cas," I called out, just to be sure.
"Yeah?" She stopped her muttering and turned toward me, responding to my voice.
"So… you really are Cassie?" I asked again, still hesitant.
"Un. I'm Cassie. No one else," she replied, a glimmer of hope flickering across her face.
"…Alright. I believe you."
"Yes! Thank you! and I'm really sorry," she said, her face lighting up with relief. But It wasn't for long.
"So, what you're saying is… because I've played pranks on you before, you wanted to try the same on me? Is that right? And you even went so far as to bring out something like a monocle?" I took a step closer as I spoke, eyes narrowing.
Cassie suddenly sensed something was off and instinctively took a step back.
"Why are you backing away?" I asked, feeling a sharp vein throb in my temple. "Hmm?"
"Um, Chris… I'd appreciate it if you didn't come any closer," she said, taking another cautious step back. "Something feels... off." She swallowed hard.
"Hm? What do you mean by 'Off'?" I asked, forcing the widest, brightest smile I could muster.
"After all, it's perfectly normal, I pranked you, you pranked me. Isn't that what a healthy relationship looks like?" She couldn't see my smile, but I hoped she'd understand from the warmth in my voice.
"R-right!" Her voice trembled, but she nodded in agreement—after all, it was just a prank.
"So, my dear Cas, do you remember what you did to me after I pulled that prank on you?"
"Hik?!" Her face instantly drained of color. "So you still remember, huh? Kehehehe. Don't worry, I'll be as gentle as I can."
"Um… is that even possible to be gentle?" she asked, her hope fading.
"What are you talking about? Of course it's… impossible."
***
"Um… what just happened?" Sunny couldn't help but ask, bewildered by the bizarre scene before him. Just moments ago, the atmosphere had been heavy and tense, but now… there was Cas, kneeling on the ground covered by cloth made out of thread. Both of her hands were raised above her head, and on her head, a large, swollen bump stood out clearly.
"Did you hit something?" he asked again. 'Cas is blind, so it wouldn't be unreasonable for her to bump into something, but… '
Then he noticed Chris—covered head to toe in dust, as if he'd just fought for his life.
"Why do you look like that too?" he muttered, stunned by the sight.
"Life is unpredictable…" he murmured, taking an imaginary puff from a cigarette held between his fingers.
"..." Sunny quickly glanced at Neph. Seeing her usual stoic expression crack and mirror his own disbelief, he let out a relieved sigh. 'Phew, I thought I was losing my mind for a second there.'
*Clap *Clap.
"All right, let's get started with the brainstorming," Neph said, clapping her hands before returning to her seat.
"Haa…" Chris approached Cassie, gently helping her to her feet and brushing the dust off her clothes. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?" he asked softly as his fingers caressed the bump on her head.
"I'm fine," she replied, shaking her head with a small, playful giggle.
"Why are you giggling?" he asked, exasperated but with a faint twinge of guilt gnawing at his heart. After all, she was only returning the favor—an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
"Nothing." At first, Cassie felt like they were standing on equal ground—not as someone to be protected, but as equals.
"Crazy girl," he scoffed. "You don't even realize what kind of fire you're playing with. Throw that fake monocle away—no, better yet, destroy it completely."
"'Monocle?'" Neph and Sunny both reacted in surprise, but no one answered. The young man continued muttering, scolding the young woman, who simply smiled softly the entire time.