Steven was running a fever. His breath was warm, beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his stance was unsteady.
He hugged me from behind and whispered, âStephle⦠Iâm scared.â
It was everyone else who feared him, even people like Eva. Though they were the type who got their thrills by bullying others, he was someone whoâd kill in cold blood, âYou guys have ulterior motives, actually teaming up with this psycho killer! You wonât be leaving now that youâre here!â Eva sald angrily, signaling those around her to take action.
Rachel remained unaware. I grabbed both of them and hurriedly headed out.
I yanked Steven, causing him to stumble and almost lose his balance.
Eva came with three people. They were big, tough individuals.
It was wiser to retreat than to face unnecessary harm.
Rachel and I quickly ran out. She was pressing the elevator button forcefully.
âWhy are you still taking the elevator? Did you call the cops?â I asked while we were running.
âHow would I know weâd get beaten upâ¦â Rachel followed me, saying defiantly.
âYouâre incredibleâ¦â I was in disbelief.
Rachel stopped running and looked at me again.
âWhat are you looking at⦠run!â I said, puzzled.
Rachel didnât say anything, turning her head to look at the corridor. âWhereâs Steve?â
I was stunned. Steven didnât come out!
âSteve!â I ran back to Steven quickly.
He was sick!
âSteve!â I grabbed a fire extinguisher from the hallway and rushed in. I couldnât let him get beaten up by these people.
As soon as I entered the living room, I was stunned.
I didnât need to do anything at all. The people inside were all writhing on the ground in pain.
Eva was frightened. She collapsed on the ground, and her face turned pale. âHeâs mad⦠heâs just madâ¦â
Steven tossed aside the stick in his hand, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and he grinned at me.
I stood frozen in place, holding the fire extinguisher in my arms.
His fair skin provided a stark contrast against the bright red blood.
Who wouldâve thought heâd grin at me after a fight? The impact of that smile was strong.
My heart seemed to skip a beat. I tossed the fire extinguisher aside and grabbed Steven, rushing out.
I stayed quiet all the way, and Steven remained quiet too. He trailed behind me like a scolded child, his head lowered, and the air felt tense between us.
It wasnât until we reached a safe spot that I let out my frustration. âAre you crazy? Youâre sick! Why did you come here?â
Steven looked aggrieved. He hunched over on the edge of the flower bed and allowed me to scold him.
âWhat if youâre hurt? How can you be so careless with yourself?â I scolded him while examining his bloodied face.
If his face got messed up, it would be really unfortunate.
He grinned at me, speaking softly. âItâs not my blood.â
I was still angry and pushed his chin away. âStop messing around with me! Why did you come here? How did you find me!â
He remained silent, lowering his head again. He just wouldnât tell me how he found me.
Meanwhile, Rachel was panting heavily, squatting on the ground, struggling to catch her breath.â
Donât be too harsh on him⦠heâs so pitiful.â
âAnd you! You were so confident when you called me out. I thought you had everything under control.
âYou shouldâve at least called Zion, shouldnât you? Youâre all alone! What if something had happened! âI found myself losing control, seizing the chance to scold Rachel amid my rising anger.
Rachel was stunned. She just squatted there and allowed me to scold her.