Chapter 21: Anything You Want?

"Chapter 21: Anything You Want?

"WHY?"

Arabella trembled when she heard the answer she'd been dreading.

I knew it… I knew it…

"B-because…"

"Because what?!" Baran cut her off, shouting. There was a faint wrath in his voice that grew with every word.

"Arabella… because of you, I can't even look at my own hands anymore." Baran lifted his hands, showing her his gloves.

"Just imagine. Imagine every single movement you make… bringing you the agony of hell itself. Just imagine!"

The tremor of anger was clear in his tone now. Each word weighed heavier than the last.

These words only left Arabella even more desperate. There was no way she could truly understand his pain. His fury was justified — painfully so.

"That's why… I'll do anything you ask of me!" Arabella snapped out of her thoughts and spoke up. Her courage, however feeble, was still admirable.

"Anything I want? Hahahahahaha… What could I possibly want from you…" Baran suddenly stopped mid-sentence, then slowly, deliberately, began to look her over.

Under his gaze, Arabella felt naked. It was as if he could see straight through her body, down to her very core.

Shiver!

An involuntary, uncontrollable shiver took hold of her.

"Anything I want, huh?" he asked again, his mischievous grin and the casual tone completely at odds with his earlier fury.

No… Why did I give him that leverage… I'm never listening to Theodore again…

Arabella regretfully lowered her head.

Baran began to walk away. Whatever happened, he couldn't afford to be late for class.

"Then… let's meet somewhere private during lunch break." His tone was unmistakably sinister, the grin on his face perfectly matching his voice as he walked off.

As soon as Baran was far enough, Arabella fell to her knees. She deeply regretted getting herself into this, and she bitterly wished she'd listened to Alessia, Angellica, and Theodore's advice instead.

Angellica, meanwhile, hadn't said a single word during the entire exchange. She'd expected a much more positive response from Baran, after the time she'd spent with him lately. But hearing his reply… even she had been left trembling.

He's joking… Baran would never want something so vile… Right?

And Angellica wasn't the only one left speechless. Even Beetroot-headed Tristan stood frozen in shock.

Sure, he knew Baran wasn't shy about saying improper things when he felt like it… but this? Even he hadn't seen that coming.

Tristan shook his head, then started running to catch up with Baran.

Now that he could use his energy, he was much faster than before. Though in truth, it was still no more than a single drop in the ocean compared to Baran's pace.

Soon enough, Tristan caught up to him, moving quickly to stand in his path.

Baran stopped, a faint smirk on his lips.

"B-Baran, you really…" Tristan froze mid-sentence. He didn't even know what to ask — or how to ask it.

"Haha… did you like your little playmate?" Baran said in a clearly amused tone.

"Ha…?" Tristan stared back at him in wide-eyed shock.

Baran casually threw an arm around Tristan's neck and kept walking.

"I just found a new toy, Tristan."